[Book Review] For Everyone Living in Modern Society: A Businessman’s Take on “Walking.”

A classic that delves deeply into the cultural and scientific aspects of walking.

Can simply walking change your life? I picked up this book thinking, “Here we go again…” But it turned out to be incredibly interesting—even for someone who isn’t an athlete. For men and women of all ages, “walking” is essential for staying physically active and healthy.

Written by a businessman who hadn’t previously made running or 100-kilometer walks a hobby, this book reflects his sincere engagement with the act of walking. It’s filled with information and passion demonstrating that “walking” is essential—both from a business perspective and for people to live healthy lives.

I found that perspective particularly interesting. Before we know it, we’ve stopped walking—the author, who had been unaware of the mechanisms of modern society that lead to this, uses his own experience of regaining physical awareness to delve deeply into how walking connects to the human brain and body, backed by the latest data and research papers.

The author, Mitsufumi Ikeda, is an economic journalist who has covered the financial sector, the Bank of Japan, the Ministry of Finance, and the automotive industry.

He is the CMO of the online economic media outlet “NewsPicks.” After establishing himself as an economic journalist, he began exploring the act of “walking” after experiencing mountain climbing during a reporting assignment.

This book concisely and accessibly covers topics such as the creativity in business sparked by “walking,” the dangers of sitting for extended periods, and the importance of posture.

The book also features ALTRA, a brand carried by STRIDE LAB. If you start walking in shoes from “ALTRA”—a brand designed to promote natural posture—you might find it’s the perfect opportunity to move your body in a healthy way. The book delves deeply into the brand’s history, allowing you to understand the structure of the shoes—designed to help you move without injury—and the passion behind them.

“Was walking always this much fun?” It all started with a single pair of shoes—shoes that “set your toes free.” After wearing them for about two years, I couldn’t wear any other shoes anymore. That’s because both my body and mind always felt light. (From the “Introduction” of this book)