logo
episode-header-image
Mar 2025
2h 28m

#803: Craig Mod Returns — Epic Walks in ...

Tim Ferriss: Bestselling Author, Human Guinea Pig
About this episode

Craig Mod Returns! Craig is a writer, photographer, and walker living in Tokyo and Kamakura, Japan. He is the author of Things Become Other Things and Kissa by Kissa. He also writes the newsletters Roden and Ridgeline and has contributed to The New York TimesThe AtlanticWired, and more.

Sponsors:

Shopify global commerce platform, providing tools to start, grow, market, and manage a retail business: https://shopify.com/tim (one-dollar-per-month trial period)

Momentous high-quality supplements: https://livemomentous.com/tim (code TIM for 20% off)

Helix Sleep premium mattresses: https://HelixSleep.com/Tim (Between 20% and 27% off all mattress orders and two free pillows)

Timestamps:

[00:00:00] Start.

[00:07:25] More than a decade of Perfect Days in a six-tatami mat room.

[00:10:44] The first steps of Craig’s huge walks: exploring Tokyo’s nightlife.

[00:17:33] Discovering pilgrimage trails with John McBride.

[00:22:49] What’s so appealing about pilgrimage trails?

[00:31:25] Learning politeness and language in Japan.

[00:40:09] An invitation from Kevin Kelly.

[00:41:23] The birth of a photo book.

[00:42:50] The big solo walks begin.

[00:43:53] Launching a membership program.

[00:44:58] The Nakasendō experience.

[00:50:01] Craig’s rules for walking.

[00:51:04] The Vipassana influence.

[01:00:43] Logistics of walking in Japan.

[01:09:03] Depopulation and pizza toast.

[01:13:42] How Kissa by Kissa came to be (and its unexpected success).

[01:16:34] Kicking off Craigstarter.

[01:17:47] The pièce de résistance membership strategy.

[01:18:41] Finding product-market fit.

[01:19:12] The importance of sustainable scale.

[01:19:50] Membership community rules.

[01:27:15] Navigating the publishing world.

[01:38:37] Promoting midsize cities in Japan as a wild and strange celebrity.

[01:52:50] The economic and cultural effects of this promotion.

[01:54:46] Hidden gems and walks in Japan.

[01:56:56] Walking beyond Japan.

[01:59:47] Craig was a Mod before you was a mod.

[02:00:47] How Craig reconnected with his birth family.

[02:19:32] Reflections and future plans.

