TOUGHER than diamonds and STRONGER than steel - Abroad in Japan is back! But what do you hate the most in Japan and what did I miss guys? Sorry for the long absence - I've been trying to get fit. Also been filming a ton of videos that'll be out over the Christmas season. Should be a fun month!

You look so much better dude!

There are many more things I hate about living in the US.

TOUGHER than diamonds and STRONGER than steel - The Ekiben are back!

pl

You should make short videos with the purpose of using them 5+ years from now and make some epic content.

As someone in the US who has lived in cities that can't bother to have a supermarket but will damn sure have a liquor store in close proximity I feel that Pachinko hatred.

Yeah that's why every American has driver license and cars I do think? Cuz honestly I would be fcked if I was living in the USA outside of a big city, and still some big city like LA or San Antonio don't have a good public transportation.

Never seen that, but then i don't live in those souless cities either. I can't fathom why anyone would actually **want** to live in an overly crowded human-zoo

@Aurelian that's not even remotely true. The US is too large to say that all big cities lack supermarkets. Supermarkets take up tons of real estate and cities are much more expensive to put large area commercial stores in. Plenty of large US cities have super markets despite that.

Small town midwest: two bars, a general store, and a saloon. Population 25, and half the town has the same last name.

....holy shit. ive honest to god never thought about that.

Lived in Japan for a decade and re: Microaggressions -- you nailed it. 10 years of the same boring ass questions from everybody, and if you ever try to steer the conversation to something different (in Japanese, mind you, there are no language issues limiting the conversation topics), they often push it back to basically "yeah yeah, back to you being a gaijin tho." Always gaijin first, person second. That's fine working as an ESL teacher where your conversation is paid for, but dealing with that on a personal level wears on the soul after awhile.

@Calbear712 I think this generalizes to a lot of 'small, insecure countries neighbouring bigger, more important countries'. It becomes essential to maintaining any sense of independent national identity to obsess over the minor differences between you and your much bigger (better known, more important) neighbour, and convince yourself that those minor differences actually make you the 'better one of the two'. Kiwis do some of this vis-a-vis Australia, and especially America, (while Australians and Americans generally don't even notice New Zealand much, or care, because they don't need to). Scots and Irish vs the English (yes, of course there's more to it than this). Dutch vs Germans. Vietnamese vs Chinese. South Koreans vs everyone. "Please notice us. Please re-affirm that we do, in fact, exist" Canadians constantly like/need to assure each other that this or that aspect of Canada may actually qualify as "world class". Americans just take it for granted.

I mean it's the same thing being non-white in the US. Friends/Family have always gotten the "Wait where are you REALLY from?" Or my female cousins would get, "OMG I wish I could look as exotic as you", or my Dad always gets, "You speak English so well!" Every country has their micro aggressions with foreigners.

Oh yeah that's so true, I just can't seem to have any conversation which doesn't involve my home country, how things are like back there, do I cook my country's food etc etc

@Mausi Imlicht Yeah obviously, you should have researched a bit more before going to Japan

lol what else would you talk to a foreigner about, when you know next to nothing about their lives or culture? What a weird comment

One for me that never seems to get a mention anywhere, and most people (even many in Japan) don't even believe when you tell them is how absolutely awful the disability access is. I have been to and live in many diverse parts of the world, including developing countries, and Japan was one of the worst. To add insult to injury it was the second worst when it came to people acting like I am dirty because I use a wheelchair and making it very clear they believe I shouldn't be allowed in many places because god forbid a tiny bit of dirt comes in off the wheels (first place on this went to Thailand, but I do want to stress that, as with anywhere, the majority of people were fine. Thailand beat Japan simply because the aggression was far more in my face).

Thats interesting that you say this. I visited Japan in 2019 for three weeks and found the places Ive been to be quite alright with the wheelchair, especially the trains, those were amazing. I live in Austria now and its not bad at all here and some things are indeed way more accessible but I didnt find Japan to be awful. Can you elaborate which pars stood out to you? I probably haven't encountered them yet

@Astro_Alphard Move to Ontario

​@uberlisk America also does this wrong, I was in a wheelchair for a time, and then crutches, from being hit by a lifted pickup, this also meant I couldn't drive. If you can't drive in the USA or Canada you're basically forced into poverty. Nothing, not even food, is accessible. And in the USA forget about affording healthcare when no one will hire you because you can't get to the office. I live in midwest Canada and not only are there no sidewalks, no nearby public transportation, and no nearby places of employment but the lack of accessibility is so bad that I have genuinely considered rage quitting life because the other option was starvation. It's extremely difficult to get any further than the end of the driveway (not the least because of ice) without worrying about being run over so your social life is toast as well. I'd rather be judged to all hell and back than have to live through the hell that is trying to get accessible transport in the USA and Canada. It truly says something when I can confidently say the 2020 lockdowns measurably improved my quality of life in every single way.

