Kenji

My name is Kenji, and I was born in Osaka - a city where street food matters more than status and people say what they think. That explains a lot about who I am. I grew up between the fish stalls of Kuromon and the neon signs of Namba, and even back then I understood one thing: the most interesting stuff always happens where the tour buses never go.

In 2017 I packed my backpack and left for Central Asia - no fixed route, basic Russian, and a generous supply of patience. Uzbekistan turned my world upside down. Samarkand, the morning call to prayer over the Registan madrasas, tea with a stranger who an hour later was feeding me plov at his home - that is why I travel. Not for the photos. For that moment when the line between "me" and "them" simply disappears.

Since then I have been to 34 countries. Iran, Georgia, Mongolia, Morocco, several months across Southeast Asia. I travel slowly - at least two or three weeks in one place. I rent rooms from locals, go to markets early in the morning, and learn at least a dozen words in the local language. It is not some great feat, just the only approach that feels honest to me.

On this site I write in plain, practical terms. Which bus runs from Tbilisi to Stepantsminda and what it costs. Where in Fes you will not get ripped off. Why in Bangkok it is better to stay somewhere other than Khao San Road. No "unforgettable sunsets" - only the stuff that actually helps you get ready and go.

If you have a question about a route, a visa, or just want to talk things through - write to me. I reply to everyone. Osaka taught me one thing: a good conversation is worth the time.