The silence of a Kyoto dawn
At 5am the stone paths of Fushimi Inari were empty. Just the lanterns, the vermillion gates, and the sound of my own breath finding its rhythm for the first time in years.
"Those who say 'Yes' are rewarded by the adventures they have,
and those who say 'No' are rewarded by the safety they attain." — Keith Johnstone
The story behind the journey
It started with a book by 三毛. A woman in the 1970s who just decided to pack up and move to the Western Sahara — on her own. What got me wasn't the adventure itself, it was her. She found her purpose, stayed true to herself, and never once flinched from it. That kind of wholeness — knowing who you are and actually living it — that stayed with me.
I think that's where a lot of who I am today came from. The wanting to take risks, to go on adventures, to actually live rather than just watch life pass by.
But more than anything, this is for you — whoever finds their way here. You don't have to be fearless, or extraordinary, or have it all figured out. An extraordinary life isn't reserved for a certain kind of person. It's available to anyone who decides to choose it. Even the most ordinary person can live something remarkable — not by luck, but by just saying yes. If you leave here with that feeling, this is already worth it.
"To everyone who ends up here — thank you for saying yes, this one's for you."Start reading →
Where in the world am I right now?
Places visited so far · 14 countries
Latest writings
At 5am the stone paths of Fushimi Inari were empty. Just the lanterns, the vermillion gates, and the sound of my own breath finding its rhythm for the first time in years.
Varanasi is a city that confronts you with impermanence at every turn. Watching the evening Ganga Aarti, I finally understood what it means to hold everything lightly.
The Portuguese have a word for a feeling no other language quite captures — a bittersweet longing for something beautiful that has passed. Sitting in a Lisbon tasca, I felt it in my bones.
Collected along the way
Not until we are lost, in other words not until we have lost the world, do we begin to find ourselves, and realize where we are and the infinite extent of our relations.
Walden — gifted to me by a stranger in a hostel in Kyoto
PurposeWherever you go, go with all your heart.
Written on a temple wall in Chiang Mai
PresenceThe quieter you become, the more you are able to hear.
Whispered during a meditation retreat in Bali
StillnessFollow the adventure
Photos from the road, stories between the lines, and the unfiltered moments in between — all on Instagram.
Follow @shin — coming soon