Airports and flights can certainly be stressful, but I also see them as an opportunity to create small moments of joy. For example, I like to prepare a few little things in advance – such as bringing a book I’ve been wanting to read or a nail oil with a scent I love – to enjoy during the waiting time.

Even small touches like these can make a big difference in how you feel. I also try to treat that time as something to be savoured, rather than rushed.

Travel is a special experience, so I take the time to observe the people around me, the atmosphere, and the things I can only see in that place. By simply shifting your awareness in that way, even stressful moments can become meaningful ones.

In your book, you explain important Japanese cultural concepts like purification. How does this apply to travel – do you have your own purifying ritual when you get off a plane?

In Japanese culture, the idea of purification does not necessarily refer only to formal rituals; it also exists in small, everyday actions. So when I travel, I don’t have a specific ritual, but I value taking small moments to reset.