Craig Mod Returns — Epic Walks, The Art of Slowness, and More
Here are the top 10 key takeaways from Tim Ferriss's conversation with Craig Mod about walking, creativity, and finding meaning in slowness.
1. Walking as a transformative practice
Craig Mod describes how walking became central to his creative and personal life. He began with nighttime walks through Tokyo in his early 20s, captivated by the safety and sensory experience of the city. These casual strolls evolved into purposeful excursions after meeting John McBride, who introduced him to Japan's historic pilgrimage trails.
These walks transformed into a deliberate practice with specific rules: no news consumption, no social media, and focused presence. Craig walks 20-50 kilometers daily, carries cameras, talks to locals, and dictates notes constantly. Each evening, he writes 2-4,000 words and edits photos, creating a rigorous creative routine that produces substantial output. This disciplined approach functions as a type of personal "ascetic training" that generates profound clarity and fulfillment.
2. The importance of radical presence
Craig's approach to walking emphasizes what he calls "radical presence" and "radical boredom." He avoids digital distractions by not reading news or using social media during walks. As he explains, this creates space for his mind to work without interruption, forcing him to engage with his surroundings and the people he meets.
This presence is enhanced by rules like "take a portrait of someone before 10 AM" which push him to engage with strangers. When walking for weeks without digital distractions, his mind begins working differently - constantly writing, observing, and connecting with his environment. He compares this to the information withdrawal experienced during meditation retreats, describing how after several days of walking, his consciousness shifts into a different mode where he becomes a "bobbing consciousness" floating down the road.
3. The power of scale and sustainability in creative work
Craig emphasizes the importance of finding the right scale for creative work. While working at Flipboard exposed him to hundreds of millions of users, he found the greatest satisfaction in smaller-scale publishing projects reaching thousands rather than millions. His book "Kissa by Kissa" sold about 6,000 copies at $100 each—an impressive achievement for an art book.
This scale allows Craig complete creative control while maintaining sustainability. He can work with top editors and designers of his choosing without compromising his vision. By knowing the scale that makes him happy, he builds his business and membership program decisions around what feels right rather than chasing massive growth. This approach has proven both financially viable and creatively fulfilling, allowing him to create exactly what he wants without external pressures.
4. The Japanese countryside and depopulation experience
While walking the Nakasendo route across rural Japan, Craig witnessed firsthand the country's widely discussed but less visible demographic challenges. Despite hearing about "Shoshika Mondai" (low birthrate problem) and "Koureika Shakai" (aging society), these issues remain abstract in Tokyo where the population continues to grow. In rural areas, the effects become starkly visible as villages gradually empty.
Craig discovered that only barber shops and kissaten (traditional cafes) remained in many disappearing villages. These cafes, often started post-war by people avoiding corporate work, became de facto community centers. This observation led to his book "Kissa by Kissa," focusing on these cafes and their signature food—pizza toast. His documentation preserves the fading small-town Japan that tourists rarely see, capturing a significant socioeconomic transition through these humble establishments.
5. The influence of mentorship on personal growth
John McBride's mentorship profoundly shaped Craig's approach to walking and human interaction. Craig describes watching John use exceptionally polite Japanese language to connect with farmers and locals, creating allies through linguistic respect and genuine curiosity about local history. This demonstrated how language could forge meaningful connections across cultural divides.
After studying with John for three years, Craig began walking independently, carrying forward these lessons in communication. The value of learning from someone "just a couple levels better than you" proved transformative. Japanese politeness exists on a complex spectrum, and observing a master practitioner gave Craig insights he couldn't have gained otherwise. This relationship highlights how finding the right mentor can open entirely new paths of understanding and experience that might otherwise remain inaccessible.
6. Creating shape and permanence from ephemeral experiences
Craig describes feeling compelled to "give shape" to his walking experiences, which otherwise would "disappear like smoke." This desire led him to create photo books, write essays, and document his journeys in various forms. With photographer Dan Rubin, he walked the Kumano Kodo trail and then sequestered themselves in a farmhouse to produce a complete photo book in just one week.
This impulse to create tangible artifacts from ephemeral experiences drives much of Craig's work. His SMS experiment during a 30-day walk exemplifies this approach. Subscribers received nightly messages with photos and brief text, while their responses were collected in a book waiting for him upon his return. This created valuable space between sending and receiving feedback—unlike social media's immediate gratification—allowing for deeper reflection and ultimately richer creative work.
7. Membership program philosophy and strategy
Craig's membership program operates with clear rules that prioritize creative goals over member satisfaction. As stated in his rules: "The program exists for the goals, not the members." While this might sound harsh, he explains that when framed properly, members enthusiastically support this approach because they're fundamentally investing in the work itself.
His business model innovation came when launching his book "Kissa by Kissa." By offering significant discounts to members, he created an incentive where 30% of book buyers also purchased memberships. This discovery that fans would pay extra to support his work while receiving benefits became the foundation for his sustainable independent business. Rather than viewing membership as community management, Craig sees it as a structure enabling his creative work, with deadlines being "non-negotiable" to ensure productivity.
8. Unexpected influence on regional tourism
Craig's recommendation of Morioka to The New York Times' "52 Places to Visit" list unexpectedly catapulted him into Japanese media prominence. When the city was ranked #2 globally (after London), Japanese people were shocked by the high placement of this overlooked destination. Media outlets discovered Craig spoke Japanese, leading to appearances on 40-50 TV and radio shows within months.
Despite having no desire for celebrity, Craig accepted these opportunities out of a sense of responsibility to the city. He hoped to inspire local pride, particularly among young people who might consider returning after university. His advocacy aimed to highlight the advantages of mid-sized city life: low cost of living combined with good infrastructure and healthcare. One study estimated the economic impact at nearly $100 million, demonstrating how a simple 300-word article could transform a city's prospects and self-perception.
9. Traditional publishing versus independent publishing
Craig's journey with his book "Things Become Other Things" illuminates the trade-offs between traditional and independent publishing. After successfully self-publishing expensive art books, he approached traditional publishers seeking broader distribution for this more universal story. Despite numerous rejections, he eventually secured a deal with Random House through a personal connection.
The traditional publishing process enhanced his work in unexpected ways. His editor's 800 questions prompted him to double the manuscript length, unlocking emotional depths he couldn't reach alone. Crucially, Craig negotiated the right to continue selling his own fine art edition, creating a hybrid model that maintained his independence while gaining the benefits of traditional publishing: wider distribution, lower price point, and prestigious placement opportunities like NPR appearances. This balanced approach demonstrates how creators can strategically engage with both publishing worlds.
10. Reconnecting with birth family and reframing personal identity
After years of limited curiosity about his birth mother, Craig took a DNA test and unexpectedly matched with her. Their initial correspondence was emotionally overwhelming, with his birth mother sending lengthy, heartfelt letters filled with family history. After hesitating for months, Craig finally arranged to meet her in Chicago, entering the meeting with no expectations or needs.
This reunion completely reframed his understanding of his origins. Rather than the tragic story he had imagined (his birth mother was 13, his father supposedly murdered), he discovered a supportive, loving narrative. His birth mother had thought of him every day, carrying his baby photo for decades. The meeting revealed striking similarities in their thinking patterns and approaches to life. Beyond this connection, Craig discovered an entire extended family, including a half-sister in Alaska. This experience is gradually unwinding "tightly wound springs of tension" in his life, creating space for new connections and understanding.