In today’s post I recap my first, all-too-brief visit to Japan. In retrospect, I was too jet lagged to get the most out of this trip (Tokyo is fourteen hours ahead of New York, so I was completely turned around). Next time, not only would I try to stay longer, but I’d also make sure to arrive at least a day or two before attending an event like “Why Design Tokyo,” if only so that I could be more present during the conference.

That’s the basic tension underlying all my business travel though: I am always trying to spend as little time away from my family as I can while also fulfilling my travel commitments as best I can. I envy people who have the schedule flexibility to turn a business trip into a deep dive into a new city or culture. The best I can usually manage is a cursory tour of the vicinity before hopping back on the plane. The burdens of a traveling designer dad. Boo hoo.

By the way, if you find yourself traveling to a new city for work (or for any reason) and want to get a designer’s-eye view on what to see there, I recommend the amazing On the Grid project from my friends at Hyperakt. I wrote about it when it launched in 2015 and while it seems to have slowed down a bit, the guides are still terrific.

Cheers from New York,
Khoi