Everyday life with a Patagonia backpack. vol.2 Model Sho Masuda

On this day, I rode my bike for about an hour from home and arrived at the river. Apparently, it’s not uncommon for him to spend his days off in places where he can enjoy nature, camera in hand.

"I moved to Tokyo because I was drawn to the city, but I realized I actually love nature. Tokyo has more green spaces than you’d expect, doesn’t it? I love spending my days off cycling along riverbanks or in big parks, and taking photos."

Photography—which pairs perfectly with outdoor activities—is one of Masuda’s hobbies. Furthermore, as someone who is active at heart, Masuda seems to have made running a regular part of his routine, and this new hobby appears to be enriching his daily life.

"I've actually been running in the mornings for over six months now—something I never managed to stick with before. I run about 10 kilometers three or four times a week, starting at 7 a.m. Whenever I'm feeling a little down about something, getting some exercise helps me clear my head. It makes it easier to sort things out mentally, and I end up wondering why I was even worrying about it in the first place."

Until now, he had only been running about once a month, but it seems he’s been able to keep it up without straining himself. There was a reason for this that was unique to Mr. Masuda.

"I've come to enjoy thinking about efficient running techniques and how to move my body, and I understand these things much better now than I used to. It makes me really happy when I figure out how to use parts of my body that I wasn't using properly before. It's fascinating to get to know my own body, and it makes things even more fun when I can apply that knowledge to various outdoor activities."