Podcast Summary: Clotheshorse with Amanda Lee McCarty

Episode 251: A Japan-isode, Part 2
Released: January 2, 2026 | Host: Amanda Lee McCarty

Overview

In this dynamic solo episode, Amanda Lee McCarty wraps up her two-part “Japan-isode,” tackling the first half of her recent month-long trip to Japan. The episode blends practical travel advice, personal stories, and cultural insight with Clotheshorse’s familiar blend of wit, candor, and social consciousness. Amanda answers listener questions, shares in-depth travel hacks, recounts meaningful moments of art, food, mishaps, and self-discovery, and connects the experience to broader themes of creativity, consumerism, and community.

Episode Structure

1. Travel Expertise & Imposter Syndrome (00:18–03:40)
2. Booking Airfare: Airports, Hacks & Dynamic Pricing (03:41–22:06)
3. Packing: Essentials, Avoiding Overconsumption, and Strategic Choices (22:07–39:31)
4. Flight Strategies: Comfort, Health, and Panic Attacks (39:32–54:28)
5. Arrival Logistics & Tokyo Orientation (54:29–01:03:47)
6. The Case of the Destroyed Suitcase: Mishap & Resolution (01:03:48–01:12:04)
7. Art, Fashion, and Solo Travel: Tokyo, Matsumoto, Kanazawa, Kyoto (01:12:05–02:20:19)
8. Shopping Responsibly: Purchases, Souvenirs & Self-Reliance (02:20:20–02:31:10)
9. Broader Reflections: Creativity, Community, and Looking Ahead (02:31:11–End)

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Airfare: The Realities of Booking Smarter

• Airport Flexibility
  Amanda emphasizes choosing airports strategically—even if further away—for better prices and non-stop flights:

  • Example: “For me, flying out of Newark is great because it’s the lowest price and it’s easy for me... and it’s nonstop.” [05:55]
  • Life hack: Use Amtrak on the East Coast—Newark’s rail/air connection is especially convenient.

• Timing & Dynamic Pricing

  • Middle-of-week flights (Tues/Wed) are often cheaper.
  • Avoid Mondays, Fridays, and Sundays.
  • Set flight alerts on Google Flights or Skyscanner 2-5 months ahead.
  • “My tricks could be obsolete at any moment... dynamic pricing is here to stay.” [02:34]

• Direct vs. Connecting Flights

  • Amanda values direct flights to avoid delays and logistical anxiety, sharing her calculation of comfort vs. cost.

• Dealing with Flight-Related Anxiety

  • Shares a candid story about experiencing a panic attack after bad turbulence and external stressors.
  • Decides to fly business class for comfort and to preempt anxiety despite the higher price, using flight alerts to catch rare deals.

Notable Quote:

“All in all, I just think buying a plane ticket and getting the best price on it is more complicated than even the amount you’ve paid...what level of difficulty of a trip can you handle, how long do you want to be on a plane, and what are your deal-breakers?” [31:23]

2. Packing: Practicality Meets Anti-Consumerism

• Essentials vs. Overconsumption
  Amanda challenges vacation-overhaul shopping culture:

  • “You do not need to buy an entire new suitcase of clothing for a trip...just take all of your favorite clothes.” [39:45]
  • Clothes: Focus on comfort, interchangeability, and items suited for your climate needs.
  • Tips on laundry, hangers, reusable face pads, travel coffee setup, and a small first aid kit.

• Travel-Size Toiletries: A Rant

  • “F*** travel size toiletries. I’m serious...they are such a mega waste of plastic and you don’t need them!” [44:41]
  • Use refillable containers and reusable accessories.

• Souvenirs & Suitcase Management

  • Bring a collapsible duffel for return-trip extras.
  • Always weigh your suitcase beforehand to avoid airport surprises.

