Giappone: un viaggio tra silenzio, meraviglia e rinascita

Japan: A Journey Through Silence, Wonder, and Rebirth

September 3, 2025

I'm still processing all the emotions and details of what I saw and felt in Japan.

A long journey, at times tiring, but capable of giving me wonder , poetry and a profound lesson on respect .

Tokyo: The Beginning, Between Anxiety and Wonder

The first few days weren't easy.

I had to fight with myself, with my thoughts and with the anxieties that I didn't want to carry with me.

Yet, even in their noise, the city found a way to speak to me .

My arrival in Tokyo coincided with Obon (お盆) , a Buddhist festival during which it is believed that the spirits of ancestors return to visit the world of the living.

And just around that time, while walking in a park, I encountered a white moth, pure and unusual. I discovered that in Japan it is a sacred insect, rare to see, a bearer of rebirth and messages from those who are no longer with us.

And there I got my answer: "Whatever I decide to do, it will be a rebirth."

Fashion in Tokyo: Beyond Trends

I went to Harajuku – Ura-Harajuku and Daikanyama , Tokyo's iconic fashion districts. Not the commercial, trend-chasing kind , but the kind I feel closest to: conceptual, timeless, and capable of expressing a new world.

The boutiques are small, intimate, and often hidden. They invite you to delve deeper and explore. They don't extend horizontally like ours, but vertically: you can breathe in the fashion even when you look up at the sky.

Here I realized that my vision is more similar to theirs: I don't care if just anyone buys my clothes. I care that those who choose them have an experience, recognize their value, and feel like they're breathing something different.

Takayama: slow time

Takayama is the city of samurai , a place that seems suspended in time. The wooden houses, the shops transformed into artisan workshops, the limited hours: they open at 10:00 a.m. and close at 5:00 p.m., and the restaurants finish dinner at 8:00 p.m.

Here, the pace is slow and natural. I saw traditional kimono shops, tailoring, embroidery, ceramics, and fans: all strictly handmade. A small Japanese gem that teaches you to breathe slowly.

Kyoto: the magic

Before arriving, I was saying I still needed that "wow" moment. I found it as soon as I got off in Kyoto, the old capital.

It is a place suspended between modernity and tradition, with seemingly eternal alleys and vibrant streets.

I stayed in the geisha district, listened to street musicians, and tasted the best sushi I've ever had. Kyoto transported me to a magical dimension, filled with authentic sounds, faces, and emotions.

And it was precisely by observing people that I discovered a wonderful trait: the Japanese have extremely expressive faces. They laugh, smile, and express genuine surprise. They don't smile out of politeness: when they do, you really feel it.

Nara: the poetry of nature

In Nara, I felt helpless. Here, deer and fawns coexist with humans in complete freedom. They approach you, ask for food with a gentle gesture, and bow to you after you've fed them. They seek cuddles, fearlessly.

I immersed myself in nature, disconnected from social media, and meditated. It was pure magic.

Osaka and Hiroshima: Southern Japan

Arriving in Osaka, I immediately felt the change: the colors, the sounds, the energy are reminiscent of southern Italy. Chaotic, noisy, but full of life.

From here I reached Hiroshima.

Seeing with my own eyes a place that changed the history of the world was powerful and painful. Not only for the immediate extermination, but for the consequences in the years that followed.

A thought has become even clearer inside me: we should learn from history, but the world seems not to have done so.

Order, respect, rules

Japan also taught me something very practical: the value of order and rules.

Everything is intuitive: getting around is simple, transportation is always punctual, even the subways have special machines for tourists. I'd been told it would be difficult to get around because of the language barrier, but that's not true: the system is designed to accommodate you.

I realized that in Italy we often see rules as limitations, while in Japan they're seen as a way to live better together. It's an approach that deeply impressed me.