Who WE ARE

I’m Aaron Mahabirsingh, founder of JIYU Collective. I started this business to help travelers experience the kind of freedom I first discovered while exploring abroad. Growing up in New York, I was fortunate to be surrounded by cultures from around the world. Family trips to Flushing’s Chinatown introduced me to authentic Asian cuisine, sparking a lifelong love for food as a gateway into culture. Around the same time, I was collecting Pokémon cards and watching anime — small windows into larger worlds I dreamed of exploring. That early fascination stayed with me and evolved as I grew older.

College deepened that curiosity in ways I hadn’t anticipated. At Stony Brook University, with its large Asian student body, I studied Japanese, built lasting friendships with international students from Korea and China, and immersed myself in manga and literature by renowned Japanese authors. After graduation, I finally embarked on the trip of my dreams: three weeks in Asia.

Those weeks in Korea and Japan were everything I had imagined and more. For the first time, I was fully immersed in a place I had admired for so long — walking through cities I had only seen in videos, tasting food I had grown up searching for back home, and experiencing daily life that felt both foreign and surprisingly familiar. Leaving was bittersweet; it felt like saying goodbye to a part of myself I had just discovered. But in time, I realized this wasn’t an ending — it was the start of something new. Travel had given me more than just memories; it had given me a lasting sense of freedom. When I say freedom, I don’t just mean unstructured wandering. I mean the freedom to decide how you want to travel. Some travelers prefer detailed itineraries and iconic landmarks, while others want to follow curiosity and discover local gems. I believe true freedom in travel is about balance — giving you the confidence of a well-researched plan while leaving space for the unexpected.

That feeling inspired the name JIYU Collective. Asian cultures have had a profound influence on my identity, shaping the way I travel and the way I connect with the world. I wanted to carry that inspiration into my business. In the name, JIYU — the Japanese word for “freedom” — captures the sense of liberation and joy I felt abroad. Collective reflects my belief in community: a space for sharing experiences, stories, and inspiration that encourages others to create their own path.

I want to offer you something beyond surface-level itineraries. My approach blends extensive research, personal engagement, and cultural immersion to design authentic travel experiences. Every trip I craft is rooted in a deep respect for local traditions and a genuine desire to connect travelers with the soul of a place.

What sets me apart is that this isn’t just a business — it’s a personal mission. I don’t just plan trips; I curate journeys that give you the freedom to explore, discover, and create your own story.