Self Improvement

Craig Mod Returns — Epic Walks in Japan, The Artwork of Slowness, Digital Detox, Publishing “Unimaginable” Books, and Selecting Magnificence Over Scale (#803)

May 6, 2025
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“I might end daily on these walks, get in mattress, and simply really feel that was the fullest attainable means I may have skilled that day. Given the playing cards dealt to me of today, there was no fuller model of today.”
— Craig Mod

As promised, welcome to spherical 2 with Craig Mod!

Craig Mod is a author, photographer, and walker dwelling in Tokyo and Kamakura, Japan. He’s the creator of Issues Turn out to be Different Issues and Kissa by Kissa. He additionally writes the newsletters Roden and Ridgeline and has contributed to The New York Instances, The Atlantic, Wired, and extra. 

He’s walked hundreds of miles throughout Japan, and since 2016, he has been co-running “Stroll and Talks” with Kevin Kelly in numerous locations around the globe: the Cotswolds, Northern Thailand, strolling throughout Bali, Southern China, Japan, Spain (Portuguese and French Caminos), and extra. He’s a MacDowell fellow, Virginia Middle for Inventive Arts fellow, and Ragdale fellow.

In 2023 he wrote an impassioned suggestion of Morioka, Japan, to The New York Instances, prompting the paper to rank town quantity two (behind London) for “Locations to Go to in 2023,” turning Mod right into a minor movie star. He sat for interviews with some forty or fifty newspapers and TV exhibits, attempting to clarify the goodness of a metropolis like Morioka to individuals for whom the goodness is so self-evident that it has grow to be invisible. This entire media dance culminated in his occurring a two-­day stroll round Morioka with one in all Japan’s greatest TV stars: the seventy-­nine-­year-old, sunglasses-­carrying Tamori -­san, who was pretty (and really tiny!). The response—a complete heartfelt reverence for the avuncular Tamori—from individuals on the road (“Good morning, Tamori -­san!,” yelled building staff from atop their scaffolding) made Mod really feel like he was strolling with John Lennon. Mod’s second of movie star was mercifully short-lived. No person acknowledges him anymore when he walks round city.

Please take pleasure in!

Hearken to the episode on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Overcast, Podcast Addict, Pocket Casts, Castbox, YouTube Music, Amazon Music, Audible, or in your favourite podcast platform. The transcript of this episode will be discovered right here. Transcripts of all episodes will be discovered right here.

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Craig Mod Returns — Epic Walks in Japan, The Artwork of Slowness, Digital Detox, Publishing “Unimaginable” Books, and Selecting Magnificence Over Scale

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Wish to hear spherical one in all this dialog with Craig Mod? Pay attention right here as we focus on Craig’s journey from a post-industrial Connecticut city to Japan, recommendation for adults who need to choose up the Japanese language, weird homestay tales, struggles with spirits of sauce and the supernatural, and far more.

What was your favourite quote or lesson from this episode? Please let me know within the feedback.

SELECTED LINKS FROM THE EPISODE

Web site | Bluesky | Instagram | YouTube | Roden (Month-to-month Publication) | Ridgeline (Weekly Publication)

The transcript of this episode will be discovered right here. Transcripts of all episodes will be discovered right here.

