About the Writer

Hi there! I’m Shalyna Shyla.

I’m the person behind YohakuJournals.com

I was born in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. A city that taught me how beauty can exist in both chaos and quiet moments. No matter how far I travel, a part of me will always call it home.

Yohaku (余白) is a Japanese word that speaks of intentional empty space. The quiet pause that gives everything else meaning. I couldn’t think of a more fitting name for this little corner of the internet.

This isn’t a blog about having all the answers. It’s just a place where I collect the things that matter to me. Places I’ve wandered, meals I’ve loved, thoughts I’ve carried, and moments I don’t want time to erase.

I’m endlessly drawn to unfamiliar streets, aesthetic cafes, hidden coffee shops, bookstores that make you lose track of time, and libraries that remind you how beautiful silence can be. I love wandering with a camera in hand, capturing ordinary moments that often become the most memorable. And when life slows down, you’ll probably find me in the kitchen, trying a new recipe just for the joy of it.

Ironically, I’m the kind of person who rarely leaves the house. But absolutely loves leaving the country. Give me a passport, a window seat, a new destination, and I’m happy. 😆

I don’t travel to escape life. I travel because the world has endless stories to tell, and each one becomes part of who I am.

My greatest dream is simple, to see as much of the world as I can before my time here is over. Not to collect destinations, but to collect perspectives, conversations, and memories that stay with me long after the journey ends.

And that’s why this space exists.

To share the journey with all of you.

To write the things I might otherwise forget.

To remember places beyond all the photographs.

To leave pieces of myself scattered across pages instead of just maps.

If any of these words feel familiar to you, welcome.

You’re exactly where you’re meant to be.

and thank you for finding your way here :)