In just a few short days I'll be hopping on a plane to Japan's Mie Prefecture to hike the stunning, challenging Kumano Kodo Iseji. After approximately five years of navigating China's busy cities: honking horns, dodging e-bikes, constant construction... imagining myself hiking through the wilderness with just me, my boyfriend, and my backpack sounds almost too good to be true. It also sounds super scary. Can I actually survive a two-week trek through Japan's forested mountain trails? Can I walk kilometers on end carrying all of my belongings on my back? Will I be in good enough shape after working