Comments by "Jordan, inside-outsider in Japan" (@Jordan-inJapan) on "Abroad in Japan" channel.

  1. And while we’re on the topic… A little advice for food travellers in Japan. There are a lot of intriguing little independent sushi places around. And while they are sometimes amazing, they often don’t have a price (clearly) displayed, and you can find yourself stuck with a 10,000¥ bill unexpectedly. So if you’re not a local, it’s usually safest to stick to the chain restaurants OR if you have the budget, well-established places like the one in this video. KP!
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  2. I had been considering buying an old house in my area, but my wife (who is Japanese) said “absolutely not”. So we ended up building a new house instead. Can’t say I regret it at this point. (Of course it costs more to build a new place, but land is pretty cheap rural Japan. And then there are those zero interest bank loans… 😆)
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  3. Gotta love these seaside Japanese markets. No scams, no haggling; just honest, friendly vendors, fresh seafood, and chocolate bananas.
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  4. Exactly! This has been the bane of my existence for the 20 years I’ve lived in Japan. Luckily for me I work in schools here...so everyone is just, “SENSEI”.
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  5. Fresh wasabi is a COMPLETELY different thing than the stuff in the tubes. A bit hard to to get your hands on, but if you have the chance I definitely recommend you try it.
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  6. “Land of opportunity”. Haha, yyyess as an English teacher of 20 years this one rings true in a painfully personal way. It’s lucky I actually enjoy teaching, cause my salary is actually slightly lower now than it was when I first started. (Hmmm... Maybe I can make it as a YouTuber, instead... 😆)
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  7. The timing of this video is interesting… Just a few weeks ago, there was a shocking incident where some jerks uploaded videos of themselves licking the soy sauce dispensers and just generally behaving in an unhygienic manner in another SushiRo restaurant. Initial public reaction was for people to freak out and stop going out for sushi (as much), but since then many others have been showing their support for the industry by eating going out for sushi even more — especially to SushiRo since they got hit the worst image-wise. So I’m wondering if the timing of this video is just coincidental, or are Chris and Ryotaro making a statement and Standing in Soidarity with Sushi?
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  8. Chris: “In rural Japan, you never know what you’re going to find around the next corner.” Me (true story): Last night, I’m driving home from a local event which happens to take place in the mountains in a rural area. (I live in Mie Prefecture in central Japan.) Anyway, I’m driving on a road I haven’t used before, and it’s dark and I’m getting a little bit nervous whether my ‘navi’ is sending me astray, and I come around a corner and there... looming up out of the darkness just ahead WAS A MASSIVE, HEADLESS WINGED FIGURE (Nike of Samothrace in fact). Like, 100m tall or something. So naturally (after my initial feeling of terror subsided) I thought of Chris’ recent ‘horror film’ with the creepy statutes in the dark. (And then I think, I wonder when his new video’s coming out. And here it is!) But yeah, rural Japan is quirky and awesome.
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  9. Chris, I’m really glad to see you’re sticking with your plan of introducing lesser-travelled regions of Japan. I mean, I’ve lived in this country even longer than you (20 years!) and I still haven’t made it up to the Tohoku area. That said, I live in one of those ‘lesser-travelled’ areas myself (Mie Prefecture) and I certainly have explored THIS area quite a bit. (I’ve been working on a ‘lesser-travelled’ video of my own, but that’s another story.) Anyway, keep up the inspirational work and I’m looking forward to that video series! 🍻
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  10. That was painful to watch. 😂 For those of you who are or will be in Japan and are looking for an ‘eating challenge that can be done anywhere, check out the Coco Ichiban curry chain. If you can finish the super big size of their spiciest curry, it’s free. (I tried, years ago, and failed. Miserably.)
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  11.  @shiromochi-kun  The house itself it’s mostly modern, but we had it built by a local carpenter who uses a traditional approach to building. It was a fascinating process. (Which I video blogged, if you’re interested.) 🍻
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  12. OK, that guy clearly had a rough ride. But as someone who has English in Japan for more than 20 years, I just thought I’d share some of my own experience now, for the benefit of anyone who may actually be considering moving here… First of all, a lot of it obviously comes down to the situation you find yourself in. You might have bad luck of course. Generally speaking the pay is decent, especially if it’s your first job and you don’t have any dependents. I should mention though that English teacher salaries DON’T really increase with experience or time. (And transitioning to another line of work in Japan isn’t easy either.) The work situation is also really different depending whether you work at a private conversation school, as a dispatch company ALT, or JET ALT. The latter is definitely the cushiest option, but hard to get into. Anyway, I’ve done all of those, so If anyone has any specific questions, I’d be happy to answer. 🍻
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  13. Bronson Wally If you’re in a popular tourist area in Tokyo (etc), then most restaurants will have at least some English on the menus. (Maybe not those smaller places, though.) If you’re in a small town or more rural area, it gets a bit harder to find English translations. But the big, 100¥ sushi chain restaurants are always a safe bet.
