NOTIFICATION SQUAD: Get ready for "Brett Maverick" - the name you wish you had. 🍿🍿🍿Keep an eye out for Journey Across Japan: The Lost Islands which starts later this week! kzread.info/dash/bejne/hXmCmNhqiqnSepM.html AS FOR THIS VIDEO, I've made over 200 videos in Japan over the years that've been rather positive about the country and I'd like to think my love for this country, the people and the culture are beyond question. But of course, the country isn't perfect (nowhere is). I've always held off of this video as I know it'll open a pandoras box of people telling me to "go home", but I think all of the criticism I've levelled at Japan in this video is pretty fair. Time will tell! But keep an eye out for angry racist comments. Hopefully we can bundle them into a future hate mail video...

@yeeeeeeeee3775

2 жыл бұрын

Hi

@thomass6386

2 жыл бұрын

Hi

@mike9859

2 жыл бұрын

Hello!

@andrewmay8865

2 жыл бұрын

4th Hi

@WhyIsNewJeansoGood

2 жыл бұрын

Hi

Started learning japanese to study in japan. Chris Broad: “Fuck off, don't move here” Well that's just great

@OLGMC

2 жыл бұрын

"Understandable, Have a nice day!"

@milkshaketuga1902

2 жыл бұрын

Why would you want to study in Japan the work/study culture is so strict and awful. I can see the point in moving there as long as you don't have a traditional job, but now I'm curious why would you go study there?

@arjix8738

2 жыл бұрын

@@milkshaketuga1902 could be a student exchange program

@Bakut990

2 жыл бұрын

Indian's going to study in Japan, that astounding.

@anorakb536

2 жыл бұрын

What a great start

It's hilarious to see someone use the words "overly positive" when referring to Chris.

@alexanderholzer1534

2 жыл бұрын

exactly my thought

@atiredfloridian777

2 жыл бұрын

I had to stop and blink when those words were used.

@m1-

2 жыл бұрын

tru dat

@10seconds0

2 жыл бұрын

Nut

@lordrork5884

2 жыл бұрын

How rude. I think he tests positive for sarcasm on a regular basis.

I lived in Japan for 25 years before recently returning to Canada.. while some of his comments may seem humorous or quirky, he's pretty much spot on. This is quality commentary if you're looking for it. Japan is an incredible place, but it certainly comes with some baggage for foreigners. How you deal with that, is the trick.

@TheBillaro

Жыл бұрын

well said. or not. i left. too much pressure. and stupid stupid stupid rules. grilled over with a fine toothed comb at work...... et al.

@conor7154

7 ай бұрын

Incredible place to visit maybe. Living here is hell.

@arc5015

Ай бұрын

@@TheBillaro Can you share some of the ott rules stuff?

@keninaba9777

Ай бұрын

I agree with you and the comment about how it's better to visit Japan than live there. I'm Japanese Canadian and understand a lot of both sides. It comes down to if you prefer Freedom or Order, Understanding or Tolerance. Japan is also changing. The aging population and the high influx of tourists and Asian foreign workers is changing the labour market. The last trip I came back from recently highlighted the higher amount of foreigners in the country from what I remembered 4 years ago. Things may change as years roll by. An updated video on this topic will most likely be necessary in 10 years.

@lor4415

21 күн бұрын

​@@conor7154exactly, for me the best place to visit cause It has everything a turist search, a paradise.

"The world's smallest beer" "No no no no no, I'm so big" I love this man already and it's the first time I've seen him

@PhillyEastSide

2 жыл бұрын

go watch the marmite video from a few years ago! He features in that too!

@ShabaaUkelele

2 жыл бұрын

I envy you a bit. You have so many videos to watch from him...

@turinmormegil7715

2 жыл бұрын

I miss the old videos where he appeared

@stacybrown6546

2 жыл бұрын

He is very lovable, isn't he?

@MezzMcGillicuddy1

2 жыл бұрын

Legend!

All issues you have mentioned are meaningless in the face of convenience store friend chicken.

@kencowzyay

2 жыл бұрын

The fastest commenter in the trash taste expanded universe

@JC-of2nm

2 жыл бұрын

Come to the PNW, Thriftway fried chicken slaps

@fabiocetrulo4462

2 жыл бұрын

Friend chicken

@underhillat

2 жыл бұрын

Indeed befriending a chicken is an amazing experience

@kflemonice

2 жыл бұрын

I would love a convenience store friend chicken right about now.

Makes perfect sense why the Isekai genre is so strong in Japan. They all dream of a fantasy world they would rather be in than having to do all of the things in this video.

@SMGJohn

Ай бұрын

Aint that true for the entire world? People seem to inflate the country being bad, when in reality its just Capitalism being bad, hyper individualism, isolation at work, in social life, rise of social media and even Covid has had impact on society. Japan is the most advanced Capitalist country, by that I mean not by technology, but by the economical system, its experienced all the issues we face today in the western world, like 20 years earlier, Hikikomori began in Japan during the late 70s, thats a huge issue today in the west, funny how it all works out.

@bokchoiman

Ай бұрын

@@SMGJohn I wonder what western "Isekai" will look like.

@SMGJohn

Ай бұрын

@@bokchoiman Super Hero genre is literally escapism

@treelineresearch3387

Күн бұрын

@@SMGJohn Just across the water is com munism and they seem to have all the same problems, plus the requisite totalit arian gov ernment that comes with every instantiation of com unism.

After 15 years in Japan, I’m also getting ready to leave, partially for the same reasons as listed in this video. I ticked all the boxes: I learned the language, found a good job, got married, had kids, built a house. But in the end, I just can’t take it anymore. There are some truly heartbreaking stories in the comments and my heart goes out to each one of you. I could add my own but it’s too painful to spell out here.

@toplespecah666

7 ай бұрын

Heyy do you have email or something for communication? I’d like to send u chat to knowing more about japan, thanks

@himajin11

7 ай бұрын

@@toplespecah666 Hey, happy to chat here. How can I help?

@himajin11

3 ай бұрын

@@Kappa_MappaHey, of course there are gardening jobs here. But unless you start your own company, it’s likely going to be paid just around the poverty line. Expect really slim pickings and super hard work. Also, it might be hard getting a visa for jobs that are mostly manual labor. As for being a therapist, if you’re okay to limit yourself to other foreigners an American degree will do - if you want to see Japanese patients you’re likely going to need a degree from a Japanese school and a near perfect command of Japanese.

@razi_haron

3 ай бұрын

@himajin11, the things you said are too painful to say, does it relate to the harsh working conditions? I got offers constantly from headhunters to come work in Japan (because I graduated from Japanese University long ago). Sometimes I feel like returning to Japan but when I think about the working culture, always makes me rethink. Is it still that bad now in the Japanese companies?

@SMGJohn

Ай бұрын

What makes you think life is different elsewhere? I see people saying all this stuff but honestly even in Norway people experience the same stuff, Norwegian people that is, native people lived and born here all their life. Isolation is down to Capitalism and is a growing problematic issue everywhere in the world, you are isolated at work, you are isolated in the public, why? Because jobs are moving into more and more independent tasks, less cooperating with others, the rise of social media did no one any favour either, people have this weird expectation that social media is the only place they can find people to talk to which is frankly hilarious. Because of this, people in the public are much rarer to say hello to you, its harder to form relationship in the public because events and gatherings just are not a thing anymore and its even harder to make relations at work because of the individualistic setup they have at jobs, you are required to do job of what maybe 2 - 4 people did in the past. Frankly, people who lived a long time in Japan and then complain about stuff, seem unfathomably ignorant about life elsewhere, even in their home country they would most likely experience similar issues, after Covid its gotten a lot worse even. I know a lot of people in Britain and they all share the same stories, after Covid even the pubs are emptier now, people just do not want to gather anymore, they discovered social media and are building their little echo chambers online.

