Ganba… what???

Ganbare is a Japanese phrase of encouragement that translates to something like “keep it up” or “keep going.”

The pilgrimage I’ve planned—known as the Shikoku 88 Henro—will be my first attempt at a physically and mentally demanding journey spanning multiple weeks and covering more than 1,200 km. I think it’s safe to say I’ll need all the self-encouragement I can muster. I could have called it Ganbare Remy, but adding my own name felt a little self-indulgent—and this is a blog about a Buddhist pilgrimage, after all.

Creating and maintaining a blog is also something completely new to me, so please bear with me while I find my voice and rhythm. Many people will probably think: Why not just keep track of it on social media? Why something as niche and unwieldy as a blog? Aren’t blogs a relic of the early 2000s?

I don’t have a direct answer. Like many others, I’ve stepped away from social platforms because they started consuming too much time and no longer contributed anything positive. On top of that, I want more control and ownership over what I share here. I’m also not doing this for profit or recognition.

I truly hope that by documenting my journey this way, I’ll be able to help others who are planning a similar pilgrimage or long-distance hike—maybe even inspire someone to finally follow through on their own dream trip. At the very least, I hope people can learn from the mistakes I’ll inevitably make.

In that sense, the very existence of this blog is meant as encouragement for all future henro who might follow.