Run Japan
In 2025, I ran 3,437 km from Cape Soya in Hokkaido to Cape Sata in Kyushu. Joy cycled alongside, filming every step. This is that story.
The Journey
We didn’t over-plan it. We mapped a few different options, but part of the adventure was winging it. Our route took shape day by day, guided by weather, landscapes, and the people we met along the way.
Starting in Hokkaido in September, we headed south through the mountains, along coastlines, through cities and villages, eventually reaching Cape Sata in Kyushu.
Watch the Series
The full story told as a documentary series on YouTube.
Episode 1 coming soon
Why Japan?
Japan is fascinating, it’s a country of contrasts: wild mountains overlooking neon skylines, historic temples tucked away in high-tech cities, and hypermodern culture blended with ancient traditions.
Running it end to end allowed me to experience the country without filters or shortcuts. And I got to share it with Joy, who rode alongside on the bike, filming, laughing, and handing me snacks.
As a Zen Buddhist, this journey was be one of moving meditation: thousands of kilometres of noticing the ordinary, the beautiful, and the ridiculous, one step at a time.
The Charities
We ran through a foreign land, often relying on the kindness and generosity of others to help us find our way around and keep us moving in the right direction. So we chose two Japanese charities to support, our way of giving back to the country that hosted us for 80 days.
Animal Refuge Kansai (ARK)
Animal Refuge Kansai (ARK) acts as a safety net for homeless, abandoned animals or those otherwise in need of help. ARK actively rescues animals, provides them with the care needed and search for a new family to give them a second chance at happiness. However, it is not just rescue work that ARK does. ARK aims to educate and spread awareness about animal welfare, the importance of spaying and neutering animals, and the need to revise current animal welfare laws.
ARK is one of Japan’s oldest shelters, founded in Osaka in 1990. The founder, Elizabeth Oliver, has dedicated her life to animals here for almost 4 decades and was awarded the MBE in 2012 for her services to animals and civil society in Japan.
In the decades since, they have worked towards a society which respects and protects animals. While rescuing, caring for and rehoming animals, they will strive for improvements in the level of animal welfare for the animals of Japan.
Mirai no Mori
In Japan, nearly 30,000 children live in institutional care due to abuse, neglect, or loss of family support. At 18, these children are required to live independently and begin to manage every aspect of their lives. While care homes provide basic needs, they lack opportunities for experiential learning due to the limitation of the current child welfare system, making it nearly impossible to be fully ready for this sudden & substantial change. Many children are overwhelmed by the new problems they encounter resulting in unfortunate outcomes including: homelessness, poverty, isolation and exploitation.
Mirai no Mori provides year-round programs that foster essential life skills for youth in care homes. Children gain confidence, communication skills, and a sense of belonging through outdoor learning and mentorship. Their curriculum supports each stage: elementary and middle school campers, high school participants in the Leadership in Training (LIT) program, and graduates who have aged out of the care system-creating a pathway of growth into adulthood.
100% of your donation supports the charity you choose, Animal Refuge Kansai or Mirai no Mori.
None of this funds us.
The team for Japan
The two misfits behind 3,437 km of questionable decisions.
Phill
Without him, it would have been just Joy with a bike, some, cameras, and no running to film.
Joy
Without her, it would have just been some bloke running and complaining.
