In 1987, Clive set out on a trip to Asia with one goal in mind: to visit Tibet, which had just opened to independent travellers. What was supposed to be a brief adventure ended up shaping the course of his life, taking him across continents, into new cultures, and eventually to a quiet village in rural Japan.

Clive’s journey began in Hong Kong, then still a British colony. After travelling overland to Tibet and onto Nepal, he returned to Hong Kong and spent six months living in the notorious Chungking Mansions. It was a tough time, Clive made ends meet by working as a film extra and running “milk runs,” shuttling duty-free goods between Taiwan, Hong Kong, and Japan. On one such trip to Japan, he decided to stay.

In Japan, life didn’t get much easier at first. For six months, Clive sold pictures in bar districts at night and slept in a van. Eventually, he settled in Tokyo, where he worked in publishing until 2015. By then, Clive had grown tired of city life. He decided to leave Tokyo on a bicycle and embark on an ambitious ride to London, motivated by a desire to see the world in a different way and visit a close friend in Wales who was terminally ill.

The 17-month journey was gruelling but unforgettable. Clive cycled through 21 countries and crossed three seas (Kobe to Shanghai, Aktau to Baku, and Dunkirk to Dover). It took three months just to cross China, followed by Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, a return to Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Turkey, Bulgaria, Romania, another return to Bulgaria, Serbia, Croatia, Hungary, Slovakia, Austria, Germany, the Netherlands, Belgium, France, and finally Britain.

When Clive returned to Japan in 2016, he wanted a change. With the help of friends, he found an old farmhouse, or kominka, to rent in a quiet mountain village in Yamanashi, about three hours from Tokyo. The house came with a small vegetable garden, which became Clive’s new focus.

A friend sent him some chilli seeds, sparking an unexpected passion. Over the years, Clive has cultivated around 50 varieties, including scotch bonnet, hot wax, havasu, santo domingo and java. He also experimented with other crops like bitter melon (goya), tomatoes, onions, peanuts, sweet potatoes, carrots, beetroot, cucumbers, pumpkins and leafy vegetables. Gardening has become a way for Clive to connect with the land and live more sustainably. He also frequently barters produce with neighbouring villagers.

Clive’s kominka has also become a hub for travellers. As a member of the Warm Showers community, he hosts cyclists from around the world, offering food and shelter in exchange for help in the garden. These encounters are a highlight of his life, allowing him to share rural Japan’s charm with visitors who might otherwise never see it.

In his downtime, Clive plays the koto (Japanese string instrument), tinkers with an old electric piano, and pursues his long-time passion for photography. He still shoots on film and processes them in his darkroom, though rising costs have made it harder to maintain. 

Life in the village isn’t without its challenges. Work as a freelance translator and occasional writer helps Clive cover the basics, and he pitches in at Kakurinbo, a nearby temple lodging popular with tourists. He’s also kept company by Hachi, his rescued white Shiba Inu, whose aloof personality often gets misunderstood but who’s fiercely loyal to Clive.

This life is a testament to the power of reinvention, the beauty of slowing down, and the magic of finding connection in the most unexpected places. From a bustling Hong Kong guesthouse to a tranquil Japanese village, this is a journey that proves the richest stories are often written off the beaten path.

Follow Clive’s continuous adventure on @rural_life_in_japan