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  14.  @lewisnorden3744  I guess it can be. But here in Japan we generally try to avoid ‘conflict’ in any form. (It’s possible I’ve been here too long... 😆)
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  15. To call Chris a “YouTuber” at this point is like calling Doraemon a cat... I mean, accurate in a sense but kind of missing the point. (Natsuki is... Nobuta?) Seriously though, this is filmmaking, not YouTubing.
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  16. Aeneas Yeah, I tried to remember students’ names for the first couple of years...and then realized the futility of that and just basically gave up. Where were you teaching, btw?
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  17. “The amount of foreigners I know who live in Tokyo and don’t have any Japanese friends is astonishing.” Maybe because they live in Tokyo?? 😆 There definitely is some variation around different areas of Japan in how much people actually ‘keep their thoughts to themselves’. And in my experience (20 years!) living in a rural community, people definitely will accept you as a full-fledged community member and even friend if you’re willing to play by the rules and put in the time. (Quite a LOT of time, I admit.) That said, this is excellent and surprisingly accurately cultural information from Chris. Nice work. 🍻
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  18. Info for beer people! Nagano Prefecture is also home to one of Japan’s best breweries: Yo-Ho brewing. These guys make absolutely delicious beer, including an IPA (Indo no Ao Oni) that rivals anything else out there. So if I’ m in Nagano, that’s where I’m headed! (let’s just say that I won’t be drinking ‘Asahi Superdry’ if I can help it. :-) KP 🍻
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  19. MacArena 1. Take a step towards the student in question while gesturing and maintaining eye contact. 2. If that still doesn’t work, I ask, “what’s you’re name?” Because hey, it’s an English class...maybe I’m just quizzing them. ;-)(this is my strategy for Middleschool kids, anyway.)
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  20. Yeah, the cult thing is real…I’ve been approached by sparkling-eyed individuals more than a few time over my 20+ years in this country. That said, I don’t want anyone to lose out on any potential great cultural experiences because of a fear of cults. Most Buddhist sects are actually quite secular here in Japan, and are not interested in ‘converting’ you. I once joined a zazen meditation session once that was really interesting and not ‘culty’ at all. (I didn’t go back though, mostly because it hurt my legs too much. 😂) Closing words: use your sense. If something feels weird or scammy, it probably is.
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  21. If anyone wants to try... uh, ‘wild, local meat’ when you’re visiting Japan, look for the word ジビエ (Gibier) on restaurant signs. Pretty much any mountain village in here hunts and eats whatever large animals wander into there farms. (We draw the line at monkeys, though.)
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  22. Beautiful work, Chris. And I appreciated the ‘majime’ vibe on this one. AND a note for BEER people: look up Spring Valley Brewing. They’ve turned one of these gorgeous old places into a brew pub, and it’s definitely worth checking out next time you’re in town. 🍻
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  23. Also should be mentioned: convenience store coffee in Japan is great too. 7-11 and FamilyMart tired for first. The flavor is pretty much as good as major coffee chains but it only costs and only 100¥. (Stopped going to Starbucks years ago.)
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  24. Excellent list Chris. In the 20 years I’ve lived here in Japan, I have made good use of most of these on multiple occasions. One more to add, for those in the Nagoya sphere of influence, is Komeda Coffee. Well-loved by older Japanese, this Nagoya based establishment kind of a ‘coffee house’ themed family restaurant, serving not-that-tasty coffee BUT reasonably priced and tasty sandwiches and desserts. (I live in Mie-prefecture, and they’re everywhere.) Oh and the “Morning Set” is super cheap, and a good introduction to Nagoya breakfast culture. 🍞 🥚 ☕️
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  25. So how many people have now added Kyushu to your list of places to visit after the pandemic winds down? And a note for BEER people (because I can’t help it): if you ever do make it to Kumamoto City, be sure to check out Brewery KAEN. I haven’t made the journey myself yet (5 hours by train), but their beer is good, and a local friend has assured me it’s well worth a visit. (Okay, you might want to visit Kumamoto Castle too, it’s also pretty awesome.) 🍻
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  26. Oh yeah, Chris has serious skills. I catch myself taking mental notes every time I watch one of his (recent) videos.
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  27. Haven’t you guys discovered any better Japanese beers yet?? Well, at least Natsuki’s got his pants back. That’s something. 🍻
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  28. Christmas for Japanese people is really just a light, colorful distraction in the lead up to the main event of the season — Oshogatsu (New Years). There is no interest in getting it ‘right’... it makes a good excuse to spend some money and maybe have a ‘cake & chicken’ party with family or head out to a restaurant with someone special... and then we get back to the important work of prepping for the festivities and rituals that take place over the first week of the new year. And interestingly, New Years’ here feels a lot like Christmas does (did) back in Canada, where I’m originally from.
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  29. I guess if you have a normal, full time job, you probably have a pretty solid morning routine. If not, you probably don’t.