I lived in Japan in 1986 for a year as an exchange student (high school) and for 3 months in 1992 as a college student. It was one of the best experiences of my life without question. There were times of immense loneliness - like Christmas day as I sat in class and knew my family was back home in New York celebrating together. There was incredible kindness toward me and hatred as well. I had a huge guy try to assault me as I walked with a Japanese girl (not my girlfriend). Luckily I knew enough karate to escape the situation. However, most of the time I was treated with respect and curiosity. In my "town", Fukui ken, Ono shi there were only a handful of non Japanese. Wherever I went I felt like the Japanese flag - a red dot in a field of white. The language was tough to learn but the culture was harder. Riding my bike to school in 10" of snow with no delay, no snow days, was brutal. Going to school 6 days a week was unpleasant too. None of the kids I went to school with had ever dated, drank or done really anything. I was way, way more mature and they were way better at math. You didn't mention weather in your video which is interesting as the rainy season was depressing. Otherwise your video nailed it. I love Japan and have returned 5 times briefly and can't wait to go back. Living there long term though......not so much.

@hedera1332

Жыл бұрын

That's interesting that you find the rain the depressing. I grew up in a very drought-stricken area of Australia and have grown up with a real love for rain because of this. Even when I then lived in a place in Australia that experiences a lot of rain I still love it.

@thehikingrealtor6812

Жыл бұрын

@@hedera1332 I like your perspective....it's not a normal once in awhile rain I find depressing...it was the week after week of daily rain and having to trek miles to school on a bike I found depressing. I arrived soaked and no one cares. You are supposed to arrive and clean the floors, bathrooms, chalk boards, etc before class - no matter how much snow, rain or anything else you dealt with on the the way to school. They just have a very different mentality which was both god and bad. The 24/7 rain for 5 weeks was a bit much.

@FirstnameLastname-bx4zk

Жыл бұрын

How did u become an exchange student?

@thehikingrealtor6812

Жыл бұрын

@@FirstnameLastname-bx4zk I was accepted as a Rotary Club International exchange student. I all these years later have become a Rotarian myself. Amazing program. Life changing.

@hedera1332

Жыл бұрын

@@FirstnameLastname-bx4zk You usually do it through your university/college.

Japanese boss: "It's come to our attention you have a life outside the office."

@dillon9

2 жыл бұрын

Sir, I'm sorry, it won't happen again.

@mdjohnson1

2 жыл бұрын

So true ... I've worked for a Huge Japanese company for 5 years ... and damn ... it is different!

@tsdobbi

2 жыл бұрын

@@mdjohnson1 I'm a consultant and my company wanted to staff me at this Japanese company, which would have required me spending a year in Japan. I would love to visit don't get me wrong, but I wasn't even that apprehensive about joining the fucking Army. I'd seen a lot of "a day in the life" in a Japanese corporate office and it seems fucking horrible. I stewed over it for about 2 weeks and said no. On the one hand it could be an unforgettable life experience on the otherhand I could want to kill myself a month in.

@AnotherAvaibleName

2 жыл бұрын

@@tsdobbi congrats on dodging a bullet

@sinless4088

2 жыл бұрын

@@mdjohnson1 what's it like?

One minute you're accused of being too negative. And now you're being accused of being too positive. You can't win sometimes, man.

@GTti72

2 жыл бұрын

Next video: 12 reasons NOT to become a KZreadr...

@marocat4749

2 жыл бұрын

@@GTti72 😂

@vilena5308

2 жыл бұрын

You can never win....

I like it. I'm usually very cautious when something is sold to me as overly positive, and especially about Japan it's like people just CANNOT criticize it for some reason, despite it having numerous problems - from sexual harassment, to severe depression and xenophobia. So I'm glad this isn't one of those clickbait titles where they say "12 reasons not to" and then just proceed to list positives in a sarcastic manner.

Japan seems like a cool place to have a vacation home that you visit once a year for about a month or so. Then rent out for the rest of the year. However, i could never imagine actually living there. It seems to be simply too different and strict.

I met an awesome Japanese dude called Sho when I was living in Australia. He was a Pro surfer, we went to watch him at some competitions and he was awesome, getting sponsorships and everything. He was looking at moving to Australia permenatly and I asked him if he ever wanted to go home. He laughed and said "man, no-one in Japan thinks surfing is a job".

@arrianah5080

2 жыл бұрын

quite irrelevant but i've watched an anime about surfing and one of the characters there was named sho

@iamwhatyouseeinyournightma708

2 жыл бұрын

@@arrianah5080 what anmie

@arrianah5080

2 жыл бұрын

@@iamwhatyouseeinyournightma708 wave surfing yappe or smth

@alexanderhgardiner6731

2 жыл бұрын

Bro was this on the Gold Coast? I met a guy called Sho who was pretty wild working at Donto Sapporo in Surfers, what a small world.

@needbettername8583

2 жыл бұрын

@@alexanderhgardiner6731 I met him in the sunshine Coast, not sure where he went afterwards. Hope he's doing good.

"hey Natsuki how are you?" "Fucking hell" thank you so much for reminding me of this absolute GEM.

@Eidolon5150

2 жыл бұрын

Natsuki is just Japanese Johnny rotten

@Ballin4Vengeance

2 жыл бұрын

“Natsuki what are you doing?” “Fucking hell.” “*in depressed cynical voice:*sounds painfull…”

@mode3763

2 жыл бұрын

Natsuki deserves his own anime.

@kon2175

2 жыл бұрын

For anyone wondering, it’s at 23:16

@doubtingthomas9612

2 жыл бұрын

Truth is Japanese are 'humble', 'polite', 'disciplined' and 'hard working'. Some foreigners are quite the opposite. Although I'm not Japanese, I can relate to Japanese point of views about foreigners 🤔

I’m a native american or “american indian” and i plan on moving to japan. Low key, some of these culture expectations in japan are similar in my culture, which is kinda surprising. But even so I’m not going to expect to just blend in, im 18 in college planning to become a teacher overseas. I’m still young so let’s see if any of my plans change, but i can’t wait to move to japan and have the whole experience.

@andymurray5045

Жыл бұрын

Good luck man, rooting for you!

@chaiam

6 ай бұрын

Well, it’s generally the orthodox theory that the original Americans, north and south came from Siberia so likely share a common ancestors with the Eat Asians…

@Bradgilliswhammyman

4 ай бұрын

No matter where you are from...if you were not born in Japan and not a native Japanese you will be considered a foreigner. Just be at peace with it.

@meggrotte4760

Ай бұрын

Yes they will never see with japanese but it doesn't mean you can live well there. I lived in korea japan taiwan I had lots of great friends.I just wasn't from those countries.

It’s all part of your journey, including producing this informative , eye opening video, with a good sense of humour. Thank you.

Who else is waiting on the Japan VS Narnia video now? 🤔

@Mainstr3am

2 жыл бұрын

how about when would chris do the skate board challenge across japan i bet he would get really fit if that happens

@tordlindgren2123

2 жыл бұрын

Let's goooooo!

@kookurikapooh

2 жыл бұрын

I'm all about that My Neighbor Ryotaro to be honest.

@alphamike87

2 жыл бұрын

I’d watch it lol

@peternouwen

2 жыл бұрын

Oh yes! 🤩🤩🤩 🏰🐉🧝‍♂️🧚🏻‍♀️🦁... First question: Are Japanese apartments big enough for a wardrobe big enough to fit a lion and a witch in it?... 🤔

Oh, and if you have a full sleeve tattoo as I do, get ready for some bizarre responses in public. I nearly gave an old lady a heart attack in the vegetable department of a rural mountain supermarket while buying onions... I felt terrible as I did not get a tattoo to wreak havoc on the elderly...

@horseboi984

2 жыл бұрын

With all that yakuza over there most tats will freak people out lol

@satrickptar6265

2 жыл бұрын

That lady story killed me 😂

@sukunaryoumen2834

2 жыл бұрын

Luckily I'm afraid of Needles i want tattoos but it involves needles heck nah

@burtbacarach5034

2 жыл бұрын

Then why DID you get a tattoo?jk

@Atrigraphy

2 жыл бұрын

But didn't you... ? 😂😂😂

Thanks for sharing your experiences and your objective as a foreigner. Very helpful information.

