Stephanie 𑣲 Sayako

Adam and I got married… again! This time surrounded by our friends and family 🤍 Younger versions of me would be in utter disbelief if you told her that after all the years of moving, uncertainty, and constant change, everyone she cares about would one day be together - in one gloriously heartwarming room - celebrating the love and life she would go on to share with her best friend. Huge thank you the brilliant folks (alongside our parents and wedding party) who made this dream a reality: Venue — Tomas at @barbicancentre Catering — @barbicanbrasseriebysearcys   Photo — @thekensingtonphotographer Film (coming soon!) — @rlfilmsco Bridal HMU — @carla.viljoen Bridesmaid HMU — @hannahnickolls.hairandmakeup @bytalia_bridal Dress — @lana_grace_bridal Dress shop — @whitecanvasbridal Alteration + redesign — @themodisteuk DJ — Our lovely friend @darylhoadley   Photobooth — @absolutebooth   Flowers + decor — DIY’d with Joy, my MIL :) All graphic design — Adam, of course!!

Five years of exploring, connecting, learning, and growing.. 🌱

Leaving Tokyo was a leap of strangeness and sentiment, much like my first jump into its embrace. Nostalgia swept over me as the city blurred beneath the clouds; an old friend and a distant land, both suddenly and all at once. Eight years ago, I moved to Japan for the first time, partially because lived experience convinced me it was the only place I’d belong—and I was ready to claim a “home” as an adult after living a nomadic childhood—but mostly for the deep love and admiration I had for my roots. What I thought would feel like a homecoming to the motherland unveiled quite the identity tangle. After a lifetime of being perceived as fully Asian, I entered a world where most could only see an outsider, a White American. Having let the West define me and my worth, I believed I’d find belonging in the East, but instead, the questions “where do I belong?” and “who am I?” grew louder than ever. Still, I fell furiously in love with the metropolis and my heart led me back after I finished my studies in the U.S. In the years that followed, I slowly discovered answers. From mistakes and triumphs to what feels like countless moments of self-reflection and “putting in the work”; from the safety and visibility found in other multiracial stories and shared experiences to an incredibly fulfilling relationship with my best friend; and from our friends and family, who made me feel so loved while I gradually learned to nurture that same acceptance within myself. Ultimately, it wasn’t the city alone that made it home or the necessary place for self discovery—it was the love, the people, and the growth I experienced within it that brought clarity to my sense of self and what home truly means. While my chapter in Tokyo is a time I will forever hold close to my heart, it has also taught me to welcome change, challenge, and opportunity, along with the newfound confidence to embrace them. As the old cliché goes, home truly is where the heart is—and while London calls to it now, fragments of it linger in every cherished corner and face. A timeless gift from the universe, this tapestry of homes and hearts. ありがとう、東京。 ❤️

An incredibly special evening with the @lorealparis team at The King’s Trust Awards. Spent alongside so many inspiring guests… including the literal King and Queen (!!!) 👑 #kingstrust

Two years in the UK. Exhausted, but excited. Homesick, but hopeful. I didn’t *quite* anticipate how much inner work it would take to leave home and family to lay permanent roots somewhere new. Falling in love with one place while deeply missing another is a paradox that’s a lot to hold - but what a privilege, and a beauty, it is to call so many places and lovely faces “home.” Two years full of both tears and laughter. Joy and grief. Up, then down, then up again. Every day I am learning, feeling, growing… living. 🌱

sea air and a reset 𓆝 𓆟 𓆞

blink and you’ll miss it ✰࿐

three years married, eight together. my anchor, my partner in fun, and everything in between. still not sure how I got this lucky! 💫🤍

back to the old stomping grounds 🎄❄️

a Q4 to remember 💫🌱✨

bits and bobs 🍂

the perfect way to end our summer. what a whirlwind of a season it has been!! exciting times ahead… 💫