Has Japan Gotten Worse in the Last 10 Years?
Summary
TLDRIn this entertaining script, the speaker humorously discusses their experiences and observations living in Japan. They share quirky finds from a 100-yen store, address the impact of negative stereotypes on foreign streamers, and reflect on the absurdity of a YouTuber becoming a political figure. Engaging in a Q&A session, they tackle questions about Japan's safety, the challenges of rural living, and the difficulties of filming in Japan. The script offers a blend of cultural insights, personal anecdotes, and a satirical take on life as a foreign content creator in Japan.
Takeaways
- 😄 The speaker has a humorous take on life in Japan, often using satire to comment on various aspects of Japanese culture and society.
- 🛍️ The speaker discusses their experience shopping at Daiso, a 100-yen store, and collecting Japanese-English marketing items, highlighting the fascination with English in Japan.
- 📦 The script mentions the trend of using English on products for marketing purposes in Japan, which is seen as a symbol of prestige and quality.
- 📚 The speaker humorously describes some of the English phrases found on products, such as a kitchen mat with a mistranslated phrase that sounds like a biblical verse.
- 🧴 The speaker shares their skepticism about certain skincare products, like one that sounds like a 'bio weapon' with a 'cocktail of needles and five vitamins'.
- 🗣️ The Q&A session addresses various topics, including the impact of bad streamers on the community, the influence of English on Japanese products, and the speaker's personal experiences and opinions.
- 🏙️ The speaker talks about the changes in Japan over the last decade, noting improvements in cities like Tokyo and Sendai, but also acknowledging the challenges faced by the countryside.
- 🌐 The script touches on the use of VPNs for internet security and accessing geo-restricted content, with a promotional mention of ExpressVPN.
- 🏠 The discussion includes the topic of cheap rural houses in Japan, cautioning against the romanticized idea of buying and living in them due to practical challenges.
- 🌋 The speaker comments on the safety of Japan, noting the low crime rates but acknowledging the risks and preparedness for natural disasters like earthquakes.
- 🎥 The script ends with the speaker's dream of creating a feature film in Japan, expressing the difficulties of filming in the country due to strict permissions and regulations.
Q & A
What is the significance of English on Japanese products according to the script?
-In Japan, English on products is associated with prestige and quality, which helps in marketing them, even though the reasons behind this association are not fully understood by the speaker.
What is the humorous translation on the kitchen mat found in the script?
-The kitchen mat has a humorous and nonsensical translation that reads 'cute rabbit and the universe is born from egg and it'll be heaven for the upper part of the body of a shell, and it shows that a lower part was a place', which the speaker likens to a twisted verse from the Bible.
What is the product that the speaker humorously describes as a 'bio weapon'?
-The speaker humorously refers to a skin cream as a 'bio weapon' due to its description as a 'fractional CC, targeting the areas of concern a cocktail of needles and five vitamins'.
What is the name of the skincare brand that the speaker mentions and what is the joke about it?
-The skincare brand mentioned is 'beg skin science', and the joke is that 'your skin will be begging you to avoid it', implying a play on words that suggests the brand might not be good for the skin.
What is the context of the Q&A session in the script?
-The Q&A session is the first and last of 2024 where the speaker answers questions from the audience about various topics including Japan, travel, YouTube, and personal experiences.
What incident involving a YouTuber and a rickshaw was mentioned in the script?
-The incident mentioned involved a YouTuber named 'Fus' who was caught, or rather, broadcasting himself riding a rickshaw without paying in his YouTube video.
How did the YouTuber 'Fus' transition from being a content creator to a political figure?
-Surprisingly, 'Fus' became a Member of the European Parliament for Cyprus just six months after the incident with the rickshaw, turning his influence as a content creator into tangible political power.
What is the speaker's morning routine for staying in shape?
-The speaker humorously describes a non-existent morning routine that starts at 4:00 a.m., involving a protein shake, 600 press-ups, meditation, and listening to a self-help podcast, but then admits to doing nothing and not being able to keep a routine.
What is the speaker's opinion on the idea of being a YouTuber?
-The speaker finds the idea of being a YouTuber to be somewhat narcissistic and self-important, and initially did not consider it as a viable career but rather as a stepping stone into the film industry.
What is the speaker's view on the current situation of the Japanese countryside?
