If Life Is a Journey | By Yataro Matsuura, Translated by AP

Title: If Life Is a Journey Author: Yataro Matsuura Translator: A. P. Category: Travelogue, Personal Growth, Biography Price: HK$148 Dimensions: 130 mm (w) x 200 mm (h) Binding: Paperback Pages: 248 pages ISBN: 978-988-75725-0-3 Publisher: gezi workstation Yataro Matsuura Autobiographical essays sharing the purpose of life's journey. ~ About Self and World! ~ If life is a journey, how should the itinerary be planned? Yataro Matsuura, webmaster of "The Essentials of Life," former editor-in-chief of "Living Magazine," and founder and columnist of "COW BOOKS," writes in straightforward language about his youthful recklessness, his bold travels abroad, and the fifty travel stories he gathered. This is a travelogue that will make you want to embark on a journey as soon as you finish reading it, and also prompts self-reflection— "If life is a journey," how should each of us navigate it? *** Leisurely weekends spent with a lover in a Berkeley apartment, free from worries. Discovering a rare edition of "PORTFOLIO" in a New York used bookstore, only to be deceived by ignorance. Finding classic Levi's 501s in an Oakland thrift store, earning the first million yen of his life. Unknowingly staying at a lodging house in the Tenderloin district, with a mafia boss nearby. Sitting contemplatively in a cafe in Taipei, reading a favorite book while waiting for a long-missed friend. Collapsing while hiking on the John Muir Trail, learning to honestly face the insignificance of oneself in nature. Visiting Kōtarō Takamura's former hermitage in Takamura Sansō, realizing the simple beauty of rural retreat. From his first trip abroad at eighteen, these unforgettable experiences and profound encounters have shaped irreplaceable days in his life. The places he traveled brought him the worst and best of people and experiences, and also led him to perceive the meaning of human existence. ----- [Selected Quotes] "Actually, I don't have a set itinerary, nor have I decided on my next destination. If I like a place, I'll stay a bit longer; sometimes, I'll just stay for a day before moving on to the next location. It's all spontaneous. However, cafes and bookstores are indispensable to my journey." "What exactly is travel? Travel is a spiritual act of confronting and re-examining oneself alone, thereby rediscovering the self. That is the true meaning of travel." "It might be easier to go with the flow, following the general direction of others or society. But in doing so, one lacks personal will, effort, discovery, and the courage to go against the current, and thus misses the joy that comes after hardship. There is nothing more unsettling than setting sail on a ship without knowing where it will lead. The only thing is the illusion of security that comes from following the crowd. Living this way is not wrong. However, let me tell you, I want to leap from that ship, dive into the vast ocean, and swim with my own strength to build and map my own small boat and its destination. Only then can I truly enjoy this endless journey. This is what can be called real travel." ----- About the Author Yataro Matsuura Born in Tokyo in 1965. He dropped out of high school at the age of eighteen and traveled alone to the United States to explore, developing a strong interest in American bookstore culture. Upon returning to Japan, he gradually built his own bookstore business based on his love for books, and also engaged in column writing and editing. In 1992, he established the book sales company "m&co. booksellers"; In 2000, he founded Japan's first mobile bookstore; In 2002, he partnered with Setsumasa Kobayashi, founder and designer of "GENERAL RESEARCH," to open the "COW BOOKS" bookstore in Nakameguro; From 2006 to 2015, he served as editor-in-chief of "Living Magazine"; In 2017, he became the webmaster of "The Essentials of Life" and an executive director of "Delicious Healthy Co., Ltd." He has authored: "The Worst and Best Bookstore," "If Life Is a Journey," "Yataro Matsuura's 100 Essentials," "Yataro Matsuura's 100 Work Essentials + 100 Life Essentials," "Yataro Matsuura Says: 50 Things I'd Do If I Were 25 Today," "Yataro Matsuura's Hello, Bonjour, Ni Hao," "Yataro Matsuura's Quick Response Skills," "A Fresh Start for Your Forties," "Practice for a Light Life by Letting Go of Burdens," "Everyday 100," "Thank You," "Find Your Good Work Feeling," "The New Obvious," and "Live Each Day with Intention," among others. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ About the Translator A.P. A Hong Kong native currently residing in the UK. She worked for a Japanese company for eleven years and has had a strong interest in Japanese culture since childhood, learning the language on her own. She enjoys painting, music, and film appreciation. Translated: "The Worst and Best Bookstore," "If Life Is a Journey." ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ About the Illustrator April Yip A Hong Kong native currently residing in Malaysia. She works as a freelance illustrator, enjoys doodling, and loves watercolor. Her work is often inspired by daily life, and she always carries a sketchbook to record her experiences with her brush.