TRAVEL

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.

My days in Japan are an intensified version of my normal life; the whole day is a dance of work with personal passions... they're both so intertwined it’s nearly impossible to define which one I'm doing most of the time. As I run between meetings I explore an ancient shrine, then I'm arm deep in special fabrics followed by a walk through a buddhist temple while on my way to a tattoo session; finally, my day ends eating sushi with a local chef. It's intoxicating, they are all very personal and all have an essence of work too. - Josh Sirlin

photos: Junsuke Obi / stitched by: Sid Callaghan / music: The Last Knife Fighter