[Interview] Koji Shimizu's stamp of approval: "I didn't change because of my travels, but I discovered what I need to do thanks to the value I discovered on my travels."
Koji Shimizu, who lives in Hiroshima, is active in various activities such as novel writing, freelance writing, and editing. At the turning point of 50 years old, marking 10 years since he returned to Hiroshima, he began to think that he should take a moment to reflect on his life so far. Then, at the age of 51, he decided to go on a pilgrimage to Spain in April 2023. We talked to him about why he went on the journey, what happened there, and what he plans to do from now on.
I decided to go on a trip
Up until then, I had been working in Tokyo producing books, writing and editing novels, and working as a freelance writer. Then, in 2011, I came back to Hiroshima. Since then, I've been given various jobs, appeared on radio and TV, and written a book. And before I knew it, 10 years had passed. At the same time, I was surprised to see myself turning 50. I've been living my life recklessly, but I've already lived for half a century. "In 10 more years I'll be 60?!"
When you get to this age, your surroundings change a lot, and some people around you pass away. I started to feel like maybe it was time to stop and think about what direction I should go in. I wanted to look back on my life and think about what direction I should go in.
When you get to this age, your surroundings change a lot, and some people around you pass away. I started to feel like maybe it was time to stop and think about what direction I should go in. I wanted to look back on my life and think about what direction I should go in.
As expected, when you turn 50, you start thinking about the rest of your life. There are only a limited number of things you can do in terms of time and energy. To put it in extreme terms, you could die tomorrow, or you could develop dementia. So I thought about what I want to do with the rest of my life. That's when I decided that I wanted to wander around overseas. Actually, I did some backpacking when I was a student, but I wanted to stand in an unfamiliar place again and feel freedom with my whole body. Right now, I'm still just barely able to move around. However, what's looming before me are the care of my parents, my children's exams and income, and the reasons why I can't move freely. In addition, my regular radio show ended, my mother-in-law passed away, and other events happened, so I thought this was a sign that I should go. So, I said I was going on a pilgrimage on impulse.
I said it but...
That was fine until I said I was going on a pilgrimage, but I regretted it after I said it. After that, I told everyone I met that I didn't want to go, I didn't want to go. At that time, when I met the screenwriter Aya Watanabe, I said, "I said that, but I don't want to go on a trip. Because I have to stop the work I'm doing now, and I don't know if I'll have any work in the future. I can't say that I've been doing well up until now, but I've been working hard, and I'm a little scared of getting off that rail." Then, Aya said something that made me take aback. "Shimizu-san, did you think you were on the rails!?" It's true that I've hardly ever worked for a company, and I've always worked freelance, and I realized that I wasn't on the rails that the general public talks about, and I was scared of losing them, but I didn't have anything in the first place, and I thought I was on the rails, but in fact it was just a field (laughs). I was just playing train games by myself. So isn't it the same if I go on a trip? -- I said.
The reason why I decided to go on a pilgrimage to Spain was because I happened to see a documentary about the Santiago pilgrimage. However, the pilgrimage was just my starting point, and I had researched that pilgrimages can usually be completed in about a month. However, I was planning to go on a pilgrimage for three months, which I had exaggerated a little, and I somehow wanted to continue walking after reaching the goal, and I also wanted to go to Africa at least once in my life. If I go all the way south, I can get to Morocco.
Try setting off on a journey
A person's character and personality are revealed through travel. In my case, even though I decided to go, I couldn't leave for a while, but once I started, it was smooth. I was able to reaffirm my own characteristics, or rather, myself. As I said before, the pilgrimage itself went smoothly with few problems. That's because many of the people who walk the pilgrimage sites are serious and pure people about life. There were times when we couldn't find lodging and shared a room. And we usually ate dinner together. I could hardly speak Spanish, but we got quite excited just by saying words we knew in the language of our respective hometowns. It was a fun experience.
I thought that the pilgrims would only be devout Christians, but it wasn't the case; there were many young people who were simply enjoying the journey. When I talked to them, a Korean man in his 30s said he had come to search for the TRUTH.
I thought that the pilgrims would only be devout Christians, but it wasn't the case; there were many young people who were simply enjoying the journey. When I talked to them, a Korean man in his 30s said he had come to search for the TRUTH.