Come to Alberta, I was on crutches for a while and I couldn't even get 50m from my house without being run over by an 8 foot tall pickup truck. I can withstand disapproving glares forever, but not being able to get food, go to a doctor, get a job, or even access the (extremely ineffectual) public transit network (if public transit even existed at all for the area I was going to) and generally being confined to the space behind a driveway I'd take the casual racism over literally starving to death.

It's really fuked up it's like oh sorry that my inability to walk is an inconvenience to you I don't know how someone could be so unempathetic and selfish

I love that Chris dips in and out of an American accent for a punchline the same way Americans do the exact same thing with British accents

Except Americans are usually absolutely awful at British accents, or merge them, or just do an Irish accent...

I wonder if Japanese people do the same but with a Chinese accent 🤔🤣

My grandmas friend got a Japanese bidet toilet for the cost of a car down payment. Gotta admit I tried it once for the expirence and fell in love with it and went out of my way to use it every chance I could. I swear it’s the best invention of all time

Exactly! Hating on bidets is what separates humans from animals.. Only a uncivilized monster would defend a poop-smeared cyclops over the sanctity of a fresh peanutbutter-free knuckle...

as someone who have lived there while in the military I can concur with the hostess club opinion. I had a military buddy that is always going to them saying he will get lucky but after 4 month of losing all his money it finally hit him like an Isekai delivery truck.

@Former Government Human #4937 A soapie is a one and done experience. hell with the clubs and bars at all, hit up the shops. That's where shit is awesome.

Should have just gotten a soapie for $100 and guaranteed happy ending. Girls aren’t bad either.

In game design we actually created a pachinko game and learned about how big it is in Japan. Was really fun and by far one of the easier games I've ever had to make. Those fruit sandwiches honestly don't look that bad because they are sort of like fruit cakes. I much prefer fruit and whipped cream over way too sweet icing that has no flavour besides white sugar.

The modern architecture is an issue for me as well! I'm big on older styled homes and buildings because of the work and artistry that went into it. Now days the newer buildings are so boring and all the people building them care about is how fast it goes up and that its taller than the last one. Stupid.

Those rural Pachinko parlours sound a lot like "RSL or Community Clubs" here in Australia.... you drive around the country and through these struggling country towns and the building that is the most modern and looks the nicest is the local "RSL/Community Club" ... mainly because of the pokies (gambling machines) .... though they do serve some nice food/beer in those places as well.

@Chloethechad I showed my Veterans Affairs ID showing I had been a member of the US Air Force and I was allowed to join the RSL in Karuah, NSW. Two schooners of Tooeys please!

Kinda sounds like how in North Carolina there’s a giant casino at the base of the Great Smoky Mountains surrounded by an incredibly rural and poor Native American Reservation.

The term “community club” just triggers me. Let’s get poor together!!!!

Came hear to leave this comment to see it was already left :)

Mos Burger and the architecture are right on. The architecture even applies to the residential buildings, especially in the cities. But as Chris says there are many wonderful things about visiting and living there.

Seeing this video made me realise how much I missed the ‘sit down in a room’ format, not that actual ambitious videos aren’t as good, but there’s something nice and cozy about just listening to Chris rant about random things (and ofc as per every Chris video the production is still insanely well done lol)

Damn Chris is looking great

100% this.

@Cassa Love I know those. this was just a literal observation of this video. in other videos he more often is sitting at the barstool. for the tatami like room he could use the other part of the studio the office part. that already has most there.

@sirBrouwer I think he's referring to Chris' old videos, where he sits in his apartment and it just feels like he's chatting with friends. Perhaps Chris can put a tatami room set in this studio?

siting in a room? but he was clearly at a ramen shop. behind the counter.

I'm a Japanese in Tokyo but cannot agree more with your list. Most of what you pointed is the flip side of what you think would be better for the people in Japan. Yet for MOS, have you tried spicy mos cheeseburger? It's not too bad. (My true favorite is AS classic burger in Roppongi hills) . Didn't know Malins was so good will give it a try. (Marmaid in Akasaka is good too?). If you live in the area try Ayano's bar in Imoaraizaka and you can meet interesting music and people.

Oi you know what I can say, even though he talks about all these seemingly terrible things, he always makes it sound like a comedy! Well done mate!

Great video Chris, I agree with most of these points. probably 9/12. By the way did you know Japan is only country with 4 distinct seasons? hahaha I HATE it when people say that, it's so not true, they do realize we have actually lived in another country before right?

