Weston Higginbotham’s friend shares final messages before Kyoto disappearance: ‘I saw him as a brother’

KYOTO, JAPAN: The close friend of missing Auburn University student James “Weston” Higginbotham has shared details of their final exchanges before the 20-year-old vanished during a family trip in Japan.

Hiyu Shikari, who reconnected with Higginbotham in Tokyo days before he disappeared, said his later messages went unanswered after the student traveled to Kyoto with his family. Authorities continue searching for Higginbotham, who was last seen in the Yamashina area on May 29.

Childhood friends reunited in Tokyo before last contact

Higginbotham and Shikari had known each other since middle school in the United States before Shikari moved to Japan around 2019. The two had not met in years until Higginbotham’s family visit to Japan for a graduation celebration.

The pair met for dinner in Tokyo’s Shinjuku district on May 22. Shikari later said nothing seemed unusual during the reunion and described Higginbotham as excited about the trip.

After their meeting, Shikari sent a message thanking him for catching up and offering support during his stay. Higginbotham responded with a heart emoji, marking their last confirmed exchange.

Final messages sent after Kyoto travel went unanswered

Days later, after Higginbotham traveled with his family to Kyoto, Shikari reached out again asking how the trip was going and offering local recommendations.

That message received no response. Shikari later said he continued trying to contact his friend, especially as weather conditions worsened, but never heard back.

Reflecting on their last meeting, he said the interaction felt completely normal and that nothing suggested it would be their final conversation.

Search continues in Kyoto as authorities trace movements

Family accounts say Higginbotham had separated from relatives during the Kyoto trip following a disagreement with his mother, Nancy Higginbotham. She later said her son often enjoyed spending time outdoors and hiking alone.

Authorities believe he was last traced to the Yamashina area, where his phone lost signal around 8:29 pm on May 29. Search teams, including police officers, dogs, and helicopters, continue efforts to locate him.

As the search continues, Shikari said he hopes raising awareness may help efforts to find his friend, whom he described as someone he saw “as a best friend, a brother.”