Books and Written Works

Films and TV Exhibits

Folks

  • Wim Wenders: German filmmaker (Good Days, Tokyo-Ga).
  • Yasujirō Ozu: Influential Japanese filmmaker identified for quiet household dramas, up to date of Kurosawa.
  • Akira Kurosawa: Well-known Japanese filmmaker (Seven Samurai).
  • Matsuo Bashō: Most well-known poet of the Edo interval in Japan, identified for haiku and his travelogue Oku no Hosomichi.
  • John McBride: Craig Mod’s older mentor, former Monbukagakusho scholar, CEO of Sky TV, tea ceremony knowledgeable, achieved walker, fluent in high-level Japanese. Large affect on Craig’s strolling and interplay fashion.
  • Brad Towle: Canadian man on the JET program in Tanabe Metropolis, key determine in selling the Nakahechi path in English.
  • Rupert Murdoch: Talked about as founder related to Sky TV.
  • Masayoshi Son: CEO of SoftBank, talked about as an acquaintance of John McBride.
  • David Spector: Talked about for example of a gaijin tarento (overseas movie star) in Japan through the ’90s.
  • Kevin Kelly: Author, co-founder of Wired, good friend and strolling accomplice of Craig Mod (Stroll & Talks). Inspired Craig in numerous ventures.
  • Dan Rubin: Photographer good friend who walked Kumano Kodo with Craig and co-created a photograph ebook.
  • Hugh Howey: Creator (Silo collection/Wool), walked Kumano Kodo with Craig and Kevin Kelly.
  • Anne Lamott: Creator of Chook by Chook.
  • Noah Kagan: Pal of Tim Ferriss, talked about concerning skepticism about chasing scale.
  • gray318 (Jon Grey): Designer (identified for Zadie Smith covers) who offered suggestions to Craig.
  • Zadie Smith: Creator whose ebook covers Jon Grey designed.
  • Bryan: Craig Mod’s childhood greatest good friend who was murdered; a central determine within the ebook Issues Turn out to be Different Issues.
  • Terry Gross: Host of NPR’s “Recent Air,” talked about as a platform typically requiring conventional writer backing.
  • Andy Ward: Writer/President of Random Home, editor of George Saunders, concerned in buying Craig’s ebook.
  • George Saunders: Creator admired by Craig Mod, edited by Andy Ward.
  • Molly Turpin: Craig Mod’s editor at Random Home for Issues Turn out to be Different Issues.
  • Brandon Sanderson: Creator talked about concerning securing particular ebook rights (leather-bound editions).
  • Gideon Lewis-Kraus: Author talked about for an article on Korea’s declining birthrate.
  • Tamori (Tamori-san): Extraordinarily well-known, long-running Japanese TV movie star who did a strolling particular in Morioka with Craig Mod.
  • Neil Strauss: Author, talked about as a person of the Freedom software program.
  • Jack Kornfield: Meditation instructor and creator who is aware of a factor or two about self-compassion.
  • David Mitchell: Creator (Cloud Atlas, and many others.), admired Craig’s ebook Issues Turn out to be Different Issues and offered a blurb/e mail.

Locations

Walks, Routes, and Trails

  • Oku no Hosomichi: Well-known path/journey undertaken by Bashō, later walked by John McBride.
  • Tōkaidō: Main historic street connecting Edo (Tokyo) and Kyoto alongside the coast. Additionally the identify of a Shinkansen line. Walked by John McBride, Craig Mod.
  • Shikoku Pilgrimage: Route round Shikoku island, walked by John McBride.
  • Kumano Kodo: Community of pilgrimage trails on the Kii Peninsula, UNESCO World Heritage web site. Consists of particular trails: Kohechi, Nakahechi, Ohechi, Iseji, Omine Okugake Michi.
  • Camino de Santiago: Well-known pilgrimage path in Spain, sister path to Kumano Kodo, UNESCO web site. Walked by Craig.
  • Dewa Sanzan: Pilgrimage route involving three mountains in Yamagata.
  • Nakasendo: Main historic inland street connecting Edo (Tokyo) and Kyoto by way of the mountains. Walked extensively by Craig.
  • Hime Kaidō: “Princess Route,” a detour on the Tōkaidō.
  • Hagi Ōkan: Two-day stroll connecting Yamaguchi Metropolis and Hagi Metropolis.
  • Wainwright Coast to Coast: Stroll throughout Northern England from the Lake District.
  • Cotswold Means: Stroll in England, accomplished twice by Craig with Kevin Kelly’s teams.

