*“Yesterday, I Went to Mars ♡”*

This episode reflects on a recent hazing-related death at a U.S. university and why such incidents continue to happen. Rather than focusing on blame, it looks at the atmosphere young people often find themselves in—where belonging feels essential, and exclusion can feel like the end of the world. In those moments, advice like “just walk away” rarely works, even when people know something is wrong....

In this episode, I reflect on a recent news story from Queens, New York, where a man and a dog died from suspected carbon monoxide poisoning inside a van used as a mobile veterinary clinic. What began as a distant headline slowly became personal, as it reminded me of moments in my own past—winter camping, using fire or generators, and assuming that “being outdoors” meant being safe. This is not a...

In this episode, I talk about a recent winter trip to the Hakodate area in Hokkaido and the unexpected cultural gap I experienced there. Choosing trains over a rental car turned out to be far more inconvenient than expected, and simple things—like transportation hours and cash-only payments—made me realize how different regional Japan can feel compared to Tokyo or overseas cities. I also share con...

In this episode, I talk about something I hadn’t thought much about until recently: hidden cameras in hotels and short-term rentals. Cases like these aren’t limited to one country. They’ve been reported in places such as South Korea, the United States, and Canada, often involving small cameras and online streaming in spaces people assumed were private. This isn’t about creating fear or telling peo...

In this episode, I share a quiet observation that began while looking at a map. While browsing Google Maps and reading news about the reopening of the Gaza–Egypt border crossing, I noticed how close very different worlds exist to one another. Just beyond a thin line on the map, there are ordinary hotel reviews and everyday routines, while only a few kilometers away, life is defined by restriction...

In this episode, I reflect on why the phrase “regulating the nervous system” is being used more often, especially among younger people. Rather than framing stress as a matter of mindset or willpower, this episode looks at how many of today’s difficulties seem to be felt at a physical level—through constant alertness, fatigue, and an inability to fully switch off. Practices like cold exposure, brea...

In this episode, I talk through a recent news story about the United Nations facing a financial crisis due to unpaid and delayed contributions from major member states. Rather than taking a strong position, I try to understand how the UN is funded, why nonpayment and late payment have become an issue, and what this situation says about the current state of international cooperation. I also look at...

In this episode, I reflect on a growing sense of numbness when watching videos online. With so much AI-generated content circulating, even real footage can start to feel artificial, and moments that once felt moving now pass without much impact. I talk about YouTube’s plan to address low-quality AI-generated content, and how algorithms that favor speed and volume may be quietly wearing down our ab...

In this episode, I reflect on a startup called EF Polymer , which has developed a fully organic absorbent polymer made from fruit waste such as orange peels. At first glance, an “absorbent polymer” doesn’t sound especially remarkable. But when you look at how it works—absorbing water in soil, slowly releasing it to plant roots, and eventually returning to the earth—it begins to suggest a practical...

In this episode, I talk about recent reports suggesting a possible merger between SpaceX and xAI, both led by Elon Musk. If such a move were to happen, it would bring together space transportation, satellite communication, artificial intelligence, and social media under a single structure. Beyond the sheer scale of the numbers involved, what interests me is how this could quietly reshape the way t...

After reading a report about Ningbo in The New York Times , I began thinking about the different ways societies express tension and dissatisfaction. Drawing on personal experiences in Shenzhen, Germany, and Abu Dhabi, this episode reflects on the contrast between cities full of visible energy, societies that are usually quiet but speak up when necessary, and places that feel deeply calm and tightl...

I came across Sonic Fire Tech, a company developing a system that extinguishes fire using sound rather than water or chemicals. By using low-frequency sound waves to disrupt the oxygen supply around a flame, the system can put out fires without damaging surrounding equipment or spaces. What makes this approach interesting is its tolerance for false positives—it can be activated early, even if ther...

After dropping my daughter off for an exam, I stopped by a Komeda Coffee for the first time. What stood out wasn’t the menu, but the attitude: “Please take your time.” Customers are rarely rushed, and even the morning set remains available with each coffee until late morning. Rather than focusing on quick turnover, the café seems designed to let people stay. In this episode, I reflect on how comfo...

