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Getting by on the Generosity of Strangers in Japan

On a long trip away from home, some of the most memorable moments come from the hospitality of strangers. National Geographic Explorer Paul Salopek has come to rely on hospitality daily on his Out of Eden Walk, traversing the path of human migration. Host Marco Werman speaks to Paul about hospitality, starting in Japan with a recent stay in a traditional roadside inn.

Yoshiko Yamana, 84, runs Migita ryokan, or guesthouse, along with a handful of helpers who, like the plates and teacups, have rendered service for decades.Soichiro Koriyama/National Geographic, Out of Eden Walk Wow, so an industrial neighborhood. Yoshiko Yamana passes her days in the kitchen amid shelves stacked with tin, wood and porcelain cooking implements.Soichiro Koriyama/National Geographic, Out of Eden Walk Does any particular place stand out for that sense of warmth and welcome we all anticipate when we think hospitality? Yoshiko Yamana bought the derelict Migita ryokan, which housed navy officers during World War II, in 1965.Soichiro Koriyama/National Geographic, Out of Eden Walk Paul, I’m guessing that after being on the road so long, you think differently today about hospitality than maybe you used to.

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