Comments by "Jordan, inside-outsider in Japan" (@Jordan-inJapan) on "Life Where I'm From" channel.

  1. Gorgeous video, Greg. You really captured the tranquil Japanese ‘onsen experience’ well. I’ve been to some great onsens too...but nothing like the one you guys went to in this video. Wow. Anyway, I highly recommend this natural and cultural experience to any travellers to Japan. (just watch those hydrogen sulphide fumes. 😆)
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  2. People go to a place like that for the experience. There’s a certain look and feeling that those places have. In my family’s case it’s like, “what are we gonna do this weekend? Hey, why don’t we head out to that old pottery village?” Get there in the late morning, wander around a bit, get lunch at some cool little cafe or soba shop, wander some more, take pictures, do a little shopping, buy some souvenirs... a nice way to spend a Saturday.
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  3. I’ve been waiting for this one!! A fascinating but controversial topic…and a perfect one for a sensitive ‘inside-outsider’ like Greg to tackle. Here we go..!
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  4.  @carkod  Rotating duties. Each household takes turns being in charge of varies things (cleaning, but also recycle station, fire brigade, area representative, etc.) according to a pre-decided order. It’s a bit of a pain when it’s your turn, but the overall result is good. (Some foreign resident manage to get out of their responsibilities…but then they’re not really accepted as full ‘community members’. )
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  5.  @LifeWhereImFrom  Yeah, it looked like a lot of fun!
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  6. Great video. I like how you draw together both the cultural and administrative reasons for ‘cleanliness’ in Japan. And the unexpected appearance by Mr. Chart at the end there. 😆
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  7. An interesting note from history/mythology... Saga prefecture is one of the two possible locations for the original “Yamatai Empire”, the domain of Sorceress-Empress Himiko — look it up if you don’t know, it’s fascinating stuff! (The other probable location is in or near Nara, the area where I live. Of course, we think our claim is stronger. 😆)
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  8.  @LifeWhereImFrom  Yeah, actually I’ve always thought that your kids’ appearance in your videos seemed natural, Greg. Not scripted or strategical to get more views or anything like that. They’re just there because, hey, that’s your life. Well done. 👍
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  9.  @shiromochi-kun  Yes! When I have time, I often extend my commute home from work to pass through a local mountain village. And exploring the local area by bike is one of my favorite day-off activities. 🚴
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  10. Agreed on all all accounts! Unagi… a bit higher-end so the situation could be quite different. (But something I’d be interested in as well.)
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  11.  @Automedon2  I’ve never seen anything like that where I live, but it sounds really cool.
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  12. Well, you’d be hard-pressed to find a Japanese home that doesn’t have kimchi in the fridge. (We certainly do!)
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  13.  @ValentinaMitchell1  This area is not as ‘flashy’ as the big cities are, but it has a special connection with old-Japan and the roots of modern Japanese culture. Actually, made a video about my own castle town a couple of years back. It’s a bit embarrassing to post after Greg’s masterpiece, but it gives some insight into the culture of cherry-blossom appreciation that you might not see elsewhere. Check it out if you’re interested! https://youtu.be/vnJm1wr0FzA
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  14. And you thought it wouldn’t be controversial. 😂 But seriously, I’m really glad you made this, Greg. Honestly I think it’s a question that an ‘outsider’ such as yourself can answer BETTER than a Japanese person — especially someone who has never left the country and hasn’t gained an outside perspective. Anyway I’m looking forward to watching it! (But waiting for the Vimeo on demand release…)
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  15.  @OfficiallyErling  Well, since I make it regularly, I guess I can say that I cook ‘Japanese food’ at home.?
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  16.  @JHaven-lg7lj  Yeah, making it fit with the local character would be really important. Doing something like that has actually been one of my dreams for the last few years. I’ve been honing my home-brew skills, trying to make connections with brewers, etc, but it does involve a sizable financial investment, so I’m taking it slow and carefully. Current plan: 1. build up a YouTube channel/community of beer + Japan interested people. 2. Start a crowdfunding campaign… wish me luck! 😆
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  17.  @LifeWhereImFrom  Yeah, maybe it’s a Canadian thing, but I almost always just default to cereal for breakfast. I usually serve the leftovers to my kids, over rice, topped with cheese to hide the ‘leftoveryness’. (I TRIED introducing the cereal thing to them as well, but it just doesn’t seem to work over here. Mom’s influence..?)
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  18. I figure the story will come out eventually.
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  19. Ouch. But, yeah that’s just how things are. My mother’s side of the family: Scottish and British. My dads’ side: Ukrainian and German. (In both cases one country’s military did horrific things to the other.) And somehow I’m here in the world, and without hate. (And living in Japan, some reason.) We just move forward.
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  20. Nice idea! There are so many local, seasonal festivals here. And farmers’ markets too! (Well, I live in a rural area, so maybe more here than Tokyo.) Anyway, those festivals are a lot of fun and get everyone in the community together. In fact they are one of the things I enjoy most about living here…COVID-19 has taken a bit of a toll on the scene, but things are slowly staring to normalize again. (I actually made a little video on that topic, if anyone is interested I’ll post a link.)