The honesty is much appreciated!

I can imagine Chris' child who grew up in Japan starting a channel "Abroad in Britain"

@InvisibleJiuJitsu

2 жыл бұрын

he's got to have sex first! (sorry chris)

@demef758

2 жыл бұрын

"20 fucking reasons why not to move to fucking Britain"

@DrunknAzn

2 жыл бұрын

@@InvisibleJiuJitsu Goddamn

@physiwiz

2 жыл бұрын

He'd go to bare ends innit West End Mastif ma g ya wagwan on ma blood bruv chicken penger creps fam. :)

@cosmobane6995

2 жыл бұрын

*Another Broad in Britain

As a Japanese, living in Japan is also difficult. A lot of the same things apply to many Japanese. This mind culture like hard work, being patient, and peer pressure makes us suicidal or depression. I always wanted to be free, playful, so I couldn't stand so much restriction for my most of life 18 years, that's why I decided to study abroad and live in the UK now. It's very interesting, that a foreign country more fits you than living in your original country. Despite totally different cultures, facing a lot of issues that you've never experienced, but you could live a greater life.

@matiasfpm

2 жыл бұрын

Interesting view. Greetings from Argentina 😎

@HalendleofLoc

2 жыл бұрын

Hope life here in the UK treats you well buddy!

@maegalroammis6020

2 жыл бұрын

life of living robots. i am proud to being elsewhere

@xelkim9666

2 жыл бұрын

@@HalendleofLoc UK has its up and down. In a small town like Rugby, Northampton and Leicester, I love the sundays where everyone just chill and be unproductive while chucking beer and watching football. However, weather is terrible which is why I travel to Spain or Portugal in the winter. Also traveling within the country is overpriced due to outdated infrastructure and I am being polite here using outdated. Not to mention the safety is compromised when you walk alone after sunset(of course I should not have compared that to Japan)One thing I do look forward to is carboot on the weekends, so many antiques its gorgeous and I could style my home and feel like a king in the castle lol

@HalendleofLoc

2 жыл бұрын

@@xelkim9666 Yep, sounds about right. British weather is so bad it defeated the Romans. Japanese storms kill Mongols, English storms kill Romans. We are not so different. Glad you've found things to enjoy too though. I didn't actually know they still do car boot sales though, I thought they died off years ago, that's awesome to hear.

Someone once told me, especially when I went to Japan for a semester study abroad program in collage, it’s all about your perspective and you decide to go about your situation. No matter where you are you can either take things in stride and try to have a good time if that’s what you want to do. Idk it really helped open me up a bit and make me realize even when I’m traditionally boring or difficult situations I can either mope about it or try and make the best of it that I can. So I guess that’s what I try to do is make the best of my situation. I recently had a work opportunity that took me to New Jersey and I’ve honestly heard nothing but terrible things about the state (I’m from Texas); just there’s nothing to do there. But I made the best of it that I could and actually had a nice time.

@Rave.-

7 ай бұрын

As a PA resident, NJ is jokingly the punching bag of the northeast. There's nothing actually wrong with it. Texas, on the other hand...

An excellent informative video whilst at the same time being extremely entertaining.

Getting called overly positive as a British person must be considered a grave insult

@Kiki-7

2 жыл бұрын

I recoiled in British

@tSp289

2 жыл бұрын

I do feel like I'm letting the side down if I make more than two unambiguously nice comments in a row.

@carolusrex5213

17 күн бұрын

They could not handle people from the midwest bro lmao

Serious Question: if you didn't have this KZread channel with the ability to connect with people (and make some income) do you still think you would have lived in Japan as long?

@LeoMkII

2 жыл бұрын

THIS this comment has to get to him!! it's a very good question

@alizaidi2152

2 жыл бұрын

Get this up there

@CanaldoIllan

2 жыл бұрын

replying just to get this up

@blueswallow3096

2 жыл бұрын

Up up up

@norealmagicever3292

2 жыл бұрын

boost

When you mentioned the neighbor leaving and coming back shutting the door I felt bad because I have family that suffers from OCD and this is a typical compulsion/ritual to push away a thought that's extremely terrifying. And can get worse. Makes me wonder if this is common in Japan but people don't get proper treatment. Either way I love your insight on this because my family has been thinking about moving there or buying a home there to spend part of the year there. And I tend to want the negative aspects of life to be presented 1st. I don't seem bothered by your list thanks again

I didn't watch the video yet, but when I heard your first reason and then looked at the list, I would say you have hit all of them on the head! Nice. I'm impressed.

Incoming "Chris hates Japan" comments 😀

@AbuChanOfficial

2 жыл бұрын

Lot of reaction vids coming

@Micro-Lander

2 жыл бұрын

Bro what is a war thunder youtuber doing here ......

@nicjansen230

2 жыл бұрын

And as a result another reply to haters video is coming as well :P

@Ole_Rasmussen

2 жыл бұрын

Wait, Chris doesn't hate Japan? I thought he and I were two peas in a pod!

@danae5578

2 жыл бұрын

The flood gates have opened

You hit every nail on the head. Lived in Japan for 10 years, was married to a Japanese person, and had two kids. It took at least 3 or 4 years for me to get over most of that stuff, but some of it I never got over completely. Like, For example, I thought I was pretty comfortable and had gotten over things until I tried to enroll my daughter in youchien. She was turned away because I am a foreigner. I struggled with severe depression and anxiety the entire time I lived there and after that situation I became suicidal, because I felt my kids were better off without a crappy gaijin mom who would always make things harder for them and embarrass them.. because I knew no matter how much I had learned in the past I was always going to encounter something new, make mistakes, and look like an idiot. Whether it’s a new school, a new PTA duty, some unspoken rule I never knew until 7 years into doing something, a naraigoto, a ceremony, a neighborhood association meeting, …anything. I hated myself and I truly felt sorry for my kids that they couldn’t have a normal mom like everyone else. My ex husband beat me down the entire time I was there and refused to help me with anything at all, he just kicked me to the wolves. In addition to all that though, bad things do happen to foreigners for standing out sometimes. My very first week in japan, I was accused of stealing from Uniqlo at Granduo mall in Kamata station in Tokyo. I looked at a few tshirts, put them back where they were, realized I had to leave because I was staying with my ex husbands grandparents and they wanted me home by a certain time, and left (in a bit of a hurry I guess). Two security guards grabbed me physically on the street outside of the mall and shouted at me, ripped my jacket off, dumped the contents of my bag all over the ground, and flat out accused me of stealing. When they saw I had nothing, they left without apology. Obviously everyone was staring at the ruckus. Not one person stopped to help me pick up all my things. I was bawling my eyes out. One of the only times my ex husband ever actually did help me, he contacted the mall manager, Uniqlo manager, and security manager, and he and I had to go meet with them. He threatened them with legal action and voice recorded everything. They admitted that it was in fact because I’m a foreigner. I got my first ever dogeza apology which was almost as humiliating to be involved with as the initial situation as well as 2man in JCB gift money. In addition to that I then had to meet with the two security guards who stopped me and the manager of security again at Tully’s coffee where they also apologized to me and gave me 2man JCB gift money. I just wanted the whole thing to end. The only thing I could say was that I just hope this doesn’t happen to another foreigner by you guys again in the future… Don’t even get me started on hospitals and doctors… I’ve got plenty of stories such as when I was locked in my labor room alone in pitch black over night while in labor with my eldest, terrified, isolated, and in excruciating pain (and that’s only the start of that horror story) or the time I got a root canal without Novocain by a dentist who refused to wear gloves and got mad at me because I couldn’t gaman through it. There are some things I truly loved about my life in Japan and I am proud of that era of my life but truly and honestly I can tell you some dark stories.