The irreplaceable value I felt during my trip and what I gained there
It may sound strange for me to say this as I make books and write for a living, but I was able to reaffirm the joy of reality, which is different from what you get from fiction. The reality I felt from actually seeing, feeling, eating, and meeting people really struck me. Also, the weather was good when I was traveling from April to May. I would definitely recommend this season to anyone planning to go on a pilgrimage. I was able to fully enjoy the beauty of the fresh greenery and nature.
My lifestyle changed a lot during the trip. I could say I lived a simple life without anything unnecessary. I woke up in the morning, walked, ate when I was hungry, stopped walking when it got dark, and slept at an inn. Even so, at first, I walked while vaguely thinking about what would happen next and about work. But halfway through, I stopped caring about such things, and I reached a state of mind where I just wanted to live in the present moment, the journey in front of me, what I would do after this, where I would go tomorrow, and just enjoy the journey itself. It was a very comfortable moment.
My lifestyle changed a lot during the trip. I could say I lived a simple life without anything unnecessary. I woke up in the morning, walked, ate when I was hungry, stopped walking when it got dark, and slept at an inn. Even so, at first, I walked while vaguely thinking about what would happen next and about work. But halfway through, I stopped caring about such things, and I reached a state of mind where I just wanted to live in the present moment, the journey in front of me, what I would do after this, where I would go tomorrow, and just enjoy the journey itself. It was a very comfortable moment.
As I mentioned at the beginning, I also traveled as a backpacker when I was younger, but I feel there is a clear difference between this trip and the trips I took when I was younger.
In this interview, I would actually like to invite you all to travel, but I would like to recommend traveling when you are older, preferably around 50 years old.
Even if I try to remember the trips I took when I was young, I can't really remember them. I realized why when I went on this trip. When you're young, you always have the feeling that you still have a long way to go, even if you don't realize it. So you unconsciously have the feeling that you can come back here again. With regards to this trip, I had a strong feeling that it might be my last, so every scene I saw on the trip looked dramatic to me. Furthermore, when you reach 50, you have accumulated life experiences. The knowledge you gained there and the memories of the connections you made with people make the trip even more enjoyable. You can savor the trip more deeply, I guess.
If a person's life were a day, then 50 years old would be around 5pm. 5pm means it's still light in the summer, but it's already dark in the winter. The desire to fully experience this world while there is still a little daylight left made the trip even more irreplaceable. Aren't sunsets and magic hours beautiful? Not day, not night. No longer young, but not yet old. I think that such a precious "in-between time" where you can't help but stop and stare blankly is around 50 years old in life.
In this interview, I would actually like to invite you all to travel, but I would like to recommend traveling when you are older, preferably around 50 years old.
Even if I try to remember the trips I took when I was young, I can't really remember them. I realized why when I went on this trip. When you're young, you always have the feeling that you still have a long way to go, even if you don't realize it. So you unconsciously have the feeling that you can come back here again. With regards to this trip, I had a strong feeling that it might be my last, so every scene I saw on the trip looked dramatic to me. Furthermore, when you reach 50, you have accumulated life experiences. The knowledge you gained there and the memories of the connections you made with people make the trip even more enjoyable. You can savor the trip more deeply, I guess.
If a person's life were a day, then 50 years old would be around 5pm. 5pm means it's still light in the summer, but it's already dark in the winter. The desire to fully experience this world while there is still a little daylight left made the trip even more irreplaceable. Aren't sunsets and magic hours beautiful? Not day, not night. No longer young, but not yet old. I think that such a precious "in-between time" where you can't help but stop and stare blankly is around 50 years old in life.
End of the journey
During the trip, I didn't have any health problems. I did have a little stomachache at the start, but it's scary how quickly you get used to things, and after that I was completely fine. However, after I finished the trip and returned to Hiroshima, I was bedridden for about a month. I must have been really tense during the trip. While I was in bed, I had time to think about the trip, and there was something I felt. First of all, I wonder if I don't need much money. I had a lot of luggage at the start of the trip. However, during the trip, I gradually threw away things I didn't need, and I became lighter. Then, when I realized that I don't spend that much money and don't need it, I felt a lot better. As a traveler, I didn't care about annual income, titles, or fame. I can't take money to heaven anyway. Instead, I gained the freedom to do what I like. Anyway, for me, being light is the most important thing, and I realized that it's important to be in a state where I can move around easily.
