#803: Craig Mod Returns — Epic Walks in Japan, The Art of Slowness, Digital Detox, Publishing “Impossible” Books, and Choosing Beauty Over Scale

Craig Mod Returns! Craig is a writer, photographer, and walker living in Tokyo and Kamakura, Japan. He is the author of Things Become Other Things and Kissa by Kissa. He also writes the newsletters Roden and Ridgeline and has contributed to The New York Times, The Atlantic, Wired, and more.Sponsors:Shopify global commerce platform, providing tools to start, grow, market, and manage a retail business: https://shopify.com/tim (one-dollar-per-month trial period)Momentous high-quality supplements: https://livemomentous.com/tim (code TIM for 20% off)Helix Sleep premium mattresses: https://HelixSleep.com/Tim (Between 20% and 27% off all mattress orders and two free pillows)Timestamps:00:00 Molly Joins the Podcast 00:52 Meet Craig Mod07:46 Living in a Six-Tatami Mat Room12:24 Golden Gai: Tokyo's Historic Drinking District17:33 Epic Walks: From Tokyo to Kumano Kodō18:05 The Influence of John McBride31:25 The Magic of Polite Japanese38:38 The New Generation of Japanese-Speaking Foreigners40:30 Kevin Kelly's Walk41:08 The Birth of the Photo Book Idea43:05 The Big Solo Walks Begin43:56 Launching a Membership Program44:58 The Nakasendo Walk50:06 Rules of Walking01:00:43 Booking Logistics in Japan01:04:24 The Wired Magazine Essay01:16:23 Creating CraigStarter: A Kickstarter Alternative01:17:26 The Success of CraigStarter and Membership Strategy01:19:50 Membership Community Rules and Goals01:22:22 The Dangers of Scale in Creative Work01:26:56 Navigating the Publishing Industry01:38:37 Promoting Midsize Cities in Japan01:50:48 Unexpected Cultural Encounter01:52:50 Economic Benefits of Spotlighted Cities01:54:46 Exploring Hidden Gems in Japan01:56:55 Global Walking Adventures01:59:46 Adoption Journey and Family Reconnection02:05:27 Reflections on Family and Identity02:19:46 Closing Thoughts and Future PlansSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.