September in Japan brings a special kind of energy. The intense summer heat begins to soften, and there's a sense of renewal in the air. While the season brings occasional dramatic weather patterns, including recent storms that reminded Tokyo residents of nature's power, these moments often reveal something beautiful about resilience and adaptation.

This week, I've been reflecting on how the Japanese approach to movement—both physical and creative—offers us a completely different way to think about productivity and presence. Instead of fighting against our natural rhythms, what if we learned to move with them?

While Japan prepares for potential new leadership with candidates like Sanae Takaichi and Shinjiro Koizumi, the country continues to demonstrate something remarkable about work culture—specifically, how traditional concepts of flow can transform our daily creative practice.

Even in modern Japanese society the understanding that work isn't about grinding harder or optimizing every minute often gets neglected. It's about finding the natural rhythm that allows deep focus to emerge.

Watch: Finding Flow in Work Through Japanese Wisdom

This video explores how concepts like Wa (harmony), Ma (purposeful space), and Kaizen can transform your work experience through the lens of flow state science. In this review of Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi's "Good Business," I share 5 actionable techniques that blend Japanese aesthetics with modern productivity to create natural, sustainable success.

🌿 What You'll Learn:

Both walking and working become forms of meditation when approached with Japanese mindfulness principles. With foreign workers in Japan reaching a record 2.3 million last year, many are discovering these approaches to movement and work that prioritize well-being alongside achievement.

Video on Finding Flow at Work

While researching Japanese movement practices, I encountered a fascinating paradox: the more we try to force efficiency, the less efficient we become. With Mt. Fuji entering its winter closure period on September 11th, ending the 2025 climbing season, I'm reminded of how natural cycles teach us about appropriate timing for effort and rest.

The concept of yukkuri (taking one's time) has been gaining attention as more people recognize the mental health benefits of deliberately slowing down. Unlike Western "slow living" movements, yukkuri isn't about doing everything slowly—it's about choosing when to move quickly and when to move deliberately.

"Shizen Style Flow" captures everything I've learned about sustainable creativity through Japanese principles and flow state research.

Writing it shifted how I approach creative work completely. This isn't about productivity hacks—it's about understanding creativity as your natural state that emerges when you align with seasonal rhythms and design flow-supportive environments.

[Get the book here]

We've been told that 10,000 steps is the golden number for daily health. But what if there's a more intentional way? What if the Japanese have been practicing something more meaningful for centuries?

I recently explored this in depth, examining how traditional Japanese walking practices focus on quality over quantity. The approach isn't about hitting arbitrary numbers—it's about moving with purpose, awareness, and connection to your environment.

Watch: The Secret Japanese Walking Method That Beats 10,000 Steps (In Just 30 Minutes)

The practice involves mindful pacing, breath awareness, and what the Japanese researchers called the Interval Walking Method. It's less about burning calories and more about cultivating presence.

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Dive into the captivating abstraction of "Rapids Waves: An Abstract Flow," a photograph that transforms the dynamic energy of Niagara’s rapids into a minimalist experience. This striking image distills the chaotic beauty of the rushing water into a pure, abstract form, capturing the essence of movement and fluidity with elegant simplicity. 

In "Rapids Waves," the powerful currents of the Niagara rapids are rendered in an abstract composition, where the intense movement of the water is expressed through sweeping lines and rhythmic patterns. The minimalist approach allows the viewer to focus on the raw, unfiltered beauty of the waves, distilling their energy into a serene and contemplative visual experience. 

This fine art piece is ideal for those who appreciate minimalist art and seek to infuse their space with a touch of modern elegance and the raw power of nature.  Check it out here.

This week has reminded me that the most profound changes often come not from doing more, but from doing with greater awareness. Whether it's walking, working, or simply being present with our daily routines, the Japanese approach invites us to find meaning in movement itself.

As autumn approaches and the natural world begins its own graceful transition, perhaps we too can embrace this rhythm of intentional change.

Until next week's contemplation,

Josh and the Shizen Style Team 🌿

P.S. Have you noticed how different your creative work feels when you approach it as a form of moving meditation rather than a task to complete? I'd love to hear about your experiments with intentional pacing in both movement and work.