Good news!
After an arduous process involving a staggering amount of documents and a tedious hour-long seminar containing an "educational" video featuring numerous poorly staged car crashes, I finally have my Japanese driving license back.
With my newfound superpowers, I intend to make the journey across two mountain ranges to get Natsuki in our live Patreon han...
Ironically, given that I spend half my life on the internet, I often forget how bloody spectacular it can be - desensitised to the wonders of the world wide web gradually over 29 years.
Today was an awesome reminder of its brilliance.
Yesterday, I was sitting in a Steak restaurant owned by my good friend Isao-san in a remote corne...
2019-09-18 14:30:06 +0000 UTC View Post
It's a Patreon vlog!
What have we got coming out this month? How has Patreon helped the Abroad in Japan channel? And where am I staying? All the answers lie within the vlog!
Watch: https://youtu.be/BvZ8T7SfHIw
I hope you're all having a great weekend guys - just a quick note, ...
Hey guys,
I hope you've all had a great week so far!
So it's been a record breaking month in August in terms of releases, with 5 new videos this month alone, and no signs of stopping going into September, with another 4 exciting videos in the works.
Tonight just saw the release of a "12 Things You Should Know Before Coming to Japan" featuring good old Pete Dona...
I've missed him and I'm sure you've missed him too. Natsuki is back for this month's Patreon live hangout!
I haven't seen Natsuki since the late June so I can't wait to catch up with him over the weekend and hangout with you guys live for the hour.
We'll be talking about upcoming September projects, answering your questions, beat boxing and rapping our wa...
Hey guys,
I hope you've all had a great week so far!
I've just arrived safely back in Japan, ready to get stuck into a busy few weeks of filming and editing. September is promising to be a blockbuster month and I feel rejuvenated and ready to throw myself into the madness.
Actually that's a lie. I feel jet-lagged to fuck and I look like I've spent 24 hours in ...
Hey guys,
I hope you've all had a great week so far!
So in this week's Patreon Vlog, I discuss whether I’m tired of Japan after 7 years, the FIVE things I want to do in Japan that I’ve not yet done, an amazing film you need to watch, the grand plan for new Abroad in Japan merchandise and a sneak peek of next week’s video.
► Watch:
2019-08-16 14:53:55 +0000 UTC
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6 years ago this week, I was stumbling down a street in rural Japan at 11pm, when I bumped into a slightly drunk and incredibly enthusiastic Japanese guy, who was strolling back home after his birthday celebrations.
In the heat of the moment, he invited me for a spontaneous late night karaoke session, and we've been close friends ever since.
Loved by t...
2019-08-11 00:51:37 +0000 UTC View Post
2,000km.
28 episodes.
11.4 million views.
6.7 billion hours spent editing.
The most comprehensive Japan travel series on Youtube. In fact, probably the most comprehensive Japan travel series EVER (unless you can prove me otherwise).
And it’s finally over.
I know right? I can’t believe it either.
...
2019-08-06 16:55:49 +0000 UTC View Post
Hey guys,
I hope you're all having a great week so far.
So we have a new video released today featuring Ryotaro at the top of his game, churning out bizarre phrases and expressions worthy of t-shirt designs. My favourite was undoubtedly his random exclamation of “Discovery!” during the opening minutes of the video.
Today I’d planned to relea...
2019-08-01 00:13:30 +0000 UTC View Post
Hey guys,
Just quickly, this month's hangout starts in 10 minutes! For those of you that can't make it, it'll be available to watch after.
Hope to see you there,
Chris
Forgive me for that awful artwork above - but I realised the only decent photo I had of Chiaki was in the thumbnail for our last video "How to Date Japanese Girls" from 2015.
An exciting guest for this month's live show though folks! I imagine at least half of you may have seen our video from 3.5 years ago, where I interrogated my good friend Chiaki from Okinawa on the secrets to...
Hey guys,
I hope you’ve all had a great week so far.
So today I come before you with something a bit different; yesterday Pete and I sat down to record three Abroad in Japan Podcast episodes in London, and on a whim I decided to film it (and mix it with the podcast audio recording) to give you a peek behind the scenes to see how they’re made.
Listeners oft...
2019-07-25 20:55:28 +0000 UTC View Post
"VIDEOS LIKE A PARTY" reads the headline on Japan's biggest newspaper, the Yomiuri Shinbun.
Below the headline, is a large photo of me filming myself, whilst standing alone in the middle of a road.
"Videos like a party".
Filming myself.
"Videos like a party"
Alone in the middle of a road.
Until last week, when it came to the phrase “cultural appropriation”, I could confidently explain everything cultural appropriation is not, yet paradoxically struggle to explain what it is.
The phrase “cultural appropriation” gets thrown around so much these days, that I often find most people upon hearing it, tend to shake their heads in disagreement and express frustration upon ...
2019-07-05 08:09:23 +0000 UTC View Post
WHICH 6 countries does Natsuki want to visit for his upcoming Youtube series?