Omg the thing about brand new nice (huge) pachinko parlours in Japan's rural areas is so true! Shibukawa had one as well, very bright, huge parking lot (it's inaka you'd have to drive there)...

ʜɪᴛ ᴍᴇ ᴜᴘ ᴏɴ ᴛᴇʟᴇɢʀᴀᴍ ɪ ɢᴏᴛ sᴏᴍᴇᴛʜɪɴɢ sᴘᴇᴄɪᴀʟ ғᴏʀ ʏᴏᴜ 🎁🎁🎊🎊.

I loved how Chris changed locations as he went through the list, his videos are so entertaining!

Its like he was walking around and said “oh yeah, add that shit to the list so i can rant real quick”

I agree on the hate for 4/12 of your list, will probably try once: 4/12, and love: 4/12. I’m with Connor on the bidets, I’m Filipino, so it’s a given I love Karaoke, I enjoy most of the skewed/weird humour in some of the variety shows, and I still can’t forget the fluffy, creamy strawberry sandwich I had in a subway shop near Tokyo station. Also, loved this video Chris!

Ha! The water spraying toilets are great. Half of my family in Europe now has them! I've only been dragged into a hostess club twice -- and both times I felt I'm wasting my money. But back then I felt I'm wasting my money if I paid 20 Yen more for the direct train to my destination versus changing trains to save the 20 Yen...

I feel like MOS burger used to be pretty amazing, but that was back in the 90's when I think most other burger places were just kind of so-so. My ex tells me that its kind of like the McDonalds of Japan now, you only go there when you have no other choice. I just shrug my shoulders when people complain about Japanese tv shows as they're not aimed at foreigners, but I do agree with you about how they often depict foreigners.

McDonalds is a lot better than Mos burger in Japan. You get much better value for the money.

Gorgeous episode! I am exchange student in Japan for, completed three months now. The funniest thing in Japan are elderly people's karaoke rooms where the karaoke hostess (Mama) asks everyone to sing in front of 12 people. My host family's friend brought me once into there. It was funny, but a bit embarassing, as I can't sing that well

I was in Japan for 4 months in 1995 and almost every conversation was exactly as you describe. Good to know some things haven't changed!

@Insiainutorr T people are allowed to complain about getting treated like an outcast in every single conversation. grow up

@Insiainutorr T why do japanese people assume every non-japanese looking person is the same? quite insane aint it

@Insiainutorr T Fair point but I think you have misunderstood what everyone was saying, also "evil" is a very harsh word, but I understand that English isn't your first language.

@Daenack Dranils Dont know anything about you or your life but if an issue persist check the one thats always there in those situations.. you... Also there is zero chance youve met even 0.1% of japanese... might have been unlucky...

three reasons why japanese doesn't make good friends: first, they makes zero efforts to speak other languages and anyway when we try to speak japanese they laugh at our accents and they don't forgive bad pronounciations secondly, they refuse to show their feelings no matter how polite, kind and respectful we are. just because they refuse to put us in their friendship circle (in fact it's only when they get drunk, it's pathetic) and thirdly, they love to criticize the others in their back. they judge them without knowing them, they don't give us any chance. they don't tell our mistakes, how can we improve ourselves. i like japan, for what it has naturally, but i do not get why its locals are so well seen in the world.

Grew up there, and even went to their public school, so I had to roll my eyes whenever people say "wow your japanese is really good!" Tanks, I've heard that hundreds of times, quite literally lol

CREEPY NUTS has to be one of my favorite Japanese Hip Hop bands for sounding so different with their music and composing a song for hypnosis mic. I reccomend their album INDIES COMPLETE

@Sojiro Damian I was actually really impressed by the beats they rapped to. The sound is very clean and well done.

@Zach weyrauch it's great isn't it, rap in a different language is always fun to hear

@@elephantsforever just give it a listen. It takes anyone with an internet connection minutes to access almost anything. Burn those minutes today on some japanese music. why not?

I assumed the band was chosen because of their name only and were likely obscure. I checked it out based on your recommendation and i was actually pretty impressed. They have a very unique sound.

As a Caucasian who moved to Hawaii 20 years ago, I can relate to the feeling like an outsider part. What you call micro-aggressions, I call covert racism. I’m leaving Hawaii because I’m tired of this attitude towards outsiders and white people that permeates every aspect of society here.

ʜɪᴛ ᴍᴇ ᴜᴘ ᴏɴ ᴛᴇʟᴇɢʀᴀᴍ ɪ ɢᴏᴛ sᴏᴍᴇᴛʜɪɴɢ sᴘᴇᴄɪᴀʟ ғᴏʀ ʏᴏᴜ 🎁🎁🎊🎊...

