TRAVEL - JOSH SIRLIN’S LOVE AFFAIR WITH JAPAN

“BLACK AND WHITE... THE BEGINNING - WHERE CURIOSITY AND IMAGINATION COME TO LIFE”

I travel to get lost, to get uncomfortable, for the experience of simple shit becoming obstacles. It’s when I find myself leaning into life, leading with a smile and rolling with it. My awareness of my surroundings becomes heightened. I notice the beauty of seemingly mundane things. I hit a place of calmness among the wild pace and chaos. I feel alive in foreign environments, and for me, all of these things peak in Japan. read more!

JAPAN: AN INTENSIFIED VERSION OF NORMAL LIFE

I walk out of customs with a huge smile like a kid on Christmas morning. In a flash it feels like I’m home... although I’m in a wildly foreign place. It’s been two years since I set foot in Japan and I’m finally back!

It’s my 9th trip to Japan. I speak almost no Japanese... I travel alone. I remember my first trip with vivid clarity. I was so naive and didn’t even think about the language barrier as I navigated this foreign place; my excitement and curiosity overpowered everything; I gave no shits in every awkward moment. I had a huge smile no matter what was happening. I said yes to everything. It changed me…. read more