Rise in numbers from Japan and Korea

[sillydoll]

http://www.diariodeburgos.es/noticia.cf ... 4F173C49C1

Diariodeburgos reports that hospitaleros have been surprised this year by the arrival of many young Koreans and Japanese.
The scholar of Route Jacobea Pablo Briones Arribas released this curious figure during the Summer Road to Santiago, the Way of Freedom, which took place this week at the University of Burgos.
"It is the best hope for the arrival of new people from these countries with a spirituality so different from ours. A few days ago in a small hostel in the province were nine Koreans ", he said.
Arribas ensures that these Asian pilgrims show their surprise at the spirituality of the Way. The book by Paulo Coelho has been translated into such languages and has been able to influence these people. We have begun to create partnerships del Camino de Santiago in China.
According to Paul Arribas, what surprised most Asians is the network of shelters where the pilgrim has to pay only a donation.
The author of the book “Pícaros y picaresca en el Camino de Santiago” (Rogues and rogue traders on the Way of St. James) says that overcrowding of the trail has led to some abuse, but generally most do so in search of spirituality.
Coinciding with the festival of Santiago, the mayor, Juan Carlos Aparicio, hosted a reception for the course participants.
He expressed his desire to open as soon as possible the new hostel for pilgrims in Fernan Gonzalez Road.

 

[viajero]

I walked the Camino Frances from Roncesvalles in March of this year and met several Koreans. All of them mentioned that a few months before a t.v. show had aired in Korea about the Camino. It seemed to captivate their interest. About half of the Koreans that I met were Catholic and the others Protestant.

 

[sillydoll]

I met a number of walkers from Japan but no Koreans. The report stated that:

A professor of microbiology Hyungansuk Baik and her daughter Jungwan, Korea reflect the boom of the Way in that Asian country following the publication of a book of a pilgrim, Hyosun Kim. In 2007 there were 423 pilgrims Koreans, almost seven times more than the previous year.

 

[KiwiNomad06]

I met quite a few people from Japan and also from Korea during my walk. In April, near Conques, I met a very fit young woman from Korea walking. She spoke no English or French, but a group of French walkers had taken her under their wing and made sure she got accommodation etc. Then climbing the Pyrenees I met a man from Japan, and we were to meet him off and on for the rest of the journey, until finally we even went into Santiago on the same morning. I met him again later that morning, sitting in a cafe enjoying a cigar to congratulate himself!
Margaret

 

[Former member 2430]

Okay, it's a very interesting subject for me. Because I'm a pilgrim from Korean. Korean also know it's getting more pilgrims to walk the camino.

The word 'Camino' was mentioned in a book as top 100 Trendy word in 2007 in Korea. I see that there's three points of camino boom in this country as a social phenomenon.

First of all, the works by Paulo Cohelo has been popular here. <The Alchemist> is still on top selling chart since many years ago. And I counted that 9 books were published about the camino(mainly it's kind of essay). So the camino is being very popular in Korean publishing world.

Second is that in January, this year a major broadcasting channel aired a documentary about the camino. But before the documentary, there had a few programmes introduced about the camino.

And last one is that, there's an on-line community which has over 4600 Korean members. They shared their camino experience, know-how and support future pilgrims. It's very similar with this forum.

It's just my personal opinion, after drastic economic development, there's a huge increase of overseas tourists since late '80s. And especially after 2000, people started to find different experience with tourists. And the camino is being one of attractive destinations to choose. Many of Korean think that this could be an instant phenomenon. I'm not sure about it but sounds quite reasonable.

But if someone asked "Why do you walk the camino?", I think very few people can answer the question precisely wherever they live or which nationality they have. It's as same as we're pilgrims.

Personally, I walked the camino frances last summer. It was a life-changing experience for me. And now I'm planning for my next camino. Simply I thank God because the camino is in the world.

Just Buen camino to you all of pilgrims. :arrow:
I always welcome any words about this subject.

Jihyeong.

