Hearted Youtube comments on Life Where I'm From (@LifeWhereImFrom) channel.

  1. Thank you for the video! This is the most detailed experience of someone else who went to a Japanese Language school I've seen. I've been self-learning the Japanese Language kind of at a snail's pace for the past 2 years, because of working full time and being a full-time college student while doing this. But, I am learning it all the same. I've used multiple sources to study from like Rosetta Stone, Genki, and Human Japanese. I recently started learning how to speak on a native level from someone who lives in Japan because I know the textbooks mostly teach me how to sound like a foreigner know matter what. My goal is to live and study in Japan after I am done with college in the US. I figure learning as much Japanese now may make things easier when I get there.
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  2. Bathing in an onsen was my absolute best e perience from Japan. And I love the food, the cities, the landscape, but this was something very different that taught me to contemplate other people’s and my own nakedness in a new way.
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  3. That butter knife is the MVP tool of this video. 😂
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  4. I also grew up in Winnipeg and now live in Japan. So nostalgic. Just the sound of that snow block being kicked on the ground brought me right back :-) An unexpected gift. Thank you!
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  5. it's amazing that people dealing with these identity issues can watch this video and feel that they aren't alone. I believe that Japan and the international community will increasingly learn to accept people of all backgrounds and integrate them into their society instead of isolating them and otherizing them.
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  6. This is truly one of your best videos I think. "There are so many ways to support your independence" is such a lovely phrase and it brings comfort to anyone regardless of age, but especially those that fear growing old. That was truly a poignant, beautiful and hopeful statement
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  7. RUN FOREST, RUN! :D
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  8. When I saw 'the end' I laughed very hard
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  9. I always thought that これはペンです would be the most useful Japanese phrase, now science proves it!
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  10. I have done extensive camping in both the United States and Canada. In Canada, I have camped in the Canadian Rockies west of Ft. Saint John, British Columbia. In the United States, I have camped in Massachusetts and Vermont. The Canadian camping was the most isolated camping experience and I was by myself. By foot, the nearest person would be at least a 3 day hike away from where I was Camping. If you use Google earth, you would be looking for a place called Graham-Laurier Provincial Park in British Columbia. I should be stated that this area is real wilderness and real animals like bear, moose, and wolf are there. But that was way back in 1976 when I was 17 years old. I had to carry all my gear myself. I loved it alot.
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  11. I live in rural Shizuoka prefecture. Although my town amalgamated with others about 10 years ago and is officially about 50K people, the town centre near where I live is only a few thousand people. We have a bus that runs fairly regularly to Shizuoka city (about 700K people), but it takes 1.5 hours to get there and costs about 2,500 yen (~$25) round trip. Unfortunately, the train line in my town was closed 50 years ago :-( I'm Canadian, but I've lived in this small Japanese city for about 10 years now. I love it. It's so quiet and friendly. There is a lot of nature everywhere, but it is also convenient. There are 3 (!) grocery stores within a 25 minute walk of my house. There are also a surprising number of extremely good restaurants. I have a car, but only my wife uses it. There is no real need to have one in such a small town. However, when you live here you are definitely in Japan. The point about diverse culture in large cities is well taken. Whether it be food or clothes, or anything else: if it's foreign, it's hard to get without going to the big city. I work remotely as a computer programmer. At the moment I do work for a UK company and everybody I work with is 8-9 hours behind me. By the time I'm finishing my day, they are just starting. This is difficult because I lack any real social life. I've only ever met 1 other computer programmer who lives anywhere near me, so I have nobody that I can share my work experiences with. Because my colleagues are all time shifted, I end up working a lot of nights, which has me wandering the countryside during the day. This is very nice, but the only people I meet are retirees. This has resulted in me making friends with people in their 60's and 70's, which is nice, but again it's hard to find anyone to talk to that can relate to me at all. I think one of the big advantages to living in the countryside for a foreigner is that you are immersed in Japan. As I said, there is no escaping it. There is a certain pace of life. I must buy seasonal food because that's all that is available to me. On the other hand, when you see the pictures of the farmers on the produce in the store -- those are my neighbours. I recognise them. I see them working the fields. I know the care that they put into the food. My neighbours all know me and I'm expected to help out with cleaning of the neighbourhood or attending the various festivals. They chastise me when I work on national holidays (because it isn't a holiday in the UK ;-) ). They bring me omiyage when they travel and expect me to return the favour. I'm not sure how easy it would be to settle in so completely in a large city. Anyway, this is my home now and I wouldn't trade it for the world, but it's definitely a lot of give and take. It's strange, because I'm typing this in Canada as my wife and I are visiting my parents. I'm always homesick when I come to Canada and can't wait to get back to Japan. Watching your video helped (especially since I have fond memories of cycling in Ehime and visiting Matsuyama). I really enjoy your videos. Keep up the good work.