No.3: When I was in japan for a brief hour or so, I didnt wanted to use the Bidet because I was afraid to make a funny sound and some old japanese man would probably here it. So as an American I just used the entire supply of Japanese toilet paper

I haven't watched Chris in a while, his healthy transformation is almost as remarkable as David Mitchell's transition from a man who had completely given up on himself to a happily married father.

@Christopher Lee from eating snacks to becoming the snack, character development babyyy.

@Christopher Lee he's participating in a ChessBoxing Match soo

Realizing that you are the baddy is the first step towards positive change!

Happy he was able to pull himself away from crack cocaine and prostitution

He gotta do if he's gonna dominate at chess and boxing.

Video Challenge: What would you do to make the most of a 2 week visit to Japan if you were a clueless, English only speaking tourist (one of a trio) on a tight budget for 2 weeks? LOL Oh, and one of you is a below the knee amputee with allergies to peanuts 🤪

Honestly as someone living in a not so great city in the UK honestly having glass boxes everywhere is far better than old, uncared for and out of date buildings everywhere. Yet to this day my biggest issue won't be gambling or weird photos but the obviously fake video of a p sound spreading COVID 😭

I think the issue with glass boxes is more that they lack unique style. London has some legitimately good "glass towers" for example the Gherkin. Obviously they're better than gross old Brutalist concrete tower blocks you see everywhere in the UK but replacing iconic buildings (capsule tower) with boring copy paste buildings is not only just bad architecture but it legitimately harms tourist industry because you're reducing the unique identity of a place.

Haha I actually had the discussion about MOS Burger yesterday. One of my friends was talking about how delicious it is and I had about the same sentiment as you. I usually will avoid MOS Burger even when free 😂😂😂.

I have one problem with Japan, all the mayonnaise. It makes my stomach turn so much 😅

For me while i really like japan I struggle to adapt to the working culture here and will probably return to my home country for that reason. I really love japan tho so I will make sure to come for vacation once a year if possible.

You should do a show on micro aggressions focused on foreigners, or foreign-looking Japanese, done in a non-blaming fashion for a Japanese audience. This is something every society needs to work on. Do it with some of your Japanese friends, so you can exemplify case examples with someone who helps demonstrate the problem, followed by an explanation, followed by an example of how to communicate better.

Unfortunately most Japanese wouldn't watch such content because they lack the self awareness and critical thinking needed to question such behavior.

Actually, he should do an episode on why and how the Japanese people should be shaming and excluding foreigners even more

Why?

Great idea imo

Absolutely the most entertaining chess boxing matchup so far, and the health motivation is awesome, way to go man!!

But... What if the go carts, through sheer happenstance (serendipity, perhaps), take out every single Mos burger location?

I came back from my vacation in Japan a week ago and I LOVED it, but one thing I will always hate is the amount of plastic waste that is generated. So many tiny snacks, cutlery, and products are layered in needless plastic and most of it ends up in the garbage. Although I love myself some Japanese snacks, I can't help but wince every time I open a bag to find a bag within a bag containing a single piece of candy.

Many plastic-wrapped products in Japan can be recycled. For example, if you buy bento from convenience store, after finish eating, you can peel the plastic layer on the upper side of the bento, and throw it out, but the rest of the bento box can be recycle. In this way, we do not need to wash the box, and recycle, just need to peel the protective plastic and 99% of the product can be recycled. In Japan, yes they use so much plastic, but their recycle rate is also one of the highest in the world. So it's fine.

I think this is partly due to cleanliness/presentability culture in Japan - if a thing is not perfect then it must be faulty! So the packaging is all about protecting the product and keeping it perfect...

A lot of people seem to forget that "recycling" is just one of a three step process: reduce, reuse, recycle. Use less plastic items in general. Use a single object as much as you can (a box, a bottle, a bag, etc). Then when its at the end of its life or no longer needed, recycle it (if possible). Even if you assume that plastic recycling is highly efficient (its not), and that most plastic is recycled (its not, even if its put in the recycling bin), and that no items are lost during the recycling process, you are still generating more waste just to recycle those plastic objects. If only in the form of fuel and the electricity to run the processing plants. Much better to just use less, if possible. That being said, pandemics do rather complicate matters. I live in an area with a ban on single-use plastic bags for groceries, but during the pandemic they didn't want workers handling people's reusable bags so they had to put a hold on that for a bit or else have the customers bag things themselves. (which, honestly isn't a tall order, but its an example of how single use plastics are very useful in times rife with infectious disease. All the more reason to reduce our usage when we can because all resources are finite and we want to minimize waste as much as we can.)

