Finding Life In Tokyo:
Lessons Inspired By Japan Transit

Travel the world. Attain financial freedom. Develop into a well-rounded engineer. Give back to my home in Hawaii. Live a good life.

To be honest, I’ve been feeling lost. The weight of these ambitious goals often makes progress feel as slow as inching through traffic.

I’m moving forward, but where will I end up?

Other times I’m stumbling around, trying to chart the course on the map.

How am I supposed to navigate life when I don’t even know where I’m going in the first place?

In March, I set aside these thoughts for a week-and-a-half trip to Japan, my first-ever international destination. Ten days later, I left with an unexpected approach to navigating life.

Inspired by my traveling journey, let’s talk about how transportation can help you reach your final destination in person and in life.

Maximize Your Distance — From Hawaii to Japan

Airplanes are one of the greatest inventions and you couldn’t tell my kid self otherwise. As someone raised in Hawaii, traveling by plane has a special place in my heart. The idea that I could reach far places within hours was mind-blowing. To me, the best part about flying is seeing the cities and towns from the skies.

As we descended towards Tokyo, the aerial view was like nothing I’d seen before. For a city with a population of 37.8 million, I was stunned by building after building crowded around small patches of green. And was that red and white painted Eiffel Tower?

With our suitcases, we headed to Hanayama Udon, a restaurant known for its wide udon noodles. As I took a sip of the broth, it hit me.

“I’m here. I had finally made it to a place that I’d dreamed about for years.”

Airplanes: The Vehicle of Distance

As we steer through life, we often come across massive mountains and bodies of water that separate us from where we want to go. Just like how airplanes carry you great distances in your life, we can identify similar experiences that move you closer to your final destination.

Airplanes are useful in two ways.

1. To get a high-level view of the landscape below

2. To move you farther in the right direction with faster speeds

It’s worth noting that traveling by plane does have restrictions like security, reserved seating, and limited destinations.

One example of an airplane is a university. Each program is structured to accelerate your knowledge and land you a job in industry. However, you must first be admitted and then navigate the array of majors and classes. By the time you graduate, you’ve acquired some of the skills to be successful, but is that all?

Most times, the airport is only the beginning of the travel ahead.

Tap Into The Network — Training In Tokyo

I was fortunate to stay at a friend’s place for the trip. However, this meant at least 3-4 hours of travel daily.

We followed the same pattern on most days.

• A 90-minute train ride to Tokyo

• A 15-minute train/bus to Destination A

• A 15-minute train/bus to Destination B

• A 15-minute train/bus to Destination C

• A 90-minute train ride to back

It’s safe to say I’ve spent many hours on the train. Sometimes being surrounded and squished by others. Other times enjoying the comfort of a seat. Most times leaning against the wall near the door.

Once I left Japan, I understood what was special about public transit. Tap into the network and you’ll get to where you need to go.

Public Transit: The Vehicle of Accessibility

In the day-to-day, we need something quick and simple to get around.

Public transit fulfills these needs in a few ways.

1. Cheap to ride

2. Frequent arrival times

3. Built-in network of stops and transfers

Have you ever considered how the Internet serves as a global network, guiding us to various destinations of knowledge and connection? This free resource provides the ability to search in a specific direction, stop on a page, link out to another one, and then search again. Today, the Internet makes it easier for people to progress toward their goals.

When we think about maneuvering through life, pretend you are a passenger on the railway of people and communities.

Who in our network can point us in the right direction?

Where can we access communities that transfer us to our intended destination?

Should I choose public or private transit?

The ideal transportation mode depends on the infrastructure of where you’re located. For example, the U.S. is built on roads and cars compared to countries in Europe or Asia that leverage trains and buses.

Private transit excels for exclusive trips. You have a fixed destination in mind with a limited number of people. The perk of comfort comes at additional costs like traffic and parking.

On the other hand, public transit shines for frequent excursions. The network of stops provides more flexibility and exploration. However, you may have to adapt to others traveling around you.

The Last Stop. Lessons Learned.

The takeaway here is that no single transportation method is superior. They all serve different purposes for getting to where you want to go. It doesn’t make sense to spend days driving across the country when you can fly there within a few hours (unless you’re looking for that experience).

Before we reach our final destination, I want to share one more transportation option.

Perspective.

While not as reliable as traditional modes of transportation, it holds the ability to transport you instantly to new realms. Once mastered, it imbues life with unparalleled richness and vibrancy. Unfortunately, teleportation doesn’t mean much when you don’t know where you’re going.

Like I mentioned at the beginning, I’ve been feeling lost. Over the past few years, I’ve been forced to confront the reality of being alone in a way I didn’t expect.

The reason?

Uncontrollable elements like the pandemic, along with life changes such as completing college and transitioning to remote work,

The result?

A lot of time spent in the walls of my head.

For 12 days, I roamed the streets of Japan, seeking both vacation bliss and answers to life's deeper questions. Ironically, my quest in Japan led me on a journey where I ended up more lost than ever. Yet amidst the uncertainty, I found the true value of living in the moment.

Life is about making moments of action into milestones of reflection.

Moments like savoring a simple rice ball from 7-11, chatting with the locals on the streets of Asakusa, or strolling through the serene Sankein Garden. Or even befriending an otter (ask me for the full story).

Each one is meaningful because together they encompass this incredible trip… a milestone I will remember for life.

Life’s a journey, not a staycation.

So if you’re feeling lost, the answer is simple.

Pick a direction, get moving, and start making moments.

Cheers,

Kalen & his otter friend

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As part of our community, we would love to hear how traveling has impacted your journey of life. What amazing travel stories do you have to share? Feel free to write in the comments.

More About Japan and Transit

• I created this map to share all the places I recommend traveling to in Japan. Message me if you have any questions.

• A key part of embracing the journey of life is novel experiences. Check out this article about Novelty: The New Way For Personal Change.

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