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Walking in Circles: Finding Happiness in Lost Japan (Round Earth Book 1) by [Todd Wassel]

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Todd Wassel

Walking in Circles: Finding Happiness in Lost Japan (Round Earth Book 1) Kindle Edition

by Todd Wassel (Author) Format: Kindle Edition

111 ratings

Book 1 of 1: Round Earth

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Far from the lights of Tokyo. A 1,200 year old pilgrimage. A life changed forever.
Guided by a wandering ascetic hiding from the Freemasons; naked Yakuza; a scam artist pilgrim; and a vengeful monk, Walking in Circles is a fun, inspirational travel memoir set in a Japan few outsiders ever get to see.

Award-winning writer Todd Wassel draws on over twenty years in Japan to retell his epic journey through the contradictions of a contemporary yet traditional Japan while trying to overcome the barriers to happiness modern life throws up.

Over half a decade after first landing in Japan Todd is lost, unable to go home, or move forward. Convinced there is more to life, he risks everything to return to the one place he found answers years before: the ancient Shikoku Henro pilgrimage. Walking the 750-mile henro path, sleeping outside each night, Todd is armed with only a Japanese map and the people he meets along the way.

Can he find what he's looking for before the path, or his new friends, break him?

Print length

292 pages
Language

English
Publication date

July 20, 2020
File size

3277 KB
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Books In This Series (1 Books)

Complete Series

Round Earth

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Walking in Circles: Finding Happiness in Lost Japan (Round Earth Book 1)
Todd Wassel

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Editorial Reviews

Review

Japanese culture beyond the usual Tokyo-centric focus. Wassel's ability to both entertain and educate makes Walking in Circles a highly recommended read.--D. Donovan, Midwest Book Review

Wassel brings a bold new voice to travel writing. WALKING IN CIRCLES not only succeeds by immersing the reader in an experience few people get to have in person, but he also shares his own personal story that makes this a story of self-exploration that anyone can relate to.--Alex Dolan, author of The Euthanist

A great travelogue should offer three different types of exploration: into a particular time abroad, into the author's brain, and also, most profoundly, into our own psyche. Todd Wassel's adventures in Japan delivers on each criteria with gusto. A sure-footed, special book.--Gordon Peake, author of Beloved Land: stories, struggles and secrets from Timor-Leste

Possibly one of the most interesting books on the pilgrimage.--David Billa, Setouchi Explorer

You won't be able to put this book down!--★★★★★ Amazon Review

I LOVE this book. It's about walking, Japanese culture and LIFE. Full of good tips and loaded with humor. --★★★★★ Good Reads Review

Product details

ASIN : B08CXHR76X
Publisher : Jizo Press (July 20, 2020)
Publication date : July 20, 2020
Language : English
File size : 3277 KB
Simultaneous device usage : Unlimited
Text-to-Speech : Enabled
Enhanced typesetting : Enabled
X-Ray : Enabled
Word Wise : Enabled
Print length : 292 pages
Lending : Enabled

Best Sellers Rank: #72,946 in Kindle Store (See Top 100 in Kindle Store)
- #2 in Far East Asia Travel
- #3 in Religious Travel
- #8 in Hiking & Walking Travel

Customer Reviews:
111 ratings

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Marlene

The Circle of Life

Reviewed in the United States on September 15, 2020

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I read the first 5 pages of "Walking in Circles: Finding Happiness in Lost Japan" by Todd Wassel and simply had to be in touch with the author to tell him I was excited about reading about his walking adventure on the Shikoku Henro pilgrimage of 750 miles. And wouldn't you know, he responded back to me. What a nice guy! I love Wassel's writing style. With each page he is beautifully honest, open, thoughtful, kind, reflective, contemplative, and his humor had me laughing out loud so often. I so much appreciated his experiences on the pilgrimage, the people he met along the way, his views on Buddhism, faith, healing self (body, mind, spirit), the soulful description of Japan then and now, and how fluidly he came to realize what was important in his life. We may not all have it in us to walk this truly challenging pilgrimage, but Wassel offers amazing life lessons we can all acquire in our own special ways if we care enough about ourselves.

2 people found this helpful

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Sheryl Nantus

You won't be able to put this book down!

Reviewed in the United States on July 20, 2020

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I've always dreamed of visiting Japan, but as time goes on it seems to be less and less likely - and doing a pilgrimage seems almost impossible. This book is a beautiful, well-written, addictive story about a pilgrimage through Japan, visiting 88 + temples and collecting both adventures and life experiences along the way. Mr. Wassel weaves a magical picture of the journey, from the blisters on his feet to the dangers of traveling alone to the thoughtful and pensive moments spent not only at the temples along the way, but at the various rest stops.
I wasn't able to put this book down, feeling like I was traveling along the same path and unwilling to pause in sharing in the adventure. The only thing I believe the book could have used is more photographs of the various temples, something I'll be looking up on my own to complete the beautiful images in my mind.
This appears to be the first in a series, and I can't wait for the next book - excellent writing and an eye for description makes this a must-have for anyone looking for a virtual pilgrimage or just a darned fine read!

One person found this helpful

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Justa Reader

The sacred and the profane: this is why pilgrimage narratives endure

Reviewed in the United States on August 10, 2020

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Todd Wassel draws on enduring motifs of pilgrimage narratives in "Walking in Circles" but the story is also so clearly his own--and such an engaging, sincere, and funny account--that you might not immediately notice echoes of "The Canterbury Tales." Yet the classic stuff is all in there, from the unexpected moments of sudden clarity to the dreariness of being trapped in a conversation with a sex addict.

