Cryptic Pilgrimage: Japanese Traveler Kajipon Seeing the World One Grave at a Time

Left, Kajipon on his first pilgrimage to Europe in 1989 at the age of 21. At right, he visits the grave of Charlie Chaplin at Corsier-sur-Vevey in Switzerland.

Travelling in 2008, Kajipon pays his respects to Captain Scott close to the place where the legendary explorer and his companions met their end in Antarctica.

Left, a bubblegum wrapper from Syria showing the main character from the Japanese manga Fisherman Sanpei. Right, Kajipon at the home of some villagers outside Damascus.

The grave of artist and former Paris stockbroker Paul Gauguin in Hiva Oa.

A friendly French police officer shows off his Japanese calligraphy skills while Kajipon completes his incident report.

Kajipon poses at home with his carefully repaired bust of Beethoven, one of his great heroes. (Photo taken during Zoom interview with Nippon.com)

Kajipon has visited Beethoven’s grave six times.

The mother and daughter who drove Kajipon across the border into Russia to visit Kant’s grave in 2015.

At James Dean’s grave in Fairmount, Indiana.

Left, Kajipon’s son says a quick prayer at Audrey Hepburn’s grave in Tolochenaz, Switzerland, in 2015. Right, the family poses at the grave of French entomologist Jean-Henri Fabre in Sérignan-du-Comtat in 2018.

Château de Vauvenargues outside Aix-en-Provence, France, the last resting place of Pablo Picasso.