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  21. Ayesha Nasir That’s why I can’t leave. :-)
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  22.  @pengajianrutin540  😂
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  23.  @afcgeo882  Capital, mainly. It does require a substantial investment! But also, a sense of loyalty, at least in some cases. There’s a very old tradition here defining the relationship between master and apprentice — not specifically for ramen but any skilled trade or art. You don’t just walk away when you’ve obtained the desired skills. There’s a typical dramatic scene where the apprentice very emotionally asks for permission to break away and set up on his/her own. The master may ask the apprentice to ‘wait’, and he/she is expected to oblige. (I admit though, I’m getting this from old ‘TV dramas’ and it may not apply to the real world here anymore. 😆)
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  24.  @user-no2mz9hl4f  Agreed. 😅
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  25.  @Nuvendil  So the result is that Tokyo grew freely to become the amazing city it was destined to be. My cities (I live on the border between two of them) on the other hand are forever frozen in time as castle towns where change isn’t really considered an option. But I’m not complaining!
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  26.  @menpee  Well, I was trying not to be negative. But yes.
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  27.  @LybertyZ  I should be holding out for a better deal..?
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  28. Agreed. I should mention though that in my circle of acquaintances in Japan, it’s about 50-50 as for who does most of the food prep. It’s interesting, because we imagine rural areas to be more traditional & conservative, but where I live in Mie prefecture men are generally more involved domestic life (especially cooking and raising children) than in metropolitan areas like Tokyo and Osaka. (There are various reasons for this which I won’t get into now.) In my family, I do most of the domestic work, since my wife works late every day. C’mon Greg, I know you’re busy with YouTubing, but maybe it’s time to step up a bit? 😆
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  29.  @makaylarochelle  That makes sense. I guess, though, that expectations (by organizations) for ‘behavioral conformity’ are higher here. Well, I’m also a public employee in a small city, which may have an impact on my opinion. (We’re expected to represent the ‘pro-social values’ of the organization at all times. It can get tiring...) 😆
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  30. Haha, I know. Back where we’re originally from (western Canada), we don’t really have ‘fashion’... (or was it just me?) 😆
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  31.  @missplainjane3905  Internet speeds are basically fast anywhere in Japan, unless you’re somewhere REALLY isolated. The only time I’ve had issues was when I was camping in the mountains.
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  32.  @LifeWhereImFrom  I know, it really SHOULDN'T be controversial. But then you and I are from a multicultural country where a having complex identity is pretty normal. Story: About 15 years ago, I was at a local sake festival, drinking with a jovial group of guys who just happened to be right-wing nationalists. (This kind of situation happens frequently for some reason.) Anyway, I made the mistake of making light of Japanese ethnic purity, and was set straight very quickly. "We are ONE race. Period. You are an outsider, so you don't need to understand. Have another drink!" Then I mentioned this incident to a Japanese friend and co-worker at school and he told me that "those types" are the reason they have to keep the location of major educational conferences secret -- the implication being that educators may face violence for promoting "anti-national" views of society and history. Anyway, I got the feeling that most Japanese people avoid going too deep into this particular question. Which is why I'm glad you are! Looking forward to watching the full documentary!!
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  33. Agreed.
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  34.  @iamthinking2252_  It just means a rural area, “countryside” etc. Sorry. English speakers who’ve lived in Japan for a long time start to use these kind of words like they’re English. 😆
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  35.  @hypothalapotamus5293  good observations and description of rural Japan! (You basically described the area I live in.)
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  36.  @DavidChart  ah, it seems my last reply got caught in Greg’s spam filter. (I should know better than to post links.) Anyway, I agree that it would be a good video topic. And since I’m currently building a new house, I decided to try it. (Parts 1 through 4 at this point). So, uh, feel free to browse if you’re interested, via my icon. <—
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  37. Interesting idea!
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  38.  @user-no2mz9hl4f  Agreed!!
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  39. Hahah I know, right? But I think it comes down to this: companies in other countries just see the bottom line and think that if a product is selling well enough, there’s no reason to waste money to change/improve it. Japanese companies, on the other hand, are focused on making the BEST product possible. They just trust that consumers are willing to pay a little more for something new and slightly better.
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  40.  @xueyang5967  Not trying to be disrespectful… 😂
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  41.  @davidarundel6187  They’re not considered “food grade”, so they’re almost never eaten in Japan. (Well, the crows love them. But as for humans, it’s basically just kids catching them for fun.)
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  42.  @sophritoh  Well, I don’t know if it’s any consolation, but the kids here generally catch them (crayfish, and also several kinds of large insects) to keep at ‘pets’. You can buy these portable aquarium-boxes and a favorite summer activity is going out hunting for something to put in it. They do their best to make a suitable habitat and keep their captives fed and ‘happy’. From the kids’ point of view at least, it is ‘nurturing’. And I guess they learn a lot in the process.
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  43.  @v1c4r10u5  My thoughts exactly. (Right down to the tortillas.) 🍻
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  44. You get used to it. 😆
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  45. “…just like in Vancouver and Toronto now.” 😂 Greg, I was thinking exactly the same thing as you said it.
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  46. What I serve my kids almost every morning for breakfast: last night’s leftovers on rice (microwaved) with cheese on top. Then what do I eat? Cereal.
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  47.  @southcoastinventors6583  I haven’t actually…which is strange because they’re made of the same thing and even at the same location sometimes! Boozy chocolate, on the other hand, is quite popular here. (You can get pretty decent rum or brandy tainted chocolate bars at the local コンビニ). I guess people tend to experiment less with traditional Japanese things than with more recent cultural traditions.
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  48.  @LifeWhereImFrom  Ah, THAT’s how you do it. 😆
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  49.  @commentarytalk1446  Thanks for the kind words! 😀
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  50.  @missplainjane3905  I assume you mean where I live now, in Japan. Mie prefecture has fairly mild winters…it usually doesn’t snow and the temperature doesn’t drop much below 0C. But since most houses here aren’t properly insulated, it can be almost the same temp inside and out! (This is why my family built a new home this year. Maybe you’ve already seen my videos about that..?)
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