What you can learn from a week in Japan

duda • September 3, 2025

What a week. I've just landed at Sydney airport for the Sydney PLAE summit after spending the last week in Myoko, Japan at the Refre Hotel.

A big shout out to my incredible team at Virtus , it is an amazing feeling to have no angst at all about leaving my baby in your very capable hands.

I have had an incredible week, filled with new experiences, adventures and endless laughs with some amazing humans.

Japan is a magical place, and I will most certainly be back multiple times. To borrow a phrase I heard describing this country 'Japan is as it should be' meaning if we were to build a civilisation from scratch, the Japanese culture would be the first point of call. From cleanliness to customer service, to public transport, to genuine manners and an overarching theme of quality, it was difficult to find a bad experience over the last week.

The quote below epitomises what I experienced Japanese culture to be.

?The lessons i have learn and have had reinforced over the last week won't all fit inside this post, but I'll attempt to be succinct with a few of them here... apologies if i ramble, but i need some time to unpack these thoughts.Opportunities only h? — ?

The lessons i have learn and have had reinforced over the last week won't all fit inside this post, but I'll attempt to be succinct with a few of them here... apologies if i ramble, but i need some time to unpack these thoughts.

Opportunities only happen when you take **action** . If you sit on your hands and wait for amazing adventures to be thrust upon you, you'll be bitterly disappointed, and have sore hands.

Live in the **moment,** If you are constantly focused on the past or the future, you may tend to forget to enjoy the now. A wise friend once said to me that the past is just **stories we tell ourselves** , we change these stories to suit our needs at the time, I feel as though the future and our expectations tend to be the same. Stop, take a breath, and say to yourself, 'how good is this'.

Find the **one thing** you love to do, or that you're **supremely good at** , and do that. Live your life on your terms, not others. This way hard work is worthwhile and meaningful. This lesson was taught to me without words, at a little roadside kebab shop, where I learnt that the owner would spend the winter making delicious kebabs, save up, and then spend the summer surfing.

I have some incredible **friends** , I knew this, but I guess it is a nice thing to be reminded of so intensely.

Travel reminds you of your **insignificance** , it really makes you rethink your place in the world, whether I'm on the Shinkansen to Tokyo or sitting at Virtus in Mornington, the world is still going about its business, all at once, its things like this that shows me the **importance doing what makes you happy** and following your dreams and all of that stuff. That feeling was further compounded by the efforts of space X during the week. Elon Musk is the GOAT and the photo below is next level.

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