Establishments, Organizations, Firms, Software program, and Platforms

  • Tokyo Bathroom: Public artwork/infrastructure mission in Tokyo, attainable inspiration for Good Days.
  • Monbukagakusho (MEXT): Japanese Ministry of Training, Tradition, Sports activities, Science and Expertise; provided scholarships (John McBride was a recipient).
  • UNESCO: United Nations Academic, Scientific and Cultural Group. Designated Kumano Kodo and Camino de Santiago as World Heritage Pilgrimage trails.
  • (Japan Change and Educating Program (JET): Program inserting overseas nationals (typically as English lecturers) in Japan, often outdoors main cities. Brad participated.
  • Sky TV: Satellite tv for pc tv community; John McBride was CEO in Japan.
  • SoftBank: Japanese multinational conglomerate; John McBride knew CEO Son-san.
  • Kickstarter: Crowdfunding platform used for Artwork Area Tokyo reprint.
  • Apple TV: Streaming platform airing the Silo adaptation.
  • Craig Mod Membership Program: Craig’s neighborhood funding his work, mentioned extensively concerning its guidelines and philosophy.
  • Wired Journal: Publication that revealed Craig’s essay.
  • Freedom (.to): Web site blocking software program utilized by Craig and Neil Strauss.
  • Penguin Random Home: Main publishing home that revealed Issues Turn out to be Different Issues.
  • Mack Press: UK-based picture ebook writer talked about for context on typical artwork ebook print runs.
  • Ancestry.com: DNA testing and family tree firm the place Craig matched together with his beginning mom.
  • 23andMe: DNA testing firm Craig initially used.
  • Instagram: Social media platform talked about re: Teemus Photograph.
  • Teemusphoto.com: Web site really useful for nighttime Japan images.
  • YouTube: Video platform.
  • Substack: Publication/publishing platform.
  • Memberful: Membership software program platform.
  • Patreon: Membership/creator funding platform.
  • SMS Experiment Instrument: Customized one-to-many SMS device Craig constructed for his stroll.
  • iOS Shortcuts / Siri: Apple options utilized by Craig for voice dictation whereas strolling.
  • Shopify: E-commerce platform utilized by Craig for Craigstarter.
  • Craigstarter: Craig’s self-built Kickstarter clone.
  • Google Translate: Talked about by Tim Ferriss as useful for non-Japanese audio system.

Ideas

  • Six-Tatami-Mat Room: A small conventional Japanese room measurement, Craig lived in a single for years. Used as a visible reference by way of Good Days.
  • Tatami Mat: Conventional Japanese flooring mat, used traditionally as a unit for room measurement.
  • Syncretism: The mixing or coexistence of various religions/beliefs, particularly Shinto and Buddhism in Japan.
  • Meiji Restoration: Historic interval (~1868 onward) marking the tip of the Shogunate, restoration of imperial rule, modernization, and compelled separation of Shinto and Buddhism.
  • Shukubo: The follow of staying in a single day at a Buddhist temple.
  • Shogunate / Daimyo: Feudal army authorities / feudal lords in Japan.
  • Tea Ceremony (Chanoyu): Conventional Japanese cultural exercise involving the preparation and presentation of matcha; practiced extensively by John McBride.
  • Keigo: Japanese well mannered language, involving totally different ranges of respect and humility.
  • Gaijin Tarento: International celebrities or personalities featured in Japanese media.
  • Craig’s Strolling Guidelines: Craig’s private guidelines for his lengthy walks (no information/social media, domesticate boredom, don’t teleport/distract, say good day, arbitrary picture targets, pre-book logistics).
  • Vipassana Retreat: Silent meditation retreat targeted on observing actuality as it’s; Craig attended a 10-day retreat.
  • Shugyo: Ascetic non secular coaching, typically involving bodily hardship.
  • Yamabushi: Japanese mountain ascetics.
  • Bobbing Consciousness: Craig’s time period for the sensation achieved after many days of strolling lengthy distances.
  • Sankin-kōtai: Edo-period coverage requiring daimyo to spend alternate years in Edo, necessitating street infrastructure just like the Nakasendo and Tōkaidō.
  • Shōshika Mondai: Societal difficulty of declining birthrates in Japan.
  • Kōreika Shakai: Societal difficulty of an ageing inhabitants in Japan.
  • Kissaten: Conventional, typically Showa-era, Japanese espresso retailers/cafes.
  • Shōwa Period: Interval of Japanese historical past from 1926-1989.
  • Pizza Toast: Easy dish typically served in kissaten (toast with tomato sauce, cheese, and many others.).
  • Napolitan Spaghetti: Easy pasta dish typically served in kissaten (spaghetti with ketchup-based sauce).
  • Product-Market Match (PMF): Enterprise idea concerning a product satisfying market demand.
  • Jeffersonian Dinner: Dinner format with a single group dialog, used on the Stroll & Talks.
  • Shinto: Indigenous Japanese faith/spirituality.
  • Buddhism: Faith practiced extensively in Japan.
  • Konbini: Japanese comfort retailer.
  • Haiku: Japanese poetic kind related to Bashō.

