From Poland to Japan On Foot
Interview with Mateusz Krzyżanowski, On Foot from Poland to Japan (Pieszo z Polski do Japonii).
As we catch up remotely for this talk, Mateusz is resting in the Kemer camp in Turkey, near Antalya. He has travelled approx. 3900 km so far according to the Google Maps. We are joining him from Warsaw, Poland to learn more about his adventure.
instagram.com/p/DKH2K4LoXc6
Source: Instagram/ Pieszo z Polski do Japonii.
Victoria Voigt: Mateusz, your journey is more than just a 10,000-13,000 km expedition. It's a living story of courage, determination and a dream that many would consider impossible.
What made you decide to walk from Poland all the way to Japan?
It's not about kilometers, fame, likes or exoticism. I'm walking from Poland to Japan because I lost myself over the years, until one day I didn't recognize the man in the mirror. This road is my return to life, values, sobriety and to myself. I grew up without a real father figure.
In the shadow of parties, violence, chaos. At the age of fifteen I gave up sports after a violent incident with my father, and over time I fell into addictions - amphetamines, mephedrone, marijuana. I tried to take my own life, but thanks to loved ones I was saved. I wanted to fight for my family and for a future where my children would not have to go through what I went through. One night I dreamed about this trip. I woke up with the conviction that I had to go - not for the adventure, but to live my life anew, with a clear head and heart. I'm going to really start over.
This trip is not a sports challenge. It is a pilgrimage. A path of rebirth.
Physically, it's obvious fatigue, pain, sometimes hunger or cold. But it is through that same body that I burn off what has poisoned me for years. Emotionally, I'm confronting everything I've been running away from: childhood wounds, a toxic relationship with my father, the consequences of addictions. Mentally, I'm learning humility and perseverance. Every day is a struggle against laziness, doubt, temptation. Every step is about learning patience. Spiritually, this path leads me deep into myself. I pray, meditate, try to understand my emotions, forgive, including myself. I’ve embarked to become a good husband, and in the future a father like I never had myself.
VV: What location did you embark from? Was it perhaps so unappealing that led you, for many, to such a crazy idea? And why Japan?
I started from Radom in Poland, a city that for many is the subject of jokes, and for me was a place of pain, falls, but also the first attempts to get up. I'm not running away from Radom, but from my old self. It wasn't the city that was the problem, but the life I led there. Japan appeared in my dream, literally. One night I dreamed of the trek. When I woke up, I knew it was no coincidence. Japan has become a symbol. For me, it's a country of discipline, spirituality and respect, so the values I've lacked for years. It's also an extremely different world from the one I grew up in. I want to get there to see who I have become. And to start a new life with a clean slate.
VV: How long did you prepare for this trip? What exactly did it technically and spiritually require of you at the preparation stage in Poland?
I prepared for this trip for almost two years, and holistically: body, mind and spirit. Technically: I lost weight, went back to the gym, trained boxing, Brazilian jiu-jitsu, worked on mobility and gait. I went from being a couch potato to a guy who can walk through mountains with a heavy backpack. I also had a foot injury that postponed the start, but it didn't break my spirit. Spiritually: the hardest thing was to look myself in the eye. To admit that I had a problem, that I had been running into stimulants and illusions for years. This preparation was like a painful confession - to myself and to the people I hurt. I had to build myself from scratch, learning humility, patience and consistency.
VV: What does your typical day on the road look like?
My day starts very early, often at dawn. To start, I do a warm-up to get my body going after a night's sleep, and in the meantime I pack my backpack for the next stage. Then I set off on my route - I try to walk about 20-25 km, although sometimes less, depending on the terrain and conditions. Along the way I take short breaks, talk to people, learn their languages and customs.
When I get there, I set up camp, cook a simple meal, sometimes eating what the locals give. I spend my evenings regenerating, writing notes, reviewing equipment and planning the next day.
VV: Are you not afraid? Loneliness, unknown countries, borders, languages....
They say that only fools do not feel fear, so there is something in that. I don't claim that I'm not afraid. I just try not to think about it. I believe in the law of attraction - I focus on what is good, I think positively, although of course this is not always easy. Solitude can be difficult, but it also gives a lot of space for reflection. Sometimes it is the silence that allows you to hear yourself. And unknown countries? I just get to know them step by step through people, tastes, smells, looks. This is not a threat to me, but a lesson. Languages? Fortunately, I have a good companion, a translator called Vasco. It hasn't let me down yet. Thanks to it, I can get along practically everywhere, and people around the world really are kinder than they often seem. Borders? The most difficult ones are not on the map - they are in your head. And they're the ones I'm trying to cross most of all on this trip.
Link to the Translator: https://vasco-electronics.pl/
VV: What would you like to say to people who are afraid to take the first step - in travel, in life, in change?
That fear will not disappear - but you can go hand in hand with it. Don't wait until everything is ready. Move forward with what you have. The first step doesn't have to be perfect - the important thing is that it should be. Because behind that one step is a new life. And one more thing: talk less, act more. Dreams don't come true - dreams are to make come true.
VV: What is the one piece of wisdom to young people around the world that you would like to address through our global Vis a Vis platform?
Don't let yourself be told that you are too weak, too stupid, too “different” to achieve anything. This is a lie. You have tremendous strength within you. But it will not reveal itself if you run away from yourself. Look in the mirror with courage. Forgive yourself. And move on. Your path is in you - not in the GPS. And even if you have a beginning like a horror movie - you can write an ending like a fairy tale. And remember: you will make the most difference when you stop talking and start doing.
VV: Thank you for sharing your journey with us and best of luck!
Thank you very much for the opportunity to participate in your interview.
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Follow Mateusz’s Instagram for more real time travels:
Instagram: @pieszo_z_polski_do_japonii