 

[sillydoll]

Jihyeong YU - I think that the growing number of pilgrims from other continents and countries shows that pilgrims have a commonality far beyond a shared European history.

In 1982, pope Jean- Paul II visited Santiago de Compostela as a pilgrim. He urged the people of Europe to link once more through their common bonds of faith:
"My vision extends over the immense network of routes that unite all the cities and nations that constitute Europe and I see that since the Middle Ages the caminos have all lead and now lead to Santiago de Compostela.”

The Council of Europe was set the task of finding a route across Europe that would link people from different countries, religions and cultures. The challenge was to induce people as divided as Norwegian Protestants and Italian Catholics, or the recently re-united French and Germans, Spaniards and Dutch to form a new European identity. In 1985 UNESCO named Santiago de Compostela a World Heritage city. In 1987, drawing on the collective memory of the old Christian pilgrimage routes, they chose the "Way of Compostela" as the first European Cultural Itinerary. It has been described as ‘a path of ecumenical fraternity’

The fact that hundreds of non-Europeans such as Americans, South Africans, Australians, Indians, Japanese, Koreans etc have also felt the power of the camino, suggests that its has nothing to do with nationality, but has everything to do with spirituality and our shared 'humanness'.
We are all Earth Pilgrims.

 

[NaKwendaSafari]

Jihyeong YU, We met a couple from Korea who spent a month on the Camino, we shared their joy of arriving at the Cathedral in May last year. I attach a resized photo which I hope you can post on the Korean on-line community.
[*there's an on-line community which has over 4600 Korean members]
We are one of the few Malaysians but we got along quite well with them as they spoke more English than Spanish, I am sure you will find fulfillment your next Camino and hope you could post a few photos.

what surprised most Asians is the network of shelters where the pilgrim has to pay only a donation.

Most Asians spent months, if not years, saving for the Camino and are prepared to pay for their accommodation/shelter. Few, if any, are willing to enter the bed scramble; but should a donativo shelter be available they would gratefully accept it as one of the pleasant surprises they encounter on the road. The other pleasant surprise is the way the hospitaleros and other pilgrims makes such an effort to help the Asian pilgrims.

Kwaheri (another Asian)

 

[European Peace Walk]

Hi Jihyeong.
Can you email me please: info@peacewalk.eu
Thanks

Okay, it's a very interesting subject for me. Because I'm a pilgrim from Korean. Korean also know it's getting more pilgrims to walk the camino.

The word 'Camino' was mentioned in a book as top 100 Trendy word in 2007 in Korea. I see that there's three points of camino boom in this country as a social phenomenon.

First of all, the works by Paulo Cohelo has been popular here. <The Alchemist> is still on top selling chart since many years ago. And I counted that 9 books were published about the camino(mainly it's kind of essay). So the camino is being very popular in Korean publishing world.

Second is that in January, this year a major broadcasting channel aired a documentary about the camino. But before the documentary, there had a few programmes introduced about the camino.

And last one is that, there's an on-line community which has over 4600 Korean members. They shared their camino experience, know-how and support future pilgrims. It's very similar with this forum.

It's just my personal opinion, after drastic economic development, there's a huge increase of overseas tourists since late '80s. And especially after 2000, people started to find different experience with tourists. And the camino is being one of attractive destinations to choose. Many of Korean think that this could be an instant phenomenon. I'm not sure about it but sounds quite reasonable.

But if someone asked "Why do you walk the camino?", I think very few people can answer the question precisely wherever they live or which nationality they have. It's as same as we're pilgrims.

Personally, I walked the camino frances last summer. It was a life-changing experience for me. And now I'm planning for my next camino. Simply I thank God because the camino is in the world.

Just Buen camino to you all of pilgrims. :arrow:
I always welcome any words about this subject.

Jihyeong.

 

[anniethenurse]

Hi Jihyeong.
Can you email me please: info@peacewalk.eu
Thanks

This is an old thread and Jihyeong was last seen on this forum 2010.