Japanese girl travels around the world alone: ​​70 days across Vietnam by Vespa

Near the end of July this year, Yuki Nakatani arrived in Ho Chi Minh City after traveling alone to more than 30 countries around the world.

Yuki Nakatani and her 'boyfriend' - the motorbike she loves so much - roaming around Vietnam - Photo: NVCC

In Vietnam, the girl from Nagasaki connected with the Japanese community and was lent a Vespa which she affectionately called her “boyfriend” to travel alone from South to North, exploring the S-shaped country that she had just set foot in for the first time.

Yuki went from Ho Chi Minh City to Mui Ne, to Da Lat, down to Nha Trang, to Tuy Hoa, then to Mang Den, to Hoi An, Da Nang, Hue, Phong Nha, Vinh, Hanoi, to Mai Chau, Moc Chau, Ta Xua, Mu Cang Chai, Yen Bai , Ha Giang... before returning to Ho Chi Minh City to return to Japan.

Every place Yuki went through left a mark on her. In Hue , the relaxed, gentle atmosphere made her hesitate to leave. Moc Chau captivated female tourists with its clear blue waterfalls, and Da Lat delighted her with its cool air.

Yuki Nakatani is fascinated by the green and peaceful scenery of Moc Chau tea hills - Photo: NVCC

And throughout that journey, what touched Yuki the most was probably the warmth and sincerity of the Vietnamese people.

“I fell off my bike many times, and every time I was helped by Vietnamese people. Even though I looked like a Vietnamese, they still helped me. They didn’t just help me when they saw a foreigner,” Yuki told Tuoi Tre Online about the kindness of Vietnamese people on her travels.

One time, while passing through a fishing village, she fell off her bike. Even though the local dialect was incomprehensible to her, even with Google Translate, the locals still tried to help her fix her bike so she could continue her journey.

Beautiful Sa Pa scenery shared by Yuki Nakatani with international friends on social network Threads

“This world runs on love”

Yuki's belief in love and kindness in this world is what drives her to continue her journey, even though she was almost kidnapped several times while hitchhiking with strangers.

“Love is the key to everything in life. This world is both big and small. Regardless of nationality, gender or religion, we are all human,” Yuki shared.

“Ultimately, what makes this world work is love. I want to share the goodness of this world and be a source of love,” the 28-year-old said.

Yuki Nakatani, a 28-year-old Japanese girl, loves to travel alone in a world she believes is filled with love - Photo: NVCC

In March 2023, after graduating from university and working for two years, Yuki decided to quit her job and travel to Europe with a one-way ticket.

Arriving in Europe with only 35 euros left in her account, she relied on the only skill she had at the time: calligraphy, an art she had been involved with since the age of 7, to write and sell paintings on the street.

The amount of money she earned could not be called much, but it was enough to cover her needs, and she traveled through many countries for four months.

During that journey, she deeply felt that “this world is full of love” and wanted to spread that message to everyone.

In December 2023, Yuki returned to Japan and published his first book of essays, LOVE .

By May 2024, with the motto "Spreading love", Yuki continued her journey around the world, carrying only a small backpack.

Yuki Nakatani's minimalist backpack - Photo: NVCC

She continued hitchhiking, doing calligraphy, selling postcards from her photos, using book royalties, opening consulting classes, workshops… to cover her expenses for the trip.

After her trip to Vietnam, Yuki plans to hold an exhibition to continue “spreading love”. Previously, she also held painting and calligraphy exhibitions in Japan, Mongolia, China and Thailand.

“I don't think I'm traveling, I'm living. The important thing is that you know what you want and need in this life,” she said.

After being nearly kidnapped several times, Yuki said she learned to sense other people's "energy" and trust her intuition more.

Previously, her trips relied mainly on hitchhiking, but now Yuki has switched to using bicycles and motorbikes to be more proactive on her journey.

She laughs and says she will continue to practice her energy sensing skills to stay safe - and might even learn martial arts one day.

When asked if the dangers on the road deterred her, Yuki quoted a line from Paulo Coelho's The Alchemist : “Most people see the world as a threatening place, and because they see it that way, the world actually becomes a threatening place.”

Yuki wondered, “What if more and more people started to see the world as a beautiful, loving place? Could the world become more beautiful, more loving?”

NHA XUAN

Source: https://tuoitre.vn/co-gai-nhat-di-vong-quanh-the-gioi-1-minh-70-ngay-xuyen-viet-bang-vespa-2025100612083391.htm