WHAT will he do when he gets there?
WHY doesn't he want to stop smoking?
CAN Natsuki cook?
And HOW did it feel to be in a magnitude 6.5 earthquake?
These are just some of the things we covered in this month's live show, along with dozens of questions sent in by you guys - we also di...
Hey guys,
Hope you've all had a great weekend so far!
So I'm pleased to announce we've managed to grab Natsuki for this month's live show! (Unless another bloody earthquake pops up and screw it all up!)
It'll be on Monday 24th June (tomorrow) and we'll be streaming live from Tokyo! I apologise for the short notice - when it comes to Natsuki, we really are ...
2019-06-23 13:21:04 +0000 UTC View Post
Hey guys,
I hope you’ve all been having a great week so far - first off, as you may have heard there was a nasty earthquake yesterday just off the coast of Yamagata, where I used to live and essentially on Natsuki’s door step.
It was fairly large as earthquakes go - about a 6.5 magnitude earthquake - which led to a tsunami warning. Luckily, it ...
Hey guys, I hope you’re all having a pleasant weekend so far!
I recently went out for lunch and some drone practice with Risottoro (the man not the dish), and decided on the spur of the moment to film it (using the iPhone).
Have a watch and come along for the afternoon:
► Watch Lunch with Rissotoro:
2019-06-09 01:48:20 +0000 UTC
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Hey guys,
I hope you're all having a great weekend - with any luck it's about to get a lot better.
The long journey to making Natsuki truly famous once more officially begins from today and you've got front row tickets to experiencing it all unfold.
I come before you today on the anniversary of the release of Natsuki: The Movie with a new Patreon vlog, ...
Hey guys,
So not only am I pleased to announce this month's Ask Abroad Hangout on Monday 27th, but also that we have a special guest - a blast from the past who newer viewers of Abroad in Japan may not recognise, but someone who was - at one point - something of an unofficial cast member of the channel.
It is of course Regan the Vegan (clever 'cos it rhymes)...
Hey guys,
It may sound like an ominous clickbait title that'll destroy us all, but if you're coming to Japan I want to make sure this doesn't happen to any of you, as it's fucking dreadful.
So last week we did a Podcast discussing scams in Tokyo, as there was a recent surge in activity in areas such as Akihabara. Most notably some foreign tourists were wandering t...
Hey guys,
I hope you’ve all had a great weekend.
So we have a new Patreon vlog out today focussing on accommodation/where to stay in Japan. It answers all the big questions such as:
Hey guys!
So this is it; TODAY IS THE DAY the Abroad in Japan Patreon has finally integrated DISCORD.
For everyone who knows what Discord is, you’ll likely be delighted and relieved that months of repeatedly poking and prodding me to launch a Discord has finally led me to do it.
For everyone that doesn...
2019-05-10 16:33:25 +0000 UTC View Post
Hey guys,
I hope you all had a great weekend!
So I’m currently in the midst of producing this week’s Patreon vlog, which is dedicated to accommodation in Japan as I recently stayed in an Airbnb in Tokyo (something I rarely do).
I've always had my reservations with Airbnb in Japan after a rocky few years, and it certainly didn't help that the last time...
Hey guys,
Hope you're all having a great week so far - I'm pleased to announce the date for this week's live hangout, which will be this Saturday 27th (22:00 Japan time).
I'll be broadcasting from Tokyo and discussing some exciting upcoming projects, my rapidly forming plans to give Natsuki another desperate shot at stardom, and of course, answeri...
Hey guys,
Hope you all had a great weekend! First off many thanks for the birthday wishes I received over various messages and posts.
Admittedly, I’m not really the sort of person that celebrates birthdays these days.
I remember my whole life all I ever wanted to be was 21, and once I’d passed it, I got less and less enthusiastic about each year as I realised I ...
Hey guys,
I hope you’ve all had a great week!
So it dawned on me today that this week marks the ten year anniversary since a life changing event that led me on my pathway to move to Japan and steered me down a course I could never have anticipated I’d take.
Ten years ago this week, I was an 18 year old with big dreams, a lack of direction and a face absolutel...
2019-04-12 17:17:32 +0000 UTC View Post
Hey guys,
I hope you've all had a great start to the week so far!
So I come before you with another Patreon vlog; this weekend I stayed with Natsuki at a Ryokan (a traditional Japanese Inn) for an early birthday celebration.
In the vlog, I invite you to join us, as we watch Natsuki create a new life-form in a hot spring, and nearly destroy a room and shred pric...
Hey guys!
I hope you've had yourself a pleasant weekend.
So I've finally escaped the chaotic clutches of Tokyo and have arrived in rural Yamagata to catch up with Natsuki for a few days.
The video is now up! You can watch the vlog of my journey here with a brief cameo from Natsuki and his mouthwatering cheesy chicken dish:
► Watch <...