“The past few months have been incredibly intense. For nearly four months, I became a student again, in Japan. My goal was to train in all eight regions and share the journey with you. Thanks to your support, it was a real success and I can say proudly that I did it.
Back in Tokyo, I returned to Adachi High School, a place I had visited seven years ago and remembered for its tough training. This time was different. As a retired athlete, teacher and blogger, I interviewed the sensei and joined training at my own pace. Their four-hour daily sessions are a true test of body and mind but I survived and produced an engaging video from the experience.
From Tokyo, I travelled north. In Tohoku, the region hardest hit by the 2011 tsunami, I found a unique dojo with no teacher, just friends training together, 20 rounds of randori at three minutes each. From there, it was a two-day journey to Hokkaido, where I visited Hokkaido University, home of the best Kosen judo team in Japan. It was the perfect conclusion to my Japanese chapter.
Leaving Japan was bittersweet. Being back at the birthplace of judo felt special and I realised how much interest the project creates there. In the future, I hope to organise camps and events in Japan to keep learning and sharing.
This part of the journey cost about €8,000. With some savings left, I decided to make Mongolia my 50th country. Early in the project I had met Amartuvshin Dashdavaa in Hamburg, who later connected me to contacts in Ulaanbaatar. There I coached at the Mongol Judo Academy, met national coach Erdene Baatar, a Tokai University graduate. Training, filming and socialising with them was a privilege and friendships were quickly formed.
Mongolia is now a serious candidate to host one of my future training camps: affordable, rich in culture, full of strong judoka and kind people. I even had the honour of being invited by the president of the judo federation, the former president of the country, HE Battulga Khaltmaa, to his countryside home for a barbecue, an unforgettable moment.
Yet, financial realities brought me back to Europe, where I plan to continue the project more sustainably. I will now focus on visiting the European countries I have not yet explored, from Albania and Andorra to Ukraine and Portugal, travelling in shorter bursts of three to four weeks, with time at home between trips. This will allow me to keep costs lower and improve my work, while also returning to countries that want seminars.
After 50 countries, I am proud of how far the project has come. My videos from Japan alone have reached nearly 5 million views, a personal record. Slowing down a little gives me the chance to be with my family and friends after four years on the road, while keeping the adventure alive for at least a few more. This is the plan!
Thank you all for your incredible support. This journey only exists because of you. Even though the pace is slower, I’m not giving up, far from that actually. There is still so much more to discover. Until next time!”