In praise of Japanese small, Hokkaido as Wisconsin, and pachinko memories

I know that travel is valuable because most knowledge can’t be written down. The most crucial info about a society is how it feels to be there—the rhythms of street life, where and when people eat meals, how gender works. You can read a million things about Japan without knowing the bodily experience of walking around in a truly high-trust society,... See more

So, the question that keeps me up at night is, what are us humans gonna do with all of our newfound time? Which brings me back to Japan, and this quaint Kyoto restaurant I found myself sitting in one evening. There were 10 seats, one chef/owner and one apprentice, and the most incredibly crafted experience. It wasn’t expensive, but everything was i

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In Japan, I have found myself a happy, if admittedly half-rate,5 PLF imitator. The Fermor Solo Travel Method is superior. It consists in walking wherever you can; foregoing fine dining in lieu of cheaper, heartier fare; trusting locals over guidebooks but yourself over locals; taking the time to silently think through the many aspects — natural and... See more