Eikei University Senior Aki Nishimoto Hosts Backpacker Experience Sharing Session as Part of Graduation Project, Introducing Lessons from Travels Through 18 European Countries

Aki Nishimoto, a senior at Eikei University (President: Mutsuhiro Arinobu, Naka Ward, Hiroshima City), hosted a 'Backpacker Experience Sharing Session' at the university on Monday, June 8, 2026.

As part of her graduation project, Nishimoto traveled alone to 18 countries in Europe for about three months, from June to September 2025. Her project, titled 'Project to Turn Longing for Overseas Travel into Reality,' aims to create a travel guide based on her own experiences for students who are hesitant to travel abroad due to concerns about costs, safety, and language skills.

Nishimoto's interest in international travel was ignited by a trip to New Zealand with her brother in March 2023. Subsequently, she traveled to Vietnam, Hong Kong, Macau, and Singapore. In 2024, she stayed in the U.S. for the university's 'Experience and Practice Program (Overseas).' After completing the two-month program, she spent the third month backpacking through the U.S. After travels to South Korea and New Zealand, she undertook this first-ever full-scale solo backpacking trip for her graduation project.

During the session, she presented on her reasons for backpacking, tips for staying in hostels, safety measures, required language skills, and actual costs, using photos and concrete episodes.

During her trip, she used hostels and long-distance buses to travel, and also experienced a one-month homestay in Germany. Her presentation introduced actual costs such as airfare, bus fares, accommodation, and food, and she explained specifically how she minimized costs while traveling in Europe.

On the other hand, the trip was not always easy. She encountered unexpected troubles, such as having cash stolen in Turkey, facing a flight cancellation in Switzerland that left her without accommodation, and being followed by a homeless person. Through these experiences, Nishimoto learned how to protect herself by actions such as 'immediately talking to people nearby,' 'checking local safety beforehand,' and 'making phone calls immediately when in trouble.'

What was particularly impressive was her emphasis on the importance of 'relying on others.' In foreign countries, there were many occasions where she had to ask for help from people around her when she was in trouble. Even if one's language skills are not perfect, trying to communicate opens doors. From this experience, Nishimoto stated, 'A willingness to communicate is more important than English proficiency.'

She also introduced her exchanges with people she met during her travels. Through encounters in hostels, homestays, and on buses with people from around the world, and by sharing meals and exploring cities together, she realized that travel is not just about 'visiting tourist spots,' but also about 'meeting people and broadening one's own values.'

Participating students asked about the motivation to start traveling and the mindset required to take the first step abroad. Sharing her own failures honestly, Nishimoto encouraged them, saying, 'Please take the first step in a way that suits you.'

Eikei University implements 'Graduation Projects' where each student sets their own theme and works on clarifying issues and proposing solutions. Following the first reporting session (June) and the second reporting session (November), a public presentation is held in February. This session is part of an initiative to connect her personal backpacking experience to supporting students who will take on the challenge next.

Nishimoto plans to tour Asia in July with a junior student who will be attempting their first backpacking trip. By incorporating not only her own experience but also the perspective of students traveling abroad for the first time, she aims to create a more practical overseas travel guide regarding costs, safety, preparation, and behavior on the ground.