the way they bag FRUIT smh

Never been to Japan but there is this store that specializes in foods from Asia-Pacific that I go to once in a while. I noticed the same thing, whatever Japanese candy or snack you buy, you have to fight through layers of packaging to get to whatever you are going to eat in the end. I am sure the Japanese get surprised by the absence of packaging when traveling :-)

I very much enjoyed watching this therapy session. Please make more

Whelp... Now I feel like a fucking tool for telling friends about how Japanese people told me my Japanese was really good when I visited

Have studied and worked in Tokyo and have family in the countryside now. I could only check 2/12 on this list, and that is Pachinko and Mario Kart. Haven't wasted my money on hostess clubs, so can't check it. Thanks to Dogen, I can only laugh when getting 日本語上手ed.

You should colab with Martina aka King Kogi. She's a Canadian that lives in Japan and she has a really funny sense of humor.

#8. I have a cousin-in-law who emigrated from Chile to Sweden 40+ years ago. He's been a Swedish citizen for 30+ years. He speaks fluent Swedish. He still, to this day, is treated like an outsider.

@mojabaka yeah, people don’t know what they’re talking about.

@Imhotepsol your experience is your own. Beware that you have only lived in another country for one year. That’s nothing. Imagine a man who moved to another country in his twenties and have now lived in that new country for 60 years. Or a woman in her 50:s who has been born and raised in another country than where her parents were born. Do you speak for them?

I don't believe that one bit. He may meet some racist people sure, but unlike Japan, Sweden takes the CERD very seriously and doesn't allow discriminatory behaviour like a "swedish only" restaurant or shop. Something like that would be highly illegal in Sweden.

​​@Prime Irrational >who decides that The people in the country. I moved to Spain from Ireland last year and it's not really any better here. You just put up with it and realise there's no malicious intent behind it. Unlike what you appear to think, I don't have the right to impose myself on a people especially when it was my decision to move here. I may have fluent Spanish, I may even take Spanish citizenship eventually, but fundamentally I'm not Spanish and never will be. A nationality is more than a government issued ID.

@Sam we vs them mentality. Very great of you

I never have had such a "wtf is that?? I have to try it!" moment than I had seeing fruit sandwiches. Like, what a delicious abomination. It's like the next step up from a Twinkie.

Pachinko is really the worst thing in japan. Once you're addicted to it, you spend more and more money and time meaninglessly. it should be punished as severely as gambles.

I’m surprised the go kart thing is allowed it seems to break Japanese customs of propriety and order let alone being a major safety hazard for cars and pedestrians. A real head scratcher.

The chopsticks thing is definitely a holdover from a bygone era. I think the vast majority of western people can use chopsticks now but back in the 1970s and '80s, that certainly wasn't the case.

I'm so glad you mentioned mos burger. i heard i HAD to try it when i visited

HOW ABOUT graduating to produce a feature length movie? You have a good ensemble cast; Natsuki, Rissoto, and Joey. You just need a good script. I suggest a UFO oriented story in which Natsuki experiences an Alien Abduction. He gets on the Shinkansen bullet train, and arrives on time - but 24 hour later! He doesn't realize it, but keeps insisting it's Thursday, when it is actually Friday. He is referred to a psychiatrist and under hypnotic regression reveals his abduction experience, shown to us in flashback. Go for it - no copywrite is claimed here - use it. NATSUKI'S JUSTICE DELICIOUS UFO ENCOUNTER.

Lived in Tokyo almost 5 years now and agree with every point except Karaoke. Karaoke is bomb. Fruit sandwiches are so disappointing.

What Japanese learning apps you recommend? The ones I tried was so far 100 times to easy.

"Britain invented it, America ate it, and Japan completely fucked it" love this line, made me laugh my head off!

@Vojta Ruzicka European what? Europe is NOT a country!

@lynth Yes it's as funny as Americans thinking they invented lighbulbs, television, radios, cars etc etc etc etc etc etc

@Nebula One wonder bread isn’t even sweet, I don’t eat much sugar at all and it just tastes like bread. Even then tho the US is required to disclose ALL ingredients in what they sell, that includes the sugar required to bloom yeast.

Europeans don't know how to not buy Wonderbread. How do you go to a grocery store, buy the most processed crap bread you can find, and complain about the bread tasting bad? There is good bread in America. We personally don't eat crap bread because I guess we know how to look for good bread. There is literally ZERO sweetness in the bread we eat because we go LOOK for good bread. I mean, in a grocery store you have a billion bread options and a bakery. There's no excuse. We have every type of bread here, and if you don't like your bread, get some you like. Seriously, not hard.