On a flight back from Europe, I watched a documentary about Nobu Matsuhisa. Rather than focusing on success or expansion, the film quietly traces his original motivation: not money, but the desire to make good food and see customers enjoy it. His career was far from smooth, marked by failures, debt, and setbacks, yet he continued cooking with the same intention. In this episode, I reflect on the d...

After returning from Abu Dhabi, I reflect on travel as a way of staying mentally flexible. Even in a short journey, moving through unfamiliar cities reminds me how much there is still to learn, regardless of age. Travel naturally places us in situations where we become beginners again, which stimulates the brain and challenges habitual thinking. Neuroscience suggests that learning new skills activ...

During a long layover on my way back from Munich, I stepped briefly into Abu Dhabi. Running on little sleep, the city appeared distant and muted, its silence shaped by structure and scale. From Yas Island to the Louvre Abu Dhabi, the day unfolded slowly. The architecture impressed me, but exhaustion limited my ability to engage, leaving me simply sitting beneath the museum’s dome, watching light m...

On my last morning in Munich, I ran to the famous Eisbach river-surfing spot—only to find it empty, and the wave itself gone. After reading about a tragic accident and the ongoing effort to rebuild a safer wave, I found myself thinking about risk, responsibility, and what we lose when the answer is simply “ban it.” It’s a quiet reflection on freedom, safety, and the complicated space in between.

On a train ride back to Munich, I watched Wick Is Pain , a documentary about how John Wick was made. I used to think of the film as pure entertainment, but learning about the discipline, risk, and behind-the-scenes effort—especially Keanu Reeves’ persistence and the project’s near collapse—changed how I saw it. This episode is a quiet reflection on what we miss when we only judge what’s on the sur...

Today’s episode is a quiet note from Füssen, a small town in southern Germany that suddenly turned into a snowy, almost silent world. I talk about why “nothing-happening” places—ordinary streets, closed cafés, a single turn at an intersection—can stay with us more than famous landmarks. It’s a gentle reminder that travel isn’t only about destinations, but about the small moments we’ll probably nev...

In this episode, I share a simple habit I’ve started in Prague: early morning runs before the city wakes up. Running isn’t about pace for me—it’s a way to learn a new place through its streets, hills, and quiet river paths along the Vltava. It’s a small, calm way of turning travel into something that feels a bit closer to everyday life.

Wandering through Prague early in the morning, I visited St. Vitus Cathedral before the crowds arrived and was struck by how stained glass can transform a space when light and shadow line up just right. I’m not an expert—just someone who works with light every day through eyewear—so the experience made me think about why we sometimes choose “experience” over pure efficiency. In this episode, I sha...

In Prague, I stumbled into a crowd gathered beneath the Astronomical Clock (the Orloj) and ended up thinking about why we still keep old, inconvenient things alive in a world of perfect accuracy. This episode is a quiet reflection on the clock’s “maintenance as culture”—and how that idea made me understand the romance of vintage a little more, even as someone who usually prefers practicality. I’m...

I arrived in Munich early in the morning and headed straight to opti 2026, my first eyewear trade fair in Germany. Even within the same industry, the atmosphere felt subtly different—how people spoke, how booths were arranged, the overall rhythm. It quietly reminded me that place matters. After the exhibition, I walked through the city for the first time. Winter Munich felt calm and restrained—unt...

On the way to Munich, an unexpected train stoppage led me to arrive at the airport far earlier than planned—leaving five quiet hours to wait. Sitting with a coffee, slightly tired but calm, I started thinking about the relationship between fatigue and fulfillment. Being efficient and avoiding waste doesn’t always lead to a sense of satisfaction. At the same time, simply being exhausted doesn’t mea...

In this episode, we explore the idea of “selective ignorance”—the choice to step back from information that adds stress without offering anything we can change. In a world where news, opinions, and comparisons are always within reach, knowing more doesn’t always lead to feeling better. The conversation reflects on how the human mind processes information, why constant exposure can quietly wear us...