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  12. This channel is so underrated. Every video put out has such a high quality of production and you can tell of the love that was put into it. Also the topics themselves are very interesting. It's especially interesting to see a culture on the other side of the world from you. Even if you live in Japan, there is so much to learn about that you may not have known.
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  13. I really liked the doctor. If everyone acted like him, there wouldn't be problems like that! This is somewhat heavy content, but it's great that you make these kind of videos, since homelessness isn't only a problem of Japan, but every country has them and I'm sure there are organisations like this everywhere, no one knows about. But only about 5000 homeless people in Japan? Or do you mean Tokyo? I feel like that's surprisingly low.. but if it's real I'm glad!
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  14. Super interesting stuff Greg, please continue covering this sorts of topics because I think your channels is basically the only one putting the work and digging into these topics this well. Thanks!
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  15. Holy crap! I lived in Japan for 4 years and had a sense of most of the things explained in this video, but would never have been able to illustrate any of that verbally. This video was really full of epiphanies for me, explaining what I felt for so long. This is really why I love your videos, you take so many topics that I have come to understand naturally, but could have never put into words, and then explain them in detail and give reasons for their being the way that they are. Please don't stop making content. When I move back to Japan, I feel like I will be so much more well equipped and more capable of appreciating the culture fully. Really, thanks a lot!
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  16. I love this kind of everyday excellence Japan has to offer. Thank you, Greg, for putting out this amazing content, you've been smashing it lately! Sure makes for a nice change from all the typical shopping/eating/hidden spots/quirky japan videos out here.
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  17. Wow. I will never stop being blown-away and impressed by your videos. You have an incredible eye for filming and editing. It always puts a big smile on my face to see your adventures, especially when you share them with your family. I am greatly looking forward to your documentary, as well as one day visiting Japan myself. I wonder, what kind of drone do you use?
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  18. If I ever go to Japan (which I'm sure I'll do someday) I would definitely want to get something to eat! Could you make a video about how to order food at restaurants (if you haven't already)? Especially since I'm vegetarian, I would like to know what I'd be ordering. Thank you : )
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  19. I actually closed on a place in Karuizawa (but i will not be putting up an American flag). It's in the Owner's Hill community and it's what I've always wanted. It's reneted out most of the year except for mid summer and the solnowy season in February. As for the "Gates House", I cant say if he actually owns it outright, but I can 100% confirm he's stayed there more than once.
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  20. I’m so glad I found your channel and subscribed to it. Your content is amazing, relevant and entertaining. While I was in Tokyo a couple of months ago I was wondering about this topic and now I know a lot more thanks to you!
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  21. I commend you for showing the good and the bad side of the Philippines. Like all countries Philippines have It's flaws. I just wish that like you said there should be transparency about the prices. Maybe put some laws and regulate such activities. I experiece this also whenever we are in the philippines. They charge my husband more because he's white then for me I get the local price. But when we're together, Ialways insist we get the local the price and then give them a tip instead.