@Vojta Ruzicka I need to go to Europe and try some bread then. I don't really see the bread here as sweet, but maybe you Europeans got something special. Where everything between the bread pronounced in taste and not reduced by the taste of bread Lol

the production quality of this is wild great vid

The glass buildings are a universal issue. It’s happening here in Australia too, absolutely depressing; making the world into this homogeneous cultureless thing it’s becoming

you know, I always thought those fruit sandwiches were basically just Twinkies but with fruit in them.

Came across this video. Never been to Japan. Just really want to go sometime.

I've lived in Peru for 13 years and I really empathised with your point about repeated conversations. But I also found it really useful for practicing the language at first. And then I just learned to kind of lean hard into it, really push back. Yes, I speak Spanish just as well as you. Yes, your food is good, but have you been to this spot? No? You're missing out. No, I didn't come here for some chick but if you're free can I have your number? I think every culture tends to do this in its own way. It's up to you to take control and change things up.

@Wom Bat That depends. If your English is accented, you might still get asked. And likewise, if your name is foreign enough sounding. Like for me, who pronounces my first name the Dutch way, I'll often be asked if it is German. But it doesn't happen every day, either, since it isn't like I wind up meeting new people often enough in situations where names are exchanged and that sort of small talk happens. It also tends to be more a case of people genuinely being curious, rather than trying to fill the empty spaces with meaningless conversation. And, well, there are things that bother me far more, like people not pronouncing my name correctly ;)

@Denysse Alferez Not here in the US. We are so culturally and ethnically mixed that you could be speaking any other language and it doesn't even phase us lol. I have so many Cambodians, Laotions, Chinese, Indians, Spanish and Portuguese and Haitain and French that it's just normal and if they speak English, we don't asks questions. It's just normal.

@Bob The Builder I have non-white friends who get "your english is good" on a regular basis even though they were born and raised in the US. it's a good litmus test for the prejudices of your local community.

I think in Peru if you start using slang those type of small talk would stop. Though maybe people would think you are manyado if your spanish is really good.

@Bob The Builder it's a lot harder to tell who's a foreigner and who isn't in the states.

I like Connor's facial expression on the ekiben, hilarious af!

You missed one of my pet peeves: "Don't walk up or down the escalator. It's very dangerous!" It creeped up in JR stations sometime between 2000 and 2005 I believe.

@Dom O You may not have heard the Japanese non-stop announcement playing at the same time telling people not to walk up or down the escalator, while signs indicating to stand left and walk right (or opposite in the Kansai region) are disappearing. Luckily, most Japanese don't follow the "recommendation".

weird. when i went there you stay on one side so if others wanted to walk up the escalator they could.

I'm not gonna lie, fruit sandwiches look amazing lmao. I am a fan of banana and honey rolls, however.

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I completely sympathize with all of this. Gambling has ruined so many lives. I've watched it change over the years going from straight forward machines to machines that I simply can't figure out. If you're epileptic or have trouble in sensory overloaded places, it's just Hell. People have some weird idea that Vegas is exciting. Yeah, if you have plenty of money and only a few days to do things it probably is. I'm here all the time. Every casino is practically the same. Only the theme, cost and quality differ. We do demolish a lot of historical sites and then replace it with a modernized building. We also like having our buildings look alike. This is the least helpful way to point out a place. "It's the beige building." Who needs Google Maps when you can get such fine directions as that? Small talk thankfully isn't a social necessity. If a person came up to me and started chatting they tend to want something. Chris, I'm cynical enough for both of us. If you're happy that's great. You look like you're in better health than you were in your early videos. Keep it up and the next JAJ video will have slightly less despair.

We walked, attracted by the crazy noise, into a Pachinko parlour in Kyoto and the security guy at the door told us emphatically that this is not for tourists and literally kicked us out. My hero.

@Hello po reese

ah yes because racism is so great...

It's always a blessing in disguise when they put up their arms in an x meaning no foreigners... they're doing you a favor

@MusicSheep Probably yes. Or just some combination of all of these reasons.

@Alexander Gräf It's 100% xenophobia. A lot of places don't like non-Japanese people because they think it's bad for business. Even if you're born in Japan and speak fluent Japanese, they will still consider you a foreigner if you don't look Japanese.

The Mario kart thing should be in a closed circuit. Idk how the police let the company get away with driving on public roads. I’m with you on that one

I’m surprised the sexism, toxic work culture and peer-pressure after-work culture, as well as sexual harassment didn’t make your list.

