The 26-year-old set off from the southern tip of Kyushu on May 2, and reckons he’ll knock off the 2400km journey to the top of Hokkaido early next month.
Hugging the west coast as he traverses the country’s three main islands, and mainly following walking paths and minor roads, he’s now in Akita prefecture, near the top of the main island of Honshu.
Using crowd-funding site JustGiving, he’s raised more than $13,000, and counting, for a British charity providing healthcare to Palestinians caught up in the Israel-Hamas conflict.
Boanas, whose parents Guy and Ann are the longtime owners of Mt Rosa Wines, is no stranger to physical challenges.
The keen outdoorsman has a background in conservation work and hiking guiding, walked Te Araroa five years ago, and has undertaken many long-distance, self-supported bike journeys.
However, unsure if he could keep up the necessary marathon distance every day, he put himself to the test in April by running from Gibbston to Christchurch. He managed to complete the 450km in 12 days without drama.
He’s found he can comfortably run 50km-plus in a day, giving him the luxury of taking occasional days off to rest and keep his gear in order — such as buying new running shoes.
Despite having visited Japan only once before, for a ski trip, he chose the country because of the obvious starting and ending points it offered.
It also has the advantage of having countless convenience stores and vending machines, which means replenishment is never far away.
"I’ve only ever had to carry more than a litre and a half of liquid at a time, because ... there’s going to be a vending machine on the side of the road in the middle of nowhere."
He’s also taken advantage of the numerous onsen (hot spring baths).
Despite being "very unfamiliar" with the country’s language and culture, he’s had positive reactions from locals along the way. "I’ve been well looked after."
- To support Boanas, search for ‘Fundraiser for Medical Aid for Palestinians’ on justgiving.com