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  22. Hi Greg, Ate at Suzuki Soba this past October and we had a great time. Although they spoke less English than we did Japanese, they went out of their way to serve us. The owners were very accomodating and Ken-san got so exicted when we mentioned this video. Even some patrons that spoke a little English gave us suggestions. The food was great and it was a wonderful experience venturing into the less "touristy" parts of Tokyo. They even seemed surprised that foreign tourists, although Japanese, found our way off the beaten path to their humble restaurant. I presume you live in the area, so if you see them again, tell them "domo arigatogozaimasu" from the tourists from Hawaii whom they helped find their way. And thank you for pointing us in their direction! We'll be back in October.
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  23. Yeah, and her voice is lovely.
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  24. 22:49 drop mic
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  25. Impressive quality and professionalism with this one! The time and dedication really paid off. Youtube's algorithm doesn't really reward time consuming "quality over quantity" kind of work, so I can definitely appreciate this type of content, as well as all the Patrons with great taste supporting this channel. Keep up the amazing work! The only grudge I have is that you didn't tell about the long version immediately. (Although, I guess "short version" implies it. I got so excited and immersed I didn't notice.) I would have watched that first.
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  26. It's great that the documentary is finally out for everyone to see! I already watched it since I backed it but I'll definitely rewatch it.
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  27. That first breakfast video made me start eating and craving natto, and to this day I think of her stirring it and measure the quality of what I purchase by the consistency I saw. Thank you
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  28. I think the whole video is not an excuse but just for curious ppl to why japanese is so hard. Its very informative and give a logical insight to a language like a pat on the back to ppl who are trying to learn but are having struggles. E.g. me its nice to know someone else is having the same struggles and is giving a reason to why its hard and i wont give myself a hard time and just take a step back and having a different perspective
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  29. If you liked this one, you'll probably like my video about What the Richest Vacation Town in Japan is Like https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LDHAjwIZkXs
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  30. I've recently become obsessed over YouTube channels that talk about urban planning and walkable cities. Which is why I am sooooo glad you made this video! Those channels talk about European cities almost all the time, so it's very refreshing to see a video all about Japan. It might not be what the whole video is about but I'm still glad.
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  31. Here in Vancouver, BC, "Van Life" is a real alternative to overpriced, tiny apartments, and vans are smaller than these apartments. I lived in a van for 2 1/2 years and my current apartment is just under 28 sq m (about the size of 3 regulation parking spaces). Tiny home life has many advantages; fast to clean and maintain, minimalist lifestyle, creative decorating, use less resources (esp heating/cooling), save money, gets you outside and into public spaces more often. Also, most studies of the way people actually use the space in their homes shows that some entire rooms/areas are seldom used, like closets, dining rooms, etc., whilst eat-in kitchens are used extensively so much less space is required to live than what we currently use.
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  32. best tips is just to try it, try and fail. That is how i best learned how to get food and get around in Japan. Also as was pointed out in the video, take note of how the Japanese people go about it and copy them. There are plenty of good guides out there with phrases and word guides to help you get better with the whole "food/restaurant" part in Japan, so just studying these and take those guides with you on your mobile phone so you can easily refresh your memory with the phrases and words.
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  33. In my opinion it really shows you put a lot of thought and research into filming this series that shows a different side of Japan than other youtubers upload. Some really nice work! It's like watching a documentary on TV, and I am looking forward for the final part. It's interesting to see how other countries handles those unlucky that has fallen to tough times. Even a little support can make a huge difference in getting people back on their feet again.
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  34. Your videos just continue to get better and better! Big thanks to you and to everyone involved for allowing you to capture and share this wonderfully informative video. I am a grandparent raising a middle school child in the states and it is truly a blessing to be able to view these outstanding videos that you create. You are giving us an opportunity how things are done in other parts of the world that we are currently are not able to travel to. There is so much that we are learning from watching your channel! I love the efficiency, thought and consideration that is given in the running of Japanese school system's lunch program, most especially with health declining all over the world. I really appreciate the way that everyone, from the administration and even down to the students are taught from an early age to pitch in, be appreciative and to consider others. Even here where I live, we know that children will take better care of that which they have an investment in. We can all gain wisdom from this model. Thank you again. Wishing you all continued blessings!