-The speaker believes that the Japanese countryside is facing a decline with a significant drop in population and closure of shops, but maintains a high standard of living and a strong, stoic mindset to adapt to these challenges.
What is the 'nakasendo trail' and why is it recommended for a visit?
-The 'nakasendo trail' is a historical route in Gifu and Nagano, Japan, that the speaker recommends for its picturesque rural villages, traditional inns, and local fresh food, offering a rejuvenating and beautiful experience of the Japanese countryside.
Outlines
🛍️ Japanese Marketing and Product Curiosities
The speaker discusses their experience shopping at Daiso, a 100-yen store, and acquiring new items for their Japanese-English marketing collection. They highlight the Japanese tendency to use English on products for prestige and describe peculiar product names and descriptions, such as a skin cream that sounds like a bio weapon and a kitchen mat with a cryptic message. They also touch on the topic of bad streamers in Japan and share an anecdote about a YouTuber who became a member of the European Parliament, illustrating the unpredictable nature of influence and power.
🗼 Hidden Gems and Temples in Tokyo
The speaker shares their favorite hidden place in Tokyo, a shrine surrounded by skyscrapers and likened to a mini Kyoto Fushimi Inari Shrine. They describe the temple's unique location and the experience of visiting early in the morning for tranquility. They also mention the challenges of adopting a child in Japan and humorously deflect a request to adopt someone as their son.
🚴♂️ Cycle Across Japan and Unusual Encounters
The speaker recounts their journey across Japan via the Shimanami Kaido cycle route and an unusual encounter with a knowledgeable local fisherman in Onomichi. They describe the experience as potentially being filmed for a Japanese game show due to the fisherman's extensive listing of British cultural references. The story highlights the cultural curiosity and friendly interactions that can occur during travels in Japan.
🏠 The Reality of Buying a Rural Japanese Home
The speaker addresses the trend of buying cheap rural homes in Japan, cautioning against the romanticized idea of such a purchase. They discuss the challenges of paperwork, remote locations, potential disrepair, and the declining population in rural areas. While acknowledging the appeal of owning a home in Japan, they advise considering the practical aspects and the reality of living in a shrinking countryside.
📉 Decline and Adaptation in Modern Japan
The speaker reflects on the changes in Japan over the past decade, noting a decline in population and the impact on rural areas. They contrast this with improvements in cities like Tokyo and Sendai, which have seen significant development and modernization. Despite the challenges, they express optimism about Japan's ability to adapt and find solutions, drawing on the country's history of resilience.
🎬 The Challenges of Filming in Japan
The speaker expresses a desire to create a feature film set in a rural Japanese village but acknowledges the difficulties of obtaining filming permissions in Japan. They discuss the strict regulations and the need for community support, citing examples of productions that have faced hurdles or broken rules to achieve their vision. The speaker also hints at a potential project set in 1980s Japan, combining elements of love, loss, and mystery.
⛰️ Journey Across Japan and Future Travel Series
The speaker concludes by reflecting on their 'Journey Across Japan' series, which started in 2018 and recently concluded in 2024. They express pride in the series' ability to provide an escape for viewers during lockdown and its exploration of diverse Japanese locales. While suggesting that the 'Journey Across Japan' has reached its end, they hint at the possibility of a new travel series, playfully titled 'Chris Anet's Jolly Jaunt Around Japan,' indicating a desire to continue sharing unique Japanese experiences.
Mindmap
Keywords
💡Daiso
💡English on products
💡Influencer
💡10,000 steps
💡Shimanami Kaido
💡Content creation
💡Golden Week
💡Rural houses
💡Nakasendo Trail
💡ExpressVPN
💡Journey Across Japan
Highlights
The influence of English language on product marketing in Japan and its perceived prestige and quality.
Amusing mistranslations on Japanese products, such as a kitchen mat with a peculiar rabbit-related message.
The concept of 'fractional CC' in skincare products, which sounds like a bio weapon with a mix of needles and vitamins.
The humorous critique of the 'Beg Skin Science' brand, suggesting the name implies poor quality.
The introduction of the first and last Q&A session of 2024, covering a range of topics from personal experiences to YouTube culture.
Reflections on the negative impact of certain YouTubers' behavior in Japan and the challenges faced by content creators.