Along the way, a story of self-discovery definitively of its time: caught between his distaste for the lives his professional peers have built for themselves and his envy of them, Wassel also evinces a contemporary preoccupation--without obviously naming it--with authenticity. A pilgrimage, of course, is among the clearest of options for reconciling personal authenticity (being true to thine own self, let's say) and a desire to seek out authentic experience (walking as the truest form of the pilgrimage, engaging only in Japanese) that the average backpacker might only dream of. In many ways, that reconciliation--ironic and surprising, as it unfolds across the narrative--is at the heart of the book.

"Walking in Circles" is, finally, also wonderful just for its insider-outsider insight into Japanese culture. That Wassel's conflicted relationship to Japan echoes his own conflicted relationship to his own culture's expectations of adulthood . . . well, that's also part of the genius and the fun.

One person found this helpful

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Jennifer Oakley Denslow

The Pilgrim's Way in Japan

Reviewed in the United States on January 4, 2021

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After spending several years teaching English in Japan, Todd Wassel thought he'd find his true purpose by returning to the USA to enter grad school, but shortly thereafter he found himself in Japan once again. Walking the pilgrim trail around the Japanese island of Shikoku, Todd endures the heat and humidity of a Japanese summer to visit the 88 temples along the ancient Shikoku Henro. Along the way, he encounters a variety of people, from simple pilgrims to intimidating gangsters.

This book captured me in its descriptions of the natural setting as well as with Wassel's thoughtful interpretation of Japanese attitudes about a variety of issues, including whether Americans can speak their language and enjoy their food!

The trail he followed is one many Westerners, including myself, are unaware of, and so being introduced to another sacred walk by someone who's made it was especially engaging.

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Kindle Customer

Meditation on pilgrimage

Reviewed in the United States on January 20, 2021

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This is a lovely, insightful, and sensitive telling of the author's second pilgrimage along the path of the Japanese master Kobo-Daishi (Kukai) c. 2010. If you have found the stories of pilgrims on the Camino del Santiago provokie thought and spritual growth, you will find this Japanese pilgrimage equally inspiring. If you don't know this literature, but like travelogues, this is one to add to your mental library, along with its lesson, "You can only be where you are." One of life's most difficult truths to embrace.

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Top reviews from other countries

Brigid P. Gallagher

An Inspiring Journey

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on July 21, 2020

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In "Walking in Circles" Todd Wassel recounts his second time walking the 750 mile and 88-temple Shikoku pilgrimage in Japan. As a "henro" in search of enlightenment, he dresses in white to signify death and separation from society.
For a fee of $5, a stamp plus calligraphy can be added to his "kakejiku"or hanging scroll, at each temple. Todd learns that a completed scroll is worth several thousand dollars to collectors, and he is warned to guard it carefully for fear of unscrupulous robbers...
However, it is the journey itself that is the prize, as he navigates steep mountains, paths through paddy fields and killer snakes known as "mamushi."
A series of very interesting characters cross his path as as he tries to "finally figure out what he wants to be when he grows up."
Highly recommended.

4 people found this helpful

Alyson Sheldrake

An inspirational and insightful pilgrimage, beautifully brought to life.

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on August 9, 2020

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88 temples and 750 miles in just thirty days – there lies the path to madness! Except the author comes across as extremely sane as he journeys as a ‘henro’ pilgrim along the Shikoku trail. Wearing the distinctive white clothing, clutching a staff and scroll, and struggling to find a place to sleep each night along the route, this is a fascinating insight into a gruelling journey. Todd’s descriptions of the temples, the local people, and the other pilgrims he encounters are beautifully illustrated. The author has a wonderful way of describing events and characters, and you can almost feel the pain of his sore, blistered feet as he walks. The smallest details are included along the route, and Todd’s inner musings help to accentuate his story and turn it into a joy to read. His knowledge of Japan and the local customs and ways mean that this is more than just another travel memoir. An inspirational read.

One person found this helpful

Robert Fear

Well-written and thought-provoking

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on February 4, 2021

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This was a fascinating read. It tells of Todd Wassel’s month-long pilgrimage around the Japanese island of Shikoku in 2005, seven years after he had first walked the route aged 21. He returns to the 1200-year-old Henro pilgrimage in search of answers. During his quest he aims to visit the 88 designated temples, and others not included in the official count. Quite a challenge in such a brief space of time!

Well-written and thought-provoking, this book includes wonderful descriptions of the scenery and the challenges he faces locating a place to sleep each night. It also provides great characterisations of the intriguing characters he meets along the way. These include disturbing discoveries about the Japanese people and what lies beneath their normal conservative exterior.

Does Todd unearth the answers he is looking for? Read the book to find out, but his conclusions are not what he expected at the outset.

KIMI 3

I WISH IT COULD HAVE CONTINUED

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on January 30, 2021

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A fascinating and honest account of the author's journey by foot on the Shikoku pilgrimage in Japan,as well as his inner journey,discovering insights about himself.
And too his differing encounters with Japanese people and culture,from the normally courteous and helpful to the less common rude or orggressive.
I connected with some of his account from having spent several visits to Japan. A Japanese friend has expressed an interest in visiting some of the 88 temples in Shikoku,though we'd be taking the easier option of travelling by coach rather than the demanding slog of walking. A book to re-read at some stage.

Undeceivable

An Exciting Adventure

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on November 26, 2020

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Walking in Circles is an exciting adventure book which gives you a good understanding of Japanese culture in general with plenty of insights into life in Japan. I especially enjoyed the occassions where Todd would be speaking Japanese to a Japanese person and they'd assume that Todd couldn't speak Japanese. I often had that experience too.
But in general it reminded me of a warm and inviting culture, full of strong traditions.
It has slightly put me off walking the pilgrimage, but that's not so much a reflection on the writing, more a reaction to the realities of the walk: I imagined it was wilder and less touristy!
An enjoyable book :-)

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