TOUCHING DOWN IN OSAKA from the serene skies of Vietnam seems like landing in a sea of chaos. With the busy central transport junction and tourists flitting about, this first sight makes you disbelieve any picture of peace you carry about Japan– but one must not judge a book by its cover. Nor by its trending blurbs. So, I consciously omit the postcard hubs from my itinerary to seek out the essence of the hinterlands.
That evening, I walk to the night street of Dotonbori, but the first instance of a vibrational intervention comes en route, with the musical energy of two technopercussionists. They are playing with ardent abandon at the pulsating Namba crossing, their pop-streaked hair swaying in effortless joy, one with their art and the audience. I’m reminded of the spirit of Wu Wei (or effortless action) that is tattooed across my shoulder blade. There is something about the youthful spirit of the city bathed in hyper-urban dreams— the screaming need to immerse oneself in colour, and break away into a hyper-real, technicolour future—that makes one want to let oneself go. The Japanese call this Shikata Ga Nai. To accept the moment, to flow with it, to relinquish control where one has none. I’m a ball in that beat.
The rebellious spark is evident in the clubs, gaming salons, the loud neon signboards. The party is powerful not just in its street food and drink and local riverside revelry, but because it carries the throb of the future, and the possibility of embracing a plurality of pop cultures, tastes and fashions. I keep close this reflection of Kyosei, the symbiotic spirit where diversity converges for the common good.
Denne historien er fra June 2024-utgaven av Travel+Leisure India.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent ? Logg på
Denne historien er fra June 2024-utgaven av Travel+Leisure India.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent? Logg på
The Medieval Charm of Elsinore
Elsinore, in eastern Denmark, is a charming city full of surprises, such as its interesting link to Shakespeare, discovers Ami Bhat
Lunching In Leh
Turtuk, the last town of India in Ladakh, is having a culinary and hospitality renaissance, discovers Harsh Surti
Natural Selection
In other parts of the world, natural wine production can be raw, wild, and a little messy. But a road trip through southeastern Austria reveals that, in a land where order and understatement reign, even the low-intervention bottles are elegant and refined.
Where the Wild Things Are
Uncovering Rwanda's natural treasures-and the gift of multigenerational travel
FROM THE VOICE WITHIN
A hit new season of a cult show, a brand new production venture, and a baby girl-it seems Ali Fazal is on top of the world right now. Amid a new parenting journey, the actor talks to SAMREEN TUNGEKAR about his travel persona, his instincts, and what feeds the artiste within him
MONSOON IN THE WILD
For nature lovers craving the lush serenity of monsoon forests, off-season safaris in national park buffer zones offer rare rewards and vital support to local economies, discovers Chandreyi Bandyopadhyay.
Ray of Sunshine
Getting diagnosed with life-threatening ailments can spell doom, but for actor Lisa Ray, it became a testament to her resilience. Diagnosed with multiple myeloma in 2009, the former model maintained a positive outlook, blossomed into a vocal advocate for cancer awareness and support, and turned author with a book chronicling her story. In a chat with Bayar Jain, she gets candid about her journey of hope and healing
Championing Change with Conversations That Matter
Aditi Mayer is a responsible storyteller who likes to look at fashion through a lens of social and environmental justice. She tells Samreen Tungekar about how she manages her own mental health and wellness despite work that promotes positive change and requires mental bandwidth
Travelling Through Conscious Well-Being
In the ever-evolving landscape of wellness, where data meets intuition and science aligns with ancient practices, Deepak Chopra stands as a unique bridge between these worlds. Chopra talks to Dipali Patwa about how travel, when intertwined with wellness, becomes a powerful catalyst for personal transformation.
Transcending The 'Trend'
For Rimzim Dadu, the creation of a collection is about lending the pieces a timeless quality. Samreen Tungekar talks to the designer about her creative process, and how her travels intersperse with her approach to design