@sudoo6987

2 жыл бұрын

Damn

@roseforeuropa

2 жыл бұрын

Thanks for sharing. It may be different that your children had an american mom and a Japanese dad. Myself, as a mixed-race halfu, my mother is Japanese, father is white american (navy). Therefore, my mother did all the arrangements with houkuen and perhaps I was treated differently as a result. Maybe my mom had the cultural capital to make sure to guarantee my own well-being as a halfu. I am not sure why the Japanese culture, the same culture that produced kamikaze pilots and the rape of nanking, are like this tbh. I am not sure where it comes from. Perhaps their violent and bloody samurai culture remnants still dwells in their culture.

@marnixmaximus3053

2 жыл бұрын

I like how anime fans pretend Japan is this progressive social country when in realty it's probably one of the most racist and conservative modern nations on earth.

@PureBreedInnovator

2 жыл бұрын

@@marnixmaximus3053 Don't lump us all together. From what I've seen, most seem to accept that Japan would be a terrible place to live in. Those who glorify Japan's living situation without being there are few and far between.

@davidmurek2921

2 жыл бұрын

I have a lot of similar stories after living 18 years as a foreigner in England ....

This is a great video. Thank you for your honesty!

Hi Chris, Australian guy with Japanese wife now living last 30 years in Australia. Lived in Tokyo for 3 years and love your channel, keep going strong much love!!!

You know you have a great friend group when you introduce them like a bank heist team.

''People won't sit next to you even if it's crowded.'' Me,a finn: '' I see this as an absolute win!''

@R3dH4z3

2 жыл бұрын

Me as a NYer: I see this as an absolute win.

@joeledison2966

2 жыл бұрын

i have to agree to that as well. more space for me lol

@Kitti_B

2 жыл бұрын

I was sad when people sat next to me on the metro in Tokyo. 😅I thought I would be just a foreigner people try to avoid. I love Nordic countries. They know what personal space really means 😄

@MelancholyMoondancer

2 жыл бұрын

Me as a New Englander: Sounds perfect!

@noafisch5560

2 жыл бұрын

Me, a swede: "Isn't this normal?"

Thank you for your honest, unbiased review!👍👏

Chris, I love your video how many of them just stand and get views forever, in march I started your first uploaded video and have been nickel and diming my way through, always surprises me when I go to the comments and see comments from 2-3 weeks ago from a year+ old video! great topics and content! just wanted to say keep up the good work!

I genuinely expected one of the reasons to be, "Ryotaro lives here!"

@nazzy260

2 жыл бұрын

is it not

@shasheeshsmile

2 жыл бұрын

13 reasons not to live in Japan

@marocat4749

2 жыл бұрын

He seems nice, unless you are named chris😈

Hi Chris! Long-time subscriber here. One thing to expand on is it's very widely viewed in the western world that Japan is extraordinarily safe to visit, BUT there is a tendency to push crimes in Japan under the rug and make them un-noticed. In a lot of the Japanese crime cases I cover I'm corrected on Japan's *actual* crime rates versus reported crime rates. This actually perpetuates the problem for foreigners. Anyway wanted to comment under your invite, I love your channel and can't wait for your new Journey Across Japan!

@turinmormegil7715

2 жыл бұрын

A japanese professor of mine, that was raised here in my country, gave me the following advice as to crimes and being foreigner there: Don't do drugs Don't do prostitution Don't do grand theft autos and resseling of parts to the overseas Don't do Pachinko and Cassinos Don't do Guns and Organs traffic Don't do frauds Don't get indebted You don't do any of those, you won't get into their (Yakuza) radar. It's generally very safe, unless you became a troublesome foreigner seen as something that needs to be purged..... I mentioned Yakuza specifically cuz that's what I'm told as most worrysome for foreigners, I know there are other crimes, but I think the most serious risk to your integrity as foreigner is getting notice by them as someone that deserves their attention

@rolerroleris533

2 жыл бұрын

Im definitely no expert on japan, but all ive heard on the internets is that yes, it is very safe, but if something happens it's gets really difficult in a way. Japanese have the "saving face" mentality for real, and also making mistakes is judged way more harshly than in most other countries, that's why japan has 99% or something ridiculous like that conviction rate. That may seem great, but it only comes from the fact that cases only go to court if they are pretty much 100% sure they can win, and if they lack evidence or just confidence to make it work, the case never reaches court. This kind of ignorance combined with rampant xenophobia can make it really hard for foreigners who get in any way involved wit a crime. All of this info is from random youtube channels dealing with japan and some articles ive read, so take it with a pinch of salt, but i bet it's not far from the truth, it's just way more complicated.

@Masterlink01

2 жыл бұрын

So nothing new for people living in third world shitholes like me then lol.

@ZehVancho

2 жыл бұрын

I didn't expect you to be here

@aaclovern9804

2 жыл бұрын

Japan is like that: if crime happens it's straight out of horror book

Very enlightening video, not just on moving to Japan but really moving to any country where the culture and language is different.

Cracking video. Looking like I'll be moving out there in two months, and this is the kind of stuff I need to hear. Great job, Chris 👏👏👏

Doc: "You should be more happy" Chris: "I'm Britsh" Doc" Ahh, alright then. Carry on"

@chukyuniqul

2 жыл бұрын

Doc:"awrite yew go' a loicence fo be-een sad?"

@khinzaw77

2 жыл бұрын

Doc: "You should stop being British"

@jlyrojer

2 жыл бұрын

Doc: "You should be more happy." Chirs: "I'm British." Doc: "Oh. Right. Here take these." *hands Chris pills* Chris: "Wait. These are strychnine!" Doc: "Yes. You will no longer be British or sad."

@XxLeoKantizxX

2 жыл бұрын

Me: "Sorry doc I was born with severe depression."

@rasalghul8195

2 жыл бұрын

Doc, Have you seen UK politics!!

Working as a recruiter, meeting endless of people who wish to work in japan while not considering the reality of actually living here, this video makes my job 1000time easier.. thank you lol

@natsukijones1759

2 жыл бұрын

I lived in japan previously and have been looking for work To move there again, but all the recruiters I've come across are for inter Japan job moves, not international. This might just be due to coronavirus at the moment but if you could have recommend any agencies I'd really really appreciate it please 🙏🙏

@criminon_

2 жыл бұрын

I'd definitely love the opportunity. What exactly do you recruit for?

Your sense of humor is as great like the Queen's in Black Adder comedy series. You reserve totaly the massive amount subscribers. Entertainment 100%

It's not only Japanese people. I studied abroad in the US and Canada when I was in high school age. It's also the same, building relationship was not easy.

Ryotaro: He's gonna die. The pinnacle of true friendship there.

@BrSgtJordan

2 жыл бұрын

a friend will help you out in a time of need. A true friend will stand there and laugh, and *then* help you out

@LoliMaster69227

2 жыл бұрын

Nothing says friendship better than pointing your buddy in the face and laughingly yelling into a camera hes going to die XD

@ScipioCornelius

2 жыл бұрын

@@BrSgtJordan Indeed

@ScipioCornelius

2 жыл бұрын

@@LoliMaster69227 XD

@marocat4749

2 жыл бұрын

@@BrSgtJordan True

“This is a pen” is still wreaking havoc. Wow.

@HolyMith

2 жыл бұрын

kore wa pen desu

@babynyxe4784

2 жыл бұрын

kore wa pen desu

@Blu-ray

2 жыл бұрын

kore wa pen desu

@_MRK87

2 жыл бұрын

The shockwave of that "P" went around the whole world

@64_jhex

2 жыл бұрын

Damn, it's almost a half decade since that... Lol

I just moved to Japan and I LOVE IT. Every second of it. The only real complaint is that I can't just go to a Home Depot and look for housing supplies. I have to actually look around stores I never even heard of and they do not have their own websites so you cannot view before going in. My favorite store so far has been Nitori or Don Quijote

@ryunocent6318

Жыл бұрын

Go to コーナン

@Scarpez_

Жыл бұрын

do you think that even in the long run it will still remain amazing? i’d like to know your opinion

@GrenNoshi

Жыл бұрын

@@Scarpez_ I been here for a year now since that comment. I've gotten pretty used to the culture already and it feels normal. I am still thankful everyday I am here in Japan. Sure it maybe depressing with the language barrier and I feel alone, but at the same time this is the most happiness I have felt rather then being over in the states. I'd say though I have been feeling a crave for American BBQ. One of the few things I miss from US is the food.