3. Flight Health & Comfort Rituals

• Masking & Hygiene

  • “For the love of God, wear a mask... you do not want to get sick on your trip.” [54:29]
  • Wipe down your seat, drink lots of water, and use compression socks.
  • Customize your in-flight self-care: moisturizer, face masks, snacks, comfort layers, etc.

• Arrival Self-Compassion

  • Don’t rush headlong into sightseeing post-landing; take time to center yourself.
  • Example: Immediate airport coffee tradition.

4. Arrival in Japan: Tech & Transit Tips

• WiFi Devices, SIM Cards, and JR Pass

  • Amanda swears by renting a Ninja WiFi device for reliable internet.
  • Evaluates whether the JR Rail Pass is worth it (the price recently doubled).
  • Transit tips: Set up Suica card on your phone for easy local travel.

• Airport Strategies

  • “...Even going to get coffee at the airport in Tokyo is going to be an experience.” [01:02:02]
  • Where to get cash, forward bags, pick up WiFi, and more.

5. Early Tokyo Days: Favorite Hotel & The Great Suitcase Disaster

• Hotel Graphy Nezu: A Tokyo Home Base

  • Amanda’s pick for comfort, location, price, and authenticity.
  • “It’s a real residential neighborhood... I get to see kids going to school and people living their lives.” [01:10:31]

• Suitcase Catastrophe & Recovery

  • Amanda recounts discovering her suitcase was “the only thing holding all of my stuff in... was the cover,” after epic transit damage. [01:13:45]
  • Navigates U.S. airline and credit card coverage for replacement, buys a new suitcase (“Peter Thiel”) in Tokyo.
  • Practical takeaway: Sometimes, a crisis is just part of travel. “You kind of have to just roll with it and move on.” [01:16:32]
  • Fun fact: Japanese hotels charge a fee (about $12) to dispose of large suitcases, due to city regulations.

6. Solo Travel Adventures: Art, Food, and Growing from Uncertainty

• Highlights in Tokyo

  • Museum of Contemporary Art: Praises “Bombay Tilts Down,” an art installation exploring class disparity in Mumbai.
  • Food: Learns to appreciate “fancy bougie grocery stores” and delicious bento lunches.

• With Sushmita of Ethical Fat Fashion

  • Spends a memorable day at a rooftop Australian hand pie café, visits art museums, and shares thoughtful conversation.

• Researching Trends “On the Ground”

  • Amanda analyses local fashion and retail trends, emphasizing how Japanese shopping centers (e.g., La Foret in Harajuku) blend accessibility with innovation.

• Matsumoto: Yayoi Kusama’s Hometown

  • Visits the Matsumoto City Art Museum for a moving, no-phones-allowed Kusama exhibition.
  • “It was a really intense 20 seconds...it brought tears to my eyes.” [01:53:13]
  • Kusama’s message: “One of the best things all of us can do, especially young people, is continue to create, to make art.” [01:54:03]

• Kanazawa: A Hidden Gem

  • The 21st Century Museum of Contemporary Art and “craft-as-trauma-recovery” triennial.
  • Simple joys: hot baths, bookstores, people-watching in malls.

• Cultural Challenges

  • Shares a challenging experience with xenophobia on a train to Kyoto, illustrating that bigotry can happen anywhere.
  • “No matter where we go...there are people who just don’t want us there.” [02:10:33]

• Kyoto: Future Train & Botanical Gardens

  • Visits “Future Train” for an immersive, imaginative food/art experience by Sebastian Masuda.
  • “It is a feeling I have not had since I was a child...we all need to collectively use our imagination together.” [02:19:01]
  • Escapes crowds in the city’s quiet botanical gardens and enjoys a classic “jelly punch” at retro Café Soiree.

7. Shopping: Mindful and Minimal

• Amanda limits purchases to essentials and meaningful souvenirs, resisting the shopping frenzy.

