In Japan, or anywhere with remote mountainous regions, there are porters who carry supplies and food to areas beyond vehicles’ reach. The Japanese word for this is bokka (歩荷) or literally “step cargo.”
This Asahi News report from September 2018 shows a 25-year-old porter named Masato Hagiwara. He weighs 139 pounds but carries fresh food and canned drinks through the high-altitude Ozegahara marshland national park.
His stacks reach over six-and-a-half feet, weighing 220 pounds.
According to Asahi News, it’s important that porters like Hagiwara do not overdo it. Carrying the load requires intense concentration and physical strength, but it’s necessary to take many breaks, especially before one’s shoulders start to go numb.
歩荷（ぼっか）て職業があるらしいんだけど、デスストやん pic.twitter.com/hHbsoY3MhK
— べーこん (@beekon321) December 3, 2019
昨日、丸太を運ぶ歩荷さんの写真をツイートしましたが、ここで尾瀬の歩荷さんの写真もご覧ください（こちらも大変ありがたい????） pic.twitter.com/xJ97M1uVw6
— peach (@peach_mo) June 20, 2019
In that regard, these real-life porters are different from Sam Bridges, who seems to only have to contend with balancing loads and not numb shoulders. But porters like Hagiwara don’t have to deal with terrifying ghosts or take care of pod-babies. Thank goodness for that!
歩荷さん pic.twitter.com/KzRfjxcaSL
— 尾瀬♨️温泉小屋 ????terrace cafe SEASONS & ????cafe FOREST☕️ (@onsengoya1932) August 3, 2014
今日も歩荷に行ってきました。まだ雪が20cmくらい残っています。 pic.twitter.com/QqXqnH7XAJ
— 北八ヶ岳 高見石小屋 (@takamiishigoya) May 30, 2014
歩荷さんと至仏山
歩荷さんの追っかけ？ストーカー？はここまで
6月の尾瀬妄想山歩 pic.twitter.com/lAV0dyOMfU— zen (@zen_yamaaruki) October 15, 2013
デススト、なんか既視感あるなと思ったら歩荷か！ pic.twitter.com/Sx64ogWGYY
— ruyahman (@ruyahman) November 26, 2019
歩荷（ぼっか）でググれ pic.twitter.com/y9ritX4CR0
— 門前仲町3LDK6500万円 (@punipico) November 25, 2019
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