@GrenNoshi

Жыл бұрын

@@ryunocent6318 Totally meant to reply to this. Another favorite store added to my list.

@Scarpez_

Жыл бұрын

@@GrenNoshi oh really? food? i thought it was one of the very good stuff about japan all it’s unique food it has, btw thank you for your feedback i really appreciate it

Thank you so much for your channel and this video.

A cousin worked over there for 2 years as a medical translator and he's a 6'4" redhead. You can just imagine how much he stood out and got stared at. Children would often ask if he was a viking 🤣🤣 Apearantly there was some cartoon about Vikings that was popular at the time.

@chiaraj1003

2 жыл бұрын

Could it be "Vickie the viking"? That was an anime that was very popular here in Germany, too

@EmpressMermaid

2 жыл бұрын

@@chiaraj1003 Could be. It was about 6 years ago.

@pearltefl8589

2 жыл бұрын

😂 😂 😂 😂

@iiiivvvv9986

2 жыл бұрын

@@chiaraj1003 inspired one piece too of I remember correctly

@chiaraj1003

2 жыл бұрын

@@iiiivvvv9986 Oh, really? That's cool!

Mental health is a massive issue in Japan. It's not that they don't understand it, it's that they DON'T WANT to understand it. Even the doctors are mostly unwilling to try. There is a lot of depression in Japan which is VERY treatable, but because it's so taboo and no one is willing to acknowledge it, people don't have anyone to turn to for help, and many times it will lead to suicide. It's very sad to see such an advanced society to have such a treatable and preventable problem.

@ivanedemdogbegah8891

2 жыл бұрын

The 25 door slams in the morning that Chris mentioned in the beginning is HARD proof of this. HARD. That sounds right like OCD. And, truly, doesn't necessarily sound treated either.

@DoritosBurger

2 жыл бұрын

You can argue that it's even worse in America, school shootings happen on a regular basis because people with mental health issues are not getting the help they need. The Joker movie was trying to make that point.

@xSh4dowXSnip3rx

2 жыл бұрын

@@DoritosBurger USA much larger country(26x); much more population(2.6x). People in the US avoid the help they need due to a lack of finances to cover that medical care rather than a lack of acknowledgment of there being a problem at all. Social/Cultural issues be a tough cookie. Also, here's a list: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_school_shootings_in_the_United_States As far as I can tell the majority - if not practically all(joking) - of these "shootings" appear to involve very different circumstances - at least in the last 10yrs or so - from a few key ones you're likely to have in mind such as the Columbine High School massacre. But; regardless of that, of all the ones I read through the locations of these incidences would appear to be happenstance and more than likely would've occurred whether they were at or nearby a school in the first place.

@TheScratchingKiwi

2 жыл бұрын

Given that many of the common medicines used to treat mental illnesses such as depression are still not available in Japan, I'm not at all surprised. Some people have to change their medication (with all the problems that brings} before emigrating because of lack of availability. Their treatment options are very limited.

@LoneWolfZakuro14

2 жыл бұрын

I get my depression meds here, and they give them to me in 15 seconds without any questions about my medical history or anything LOL They don’t care about talking about mental health AT ALL.

As someone with mental health stuff, the fact that more therapists in our own countries do online sessions is helpful. The time difference creates issues but it could be possible to make it work. The isolation does make it worse, though, and it’s why I ultimately left.

i am from singapore which is hot and humid year round. I found my paradise in japan because except for summer, the rest of the year are very comfortable plus the four seasons scenery and landscape are fantastic. thus i don't mind the negative part of living in japan. ten years living in japan now and I can live forever here.

I’m Japanese. Do not work in Japan. I woke up 4 in the morning, then came back 9pm usually. This video has a lot of sense for me at least. Sometimes traditional is pain in my ass.

@FSaidArslan

2 жыл бұрын

How come one of the most advanced country in world could allow this kinda thing? What is government doing about this or is it just a culture thing?

@SilverQuartz13

2 жыл бұрын

@@FSaidArslan As far as I know its a cultural thing. Being devoted to the whole team so to speak.

@ElsaKyle

2 жыл бұрын

@@FSaidArslan this is definitely cultural. Japan is very strict to staying in their traditional ways. (or so i've seen and heard) that "Stuck in the past" reason is a perfect example of how Japan is strict in their culture.

@mrelitists7751

2 жыл бұрын

@@FSaidArslan beacause japan is just like america the media shows u the good side leaves the bad

@habialtx3

2 жыл бұрын

@@mrelitists7751 lol, every country do that.

The guy who would close his door 25 times definitely had OCD.

@Ag.mar.

2 жыл бұрын

Was searching for this comment

@arka5557

2 жыл бұрын

I thought the same too.

@Loseirdo

2 жыл бұрын

I was going to say the same thing. I would bet anything that, given how polite and conscientious Japanese people tend to be, he probably hated himself for how much commotion he felt compelled to cause every morning. I feel bad for him.

@f.m7494

2 жыл бұрын

I don't understand what's the thought process behind this? Like just curious

@putrijoyceirawati2638

2 жыл бұрын

Or...or...hear me out. Ryotarou paid the guy a ridiculous sum to torture Chris mentally in a bid to break Chris' sanity. Hell I'd go so far as to say that that guy was Ryotarou himself, moving in unbeknownst to Chris! We all know Ryotarou's mission in life is to ruin and/or assassinate ruin Chris and take over his channel! Mwahahahaha...!

Recently just came back from Japan after a 3 week trip and it was a pretty easy adjustment, being Canadian I feel like a lot of our cultural behaviours are pretty similar . Don’t be overly loud in public places like trains, we enjoy drinking after work and are very polite and accommodating as a whole. That said it was just a tourist experience and living there is likely a very different experience.

I’m an expat living in Spain, ( US), there are many subtle similarities, I’ve been here since 1994, but never going back. Anyway, great channel, been watching you for years with my son, you always put me in a good mood. Big hugs from Spain.

Not gonna lie, A FRAUD in Japan is a channel that I would subscribe to.

@TheObsidianX

2 жыл бұрын

Tips on how to scam your way through the country.

@maniacone4499

2 жыл бұрын

what about afraid in japan? ...like a horror version of this channel lol Maybe a Maid in japan => Chris in a maid costume yeeah maybe the last ones a bit much haha

My dear man, wonderful summary of the life of an alien in Japan. I live on a small island, been here 15 years total, and everything mentioned applies... Boom! Job well done. Keep up the good work...

@chrishansen5784

2 жыл бұрын

There's no way you actually live there...

@dadtaro9202

2 жыл бұрын

@@chrishansen5784 literally check his channel out

@satoyama.rupert

2 жыл бұрын

@@chrishansen5784 8 years here. I live in a sprawling kominka property in Fukuoka that cost just 8k (880,000 yen), including over an acre of farmland we do natural farming on. Not quite the cramped apartment he describes!!. My lifestyle has been featured on national TV. This channel is preposterous with it's mis-representation of Japan.

@carlosa7598

2 жыл бұрын

Ive lived in Sasebo for 9 yrs, now live in Ureshino, Saga Prefecture since 2005. Love every minute of it 😄😊🍵

@hazleygod

2 жыл бұрын

@@satoyama.rupert Lmfaoo

rewatching these why NOT to x videos... My application to JET was declined back in 2019 and I was really torn up about it. I still dream about what could've been, but I find these videos weirdly comforting. Like your other one where you chatted with Pete about teaching, and how it finally broke down my unrealistic daydreams. I'll still visit Japan someday, but as a tourist, where my whole life and mindset won't have to turn on a dime just to not-quite-fit-in.