If these little irritations are your top 12, bro, you're living a blessed life. I'd list: A government that sees the people as its servants, not its charges, and feels no accountability to them whatsoever until there's a media scandal (like any gov, to be fair). Institutional corruption, bullying, discrimination and stupefying incompetence. Individual face-to-face lying and insincerity for the sake of 'wa'. Belligerent oyaji ('uncles') who roughly shoulder-barge young women in the street out of raw spite... I could go on. Still my chosen home, though. Been here 21 years. The good more than makes up for the bad.

Friggen love the toilets. Had the longest shits on my life in japan for the joy of it. I also loved the gokarting in tokyo!! Agree on all else

18:47 Man this entire rant resonanted with me SO much, this is happening everywhere too. The genre "modernism" and it's subgenre "functionalism" is literally ruining cities all over the world EXACTLY the way you put it, in japan it has completely taken over and it's honestly such a shame :/

Modern architecture can be summed up in two words: cost effectiveness. Sadly, it is the same all over the world

The thing is it isn't modernism as that's about trying new things and being experimental, it's something truly bloody awful aka post post modernism, as a Eldrich reaction to post modernism and the bastardised offspring of modernism.

@Caffeine sober That's still not an excuse for just a plain tower. You can make something nice, yet still make it functional since normally most of the weight/stress bearing structure isn't on the outside.

​@Robin Reliant It's way more than "instagram urges". These are free-range prisons that these prisoners will have to look at any time they're outside. No wonder Japan has an otaku and birth rate crisis. I'd never go outside if my region looked like this, either.

@Caffeine sober Just saying that the Nakagin Capsule Tower endured these same conditions 50 years and the Harajuku Station 95 years. So I think safety and functionality is not the main reason for dull architecture and city planning.

I agree with you on the Pachinko point, I MUCH prefer Medal Games, while yes they are also a form of gambling, the tokens/medals are for amusement only, allowing them to be far more complex, far more interactive and far, more, fun. One of the best Medal Games I've played is called "Monopoly the Medal 2nd Edition", though good luck finding one.

In America, we have tea houses where you can go for afternoon or high tea and they often serve the fruit sandwiches there lol

I am a 13 year old who wanted to live in japan for the longest time. And your videos really helpful. Thannk you :)

Definitely true about the small talk. When I go to more rural restaurants and say, “gochisousama deshita,” they always proudly clap like I did something so amazing. When I order anything using nihongo aside from saying kore with a point, they always light up and seem highly surprised or act confused as if there was no way the monkey could speak.

@無理だぞ small brain

@無理だぞ i would appreciate it if you would go outside

@TheRealMonsoon Sorry, i ain't not grass muncher. Please get your booster shot gaijin~

@無理だぞ didnt ask, go outside

@外人鬼神 (Gaijin Kishin) nice. Well, I do hope you keep taking the booster shots (each time they roll a new one out). You need it to protect yourself against new variants.

Creepy Nuts is honestly such a great duo, their music checks every vibe. Some songs fit perfectly for a summer day and some fit perfectly for a cold fall/winter night

@mugnuz shienk the whole world has more than 3 season brother. I just said those 3

But japan has more than 3 seasons!

@Laesx Nah the manga is named after the ending song c:

I just listened to a song from Creepy Nuts and holy crap its awesome.

@KYOUSHA More like the anime (and manga) got the name from their already existing song lol which yes, is the opening. They're pretty good honestly.

It's shocking how similar Germany is to a lot of this.

As an introvert, the hostess clubs sound appalling. 😟

Connor almost had me excited to get a bidet... I still think it's a weird idea even though I see the utility in it.

ʜɪᴛ ᴍᴇ ᴜᴘ ᴏɴ ᴛᴇʟᴇɢʀᴀᴍ ɪ ɢᴏᴛ sᴏᴍᴇᴛʜɪɴɢ sᴘᴇᴄɪᴀʟ ғᴏʀ ʏᴏᴜ 🎁🎁🎊🎊....

this made me laugh so much. Thank you!

I've never lived in Japan but I had to conduct business there quite frequently. One thing I was warned about, by a Japanese friend of mine in HK, was Japanese delaying tactics. I would be wined and dined with absolute courtesy, yet any business matter was delayed until the very last moment when your Japanese counterparts knew you had to make a deal but time was not on your side. I'm not knocking it - good business practice - but it pays to be aware.

The pandemic taught me how amazing the bidet is, and I'm sorry about Chris's stinky itchy bung

6:00 I find it amazing that Chris managed to eat every single chip at Mos burger at 7:04 considering how much he would have struggled to eat them. That is, every. single. last. one of them. Trust me, I know he did (I don't need to see him eating them to know he did)

ʜɪᴛ ᴍᴇ ᴜᴘ ᴏɴ ᴛᴇʟᴇɢʀᴀᴍ ɪ ɢᴏᴛ sᴏᴍᴇᴛʜɪɴɢ sᴘᴇᴄɪᴀʟ ғᴏʀ ʏᴏᴜ 🎁🎁🎊🎊...