And now, as I am thinking about this interview, I just want to invite everyone to travel. This time, what I wanted to do was the Reiwa version of "Midnight Express" (Note: A travel documentary written by Sawaki Kota). What would happen if an old man went on a wandering trip with digital equipment in this Reiwa era? What I felt there was that, as I have said before, traveling as you get older becomes more attractive because you have experiences to base your journey on. I myself am becoming old as a person, but in Europe, there is a culture that finds value in old buildings. What can be placed on top of those old things? It gave me an opportunity to think about it. So I want to tempt everyone to "go on a trip?" I want people to go out more and accumulate new experiences. If there are people who are afraid of taking off and are fidgeting, I want to give them a big push! In a irresponsible way (laughs).
Values discovered through travel and the future
Values are different for each person. I work as a writer, and I think that is a value that I cherish. Furthermore, through traveling, I wanted to cherish the things I experienced and the values that I believed in. By interacting with people of various nationalities and with various values, I finally realized that I have no choice but to walk on the values that I believe in.
Now that several months have passed since the end of the trip, I feel like I have a new sense of excitement. So, instead of writing a sketch of the trip like the notes I wrote during the trip, I want to think carefully again about what I have digested about the pilgrimage and write it down. For the past three or four years, I haven't had anything I wanted to write about, but now I feel like I want to write about this.
Now that several months have passed since the end of the trip, I feel like I have a new sense of excitement. So, instead of writing a sketch of the trip like the notes I wrote during the trip, I want to think carefully again about what I have digested about the pilgrimage and write it down. For the past three or four years, I haven't had anything I wanted to write about, but now I feel like I want to write about this.
I'm also vaguely thinking about what to do next, but I felt that I hadn't changed as much as I thought I would on this trip. By finding myself unchanged, I was able to resolve that I have to fight as myself. At the same time, I am driven by a desire to know more about myself. I was running away from my family, especially my parents. In the midst of that, by traveling abroad, I felt that the answer lies not in something global, but rather in something domestic. I now think that I should start a new journey to confront my roots, a pilgrimage to the country of my "hometown." And again, I have a strong desire not to go (laughs), but this journey has a limit. I don't know if my parents will be alive forever. I also need to push myself from that point. No matter what anyone says, I will pursue what I find interesting. The fact that I was able to resolve to do so may have been the value I gained from this journey.
【profile】
Koji Shimizu
Author Writer Editor
Born December 24, 1971, in Hiroshima. Currently residing in Nishi-ku, Hiroshima. Graduated from Hiroshima Gakuin Junior and Senior High School. Graduated from Hitotsubashi University Faculty of Sociology. After working as a magazine editor, he became a freelance writer/editor. He is mainly active in music, film, literature, etc. In 2011, he published a book titled "Cancer Fuufu Diary" (Shogakukan) under the name Kawasaki Fuufu, which became a hot topic and was made into a movie titled "Fuufu Fuu Diary" (starring Sasaki Kuranosuke and Nagasaku Hiromi) in 2015. In 2011, he moved to Hiroshima. He is currently active in a wide range of fields, including interviewing, writing, book composition and editing, lecturing, radio personality, and TV commentator. His published works include the novels "Bonchan!" and "Mayonaka no Hit Studio" (both published by Shogakukan Bunko), and co-authored "Bungei Rare Groove: 100 Japanese Literature Books We Want to Read Now" (Marbletron/Chuokoron-Shinsha). In 2018, she published her first full-length novel in 14 years, Ai to Yuuki wo, Share Kureka na? (Will You Please Share Me With Me?) (Shogakukan). This work won the 9th Hiroshima Book Award (Novel Category).
