Running 34 Miles Around Tokyo — Looking for 'The Most Important Thing in Life'

On November 2nd, I arrived at my hotel next to the world-famous Sensōji Temple in Tokyo's Asakusa district. It was not the ideal start to a long run: sleep deprived, not trained super well, and in the late afternoon.

I mentioned in a previous post that this November long run has become a yearly thing for me, since the Cult of Covid began spreading its absurd and deadly brand of evil madness, overtaking even athletic events like marathons and trail races.

I tend to be pretty introverted in public places, but decided it was time to interview some folks as Voluntary Japan once again. I asked the same massive (overly simplistic?) question I did when I first did this Culture Day autumn run in 2020: "What's the most important thing in life?"

I made sure to only approach folks not wearing the clown muzzles known as masks, and got several individuals to weigh in on the philosophical question with their own answers.

Be sure to check out the full 7-minute video here, if you like.

The course was pretty neat. Basically a giant loop from Sensōji, to Ueno Park, to Tokyo Dome, to Jingu Gaien, to Shibuya Square, to Yebisu, to Rainbow Bridge (at which point my path was blocked!), to Odaiba, up the Arakawa River from the bay, and back to the temple for a late-night finish.

My takeaway? Well. Tokyo is big. Very, very big. And the beauty of the city is often contrasted by that vast feeling of loneliness one can find in massively populated places, especially where the state rules all, and in such a palpable way now with the disease delusion madness running the show. Exorbitant amounts of money, luxury, people, and commerce, with mom and pop shops still "thriving," but something missing from it all, foundationally. The world needs more happiness. Freedom.

Of course, ultra-runs are always lonely, and that's part of the reason I love them. In a way, the beauty and the loneliness are somehow inextricable, maybe.

Still, I hope that my little interviews made someone's day a bit brighter.

What's your answer?