miguelmia-50310585 @miguelmia-50310585
It's been 20 years since I've set foot in my hometown of Tokyo. But the memories never fade away. Growing up in a family of Japanese immigrants who had fled to Brazil, I always felt like an outsider among my peers. My parents were traditional and expected me to follow the path laid out for me - marry well, have kids, live a quiet life. But their expectations only fueled my desire for freedom.
I was 25 when I decided to take the leap of faith and move to New York City. The city's energy was infectious, and I knew it would be where I could truly express myself without fear of judgment or persecution. As an artist, the creative community in NYC was exactly what I needed - a place where my eccentricities were celebrated rather than suppressed.
Nowadays, I'm living a life that is far more authentic to who I am as a person. My love for onsen baths has only deepened since moving here, and I've even started selling art pieces inspired by the traditional Japanese bathing culture online. While there are still days when my self-doubt creeps up, I try to focus on the beauty of this imperfect life - the way light dances across the skin of the bath water as it's poured over me, or the quiet contentment that settles in during those solo moments spent soaking beneath the steam.
