Living is hope
    The world's first blind sailor to complete a transoceanic voyage, Japanese-American San Diego-based sailor Mitsuhiro Iwamoto, achieved a world first in 2019 by successfully crossing the Pacific Ocean without docking, becoming the first blind person to accomplish this feat.
 
    On February 24, 2019, he set sail from San Diego, California, USA, guided by American navigator Doug Smith, who provided verbal instructions, and personally took the helm, embarking on a 14,000-kilometer maritime expedition.
 
    Iwamoto piloted his 12-meter sailboat to Fukushima, Japan, completing the unprecedented feat of crossing the Pacific Ocean without stopping at any port.
 
    Throughout the journey, Iwamoto was solely at the helm, with Smith providing assistance by sharing information such as wind direction. 
 
    Japan's Kyodo News reported that Iwamoto is the first visually impaired person in the world to successfully cross the Pacific Ocean without docking, guided by a sighted navigator.
 
    Iwamoto has always believed that “living is hope.” He chose to make his maiden voyage to the port of Komahama in Fukushima, Japan, to bid farewell to the shadow of the 2011 Tohoku earthquake and tsunami, which claimed nearly 20,000 lives and destroyed the lives of thousands more.the shadow of the devastating 2011 Tohoku earthquake and tsunami, which claimed the lives of over 14,000 people in Japan. He prayed for the souls of the nearly 20,000 victims to rest in peace, hoping that everyone could overcome the tragedy of 3/11—from destruction to rebirth—and embrace the sun and a new beginning.
 
    Iwamoto did not disappoint, reading aloud every letter from the families and friends of those who lost their lives in the tsunami during the voyage, then tossing them into the sea one by one. Simultaneously, he recited the life poem “Fear Not the Wind” by Japanese author Kenji Miyazawa:
 
Do not yield to the wind
Do not yield to the rain
Do not yield to the snow and ice or the scorching heat of summer
Keep your body healthy…
    Iwamoto Mitsuhiro has always firmly believed: The love between life and death is the greatest love in the world. Love knows no borders; it embraces all things, believes in all things, hopes for all things, and endures all things. Love never ceases.
 
    Iwamoto Mitsuhiro stated that he once attempted to cross the Pacific Ocean, though he failed multiple times, he never gave up. He also aims to encourage survivors of global disasters like the 3/11 tsunami—no matter the outcome, one must persist, face defeat with courage, and ensure ultimate success.
 
    Thus, Iwamoto Mitsuhiro broke through the boundaries of the world, spreading love through daring actions, sharing love with empathy and understanding, persevering without giving up, challenging infinite possibilities, braving storms and waves, and sailing successfully into a new hope, inspiring positive energy in life. He truly deserves the title of “American-Japanese blind sailor.”
 
Breaking Through the Boundaries of the World
    Iwamoto Mitsuhiro was born on December 27, 1966, in Kumamoto City, Kyushu, Japan.
 
    As a child, his dream was to become a professional baseball player, so he often practiced baseball with his friends after school.
 
    At the age of 13, while playing baseball with his friends, Iwamoto began to notice problems with his vision. The deterioration of his vision made it difficult for him to catch the ball during games.
 
    As the team lost more and more games, his teammates began to blame him: “Why can't you catch the ball? Why don't you catch it? Do you want the other team to win?”
 
    Amid the criticism, Iwamoto couldn't bring himself to tell his teammates that he couldn't see the ball, nor did he know how to explain his blindness to them.
 
    After some time, he began bumping into things while walking, and even when riding a bicycle, he frequently collided with parked cars on the side of the road. He even fell down the stairs. His mother told him he must use a white cane for the blind, but Iwamoto threw the cane away and told his mother, “I'm not blind!”
 
    Yamamoto Mitsuhiro, who had no genetic predisposition, no family history, and no underlying illness, followed his parents to seek medical help everywhere, but no doctor could diagnose the cause of his blindness. This meant that Yamamoto Mitsuhiro’s blindness was incurable.
 
