I hope you don't mind me contacting you with this self-advertisement, but I am anxious to spread the word about this event to as many people as possible in order to maximise the funds raised. This is a fundraising event for the thousands who still remain homeless in Japan after the earthquake and tsunami which hit nearly a year ago.
The evening will feature pictures, diary entries and memories of the 44 day pilgrimage I did 16 years ago to mark my 40th birthday. Items used and acquired along the way will be on display, as well as the maps I used. Over the course of the 44 days, I walked over 900 miles and visited 88 temples. For the most part, I walked alone, but for a few days I had walking companions. I walked for two days through a typhoon with a young Japanese woman; we sang children's songs in English (like Row your Boat and Humpty Dumpty) to keep our spirits up.
The pilgrimage is rare for Japanese, and even rarer for foreigners. Most people who complete it do so by catching coaches; seeing a pilgrim walking is a very unusual sight and a tall foreigner in pilgrim gear caused quite a stir. My friends contacted the papers in advance of my arrival so I was interviewed in Japan too!
Come and learn about Japan in an interesting way!
Tuesday, 31 January 2012 18:00 until 21:00 £5 non reserved seating City College Peterborough (Brook Street) Room h1.14