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  30. And so the journey comes to an end. お疲れさまでした！So much fun, and visually beautiful... but for some reason, it didn’t really FEEL like the same Japan I live in... like Japan was just kind of a backdrop for Chris and his friends’ antics? Not that I’m complaining, this series was one of the most entertaining things I’ve seen on YouTube this year. Thanks for the laughs, Chris. I think we all needed them! Also, as a fellow Japan YouTuber, you have seriously inspired me to step up my game. (If only I could decide which direction to take my channel... suggestions or advice welcome.) 🍻
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  31. Once, in my first year in Japan, I was invited to a ‘zazan meditation session.’ (Not by a random stranger, but a friend of one of my students). It ended up being a really interesting and valuable cultural experience, and not ‘culty’ at all. I just wanted to mention this experience so people don’t thing this kind of thing is always a scam or trap. Japan has a lot to offer in the way of perspectives on spirituality, and it would be a waste to close our minds to this out of fear. Basically, use your sense. If something feels weird or scammy, it probably is.
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  32. Well, now I’ll have to watch it... if only to see what happened to Natsuki’s pants.
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  33. Look, they’re not REALLY that terrible. I’ve tried them once, and while I wouldn’t go out of my way to eat them again, ‘hornet children’ are not as bad as everyone is making them out to be. (Old people here actually seem to like them!) 😆
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  34.  @danielfisher417  Well, thanks for clearing that up. 🍻
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  35. I could only find two things in common between Chris’ day in Japan and my own: Jizo statues and camembert cheese. (same brand!) Maybe it’s because I live in a rural area…but more likely its because I have kids and a job besides ‘YouTubing’. 😆 Anyway, entertaining as usual!
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  36. Ah! You guys must be in British Village in Shuzenji Nature Park. I’ve been there — years ago (I assumed it had gone bankrupt!). Right next to it, is Canadian village, which, while not quite as ‘impressive’, is possibly more stereotyped and hilarious than its British counterpart. Think: Grizzly bears and totem poles. It was amazing.
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  37. Hidden City? The perfect spot for travel during a pandemic! Social distancing is easy.
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  38. Well, I’m admittedly not as entertaining as Chris, but I do make videos on a range of topics that you don’t see much in the ‘Japan vlogsphere’. Check some out if you’re interested. 🍻
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  39. Me before watching this video: Stop whining Chris, you have 2 million subs. Me after watching this video: Thank you, Chris. Thank you. 😂
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  40. Why did I watch this? Ishigaki Island was probably my favorite place in the world. It has this unique, peaceful energy that always made me feel calm and whole. It was actually something close to sacred ground for me. And now… I’ll always associate it with this… 😂
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  41.  @norasyikinali6283  And if you have a dog that needs to be walked and kids who need to be fed and sent to school etc, then you probably have a REALLY solid morning routine… but then you’re probably too busy to be video-blogging it! 😆
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  42.  @megand6233  Exactly.
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  43. Long-term foreign resident in Japan here. I basically agree with Chris’ ‘hate’ items, but I just wanted to say something in defense of rural living (which Chris lamely used as an excuse for his Hostess club and gambling habits). Most of my 20 years in this country has been in rural or ‘semi-rural’ areas and I never run out of things to do. In that first ‘lonely’ year, for example, with limited language skills and without English-speaking friends nearby, I joined a local Taiko drumming group. This has the effect of pulling me into Japanese culture in a way that I probably couldn’t have experienced in a big city. Also, having extra time for activities like reading and cycling isn’t a bad thing. (Or creative projects like music or… even video making. 🍻)
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  44. #7 Check out a brewpub. (Japan has a lot of great craft beer. Just saying.)
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  45. OK, yes that was hysterical. But dude, you have 2 MILLION subscribers. I think it comes with the territory.
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  46. How to get from Tokyo to Tottori… Chris: first class sleeper train, please. Me: what’s the cheapest way? OK, well how much would I save if I jog down the line a bit and catch the train from the next station?
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  47. Nice work. It sounds like a close call! 😅 But I just want to share my own experience as well… Once, in my first year in Japan, I was invited to a ‘zazan meditation session.’ (Not by a random stranger, but a friend of one of my students). It ended up being a really interesting and valuable cultural experience, and not ‘culty’ at all. I just wanted to mention this experience so people don’t thing this kind of thing is always a scam or trap. Japan has a lot to offer in the way of perspectives on spirituality, and it would be a waste to close our minds to this out of fear. Basically, use your sense. If something feels weird or scammy, it probably is. 🍻
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  48. Maybe Natsuki is an “outsider” in his own way. 🤔
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  49. That looked tasty. But if I was going to drop 2000¥ at a market in Sendai it would probably be “Craft Beer Market.” (Look it up if you’re in the area.) OK, fine. maybe one then the other...
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  50. Ah ‘Konbini’ snacks, the bane of my existence. But Chris, I think you need to report back about that ‘sleep chocolate’. I’ve always assumed it’s kind of a scam but I’m still really curious. Let us know if it works!
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