I am a Japanese living in countryside in UK. I learn a lot about Japan from your video. Your video summarise up about Japan really well and hilarious 🤣

I lived in Japan twice, three years as a high school student and later 6 years as an executive at a subsidiary of a company headquartered in silicon valley. The points made in the video are quite accurate and anyone considering a move to Japan would benefit from taking them to heart.

@pollen04

2 жыл бұрын

Did you still find the pros to outweigh the cons?

@jamesashby4334

2 жыл бұрын

@@pollen04 Very much so. But I was there as an expatriate executive so I had much more support than someone who goes to Japan with no job and no connections and has to figure it all out on their own.

@mitchell6679

2 жыл бұрын

@@Jake-sb9bs hire a Japanese lawyer if you want to know

@jamesashby4334

2 жыл бұрын

@@Jake-sb9bs Sorry, I am not knowledgeable regarding requirements for permanent residency. During my stay I had a work permit and temporary residency statis which required that I leave the country periodically which was not a problem since my job required that I travel regularly.

@jamesashby4334

2 жыл бұрын

Also, my job required that I travel regularly outside of Japan. While I enjoyed my life in Japan, if I went more that three months "in country" I felt a physical sense of expansive relief when I got off the plane in the U.S.. But in a few days I was happy to return.

"You should be more happy" Is this the same guy suggesting to homeless people they should "just buy a house"?

@Ja.floppa

2 жыл бұрын

yes

@Svoorhout85

2 жыл бұрын

Just stop being depressed, bro.

@ThreadBomb

2 жыл бұрын

If you are unemployed you should just get a job. Because there are infinite job vacancies, right?

@giornogiovanna8572

2 жыл бұрын

If you are starving just eat food... Duh

@Phunk_me

2 жыл бұрын

Happiness is a choice

Thank you for the informative video, so interesting and in some parts shocking.

Your so amazing, made my day thank you keep being you

I enjoyed my 12 years in Japan. Something I found is that foreigners aren't held to the same standards as Japanese so there wasn't the pressure to work late, observe all the rules, etc. One thing that got to me a bit was point #12. I could live in Japan for 30 years and I would still be referred to as "the foreigner". Also the inevitable "_________ jouzu desune!" comments. That killed me a little inside every time.

@penttikoivuniemi2146

2 жыл бұрын

Yeah, strangely it's getting "jouzu'd" that does the most mental damage over time. I never had trouble with feeling like people are staring, I figured it's normal to look at someone who looks so different from most people, so I never got paranoid about it. I also realized pretty soon that (most) Japanese people aren't avoiding you because they hate foreigners, they are just terrified of the possibility of having to attempt to speak English, up to the point that they don't even realize it if you are speaking Japanese instead. But constantly getting praised for the most mundane things makes you feel like some sort of lab rat that has managed to pick up a trick that makes the humans happy. It's strange, it shouldn't feel bad and they definitely aren't doing it to make you feel bad, but it gets grating really quickly.

@RS-fy9hb

2 жыл бұрын

@@penttikoivuniemi2146 It seems you're describing feeling patronized 😊.

@opiniotworczyblog5090

2 жыл бұрын

@@RS-fy9hb Man, you’ve just described my last 6 years in the UK. I won’t tell which part (not England) since people are absolutely lovely there but you do get overly caring personalities who buy you food from the local Polish shop because you MUST be missing home. And as I say, it’s absolutely lovely of them to buy me food, it is, really really kind gesture. And I almost felt bad for getting annoyed and now I think you hit the nail on the head - it does feel patronising and #12 on the list, boy Oh boy, do I need to even say anything about it for a Pole living in the UK? And as I say, lovely people where I am, but always being asked: ‘do to go HOME for Christmas?’, ‘do you go home for holidays?’. Bro, my home is in downtown, pretty happy there. and in fact, I home no other home. So, the buying food part, probably not patronising at lot but a little bit silly; the ‘when do you’ questions - yeah, these can feel - as you’ve helped me realise @R S , thanks - pretty patronising. But hey, that’s life, I enjoy being a foreigner, I enjoy being where I am but at the same time, you can’t beat having a good life in a place where you’re from and that’s why I’m back now, back in Poland. I’d never trade my time in the UK, absolutely loved it, every minute of it (again, I was not in England), and yeah, that’s it.

@RadenWA

2 жыл бұрын

@@penttikoivuniemi2146 yeah, just like how I feel when people still compliment my English, despite the fact that I’ve lived in Australia for years, just because I’m Asian and has an accent 😊

@MrYumemata

2 жыл бұрын

日本語で失礼します jouzu desune! これは確かに初めて会った人には言っちゃうかも 日本人でさえ日本語は難しいものと思ってるからそれを海外から来た人が喋ってると素直に凄いって思っちゃうんだよな～ 確かに長いこと日本に住んでて日本語に自信もあるのに上手ですねを言われたら嫌な気持ちになる人もいますよね😥見極めが難しい…sorry… 日本も外国の人が日本に定住してそういう人達の子供が多くなっていくと､ある種のステレオタイプは薄まってくるとは思う 何年かかるかは分からないけど😂

I... I can’t believe they PRINTED off picture results and it wasn’t on a computer 💀

@Broockle

2 жыл бұрын

like one of those instant print cameras from the 70s ;D

@TimothySSwan

2 жыл бұрын

Seriously, they don't have a print queue???

@khoirulanam9141

2 жыл бұрын

Many Japanese offices still use 90s/2000s procedures, I don't know why, maybe it has something to do with Japanese companies being less competitive than Korean or Chinese companies

@Naokarma

2 жыл бұрын

@@TimothySSwan That's what got me. It's one thing to insist on printing. It's another to use tech so outdated that it can't remember what it was going to do if it runs out of paper, and to NOT refill it beforehand.

@yohannessulistyo4025

2 жыл бұрын

A lot of Japanese companies like JR (The rail company) and Tokyo Disney (a local company using Disney franchise) requires paper tickets, strictly printed paper tickets, not even the pdf copy that you store in your phone, which QR code is perfectly scannable. It makes you wonder about whether this is the country that really invented the QR Code (invented by Nippondenso, an auto parts company). Some of the companies still has TELEX machine. But some companies like those I have worked with, already do everything via e-mail. A simple "approve" message already counts as signature. Universal Studios of Osaka is American-run business, we can just scan the QR code from our phones to get through the gates. The problem is very often with the government services. Their "Cyber Security Minister" can't even use computers, he was confused when asked to copy the files from a USB stick.

I just returned from my first visit to Japan and I could to relate to many of these points as a tourist there. Very candid video😊

Thanks! Great vlog! Keep it up👍

The “my neighbour ryotoro” poster had me on the floor laughing 😂😂

@kaimcdragonfist4803

2 жыл бұрын

That film would single-handedly bring about world peace.

@ozonejgs2887

2 жыл бұрын

Glad that I'm not the only one!

@kaldo_kaldo

2 жыл бұрын

Were you already down there or did you climb onto the floor to laugh?

@dreenarmookington2240

2 жыл бұрын

I want that movie made NOW

@fintanleech7028

2 жыл бұрын

@@kaldo_kaldo I fell 🤦‍♂️

Absolutely loved watching this. Really interesting. As much as I love Japan as a destination I definitely couldn’t live there.

@HiHatsAndBeatClaps

2 жыл бұрын

Same here. It's such a fascinating country to me, but I would NEVER want to spend my life there.

@rhianna4281

2 жыл бұрын

I Really want to go to Japan for a holiday one day, but living there for me won't make it as amazing.