• Favorite buys:

  • Essential gifts for loved ones (Sylvanian Families, children’s books, pens)
  • Skincare products
  • Art supplies and two dresses by designer Kawaii Ko
  • A Japanese “potage” soup maker, long-coveted and now a daily source of comfort:

    “That little appliance...is the best thing I’ve ever purchased on a trip.” [02:24:51]

• Travel Tip:
  Japan is ideal for affordable, high-quality prescription glasses—just know your prescription can affect turnaround (Amanda’s partner Dustin learned the hard way).

8. Reflections: Unplugging, Creativity & Connection

• Amanda unplugs from doomscrolling, reads actual books, and draws creative inspiration from art, nature, and time spent offline.
• Guides for recalibrating after travel:
  • “When I’m traveling...I actually don’t listen to music when I’m out walking...I want to be immersed.”
• Seeds for 2026:
  • Focus on producing the “I’m With the Brand” book, inviting listener connection with potential literary agents.
  • Community-building goals: IRL and virtual “office hours” for Clotheshorse listeners.
  • Hopes for optimism and social change in 2026.

Notable Closing Quote:

“There are more of you than there are me. I’m just one person and I only have so much time every day...But I think it could be good for those of you who want to talk to someone about what we’ve been talking about here and don’t have anyone.” [02:38:27]
“I do have this level of optimism that I did not have on January 1, 2025. I think we’re going to see some big changes this year. I think we’re going to make changes within ourselves.” [02:46:00]

Notable Quotes & Moments (with Timestamps)

• On travel expertise but feeling awkward about it:
  “Imposter syndrome knows no bounds, right? ...But the truth is, I actually am an expert traveler.” [01:56]
• On panic attacks and flying:
  “I thought I was gonna die. I could not breathe. Those of you who had a panic attack, you know how it goes. And really the only thing that got me through it was just being there with Dustin.” [23:28]
• On packing:
  “Please, for the love of God, do not be one of those people on Reddit who takes nothing and buys everything while they’re there.” [40:17]
• On Japanese hotel’s suitcase disposal fee:
  “The hotel is going to charge you to throw away your suitcase. It’s going to be about 2,000 yen, which is about 12 bucks. There is no other option.” [01:15:23]
• On experiencing art without a phone:
  “You’re not thinking about getting the shot. Here, you just have to just experience the art...It brought tears to my eyes.” [01:53:13]
• On the healing nature of traveling solo:
  “I read so many actual books rather than doom scrolling...It just gave me a lot of time to get into my head and think, which I needed.” [02:32:43]
• On community and Clotheshorse:
  “While I was in Japan, there was another round of people using my calendly link for computer consulting to set up just time to just chit chat with me...I want to connect with all of you. And if I didn’t have to work for a living, I would 100% spend all day, every day talking with you.” [02:37:38]

Timestamps of Key Segments

• [00:18–03:40] — Amanda’s travel background and intro
• [03:41–22:06] — Airfare strategy & flying experience
• [22:07–39:31] — Packing, anti-overconsumption, and travel supplies
• [39:32–54:28] — Coping with flights, health hacks, and panic attacks
• [54:29–01:03:47] — Arrival logistics, airport tips, WiFi, and transit
• [01:03:48–01:12:04] — The suitcase disaster and recovery
• [01:12:05–02:20:19] — Highlights in Tokyo, Matsumoto, Kanazawa, Kyoto, and key experiences
• [02:20:20–02:31:10] — Souvenirs, shopping philosophy, soup obsession
• [02:31:11–end] — Creative goals, unplugging, Clotheshorse community, 2026 outlook

Episode Takeaways

Amanda’s Japan travelogue offers more than travel tips—it’s a reflection on finding joy and meaning through intentional choices, creativity, and openness to mishap. With slices of vulnerability, critique of consumer culture, and a call for connection and imagination, she encourages listeners to “make more things,” care for the world (and themselves), and share the experience—in Japan or at home.

For listeners: You’ll come away from this episode both inspired to travel smarter and to live more thoughtfully—whether or not you’re headed to Tokyo.

End of Summary