“Travel Essay” by Hyakken Uchida

Hyakken Uchida is one of the disciples of Soseki Natsume. After graduating from Tokyo University with a degree in German, became a professor at a private university in Tokyo and taught there for about 15 years. It is said that his character was quite unique and was therefore admired by his students. The last film of Akira Kurosawa is based on Uchida’s life. This essay made me think of the essence of travel, which lies in the act of moving itself. These days, we tend to aim for efficiency and therefore the “waste” is the enemy. Relying on GPS, we can reach our destinations without wasting our time due to losing our way. However, efficiency is sometimes bound to strip travels of something precious. The protagonist of this essay does not have any specific destinations. For example, he just goes to Osaka from Tokyo by using a normal train (taking him 8 hours!) and doesn’t get off the train there. For him, the ride itself is fun. Eating and drinking in a dining car is a joy. While traveling, he contemplates on life. This book taught me something important I had almost forgotten.