@StatchanaReborn

2 жыл бұрын

Saaame! The work culture is just too much for me, everything else is fine and can deal.. :D

@HiHatsAndBeatClaps

2 жыл бұрын

@@Fabio-ql5yf For pretty much all the reasons discussed in the video, among others.

@Living_Target

2 жыл бұрын

I would love to live there but man, I couldn't stand the work culture

Good job, i enjoyed watching this.

I had the same issue when I lived in Germany, the land of bureaucracy (so many useless documents I had to fill out to find out I was obviously not eligible for certain services), I felt like Asterix going into the place that sends you mad. And even if the workers there speak a good enough English, they are not allowed to translate anything, so complicated bureaucratic terms are sure to elude you unless you are fully fluent, which I was not. So you have to bring along an interpreter at your own cost. They also gave me an ultimatum. Since my employer went bankrupt and finding work was pretty hard during the recession, they said I had to either be fluent and pass the permanent residency test or hook up with a German and put a ring on it. ...So I married my interpreter. I can't imagine Japan would go this far in terms of bureaucracy. Would they?

@lewistherin4096

Жыл бұрын

Good that it worked out for you but I'm woundering which country wouldn't kick you out when your working visa expires?

@IwannatrywithKat

Жыл бұрын

@@lewistherin4096 Fair enough but the point was about the paperwork. Days wasted at their offices not able to communicate in another language even if they were fluent in it. Paperwork for the company going bankrupt, making sure they made sure to own us nothing and the following paperwork for everything else were weeks of pain. Frankly, Canada has 2 official languages but will find someone who speaks your language to deal with you, no matter what it is. It's not like English is hard to come by, after all, it's my second language. My spouse who lived there all his life even agrees paperwork in Germany is tedious and a royal pain. I still had some time with my Visa, I had well over 4 months left, they were pretty pushy.

@lewistherin4096

Жыл бұрын

@@IwannatrywithKat yes the paper work is ridiculous over there. Regarding support for your native language, I don't think any country would go out of the way to support a language which is not the official one. Since there are 2 in Canada they must support both. Going to France I'd expect french, in Belgium dutch and french, in Spain spanish. These documents are normally hard to understand in any language, and by not translating them there are no legal actions possible, when they make a translation error

@IwannatrywithKat

Жыл бұрын

@@lewistherin4096 That's what they told me, but I would rather trust an official in a language we both understand than a hired translator who might not be familiar with these documents. English is a commonly used language everywhere (considered the business language), people who travel usually learn it. Even if Canada is supposed to be bilingual, most people still only speak either French or English (and any other language their family might speak) but not both, even so, on the French side, we expect that if we want to travel, we must learn English, which I did. I expect customer service in the tourism industry to offer it and officials to have people who speak it. Canada goes above and beyond, but frankly, I wouldn't expect that much elsewhere.

I can't believe Chris nearly, genuinely put Risottero on that list without a bad word....almost

@Depressingdumb

2 жыл бұрын

Almost

The Japanese KZread reactors are going have a field day with this one Chris have fun with those videos

@paulszki

2 жыл бұрын

I don't like "react" videos in general but there is a special place of hate in my heart for people reacting to Chris' videos.

@Azusai

2 жыл бұрын

@@paulszki I don't particularly mind it, as long as the person reacting will give his own insight or perspective about Chris's opinions. If the person reacting is just gonna make "oohs" and "ah" sound, then it's just a pointless video. It's just someone using the video to get views on their video.

@Ineedgames

2 жыл бұрын

tbh, it is interesting to see it from a native's pov

@Ole_Rasmussen

2 жыл бұрын

The Japanese nuclear reactors already had Chris on a field day.

@gntyh

2 жыл бұрын

@Audan Baan nah theres some good reactors out there for sure

Great video. Thanks for the info.

Thank you for this video.

I’m 100% Japanese and grew up there, but because of those reasons I left Japan. What he says here are all right 😂 Especially the endless rules! My friend recommended this channel and I enjoy your vids!

@bunni9843

2 жыл бұрын

@Razor Lover I’m pretty sure she just means she was born and raised there.......

@bunni9843

2 жыл бұрын

@Razor Lover so if u knew why give a long winded unnecessary comment :/

@bunni9843

2 жыл бұрын

@Razor Lover I understood what you were trying to say but it had no relevance to what the original person was commenting thats why I thought you misunderstood sorry if that upset you.

@petereast1447

2 жыл бұрын

@@bunni9843 I agree with you. Razor Lover's comment makes zero sense. Trying to get all technical saying that there is no 100% genetically pure Japanese.

@petereast1447

2 жыл бұрын

@Razor Lover Yeah we get it Einstein, so spare us your technicalities. Your comment was pure stupid. There is no 100% of anything. There. Are you happy now?

"You should be more happy" *The number of depressed people drops to zero*

@starlace6570

2 жыл бұрын

Honestly this was one the toughest subjects in the video. Mental health is an important part of living a fulfilling life. It was disappointing (but not surprising) to hear that it's not taken very seriously.

Loved your video and your british sense of humour...love from Italy 🙏💖❤🧡💛💚💙💜🤎

I think you’re hilarious and I love your videos. My wife told me about you and showed me some, and now I’m hooked. 😊 Keep up the good work.

Thats why for me, Japan is a wonderful place to travel to as a visitor, but not so much as a place to live.

@sunny_sunshine0411

2 жыл бұрын

Same. I love Japan so much that I have traveled back and forth at least 3 times/year for the past few years until Covid. But, like you said, Japan is only to visit and explore, not to live!!!

@marcello3888

2 жыл бұрын

Just like the usa

@sword3349

2 жыл бұрын

You've just described literally anywhere on Earth.

@lifeinjapan1592

2 жыл бұрын

@@sword3349 Every other country is not as introvert as Japanese people, the problem with Japan is the society they have evolved into. Yeah, there’s much respect and stuff, but you will literally die of anxiety and depression here. There’s not a single foreigner who enjoys living in Japan but are here because of work/money. Some places tend to be friendlier towards foreigners such as Kansai, but Tokyo and above, not so much. Japan is clean, perfect streets, everything is on time, almost no noise pollution as compared to other countries. Yeah other countries have major problems, but atleast you will not die there because of boredom and anxiety/depression. Even Japanese people know are moving to foreign countries because of the very same reason.

@Pepe-dq2ib

2 жыл бұрын

@@lifeinjapan1592 come live in Chicago or DC.

On the bright side, everyone and anyone can still visit the country if they wanted to, there are a lot of things worth experiencing there.

@fumuhiro

2 жыл бұрын

You again? I'm literally starting to think that this account is being Managed by Multiple people

@aysinduarte

2 жыл бұрын

How I wish our trains left on time and arrived when they are supposed too!! The train system there is amazing ( speaking from experiencing it first hand).

@AnasKhan-zx6zc

2 жыл бұрын

You again!!! How do you write something so remarkable that it gets THAT many like

@kokokasturi

2 жыл бұрын

I see you everywhere

@YustinJ420

2 жыл бұрын

Actually no one can visit right now

glad I watched this video and discovered you!

#12 reminds me of how we got warned that US military personnel had been judged as at fault in a traffic accident in court on the basis that "if the foreigner wasn't here, the accident wouldn't have happened". Kinda important to me at the time since I had a license to drive humvee's and did so regularly. Side note, Japanese streets are tiny and humvee's are pretty big even by US street standards.

Having lived here for over 16 years now, married to a Japanese wife, having kids, working in Tokyo, even built a house here, I can only say I agree with all points you bring up. Especially the last one your friend mentioned about never expecting to become Japanese. I know quite some people who struggled with that and never felt they fit in. Love the channel by the way, even though I live here and watch it from my house in Tokyo, it always gives me some new ideas, a new set of eyes sometimes, and even some cool travel ideas. I also love driving, haven't been to Sendai by car yet, but certainly plan to in the near future. Keep up the great work & cheers!

