Why Japan Keeps Calling Me Back: Six Weeks in Tokyo
I am not someone who needs quiet. Give me the neon-drenched scramble of Shibuya or the electric hum of a city at night, and I feel alive. But every traveler has a threshold. You cannot survive on adrenaline alone. You need balance.
After six weeks in Japan—from the urban density of Ota City to the hydrangea-lined tracks of suburban Tokyo—I have come to understand something. The true wealth of travel does not come from the sights. It comes from the unknown.
In my latest film, The Story, I explore what it means to lose yourself in a foreign culture, and why the Land of the Rising Sun keeps calling me back.
The Artistry of the Everyday
The first thing that strikes any visitor is the pride embedded in the culture.
Whether it is a high-end restaurant or a humble ramen shop tucked away near Enoshima Station, there is an unmistakable artistry. It is not just the taste of the gyoza or the steam rising from a bowl of pork-belly ramen. It is the workmanship. A pristine quality to every delivery, every presentation.
This permeates everything—auto-engineering, consumer technology, the smallest service interaction. Delivering excellence is not exceptional here. It is expected.
Finding Clarity Outside the Comfort Zone
One of the most profound elements of travel is being forced out of your comfort zone.
I have spent six weeks here. By and large, I do not speak the language. For many, that would be a source of anxiety. For me, it has become a kind of freedom.
When your language is not the predominant one, you adapt. You learn the basics. You find creative ways to communicate. You learn to roll with the punches. Being a visitor means accepting that the world will not adjust to your reality. You absorb the culture as it is.
There is magic in that surrender.
A Diverse and Safe Landscape
From an urban perspective, Japan offers a range of experiences that is hard to match.
You can be walking the tracks at Chidori-cho Station one moment and overlooking the fog-capped peak of Mt. Fuji over a lake the next. The Shinkansen and the local Enoden trains connect these worlds seamlessly. The crowded but orderly scrambles. The towering gates of temples. The steady smoke of incense burners. The autumn leaves against a backdrop of mountain villages.
Beyond the visuals, there is a logistical peace of mind. Japan is an incredibly safe country. As a traveler, there is no greater gift than the ability to go for a walk at night without hesitation. It allows you to focus entirely on the experience.
The Return
The experience of travel is a win, regardless of the destination. Whether you are in San Francisco, Jamaica, or Tokyo, the elements of surprise are what make the journey meaningful.
Walking down quiet suburban streets or standing before ancient temple architecture, I am reminded that we do not travel to see everything. We travel to feel the unknown of a place we have never been.