Born December 24, 1971, in Hiroshima. Currently residing in Nishi-ku, Hiroshima. Graduated from Hiroshima Gakuin Junior and Senior High School. Graduated from Hitotsubashi University Faculty of Sociology. After working as a magazine editor, he became a freelance writer/editor. He is mainly active in music, film, literature, etc. In 2011, he published a book titled "Cancer Fuufu Diary" (Shogakukan) under the name Kawasaki Fuufu, which became a hot topic and was made into a movie titled "Fuufu Fuu Diary" (starring Sasaki Kuranosuke and Nagasaku Hiromi) in 2015. In 2011, he moved to Hiroshima. He is currently active in a wide range of fields, including interviewing, writing, book composition and editing, lecturing, radio personality, and TV commentator. His published works include the novels "Bonchan!" and "Mayonaka no Hit Studio" (both published by Shogakukan Bunko), and co-authored "Bungei Rare Groove: 100 Japanese Literature Books We Want to Read Now" (Marbletron/Chuokoron-Shinsha). In 2018, she published her first full-length novel in 14 years, Ai to Yuuki wo, Share Kureka na? (Will You Please Share Me With Me?) (Shogakukan). This work won the 9th Hiroshima Book Award (Novel Category).
Recent Work
Published a novel set in Hiroshima called "Ai to Yuuki wo, Share Kureka nai" (Will you please share love and courage?) (Shogakukan) (June 8, 2018). *Comments were contributed to the obi by Motohiro Hata (singer-songwriter), Kanako Nishi (Naoki Prize-winning author), Hiromi Nagasaku (actress), and Hidehiko Yuzaki (Governor of Hiroshima Prefecture). Lectures given at the Saga University Hospital Open Lecture (June 13, 2015), Sony Life Insurance Co., Ltd. Seminar (October 28-29, 2015), the 68th Hiroshima Medical Association General Meeting (November 8, 2015), Hiroshima Hospice Care Promotion Association Lecture (February 19, 2017), the 42nd Hiroshima Prefectural Hospital Conference (March 26, 2017), and the 19th Japan Society for Clinical Research on Death and Death Chugoku-Shikoku Branch Conference (May 13, 2018).
Published a novel set in Hiroshima called "Ai to Yuuki wo, Share Kureka nai" (Will you please share love and courage?) (Shogakukan) (June 8, 2018). *Comments were contributed to the obi by Motohiro Hata (singer-songwriter), Kanako Nishi (Naoki Prize-winning author), Hiromi Nagasaku (actress), and Hidehiko Yuzaki (Governor of Hiroshima Prefecture). Lectures given at the Saga University Hospital Open Lecture (June 13, 2015), Sony Life Insurance Co., Ltd. Seminar (October 28-29, 2015), the 68th Hiroshima Medical Association General Meeting (November 8, 2015), Hiroshima Hospice Care Promotion Association Lecture (February 19, 2017), the 42nd Hiroshima Prefectural Hospital Conference (March 26, 2017), and the 19th Japan Society for Clinical Research on Death and Death Chugoku-Shikoku Branch Conference (May 13, 2018).
Edited Books
Kenjiro Nomura, "We had no choice but to change." (KK Bestsellers) (2015.2.25) 3rd printing, Ikuo Maeda, "Design Changes Japan: Recovering the Japanese Aesthetic Sense" (Kobunsha) (2018.5.30) 2nd printing, Tetsuya Matsuda, "To You Who Will Climb the Crane Tower in 2045" (The Media John) (2019.6.26), Koichi Ogata, "Inheritance of Red: The Carp's Path to Three Consecutive Championships" (Kobunsha) (2021.1.20) 3rd printing
Kenjiro Nomura, "We had no choice but to change." (KK Bestsellers) (2015.2.25) 3rd printing, Ikuo Maeda, "Design Changes Japan: Recovering the Japanese Aesthetic Sense" (Kobunsha) (2018.5.30) 2nd printing, Tetsuya Matsuda, "To You Who Will Climb the Crane Tower in 2045" (The Media John) (2019.6.26), Koichi Ogata, "Inheritance of Red: The Carp's Path to Three Consecutive Championships" (Kobunsha) (2021.1.20) 3rd printing
regular
Writes music columns and disc reviews for the magazine "Ongaku to Hito" (since November 2012), serves as a commentator on RCC TV's "Imanama!" every Monday (since April 2019), and is a personality on Hiroshima FM's "Honto BOYS no Bunkakei Creator Kaigi" (since August 2019).
Writes music columns and disc reviews for the magazine "Ongaku to Hito" (since November 2012), serves as a commentator on RCC TV's "Imanama!" every Monday (since April 2019), and is a personality on Hiroshima FM's "Honto BOYS no Bunkakei Creator Kaigi" (since August 2019).
Composition: HIROSHIMA TSUTAYA BOOKS Literature Concierge Hiroki Eto