Anecdote about a YouTuber turned MEP, illustrating the unpredictable career paths in the digital age.
Discussion on the work culture in Japan and the improbability of living there without being a content creator.
A quirky morning routine for influencers that involves protein shakes, press-ups, meditation, and self-help podcasts.
The confession of not following a routine and the simple approach of taking 10,000 steps a day for maintaining weight.
Enthusiasm for the possibility of becoming an official Ambassador for the UK, bringing humor and determination to the role.
An account of losing a wallet and passport, followed by a humorous suggestion to prioritize cup noodles over the passport issue.
A personal favorite hidden place in Tokyo, a shrine surrounded by skyscrapers with a mini Kyoto-like atmosphere.
The humorous and relatable discussion on the unrealistic expectations of buying a rural Japanese house.
A personal story of an awkward encounter with a knowledgeable local in Onomichi, reminiscent of a game show scenario.
The safety of Japan in terms of crime and natural disasters, providing a balanced view on living in the country.
The endorsement of ExpressVPN for secure internet use and accessing geo-restricted content.
A warning against traveling in Japan during Golden Week due to overcrowded conditions.
Dreams of banning short-form content and a humorous fantasy of a chase scene with a mountain lion.
The reality of buying cheap rural houses in Japan, discussing the challenges and the romanticized view of such a purchase.
Reflections on the changes in Japan over the last decade, highlighting both improvements and declines.
A recommendation for the Nakasendo trail as an ideal hiking destination for experiencing traditional Japanese villages.
Challenges of filming in Japan due to strict permissions and the impact on local crew when rules are broken.
The conclusion of the 'Journey Across Japan' series and the idea for a new travel series with a fresh concept.
Transcripts
what you have had nothing today I could
eat a horse
now so just got back from Daiso the 100
yen store where I've got 700 Yen's worth
of new Treasures to add to my Japanese
English marketing collection as you
probably know in Japan they slap English
on products to help Market it because
English language equals Prestige and
quality for reasons I don't quite
comprehend case in point there's kitchen
mat with a cute rabbit on which reads
like a twisted verse from the Bible it
says cute rabbit and the universe is
born from egg and it'll be heaven for
the upper part of the body of a shell
and it shows that a lower part was a
place wow powerful words there from the
Lost chapter of the Book of Genesis
meanwhile I found this skin cream which
sounds like a bio weapon fractional CC
targeting the areas of concern a
cocktail of needles and five vitamins
love the sound of the five vitamins not
so sure about the cocktail of needles
think I'll pass on that one also got my
new favorite skincare brand beg skin
science beg skin your skin will be
begging you to avoid it anyway beg skin
science aside it's time for the first
and last Q&A of 2024 where I sit down to
answer questions you guys have sent in
about anything Japan Travel Youtube
gossip I won't hold back we'll also
feature comment of the week and hate
mail of the week because not everyone is
nice so guys let's dive into your
far-reaching profound questions together
one more time if if you were an oniri
rice ball what flavor would you be oh
for
[ __ ] with all the trouble of a few bad
streamers causing craziest in Japan with
their behavior are you finding it more
difficult being labeled with these
groups bad streamers I think it's an
absolute disgrace I'm thinking all the
big ones like CG VA Premier 2 Rob CD
filth nothing but filth I don't want to
be associated with any of them look it
hasn't affected me at all but I did hear
from Pete the other day that he was
doing a IRL stream out on the street and
he went to a bar and the bartender just
went no [ __ ] off go away in English and
Pete just sort of ran out the bar which
is a shame because Pete is rather nice
and usually people Embrace him and like
him when he's out doing his IRL streams
but then I also understand the concern
from these places given last year's
lineup of dickery what's insane is you
might recall last year uh there was a
YouTuber called Fus uh who got caught
riding a shinan s without paying orbe it
not so much being caught but actually
broadcasting it in his youi video if
somebody had told me shortly after that
this guy is going to be a member of
parliament in the European Union I would
have
gone get out of my ravage shop and yet
just 6 months later that is exactly what
he has done he is now an MEP for Cyprus
turning his power as an influencer into
actual real tangible political power
what could possibly go wrong oh and I
actually feel like anything's possible
now I'm practically banking on Peete
Premier 2 becoming the senator for
Kansas in 2026 let's make it happen
let's make Kansas even better again
given the work culture of Japan How