SHOW NOTES

  • [00:00:00] Begin.
  • [00:07:25] Greater than a decade of Good Days in a six-tatami mat room.
  • [00:10:44] The primary steps of Craig’s enormous walks: exploring Tokyo’s nightlife.
  • [00:17:33] Discovering pilgrimage trails with John McBride.
  • [00:22:49] What’s so interesting about pilgrimage trails?
  • [00:31:25] Studying politeness and language in Japan.
  • [00:40:09] An invite from Kevin Kelly.
  • [00:41:23] The beginning of a photograph ebook.
  • [00:42:50] The large solo walks start.
  • [00:43:53] Launching a membership program.
  • [00:44:58] The Nakasendō expertise.
  • [00:50:01] Craig’s guidelines for strolling.
  • [00:51:04] The Vipassana affect.
  • [01:00:43] Logistics of strolling in Japan.
  • [01:09:03] Depopulation and pizza toast.
  • [01:13:42] How Kissa by Kissa got here to be (and its surprising success).
  • [01:16:34] Kicking off Craigstarter.
  • [01:17:47] The pièce de résistance membership technique.
  • [01:18:41] Discovering product-market match.
  • [01:19:12] The significance of sustainable scale.
  • [01:19:50] Membership neighborhood guidelines.
  • [01:27:15] Navigating the publishing world.
  • [01:38:37] Selling midsize cities in Japan as a wild and unusual movie star.
  • [01:52:50] The financial and cultural results of this promotion.
  • [01:54:46] Hidden gems and walks in Japan.
  • [01:56:56] Strolling past Japan.
  • [01:59:47] Craig was a Mod earlier than you was a mod.
  • [02:00:47] How Craig reconnected together with his beginning household.
  • [02:19:32] Reflections and future plans.
  • [02:23:00] Parting ideas.

MORE CRAIG MOD QUOTES FROM THE INTERVIEW

“I might end daily on these walks, get in mattress, and simply really feel that was the fullest attainable means I may have skilled that day. Given the playing cards dealt to me of today, there was no fuller model of today.”
— Craig Mod

“I really like my scale as a result of it’s sustainable. It offers me complete artistic freedom.”
— Craig Mod

“For those who spend 30 days doing that bodily exercise daily to that diploma, your physique modifications. You grow to be what I name a bobbing consciousness. By day 20, 25 on the street the place you’re strolling 20, 30, 40k, your legs are simply so highly effective.”
— Craig Mod

“One of many weirdest issues about being a recent human is, to begin with, we’re by no means bored as a result of we at all times have this silly Black Mirror slab in our pocket that’s at all times distracting us with another dopamine hit.”
— Craig Mod

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