Yogis Uncovered | Meet Akane
In this edition of Yogis Uncovered, we sat down with Akane, a Japanese Mexican creative and yoga teacher based in LA. She shares how a blistering first hot yoga class ignited a 12-year practice, why she teaches for the mental reset, and how Muay Thai and mindful movement keep her grounded. We also touch on culture, joy-driven living, and life between Tokyo memories and California sunshine. Catch the full conversation in her interview!
“It’s liberating because it feels like you’re not hiding anything. You’re free to be yourself. And I feel being nude in general frees me from any inhibitions.”
Hi, my name is Akane Millan and I’m based in LA.
Where are you from originally?
I was raised in Japan for six years. My mother is Mexican and my father is Japanese.
What was it like spending those years in Japan?
I loved it. I love the culture, the food, the people are very nice and I love to go visit. It’s one of my favorite places to go. I remember walking to school and it being super safe. I probably was like four. And I had like a little red backpack, which all the little Japanese kids have, and getting little Japanese snacks at the 7-Eleven.
So after six years, my mother decided she had enough of Japanese culture. She’s learned everything she can, the language and the people, and maybe she can still hold onto that and live in LA.
What is the biggest cultural difference between the US and Japan?
I’d say people are a bit more considerate there. Like if you take public transport, for instance, everyone stands on one side and lets other people pass. You don’t speak loudly outdoors. You hold onto your trash. You don’t have trash laying around like in some places in LA.
But I’d say like everything’s very suppressed there in terms of what you can and can’t say. People are emotionally kind of inhibited. So I guess being raised primarily in LA, it’s a culture shock going to Japan and not being able to fully express myself. I’d say even more so artistically, maybe not so much in Tokyo where there’s young people and they all dress really trendy and have their own culture there, but I’d say there’s still the old culture, deep-rooted in Japan, that’s very much different from LA.
What do you do for work?
I used to be an insurance agent and help seniors with health insurance. I decided that wasn’t the path that gives me joy or fulfillment. So I am now freelance acting and modeling and content creating. And that is really fun and it’s scary because it’s kind of unpredictable. But I enjoy it, so that’s what counts. I also teach yoga!
How did you get into yoga?
I got into it maybe 12 years ago. I took my first hot yoga class, I think it was a Bikram class. It was extremely overheated and I almost passed out and I was addicted ever since. I was like, this is kind of like torture, but it feels good after and I just fell in love with it.
What do you hope people who take your yoga classes come away with?
I really like when a student comes in kind of stressed out from work. Well, I don’t like them stressed out from work, but I like them leaving better than when they come in. So if they’re thinking about their day or stressed out, not present, and then they leave and they’re like, wow, I feel really refreshed. I want to create the same effect that I get when I take a class. And I feel like the world stops and you just are in the moment and you feel amazing and you’re in your body. It’s mostly for my mental health. So I’d like to instill that in others when they leave the class, feeling better mentally as well as physically.
How did you become so comfortable being nude?
I guess it started when I started modeling. Gradually I would just do more implied shoots where you’d show a little bit of skin. At first I was a little uncomfortable and then I gradually started to enjoy the process and I was seeing the photographs and then just like finding a lot of joy in the process and also confidence in myself. I just really enjoyed doing it so I just kept doing it. I chase what brings me joy and this is one of those things.
What’s your favorite or your go-to post-yoga snack or meal?
Oh, that’s a tough one. Lately, I’ve been super obsessed with acai bowls, green smoothies, and papaya. I make Greek yogurt with papaya and some chia seeds. And that’s probably my favorite snack. Papayas, fruits, Greek yogurt, chia seeds, and a drizzle of honey.
If money was no object, what would you choose to do with your life?
I would probably travel the world, creating content about wellness, and probably something in this space, but also incorporating maybe something sensual like photographs, acting, modeling, and intertwining all of those worlds together and continuing to create content.
If you could live anywhere in the world, where would it be and why?
I’ve never been to Australia, but I’d say probably Australia. Just based on what I’ve heard about the lifestyle and the quality of life and the people.
Who inspires you at the moment?
Joe Dispenza right now is someone I’m listening to that definitely helps tie in spirituality with science, so facts with spirituality. I like how he ties the two together because I don’t like all the woo-woo stuff.
What is a motto or philosophy that you live by?
Seek things that bring you joy and do more of that.
Do you have any other rituals outside of yoga that help keep you grounded?
I just started doing Muay Thai, which is a martial art, and I’m becoming more and more obsessed with it. Notice that a lot of physical activity definitely helps with my mental health. So I’m a pretty active person for that reason, because I think it’s so important for my mind and my body to just be active. Muay Thai has been a journey. I’ve definitely been punched in the face, which was not fun, but it’s definitely something that I fear. And I kind of like going into situations where I’m fearful and confronting fear.
*this interview has been edited for brevity and clarity