likely would it be that you would still
be living in Japan if you weren't a
content
creator extremely low spurton says what
was the strangest thing you saw during
your cycle across Japan probably
whatever the [ __ ] this was how do you
stay in such great shape what is your
routine how do I stay in shape I'm an
influencer of course I have a killer
morning routine starts every day at 4:00
a.m. it's definitely real I down a
protein shake and then I do 600 press
UPS meditate for 69 minutes while
listening to my favorite self-help
podcast count to three three
exhale now believe in yourself believe
in yourself or you're an [ __ ] I do I
do I believe yeah I do nothing I'm
utterly hopeless at like keeping a
routine I just cannot do it I know I'm
not alone on this I suppose the one
thing I do is try and do 10,000 steps
every single day I find doing 10,000
steps a day uh you don't really lose
weight you don't get your heart rate up
enough but you do kind of maintain your
current weight unfortunately the
downside to doing 10,000 steps in Tokyo
is the moment you walk past a family
Mark convenience store the benefits of
the Walk are somewhat quickly undermined
with the attendance of the state banquet
behind you would you ever consider being
an official Ambassador if the UK asked
definitely I'd be a bloody great
Ambassador get me down the embassy now
and let's make this [ __ ] happen
I lost me wallet and passport on the yot
line oh oh that sucks man well look
here's a here's 1,000 yen yeah you take
that get yourself some cup noodles right
next but what about my passport get
yourself some cup noodles and we'll
worry about that [ __ ] later all right
yeah okay next lot what a lot of effort
this is buy H # ask abroad favorite
hidden place in Tokyo I don't know if
it's hidden anymore I've seen it come up
more and more but here Shrine in Tokyo
is really cool it's slap bang in the
middle of the city and I like it for two
reasons number one the temple is
surrounded by these towering skyscrapers
it's kind of like raised on a hill and
it's sort of boxed in almost like a
castle with these towering buildings and
the second thing is it also has like a
100 Tory Gates kind of like a mini Kyoto
Fushimi andari Shrine but in the middle
of Tokyo so if you can't get to Kyoto
for whatever reason get to here Shrine
and try and get the early cuz it's quite
quiet in the morning I find bit of a
climb there be advised if you do come to
here Shrine unga says could you and
charot adopt me as your son so I can
come to live in Japan yes sorry I mean
nerd I've already got two cats so one of
them is an absolute bloody nightmare the
last thing I need is one more thing
waking me up every morning asking for
food jumping all over my face definitely
no Chris profet says did you ever think
you would live off being a YouTuber I
mean for almost half my life I wanted to
be a member of the European Parliament
for Cypress but that job has been taken
now so that's that out the window but
look the concept of being a a YouTuber
didn't really exist when I was a kid
growing up you know when I was 18
YouTube was only 3 years old at that
point and it was mostly just videos of
cats and people crying in a room there
was little indication it was going to be
anything good you know if you asked me
what I wanted to do back then I probably
would have said I want to be a
screenwriter or film director I want to
be Martin scorey not oh I want to sit in
my room alone talking to a bit of
plastic about myself you know the idea
of being a vlogger a YouTuber just seems
lame still kind of does you know when
you watch watching your favorite
YouTuber it might look like this but
don't forget it actually just looks like
this I mean look at it think of the
sheer narcissism the sheer
self-importance it requires to sit in a
room alone doing this over and over
again you know bloody embarrassing but
even when we had like 100,000
subscribers here on AB Japan I never
thought I'd make a living out of it I
never thought it would be like a job I
honestly thought doing this would be
more like a springboard into the film
industry you know that Christopher Nolan
Steven Spielberg would sit down watch
nasy the movie and be like yes yes this
is it call him up get him over here to
La the call hasn't come yet it never
will but I sit by the phone every single
day waiting waiting for that dream to
come
true uh MH hello if you were an oi R
ball what flavor would
you
[ __ ] bastard what has been the
most outrageous interaction you've ever
had in Japan I don't if it's outrageous
but there was one time I genuinely
thought I was being filmed for a
Japanese game show because the situation
was so unnatural and awkward a few years
ago I was doing the shimanami kaido
cycle for the first time the 100 km
cycle across the many islands of the
Inland Sea of Japan which starts in the
port town of onomichi and ends over in
chikaku and the night before we did the
cycle we stayed overnight in onomichi
beautiful Port Town the plan was to stay
overnight wake up at 6:00 a.m. and then
sort of begin the cycle but that evening
