THE GREAT JOURNEY "When Columbus landed here 500 years ago,he discovered a land that was home to advanced civilizations like the Aztecs and Incas.These peoples were of Mongoloid stock and shared a common ancestry with the Japanese.The aboriginal peoples whom I met deep in the heart of South America seemed very similar to my people,the Japanese,which is perhaps why I felt a strong affinity for them. Humans first appeared on Earth in East Africa some four million years ago.And from Africa early man headed to Asia and the far north.It wasn't until about 10,000 years ago that he finally arrived in Patagonia at the southern tip of South America.American archaeologist B.M Fagan named the 50,000-kilometer journey of man to the far reaches of South America "the Great Journey". With the power of my own body, I am exploring the route followed in this Great Journey except that I am starting at its end point and ending at its starting point.As I slowly proceed along this path and make a host of new friends I am compelled to think about the essence of man,and about the progress we have made over the millennia as a species.The goal is to reach my destination the cradle of man in East Africa in the month of January in the year 2001." (Yoshiharu Sekino)

About Yoshiharu Sekino Yoshiharu Sekino: Doctor and explorer 1949:Born in Tokyo 1975:Graduated from Hitotsubashi University Law School During his law studies, Yoshiharu Sekino lead a university expedition in navigating the entire length of the Amazon river. 1982:Graduated from Yokohama City University Medical School Mr. Sekino explored much of South America,particularly the central Andes,the tributaries of the Amazon,Patagonia,and the highlands of Guyana.In exploring the Amazon tributaries, he found traces of the lost French expedition. He leads an expedition to investigate Inca ruins discovered by NASA satellite photography.His expedition into the highlands of Guyana was reported by Asahi TV's News Station, and attracted worldwide attention. Mr.Sekino has published a number of well-received photographic collections and chronicles of his voyages,and his work has been widely documented on Japanese television. Photographic Volumes(in Japanese only) ┼wThe Guiana Plateau┼xKodansha ┼wQ'ERO,the far away Inca village┼xAsahi Shimbun Sha ┼wTheAmazon Headwaters,Inca Valleys and unknown streams┼xNihon Television ┼wThe Orinoco┼xKodansha Books(in Japanese only) ┼wA Lazy Trip into Prehistory┼xYama to Keikoku Sha┼A ┼wThe Vanished Inca┼xRippu Shobo┼A ┼wRobinson Crusoe's Survival Techniques┼xYama to Keikoku Sha┼A ┼wMy Amazon;13 Years with the Machigenga Family┼xYama to Keikoku Sha