Through his work in forestry, Lama Gyalu Sherpa has gradually come to think not only about individual trees, but also about the future of Japan’s forests and how they should be cared for.

Above all, he believes that one of the most important challenges today is giving younger generations—especially children—more opportunities to experience nature firsthand.

Information is easier to obtain than ever before. With a book or a smartphone, almost any fact can be found within seconds.

Yet, Lama Gyalu believes that knowledge alone is not enough.

Learning Through Experience

Children need opportunities to see, touch, smell, and sometimes even taste the natural world for themselves. They should experience forests with all five senses and, on occasion, even learn from small scratches, insect bites, or other minor hardships that come with being outdoors.

Such experiences, he believes, help children develop both respect for nature and the judgment needed to live safely within it.

Adults therefore have a responsibility to provide places where children can enjoy these experiences in a safe environment.

At the same time, Lama Gyalu worries that many parents in Japan grew up with relatively little direct contact with nature themselves. If adults lack those experiences, it becomes difficult for them to pass them on to the next generation.

A Sherpa’s Mission

“These days my company comes first, so I don’t work as a mountain guide very often anymore.

But I’d still like to organize opportunities—especially for children—to experience nature directly while keeping them safe.

As someone who grew up as a Sherpa guide in the Himalayas, I believe that’s something I can contribute.”

Even after more than twenty years of living in Japan, Lama Gyalu still carries a deep pride in the traditions of the Sherpa people. That heritage continues to shape the way he approaches both mountains and forests.

A Second Home

Lama Gyalu Sherpa’s journey raises an important question for all of us:

Who will care for Japan’s forests and mountain communities in the future?

More than twenty years have passed since he made Japan his home.

Today, the forests of Japan have become his second homeland.

Drawing upon the knowledge, skills, and values he inherited as a mountain man of the Himalayas, he hopes to continue supporting the future of Japan’s forests, its natural environment, and the communities that depend upon them.

That is Lama Gyalu Sherpa’s wish.

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