    Yamamoto Mitsuhiro felt extremely afraid and hopeless about the future, able only to silently ask the heavens…
 
    When Iwamoto Mitsuhiro's vision deteriorated to the point where he could no longer take care of himself, he chose to give up seeking medical treatment. He did not want his life to revolve around relying on others for help.
 
    Facing all obstacles, Iwamoto Mitsuhiro refused to linger on the path of blindness. He vowed not to give up, determined to break through the barriers of his condition. He began by completely transforming his mindset of dependence.
 
Crossing the Bridge: A Glimmer of Hope
    On August 13, 1982, the weather was extremely hot, filled with the sound of cicadas.
 
    Iwamoto Mitsuhiro was walking toward the bridge in Ushikubi City, determined to end his hopeless life.
 
    Upon reaching the bridge, Iwamoto Mitsuhiro climbed onto the railing, exerting all his strength to try to climb over it, but he was unable to fulfill his intention…
 
    Yamamoto Mitsuhiro was not a weak person, but he sensed an invisible force holding him back. After struggling for a while, he felt exhausted, as he had been unable to sleep peacefully at night. He decided to rest on a bench in a nearby park.
 
    In his dream, Iwamoto Mitsuhiro saw his uncle, who had passed away five years earlier, telling him, “Don't ever give up on your life. You must live on. Your blindness isn't a coincidence—it's a mission. Because of your blindness, you can encourage and inspire those who have lost hope in life. I hope you'll strive for yourself and experience the beauty of life.”
 
    After waking up, Iwamoto Mitsuhiro abandoned the idea of ending his life. His life remained unchanged, and he continued to face daily challenges such as squeezing toothpaste onto his hands, spilling miso soup on his legs, and bumping into table edges.
 
    However, despite struggling with these daily trivialities, he no longer entertained suicidal thoughts. The words of his uncle in his dream continued to echo in his mind.
 
    Gradually, Iwamoto Mitsuhiro regained his confidence and courage, determined to overcome obstacles and move toward the light.
 
A Thread of Fate: The Awakening of a Maritime Dream
    At the age of 16, Iwamoto Mitsuhiro was nearly blind.
 
    He wanted to learn a sport where even visually impaired people could compete fairly, so he began practicing judo.
 
    The first training exercise involved lying on a tatami mat and striking it with his arms (this was practiced after being thrown by an opponent to develop reflexes).
 
    Yamamoto spent months repeating the same monotonous training while also quitting smoking.
 
    A chance experience made him realize the importance of technical skills in sports, and this accident helped him understand the benefits of judo training.
 
    In his early 20s, Iwamoto was studying special education in San Francisco, USA.
 
    One day, while walking near Powell Station in downtown San Francisco, a pickpocket snatched his wallet.
 
    As the pickpocket attempted to flee, Iwamoto immediately grabbed his clothing and executed a judo technique called “O-soto-gari,” subduing the pickpocket and handing him over to the authorities.
 
    After leaving San Francisco, Iwamoto did not want to let his English skills deteriorate, so he enrolled in an English language course.
 
    Through his English teacher, Iwamoto Mitsuhiro met his wife, Karen. Since their classmates often went hiking together, Iwamoto Mitsuhiro and Karen gradually became acquainted.
 
    They eventually married in May 1996.
 
    After marriage, Iwamoto Mitsuhiro and his wife lived in Chiba Prefecture, near a yacht harbor.
 
    One evening while taking a walk, Iwamoto Mitsuhiro and his wife discovered a yacht rental shop. Since his wife Karen was an experienced sailor who had participated in competitions during her middle and high school years, they decided to rent a yacht.
 
    Iwamoto Mitsuhiro had no sailing experience, but this became the beginning of his sailing journey.
 
Maiden Voyage
    In 2005, Iwamoto Mitsuhiro's eldest daughter, Rena, was born. He and his wife discussed whether to continue living in Japan or move to another country.
 