[02:23:00] Parting thoughts.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Up next
Jul 1
#818: John Arnold with Dr. Peter Attia — The Greatest Energy Trader of All Time on Lessons Learned, Walking Away from Wall Street, and Reinventing Philanthropy
In this special episode, my friend—and fan-favorite guest—Dr. Peter Attia takes the mic as guest host. Peter sits down with legendary trader John Arnold, widely considered the greatest energy trader of all time. Today, through his foundation Arnold Ventures, John applies the same ... Show More
2h 36m
Jun 25
#817: 4-Hour Workweek Success Stories — Charlie Houpert on Building “Charisma on Command” to 10M+ Subscribers, From Charging $10 for Seminars to Making Millions, Living in Brazil, Critical Early Decisions, and The Secret to Freedom
Charlie Houpert is the co-founder of Charisma on Command, a company that helps people develop confidence, charisma, and strong social skills. Originally launched as a 4-Hour Workweek-inspired “muse,” it has since grown into one of the largest platforms for social skills and confi ... Show More
2h 14m
Jun 18
#816: Nsima Inyang, Mutant and Movement Coach — True Athleticism at Any Age, Microdosing Movement, “Rope Flow” as a Key Unlock, Why Sleds and Sandbags Matter, and Much More
Nsima Inyang (@nsimainyang) is a strength athlete, movement coach, and co-host of Mark Bell’s Power Project, one of the top fitness podcasts in the world. He is also one of the most freakishly athletic humans I’ve ever met. He’s a black belt in Brazilian jiu-jitsu, a professional ... Show More
3h 18m
Recommended Episodes
Apr 1
$32M Exit: Left the U.S., Built a $15K/Month Life in Japan
If you're a founder doing at least $3M/year in sales, check out Hampton: https://www.joinhampton.com/.Eran Galperin bootstrapped a niche SaaS for Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu gyms, sold it for $32.5 million, moved to Japan, and is now quietly living the FIRE dream — with a few luxury upgr ... Show More
49m 53s
Jan 2025
"Stole $1,000 A Day" - Ex-Skid Row Addict EXPOSES California's Homeless & Drug CRISIS! | PBD Podcast | Ep. 534
Patrick Bet-David sits down with former Skid Row addict Jared Klickstein, who shares his harrowing journey through nearly a decade of homelessness, drug addiction, and crime in California. Jared reveals how policies like Prop 47 and billions in wasted funds enabled theft rings an ... Show More
1h 20m
Apr 2021
Daring to challenge your status-quo | Tom Libelt | Leadership Activators Global Edition #12
Tom Libelt learned from a young age how to sell and negotiate business by getting haggled by Russian vendors. His family moved from Poland to the US to escape communism, and his parents took any job they could to survive. Seeing all this as a young man motivated him to never want ... Show More
54m 57s
Nov 2024
MicroStrategy's Michael Saylor: Bitcoin To $13M? MicroStrategy's $4B Bitcoin Bet | PBD Podcast | Ep. 508
Patrick Bet-David is joined by MicroStrategy's Michael Saylor.Michael Saylor is a prominent American entrepreneur and executive known for his role as the co-founder and executive chairman of MicroStrategy, a publicly traded business intelligence company. Saylor gained widespread ... Show More
1h 40m
Oct 2024
Muse #1 - Trading the office for the court: How Houman Ashrafzadeh built a Padel club from the ground up
This week’s Muse is Houman Ashrafzadeh, a serial entrepreneur best known for co-founding the salad bar chain Urban Greens and, more recently, launching Padium, London’s premier padel club backed by Spotify co-founder Martin Lorentzon.In this episode, we explore Houman’s early day ... Show More
32m 57s
Feb 2025
"I Fast-Forwarded My Life 10 Years”: How Geo-Arbitrage 3X’d My Wealth and Changed My Life
What if you could fast-forward your financial goals by ten years just by moving abroad? That’s exactly what entrepreneur Rob Hoffman did when he relocated to Colombia, where his $3M net worth stretches as if it’s $9M. Rob, a member of the Hampton community, shares how he built a ... Show More
32m 6s
Jun 2024
197 | I flew 5,963 miles for some life-changing magic for my pro organizing business
When I signed up for a trip to Japan with Marie Kondo's team from KonMari Media, I figured I would get some good sightseeing, some good food, and get to meet other organizers and have some good pictures for social media. What I didn't expect was to have a truly life-changing expe ... Show More
59m 1s
Jun 11
"Islam Has FAILED" - Tommy Robinson BLASTS Islam Invasion, Muslim Grooming Gangs & Media Silence | PBD Podcast | Ep. 598
Tommy Robinson, a polarizing figure in the UK, reveals the dark truth behind the country's grooming gangs and the cover-ups by political elites. With courage and resilience, he exposes corruption, free speech violations, and systemic injustice, challenging the establishment for a ... Show More
2h 35m
Mar 2024
'The $150,000 Coach' Shannon Graham & Four Loko Founder, Chris Hunter 💸 E61
Shannon Graham, founder of Astranaut, has dedicated himself to empowering individuals to lead fulfilling lives for over 20 years. He has started projects to help with video game addiction and to empower Hispanic immigrants financially. Shannon's teamed up with leaders all over th ... Show More
1h 10m
May 6
$100K Buy-In. $160M Exit. Then $40K/Month on ‘Living the Dream’... Almost.
127 founders (net worth: ~$1M–$100M+) opened up their personal books. Want to see how your finances stack up? https://www.joinhampton.com/wealth-reportAfter a $100M+ exit, Jace Mattinson blew $40K a month chasing lost time, until living the dream nearly ruined it.Here’s what we t ... Show More
44m 43s