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  35. Bought two! How unique to be able to have a towel and say "Look here, at this video, where they are making this very towel from design to production!" My first LWIF merch thank you very much for making such unique content!
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  36. I do really love this in-depth sociological/anthropological videos of Yours way more than these from before. A Brand New Level, Huge development. Don't get me wrong, they are awesome in their own way, but sort of difficult to compete on YouTube in an overused, cliche'd niche, especially on a quite worn topics. Thanks for hard work. Keep up, great job!
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  37. Backed your Indiegogo campaign the moment the video finished. Will be supporting your work Greg all the way!
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  38. My favorite part was the ending 😂 thank you Greg — we really couldn’t go anywhere outdoors when we filmed this so doing this episode with everyone was the event of the week for us! Stay safe everyone 😺
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  39. This is such a moving piece, Greg couldn’t have have chosen a better filmmaking style to convey Sakai-san’s story. A lot of content about Japan tend to lament the disappearance of old, traditional establishments. But here we get an idea why that happens. Hearing that some of his customers spend hours in his sento because they’re lonely t home really hit me.
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  40. I wouldn't say I'm good in Japanese, but I have experience of studying varying languages in different ways. I'm from Poland, lived in the UK for over half my life and learned French in secondary (middle) school as a mandatory subject. The classroom environment never worked for me; repetition, memorisation and strict learning of grammatical rules produces weak results. I remember about 20 words from French after 5 years of learning. To compare I learned English in one year, became fluent in three, all thanks to integration into society and a personal tutor to lay a foundation and set the frames. But that's when I lived in the county of which I was learning the language, not many people have that option without considerable risk. With Japanese I had the same problem Jess mentioned; it's hard to keep motivated by yourself. I dropped learning it for the sake of Swedish with the dream of moving there within two years and found a website (or free app) called Duolingo. What would you know: they also have Japanese! It quickly teaches how to build sentences, and slowly builds up vocabulary and grammar. You set your own pace, but it has daily targets and a clear structure to help with the motivation. There's a discussion forum for help if you need it. Duolingo can help you with basics. For Kanji I suggest "Kanji Look and Learn Workbook" from Genki Plus, work through it at your own pace at the same time. Once you feel comfortable in the basics and wish to test your understanding, Youtube channel Fantajikan has children's stories to develop listening/reading/kanji comprehension. With time move to watching Japanese TV/shows/anime and reading things such as "Parallel text short stories in Japanese". Also get Japanese Microsoft IME for typing. Rikaikun chrome extension can help you with kanji in a web browser; it's a dictionary. It's definitely a good idea to use the online language connect websites down the line (or have a Japanese native as a friend) but I never had the courage hence the reason my Japanese never got above 'ok-ish'. I hope this is of help for some people. Good luck with your learning. And as always thank you for an insightful video, Greg. ; )
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  41. Good to see this coming over to LWIF! This is a personal favorite!
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  42. This is super interesting for me, I also have a 4 Yr old half Japanese daughter. We live in New Zealand, but she primarily speaks Japanese. We have lots of Japanese friends with Japanese kids (half and full) who also speak Japanese, even several of her daycare friends. We hope she can keep the language, and that she can live in Japan at some point. It's also interesting learning about aspects (even the ugly aspects) of Japanese history and culture, much of which my wife never learned growing up in Shimane. Much of what is discussed in this documentary is new to her. I also just finished the first series of Pachinko, an amazing show exploring zainichi culture and history. In terms of Ainu and Ryukyu, there are lots of parallels with Maori experiences in New Zealand-up until the 60s Maori were not allowed to speak Maori, and the culture was suppressed. I'm part Maori (my name is Maori) so my daughter also carries this cultural heritage with her, and we hope she can also learn the language and culture. Thanks for helping us learn more of this. We're at a really interesting point in human history, where there is more and more a western centric universal culture, so pride in our heritage is becoming more and more important. Also, just rebooked our holiday we had to cancel in March 2020, I can't wait to be back in Izumo. I love Japan and Japanese culture, but I also have balanced view, including the positive and negative aspects of the conformist/community-rules focussed social culture.