my friend and I went down to the port we
had a few cans of beer and we sat there
had a drink while looking over the docks
at Sunset the cool Summer Breeze the
anticipation of the journey ahead you
know and all of a sudden this guy came
out of nowhere I don't know if he was
like a weekend fisherman just chilling
out at the port or if he actually worked
there but he must have been in his 50s I
think he was a little bit surprised to
see two random white guys just sitting
there drinking beer and you know he was
pretty friendly started up a
conversation the usual questions what's
see this your this there see this
there now it's not uncommon in Japan
that when you kind of tell people where
you're from they will list off knowledge
about that country right kind of seen as
playful friendly polite so he was like
oh
chips fish chips
David Beckham kick you may this your and
then it it began and it it didn't stop
it just didn't
stop good
band oh y yeah she's uh yeah lording
ston this guy mined the depths of his
British cultural knowledge for no less
than 25 minutes it went on 25 minutes of
this Ling off
names yeah the Prime Minister
before prime minister
now being Orly British I didn't want to
be like well lovely meeting you we got a
choto [ __ ] off to bed now got 100 km
cycle tomorrow now I just sat there
thinking ah with every utterance of
every name we take one step closer to
this being the end I know
I thought this can't be right like this
are we being filmed are we being pranked
here there something going on eventually
in the end my friend who's Irish and
therefore braver than I am just saw I
stood up and he pulled me away so be
careful if you ever end up in onom mitry
on a hot humid summers's night sipping a
beer at the PK because Japan's most
knowledgeable fisherman might be there
lurking around the corner waiting to
tell you lots and lots of things about
your country I want to move to Japan but
I'm anxious about taking the leap how
safe is the country when it comes to
crime and natural disasters so there's
no doubt on the natural disaster front
the country is a bit rattled at the
moment after the recent earthquake in
Miyazaki and scientists taking the
unusual step of talking about a mega
earthquake and certainly I started
taking earthquakes a lot more seriously
having experienced a magnitude 7
earthquake myself when I lived in Senai
back in 2022 before then whenever there
was an earthquake I was like oh this is
interesting the room is shaking oh but
after that experience of being in a
building that felt like it was going to
come down and seeing the studio
completely destroyed that really put
things in perspective for me but that is
a risk you have to accept when coming to
Japan the odds of something happening to
you in an earthquake are pretty low the
country is very well adapted for it and
you could argue Japan makes up for it on
the crime front you know Japan
statistically is not even comparable to
most other countries like the UK or the
US even something like traffic incidents
right you're six more likely to lose
your life in a traffic instant in the US
than you are in Japan and while things
like cyber crime are on the rise here
for the most part Japan remains
incredibly safe when it comes to Crime I
think the greatest theft you see in
everyday life are umbrellas certain
umbrellas are stolen but when losing
umbrellas is your primary concern uh I
think it's a pretty good indicator of
how safe Japan really is now Japan might
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again Tokyo during golden week have we
made a fatal error flights were booked
before we
realized oh yes don't don't do it
honestly golden week isn't the most
important national holiday in Japan but
it is usually the longest the next
Golden week is April 29th to May 5th and
it typically means during that time
people travel back home to rural Japan
or they're just on vacation and so
domestic travel is nothing short of an
absolute nightmare trains are booked
hotels are full it's really not fun
during golden week for me standard
procedure is to hide beneath the nearest
table and just sort of wait there until
the whole thing blows over what is your
dream my dream is to live in a world
where short form content is banned Tik
Tok shorts reals all gone filthy fast
food content for a faltering attention
span of
civilization is it just me or does any
one want to see Chris in Mortal Terror
what I don't want him to die or anything
just want to see his funny Englishman
Persona disappear while being chased
down by a mountain lion or something
tell me you don't want to see that no I
do not want to see something like that
chased by a mountain lion what that
your Simon Ziggy Zep says what are your
thoughts on these incredibly cheap rural
houses that are getting the interest of
foreigners it seems tempting but I
suspect not worth the effort
so Japan has 9 million empty houses
around the country now mostly in the
countryside right and it's not an
uncommon sight to see these outrageous
deals popping up on social media the
promise of buying a decent sized
