North Devon man making epic trek across Japan for mental health charities

A North Devon man who took up long distance walking to help tackle his mental health is currently in the midst of trekking across Japan.

Caine Hall is walking 700 miles from Osaki in the south of Japan to Aomori in the north to raise awareness for mental health issues in a bid to help others and raise money for the charities Mind and Tabitha’s Smile.

Via his TikTok channel JoinTheWalk he shares what he sees with his 4,500 followers and chats about his own mental health in the hope it will help others.

Caine, who lives in Bishops Nympton, started JoinTheWalk in January 2025 when he and a friend and decided to walk 400 miles across the UK, from Wales to Scotland, climbing Snowdon and Ben Nevis along the way.

Above: Caine Hall is in Japan, home of the cherry blossom. You can follow his JoinTheWalk channel on TikTok. Credit: Caine Hall

He pays for all his ‘long walk’ trips himself and any money raised via his online JustGiving fundraising page will go to his nominate charities.

He spoke to the Gazette last week just as he was about to reach Tokyo and talked about how it all began and the reasons behind his long treks.

He said: “The goal was to raise awareness for mental health while documenting the journey. During that time, we learned how to film, edit, and even livestream our experiences and we were fortunate to raise a significant amount of money while doing something we loved.

“Since then, I’ve continued combining long-distance walking with storytelling. I completed a 100-mile walk from Preston to Tamworth, and now I’m on my third adventure.

“My aim is to share what I see each day and speak openly about my mental health and how I navigate it, the challenges I face, and the ways I cope.

“I’m not here to tell people how to live, but rather to speak honestly from personal experience.”

Above: Caine on the road as he makes his way through Japan, chatting on video about his experiences and sharing his own mental health journey. Credit: Caine Hall

His chosen charities on this trip are Mind, which supports people experiencing mental health challenges - offering advice, fighting stigma and campaigning for better mental health care for all.

Tabitha’s Smile is dedicated to bringing uplifting theatre and music experiences to young people aged 15 to 25 who are undergoing treatment for cancer or other life-limiting illnesses.

Explaining more about his motivation and his own experiences, Caine said: “Mental health is something very close to my heart. I’ve been through some very dark times in the past, including attempting to take my own life and I’ve also lost friends to mental health struggles.

“Hearing about others facing similar battles is something that deeply affects me and I’ve always wanted to do my part to help.

“That’s one of the reasons I take on these long walks. If even one person who is struggling sees my videos and feels a sense of hope, then it’s worth it.

“I’ve received messages from families, parents, siblings, and individuals throughout my journeys, sharing how my content has encouraged them, even if it’s just getting outside for a short walk. Some of those messages have genuinely moved me to tears.”

If you would like to sponsor Caine during his trek across Japan, please go to https://www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/jointhewalk

You can also follow JoinTheWalk on TikTok at https://www.tiktok.com/@jointhewalk or visit the Jointhewalk Facebook page.

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