    After weighing the pros and cons, they decided to relocate their entire family to the United States. Thus, in 2006, they moved to San Diego.
 
    As a blind sailor, he dreamed of one day crossing the world's largest ocean—the Pacific Ocean.
 
    Wherever he went, Iwamoto shared his dreams and passion, hoping to meet like-minded companions.
 
    Ultimately, Iwamoto Mitsuhiro reached an agreement with Yomiuri TV News to film his adventure. Yomiuri TV news anchor Jiro Shinbo, who was battling cancer, became Iwamoto Mitsuhiro's sailing partner, and they also received sponsorship from Yomiuri TV and other companies.
 
    Approximately 3,000 people, including survivors of the 2011 Tohoku earthquake and tsunami, gathered at the port to send him off. Among them was Naoko Takahashi, the gold medalist in the women's marathon at the 2000 Sydney Olympics, who served as a guest, and everyone wished them a safe journey.
 
    Four cameras were installed on the ship to document the journey, and it set sail on June 16, 2013, heading toward the blue seas, with plans to visit multiple international ports over a 55-day voyage, sharing experiences and fostering connections.
 
Living is hope
    At this moment, Iwamoto Mitsuhiro felt extremely excited, as he was about to set sail from the small port of Onahama in Fukushima, Japan, embarking on his maiden voyage to bid farewell to the shadow of the 2011 Tohoku earthquake and tsunami and embrace the sunlight of hope.
 
    Iwamoto Mitsuhiro decided to depart from Onahama Port in Fukushima to encourage the local people.
 
    They asked local residents to write letters to their family members and friends who had tragically lost their lives in the tsunami. During the voyage, they plan to read these letters aloud and then toss them into the sea one by one.
 
    Iwamoto Mitsuhiro hopes that these letters will help the residents release their suffering and pressure...
 
    However, on the morning of the sixth day of the voyage, around 7:20 a.m., Iwamoto and his crew were startled by three loud booms.
 
    Jiro Shinbo, an anti-cancer reporter for Japan's Yomiuri Television, thought the sounds were caused by waves colliding with the ship, but Iwamoto did not agree.
 
    Based on the sound and the ship's bow colliding, Iwamoto Mitsuhiro concluded that the ship had collided with a whale.
 
    Iwamoto Mitsuhiro retrieved two gallons of water from the bottom of the ship, along with a satellite phone, a global positioning system (GPS), and a ship-to-shore VHF radio from the emergency kit.
 
    Iwamoto and his team contacted the Japanese Coast Guard for help, abandoning the ship and jumping into a lifeboat. Iwamoto, in 15-foot-high waves and 30-knot winds, braved the storm and fought for his life.
 
    When the collision occurred, Iwamoto Mitsuhiro was piloting the “Dream Weaver” 700 miles offshore, with a typhoon approaching in their direction.
 
    The Coast Guard was unable to reach them in time to rescue them from the storm, and since the area was outside the helicopter search and rescue range, the Japanese Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMSDF) was dispatched.
 
    The JMSDF deployed the ShinMaywa US-2, a large Japanese STOL amphibious aircraft specifically designed for maritime and aerial rescue operations.
 
    The first US-2 was unable to land safely due to the high waves (the US-2 can land in waves up to 10 feet high) and was running out of fuel, so it had to circle around and retreat.
 
    As the first aircraft departed, they felt helpless and exhausted.
 
    Three hours later, the second US-2 arrived. After waiting for 11 hours, the pilot risked his life and successfully rescued them from the sea.
 
    After being rescued, they were immediately taken to a press conference, where a journalist asked Mitsuhiro Iwamoto what the ship had collided with.
 
    Iwamoto stated that his sixth sense had overridden his nearly blind vision, and he believed it was a whale that had collided with the vessel.
 
    Later, experts analyzed footage from one of the cameras and confirmed that it was a blue whale approximately 50 feet in length.
 