Japanese home for tens of thousands of
dollars sometimes even less I remember
when I lived in Yamagata an Australian
friend of mine uh who was just working
as a teacher one of his neighbors
Japanese woman in her 70s I think just
came over one day and was like do you
want my house and it was like a big
decent sized country house and he said
yeah sure and and he snapped it up and
off he went with a house and it seems
like completely odds to what we expect
in the western world where there just
isn't enough houses right now like we
have the complete opposite problem where
people can't afford a house at all but I
do think the idea of buying a Japanese
country house has definitely become
romanticized a little bit like oh I'll
just buy this house move in and it'll be
like a high Al miazaki fantasy film yes
let's go no it's not going to be quite
like that first there's going to be
endless amounts of paperwork especially
if you don't live in Japan or have a
Visa and then you'll discover that many
of these country houses that are
advertised are actually quite remote and
isolated difficult to get to often
poorly connected and often there is a
reason that they're empty in the first
place right then God forbid if they're
in disrepair because you need to find
people to renovate it that's often
expensive and costly the houses are
poorly insulated and then as's an
investment opportunity it's really not
ideal because the land prices are going
down a lot of these areas because the
population is falling in fact you might
end up moving to a village and in a
matter of a decade the whole Village is
gone because the countryside is
Vanishing in both people population
services and amenities now I don't want
to paint this all as Doom and Gloom I do
think you can buy a nice house renovate
it if you're retired if you can come to
Japan for a few months of the year with
your family I think it's kind of cool
but no it's just not as easy or as
romantic as it sort of appears on social
media these
days go [ __ ]
yourself you'd think living in Japan
would make you start putting a bit of
effort into yourself this guy is the
epitome of the bum look messy hair
unkempt facial hair sweatpants I just
can't stand the low effort laziness that
Western has put into
themselves bloody unbelievable messy
unkempt facial hair what a load of sh
yeah well I don't I don't wear
sweatpants when have I worn sweatpants
when have I anyway how about you go [ __ ]
yourself having lived in Japan over 10
years now has the country gotten better
or worse in the last decade the truth is
I think for many people in Japan you
could make the argument that the country
has gotten worse in the last 10 years
and rather than me talk about why I
think it's important we hear from a real
life Japanese person which we'll get to
in just a minute but first it's
important as well to point out Japan has
so many good things going for it it
really is at times like a full-blown
utopian society no matter where you go
in Japan the country is safe clean
reliable everything works that is not a
stereotype politically and socially it's
a really stable country you know there's
never any riots or protests but having
lived in three places in my 10 years
here for two of them I'd say life has
got better the first two are Tokyo and
Sendai and both cities have undergone
huge facelifts uh Tokyo's Skyline has
grown massively in the last decade
practically doubled in size meanwhile
places that were a bit gritty in CD like
Kabuki cha are completely unrecognizable
albe it's still a little bit gritty
around the edges admittedly downtown
Sendai as well has had a brand new
station new towers shops amenities the
city is under ibly better for tourists
coming to Japan it is a completely
different country so much more
accessible than it was a decade ago and
if we strip away the dodgy headlines
that have been going around about
tourists for the most part it has been
an overwhelming success 25 million
tourists last year helping the
hospitality industry immensely so taking
all this into consideration how can we
say that Japan has gotten worse and I
think for that we need to look to the
Third location that I used to live uh to
sakata to Yamagata and to the
countryside as a whole this year of
Japan's 4 prefectures 46 of them saw a
drop in their populations Japan's
population peaked in 2010 with 128
million people today that number is 123
million and by 2056 that is forecast to
drop below 100 million when you go out
into the countryside you see what that
looks like but rather than me sit here
and tell you about it we do know a guy
who lives in the countryside who can
explain this dire situation far better
than I ever could so how has Japan
changed VI in the last 10 years out in
the countryside good or bad I think
maybe bad
because uh people
down shop
Closs one weeks two holiday shop
first
3% after 10 years after 5% now 10% okay
yeah amazing 10%
don't
escape but is there a good point good
point I
think oh yeah
forever
drinking it is a bleak assessment but I
will say that the standard of living in