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  43. This is truly a masterpiece. I hope this will open doors and discussions about the fact that while traditions and customs are very important but we are living in the XXI. century. Excluding valuable people from a society (or not accepting them as one of them) will only make that very society weaker. Thank you for this.
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  44. Last time I was in Japan, reliably declining plastic bags in konbinis (with limited Japanese skills) was a surprisingly challenging task. Glad to hear itʼs easier now ^^
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  45. "I'm not an expert", yet your videos have helped me educate my friends and co-workers on how flawed our recycling system is in the United States compared to how it is in Japan and I even have helped them get a better eye for identification and sorting based on my inspiration from the Japanese- and your videos have been a part of this. Great job, man.
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  46. Another great video, Greg. The thoroughness and cited sources make it come off as well researched. I'm of the same opinion as you, where plastic is a VERY nuanced discussion. I try to do my best with not creating waste, but there are times when I just throw a plastic container in the trash because the amount of hot water and soap I would need to clean it seems worse than the plastic itself. People always say glass is better, but like your video mentions, it costs more energy to make, transport and clean, than a feather light plastic bottle. Similar story with cotton bags/totes vs plastic, you'd need to use your cotton bag several thousand times for it cause less environmental harm than plastic bags. Its an extremely complicated situation. And while plastic is 'bad', its also a super material, cheap, light, waterproof, can be hard or soft, durable or delicate. My opinion is that plastic isnt truly the issue, but energy is. With enough energy alternative options like glass and aluminum make more sense, and plastics can easily be removed from the environment and properly processed. But obviously getting an abundance of energy would solve a ton of problems, and getting there through renewables isnt an easy feat. Unfortunately I dont think this video will do well on Youtube. It starts with the misconceptions of Japans plastic use, but deviates into recycling and plastic as a whole. Its a 10/10 video about plastic and recycling, but I fear that the subject isn't a popular one, unless you're a channel like Kurzgesagt. But even if it doesnt do well, I hope you're able to be happy that you made a high quality educational video.
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  47. I’ve been living in Kyoto for four years now and have been wondering about Japan’s homelessness for some time. I didn’t realize there were homeless in Kyoto until I looked closer that sometimes there are men (usually elderly) walking/riding bicycle with packs of plastic bags which you can tell that they have used it for a long time. The next was when I found those cardboard boxes houses under the bridge —they were gone few weeks after, perhaps relocated by the local government... I’d like to thank you so much for making this series -it helps me to understand aspects in Japan social life through homelessness. It encourages me to learn further, especially by comparing how it is in Japan and in my home country. Again, thank you for the good work!!
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  48. Japan 0:00-17:51
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  49. Bro, thank you so much for your reporting on the Philippines. The subject matter is something rarely shown in travelog shows where the usual focus is on the touristy, Western-influenced aspects of the country. I am an immigrant Filipino who has lived most of his life in the United States and rarely get to see this type of view on youTube of my mother country. I am touched by your reporting and hope you continue to do this level of detail and curiosity in all of your future work. I hope the families that you interviewed are doing well and perhaps more reporting on this country in the future will keep us updated on how they are. BTW, I am impressed by your previous reporting on the 'homelessness' question in Japan. It was informative and again, something that is rarely shown on youTube. Keep up the good work! Have a nice day.
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  50. We had an interesting experience with the noise situation when we moved in here. Our daughter was running around the empty rooms before we moved in properly, and the downstairs neighbour came up, thunderous face, to complain. When we opened the door, she took one look at us, and broke out smiling, saying that it was nothing to worry about, and we've had no complaints from her in the nine years since. I suspect that the people in here before us were not the best neighbours, and she was really happy they'd gone. (The people here before us were majority Japanese.) On the other hand, my wife did insist on paying to put a soundproof floor down in the living room. That wasn't cheap. Noise really is an issue here.
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