@tSp289

2 жыл бұрын

What's it like for your kids, out of curiosity? I have a friend in your situation but oddly enough even though she's British she almost looks mixed-race Japanese herself (she has the 'white' version of an Asian eyelid, like Bjork etc.), so her kids do still look fully Japanese. I've often wondered if it'd be harder for her if one of her kids looked more European than they do.

@SH4D02

2 жыл бұрын

Cant help but notice your username, have you perhaps changed your name? Or do you go by an alias with your legal name staying the same as before?

@guigoroable

2 жыл бұрын

@@SH4D02 yes, sort of. I was born in Amsterdam so this is obviously not my real name. It comes from my wife's family name, Nakamura, plus the Japanese pronunciation of my Dutch first name when written in Kanji. I kept my Dutch passport though, and made no legal changes so it's an alias

@guigoroable

2 жыл бұрын

@@tSp289 my daughter is definitely recognizable as mixed race, and I like to think she got the good parts of my Dutch and my wife's Japanese features. She goes to regular Japanese schools, so initially it was tough for her to fit in, especially in kinder garden and early years of elementary. I don't live in the center of the city, more on the outskirts where foreigners are a bit rare, so the kids around here had to get used to her as well. She is now junior high, going on to high school, and that problem has completely disappeared.

@tSp289

2 жыл бұрын

@@guigoroable Glad to hear it! A family friend visited Japan in the 1970s, and he had a load of kids chasing after him shouting 'Gaijin!' Glad to hear they're a little more accepting now.

"I have never expected to be japanese." Yeah, exactly my opinion. Some people would ask me when I was going to give up my citizenship for japanese citizenship and it's just… the way I see it is that if I have japanese citizenship or not, I will always be treated as a foreigner. It doesn't matter. There might be a few instances where people ask beforehand what my nationality is, because "these days, you can never assume", but these people are rare. One time, a woman asked me when I was going back home (as in 帰国) and I answered that this was my home (帰る場所はここなんです). The look on her face was priceless - like a windows '95 computer trying to access AOL.

@nigelw.ruddock1424

2 жыл бұрын

"I have never expected to be Japanese" I have lived in Germany for 30 years and am still treated as a foreigner, even though I am fluent in German. "Do you think you will go back home sometime?" is a common question. But I don't mind. I will never be German, just as you will never will be Japanese. Just be yourself and respect the country`s customs and traditions - however absurd they might be. After all, you chose to go and live there.

@Leon_der_Luftige

2 жыл бұрын

@@nigelw.ruddock1424 But that's just because of how regional Germany is. You move from one federal state to another and you pretty much are treated as a foreigner even as a German. Statistically, Germans don't really travel, not even within our own borders. So again, there's strong regional tribalism happening and anything new will be treated with suspicion. And honestly, Germany is such a diverse place, who gives a damn about being "German" when the second you leave your home area you're immediately perceived as an alien?

@low-key5512

2 жыл бұрын

@@Leon_der_Luftige Truth be told, as someone who has lived in Austria their life, although I love this place I actually felt a whole lot better in Germany (or at least in Berlin when I visited). People were just so... nice and welcoming. Or maybe I was just lucky hahaha

@Leon_der_Luftige

2 жыл бұрын

@@nigelw.ruddock1424 btw the "Do you plan on going home sometime" is not meant out of spite or rejection, but an indirect question meaning more something like "do you like it here?" Because honestly, I'd go out on a limb and say that most Germans wouldn't expect anyone to come here when there's countries like Norway, Sweden or Switzerland around the bend which are simply nicer in a lot of ways. Germans are generally speaking pretty indifferent of foreigners if they speak the language good enough.

@Leon_der_Luftige

2 жыл бұрын

@@low-key5512 Berlin is a whole different game. It's like saying "London = Britain" . Just a different world really. People visiting Germany tend to mistake "Germans minding their own business" with Germans "being rude". If you ask for help from a stranger or shop assistant, you will get it but if you don't ask, don't expect anyone to approach you offering it. Hope that clears some things up to anyone wondering.

I'm going to be honest. All this video is doing is solidifying my decision on moving to the countryside in Japan. I'm already an introvert, so loneliness isn't an issue... and a major plus is I can have a small farm of my own!

@23Lgirl

4 ай бұрын

The countryside in Japan is worse. You need people to talk to to do staff in Japan. Paperwork for example.

I lived in Osaka for two years...I never expected to be an insider, but it was a fantastic experience.

"My Neighbour Ryotaro" is my favorite film.

I'm very impressed by how Chris handled this topic. He had to walk a narrow path and he did a great job with it. It was funny but serious. It was frank but respectful. It clearly stated the problems but in a way that showed why they existed rather than just demonizing them. Excellent.

@SuitcaseMonkey

2 жыл бұрын

Yes totally agree.

Thank You Chris! You created this Vlog platform.. I mean.. You made it Enjoyable to watch English/Japan videos! You made it less intimidating! Thank You again..now that I said that... You better put a ring on it..

Nice video, you have very good story telling skills

I love how he explained every "negative" aspect thoroughly without really shitting on Japan.

@BlownMacTruck

2 жыл бұрын

Uh, what kind of life do you live / people you hang out with where you can’t criticize something without it being a shitfest?

@mreeeeeegf

2 жыл бұрын

I thought he was too soft on some issues. Like the blatant racism, that was absolutely disgusting, and he simply went over it like it was just a minor inconvenience.

@cedge4536

2 жыл бұрын

@@mreeeeeegf xenophobia and racism are different

@axelander03

2 жыл бұрын

@@mreeeeeegf I agree. I've heard people of colour talk about how they get denied service in stores and found it appalling. I really wish it was taken a little more seriously in the video

@diatomicfawn1141

2 жыл бұрын

@@mreeeeeegf well, I heard that the big issue with the skin only applies for black people, and he probably didn’t had to deal with it

“People will recoil and scream at the sight of you” That’s just a result of being British, not foreign.

@kid14346

2 жыл бұрын

It is truly insidious when Brits come to America. They look like us but then they open their mouth and the horrifying truth is revealed. This is a joke I don't hate British people. Irish, Welsh, and Scottish people are all cool.... no i didn't forget anyone.

@frankiefundora8112

2 жыл бұрын

@@kid14346 I know you’re joking, buddy. It’s all good.

@kid14346

2 жыл бұрын

@@frankiefundora8112 This is youtube... you can never be too sure.

@frankiefundora8112

2 жыл бұрын

@@kid14346 lol fair enough

@Prince1of1Rainbow

2 жыл бұрын

Rofled from ur comment. BTW, have tons of friends from GB.

Wonderful video....THANK YOU SO MUCH I have subscribed.

I do enjoy your work!😎😎😎

This is the most honest straight down the middle view ive ever seen about japan. Kudos.

@mattjones8016

2 жыл бұрын

Just a random stranger giving you your first comment

@TheKaiTetley

2 жыл бұрын

@@mattjones8016 You are so random.

@mattjones8016

2 жыл бұрын

@@TheKaiTetley I move along the flow of the algorithm

I'm 6'6" and while visiting a botanical garden in Japan in 1987, a couple asked me to pose for a photo standing next to their children. When people saw what was going on, other people asked me to do it with their children.

@BorisNoiseChannel

2 жыл бұрын

Well yeah; Duh! (I mean: who's 6'6" nowadays? 6'5" or 6'7", okay; But 6'6"? )

@PewLand

2 жыл бұрын

@@BorisNoiseChannel I think the point that rick is trying to make is that japanese culture is very "hive mind" like. I could be wrong

@chrisbotos

2 жыл бұрын

I have no idea what you Americans mean by 6'6 but I guess it is tall😂

@killillua3957

2 жыл бұрын

@@chrisbotos we mean they were six feet and six inches tall. Also I think they took the picture because they thought they were an athlete. But probably because they were really tall

@BorisNoiseChannel

2 жыл бұрын

@@chrisbotos depends on your shoe-size

I love that natsuki plays a reverse firebird, that guitar is so him its unreal