Japan is still very high and Japan isn't
alone in having kind of a sense of
decline look at the UK where by nearly
every measurable metric the country has
gotten worse and unlike Japan it really
shows you see it in Civic unrest you see
it in riots you see it in crime there's
a really powerful stoic mindset in Japan
that has been shaped by the natural
disaster as the country faces and so
despite the huge existential challenges
I am somehow optimistic I do think the
country will adapt to the situation and
find a way through as it always has done
Annie Madden says simplest place to get
to from Tokyo that gives them more real
world Vibe than the big cities i' would
love to travel to a small village but I
don't know where to start looking why
have one picturesque rural Japanese
Village when you can have four a few
weeks ago a good friend of mine came
over to Japan and he asked the exact
same thing he wanted to go for a hike
out through a Japanese village and we
basically spent 3 or 4 days hiking the
nakasendo trail in gifu and Nagano I
made a video there a few years ago with
riotoro but we didn't really have much
time and we had to speedrun it all in a
car which is something you should never
do it sort of ruined the magic of
experiencing these Villages you know
though the magic was already ruined by
Riot's presence admittedly but I knew I
had to go back and do things properly so
we went through the Villages of magome
tsumago nagiso and aruku staying at
traditional winds eating local fresh
food with daily hikes through Fields
forests and mountains and it was
genuinely like incredible I came back
feeling completely rejuvenated after the
2 we cycle I needed it it is honestly
one of the most beautiful places in
Japan it's kind of what you think the
Japanese Countryside is going to look
like but better and so if you do one
hike while you're in Japan don't make it
a mountain make it several small
mountains and make it the nakasendo
trail I promise you you won't regret it
unless you take rotate that is do you
have a dream video you like to do in
Japan they haven't been able to because
of logistics and laws so I actually want
to do a feature film but Japan is
notoriously difficult for getting
permission to film it's actually
considered one of the hardest countries
in the world and that's why you don't
see that many films shot here for
example even Shogun was all shot on a
Backlot in Vancouver and it almost broke
the battle Harden director Ridley Scott
back in 1989 during the shoot for black
Ray he vowed never to come here again
really good example of this uh recent TV
show Tokyo Vice was shot here in Tokyo
they wanted like a nighttime scene in a
relatively popular area they went to the
police to get permission and the police
said you have to get approval from over
300 bars and restaurants that operate on
that street to be able to film and the
team had to assemble nothing short of a
small army to go and try and win over
each of those 300 shops which incredibly
they were able to do and they were able
to shoot their dream sequence but most
people don't have the financial backing
or support of HBO so it just doesn't
happen but you can break rules as Sophia
Capo did when doing Lost in Translation
and in many of those places they just
shot without permission which allegedly
got a lot of the Japanese crew in
trouble unfortunately obviously I don't
want to do that um but I do have an idea
set in a Japanese sort of rural Village
and to do that I would need to get
permission and get the whole kind of
village on board to make that happen but
it's still early days still scripting it
still planning it between everything and
uh it'll most likely be a thriller set
in 1980s Japan a powerful film of Love
loss and Design it's called nasy the
movie 2 coming soon pum says are you
planning a New Journey Across Japan
series or never
again never again now seriously we
started journey across Japan in 2018 in
Yamagata and it ended just this year six
series later in 2024 and the Very place
it started actually in the apartment
where I started my whole career my whole
life in Japan and that is a nice full
circle it's the perfect ending neatly
wrapped up tied together I'm really
proud of joury cross Japan all the
amazing people places things we got to
see over six series and also you know
during lockdown a lot of people told me
that journey across Japan helped keep
them same kind of gave them an escape
through the TV screen so I'm really
proud of it but I think journey across
Japan is dead we need a new original
Japan travel Series right and I think
it's time for Chris anet's Jolly jaunt
around
japany yeah we'll work on that sounds
pretty bad but need to work on the brand
and then that is the end of the Q&A
thank you so much guys for your many
questions it's been a lot of fun this
Q&A as always I'm sure we'll do another
one soon but for now I'm off to uh well
rub some B skin into my face I'll see
you all soon and look I've thought about
it and the honest answer is China
mayonnaise c p see you later
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