James “Weston” Higginbotham vanished during a family trip near Kyoto.
KYOTO, JAPAN — James “Weston” Higginbotham, a 20-year-old Auburn University student from Alabama, was found dead Saturday in a mountainous area outside Kyoto after he disappeared during a family vacation in Japan, his mother said.
The discovery ended a weeklong search that drew help from Japanese police, volunteer rescuers, family members and supporters in the United States and Japan. Higginbotham, a junior majoring in biosystems engineering, had last been confirmed in the Kyoto area on May 29. Officials had not released a cause of death as of Saturday, and the family asked for privacy while mourning what his mother called an “unimaginable loss.”
Nancy Higginbotham, his mother, said her son was found by a volunteer search-and-rescue group after days of searching steep and wooded terrain. “Our family is heartbroken,” she said in a statement. She said the family was grateful for those who shared information, offered support and helped search. Higginbotham had been traveling in Japan with his parents, Keith and Nancy Higginbotham, and his brother. The family had arrived May 25 for a trip tied to his younger brother’s high school graduation.
Higginbotham was last seen on surveillance video after leaving a train in the Yamashina area of Kyoto, according to accounts from his family and police information shared publicly during the search. His phone later stopped sending location information, and his family said location services appeared to have been turned off. His parents believed he may have gone toward nearby hiking trails, an activity they said fit his love of the outdoors. What happened after he entered the area remained unknown Saturday. Authorities had not announced whether an autopsy or further examination would be conducted.
The search began after Higginbotham separated from his family on May 29. His mother said he had walked away after a family disagreement during the trip. She later said she believed he may have needed space and may have gone hiking. Family members tracked his movements for a time using a location app, then lost contact. The terrain around Yamashina includes wooded hills and trails east of central Kyoto. Rain and rough ground complicated the effort, family members said. Searchers used police officers, dogs and helicopters before volunteers continued looking in the mountain area.
Auburn University President Christopher B. Roberts confirmed Higginbotham’s death in a statement and called him a valued member of the Auburn community. Roberts said the university mourned the loss and was keeping Higginbotham’s family, friends and loved ones in its thoughts. The school had earlier said Higginbotham was traveling with his family when he disappeared and declined further comment out of respect for the family. The case drew attention on campus and beyond as relatives and friends shared photos, updates and requests for help during the search.
Friends described Higginbotham as close to his family and comfortable outdoors. His mother said trails gave him peace and quiet. During the search, she and Keith Higginbotham joined efforts on the ground and posted updates as Japanese authorities reviewed video and searched the area near his last known location. The family said they had been trying to find him, not draw attention to themselves. After his body was found, Nancy Higginbotham said the family was “forever grateful” for the time they had with him and could not yet understand life without him.
The next formal step in the case was not immediately clear Saturday. Japanese authorities had not released a public timeline for findings on the cause and manner of death. For Higginbotham’s family, the search phase had ended, but questions about the final hours after he left the train station remained unanswered.
Author note: Last updated June 6, 2026.