    Six days before the incident, when Iwamoto Mitsuhiro set sail from Fukushima, he felt he was at the peak of his life; but within just a few seconds, facing 100 media personnel, he felt his life had hit rock bottom.
 
    Iwamoto Mitsuhiro even heard someone say that attempting to cross the Pacific Ocean while completely blind was a foolish plan.
 
    Iwamoto Mitsuhiro never fully understood the significance of the failure from his first voyage, but soon realized that this setback would pave the way for success that would be hundreds, if not thousands, of times greater in the future.
 
    The more Iwamoto Mitsuhiro reflected on the events that unfolded, the more grateful he felt for having survived.
 
    He viewed this accident as a challenge from God, testing whether he could rise again from such a terrifying experience. It was like the events faced by tsunami victims, akin to the real-life version of the popular TV series “One Piece.”
 
    Since understanding the meaning of the ship collision, Iwamoto Mitsuhiro has always been filled with gratitude.
 
    Iwamoto Mitsuhiro has been reborn and tells everyone he meets: “I am grateful to be alive. As long as I am alive, there is hope, and no obstacle is insurmountable. There is no calm sea; only a life that braves the waves.”
 
    Iwamoto Mitsuhiro has found his purpose in helping and inspiring others.
 
    Iwamoto Mitsuhiro never gives up and faces challenges head-on.
 
Fearless in the face of storms, he braves the waves.
    In 2019, after 55 days of treacherous waves, Iwamoto Kōhō completed the daring feat of crossing the Pacific Ocean from the U.S. West Coast in a small sailboat named “Dream Weaver” without docking at any port!
 
    Yamamoto Mitsuhiro, defying the waves and never giving up, challenged the vast ocean spanning 14,000 kilometers without stopping at any port, becoming the first blind sailor to successfully cross the Pacific Ocean.
 
    During this voyage, Iwamoto raised over 600,000 yuan in donations, which he donated in full to the Challenge Athletes Foundation, the Himalayan Cataract Project, the Trachoma Control Program, and the Safety Broadcasting Organization.
Iwamoto stated that he had previously attempted to cross the Pacific Ocean but failed multiple times. However, he emphasized that as long as one never gives up, success will eventually be achieved.
 
    He aims to convey this message to young people in Fukushima, Japan, and around the world: “Challenges must have a result—a successful result, a charitable result.” He added joyfully, “I am the happiest person in the world, and I want to be the most grateful person in the world, and I will strive to be someone who spreads love sustainably across the globe.”
 
    In the future, Mitsuhiro Iwamoto will strive to become a motivational speaker. He will carry the courage and determination to brave the winds and waves to encourage millions of disabled and disadvantaged people facing adversity, helping them to carve out their own piece of the sky! The sky is clear and cloudless; everyone will always have a bright future ahead.
 
Mitsuhiro Iwamoto continues to cheer on disaster victims around the world, reciting the life poem “Don't Be Afraid of Wind and Rain” by Japanese poet Kenji Miyazawa to everyone he meets:
Don't lose to the rain
Don't lose to the wind
Don't lose to the snow and ice or the heat of summer
Stay healthy
Don't be greedy
Never get angry
Always smile calmly
Eat four cups of brown rice a day
A little miso and vegetables
No matter what happens
Don't jump to conclusions
Observe, listen, and understand
Then remember it in your heart and never forget
Under the shade of pine trees in the fields
There is my small thatched hut
If there is a sick child in the east
Go and tend to his illness
If there is a weary mother in the west
Go and help her carry the rice stalks.
If there is someone near death in the south,
Go tell him: “Do not be afraid.”
If there are people arguing in the north
go tell them: “Do not do such meaningless things!”
When there is a drought, I worry and shed tears
In summer, cold waves strike, and I pace back and forth uneasily
Everyone says I am like a fool
I do not need others' praise
Nor do I need others to worry about me
This is
The person I want to be
 

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