Flying back to Thailand from Detroit, I love the Tokyo airport stopover! Those wonderful warm spray bidets are fantastic after sitting on the aircraft for so many hours! Only using an unhygienic paper tissue wipe just doesn't do the job!

*I'm so glad someone else said it. Modern day architecture in Japan (or anywhere for that matter), and worse, tearing down the old buildings to replace them. Half the reason I love Japan is their architecture. I fucking LOVE the dingy, dilapidated buildings, the tiny alleyways, the old retro signage. If that's gone, what on earth is the point? It's just the same as anywhere else in the world. It's literally stripping the culture of Japan in favour of some universal culture. Actually makes me sick.*

I'd love to see you making a "12 things I hate about the UK" some day, that'd be hilarious

Only 12?

@Farik Al Sayid If you like low salary and living in a shoe box, live in japan !

@GAnime88 It actually rains more in Australia than in the UK. It's pretty much a stereotype, the rain thing

​@Cuteopia x The United States Government is worse than that, they are trying to take our guns away. 90% of Americans who never heard the will get sent to prision without warning. Basically Current government is corrupt with Kamala Harris behind the puppet Joe Biden and their cronies love seeing us Innocent Lawful Americans get killed basically. Democrats and the Woke agenda is worse than Nazi, Communist, Fascists', Racist combined. Basically, we Americans are going to have it worse than you of the UK. All I ask is that you pass this message and ask them to not come to the US as a Tourist or Immigrant. Since our stupid government ain't doing anything for our safety, it be best to have foreign help to close our borders as this will easily kill a nation. If the US gets into a second US Civil War, it will also be best to let us Americans fight this war since it be the only way to save the US.

Thats easy the weather...the weather ...the weather ...9 more times recurring LOL

Can you make a video just scrolling through Japan’s Amazon website and/or whatever store you get your hats from.

I've never been to Japan, but I live and die by my Bidet, it changed my life for the better. HAHA

ʜɪᴛ ᴍᴇ ᴜᴘ ᴏɴ ᴛᴇʟᴇɢʀᴀᴍ ɪ ɢᴏᴛ sᴏᴍᴇᴛʜɪɴɢ sᴘᴇᴄɪᴀʟ ғᴏʀ ʏᴏᴜ 🎁🎁🎊🎊...

uhh, there's a reason go-karts in the US are always inside a closed track at the kiddie arcade centers.... who thought go-karts on the streets of Tokyo was a good idea?

I hated the first one especially. I liked the pachingo part it seems fun lol

The production of this episode is stunning! You just never stop, do you? The Chris that keeps on giving!

@Abroad in Japan such a curious thing

They don't call him Abroad in Japan for nothing❗

@Lars Stougaard FALLING FALLING

Very kind comment, Foot Juice.

There's a reason you can't spell Christmas without Chris!

The bad news about the Tokyo carting thing was it was a Japanese man who crashed into the fish and chips place, and the second case of it happening was a South Korean woman, neither are really "tourists" per se. lol

Shocking?! I in fact love fruit sandwich :)

So I'm watching Spy x Family for the first time, intro was playing, looked down on phone & realised that the intro song was done by a band called Mixed Nuts. Went here immediately & was slightly disappointed that it wasn't the band mentioned in this video. Still, Creepy Nuts is one hell of a name.

my guy, after 29 years of not having a bidet in america getting one was fucking life changing.

If these are the worst things about japan, its must be really good in Japan. Those are som pretty tame things on that list :)

What kind of monster hates Japanese bidet wands?! They are the only thing that got me through the summer!

#3 Bidets are freakin awesome. I hope he reads this and gets annoyed

Modern Architecture is a blight in any country.

I met my in-laws in 2019, I've been married with their daughter for three years now, and they know I-ve been visiting Japan regularly since the '00s. They still compliment me on my use of chopsticks.

@CleverGirlAAH Snap: To speak abruptly or sharply. I'm not dropping the third nuke bud. Also, you aren't my bud, pal.

@Kermit Easy, bud...

Honestly I would just snap and tell them that they are acting like a cliche.

lol

This video was hilarious! I love it! HAHA

Wow Mr Broad for a non japanese english speaking person that is living in japan, your english is very good

We have 4 seasons has to be one of the strangest small talk conversations. How does it even come up. Like the US does too where I'm from. Is this uncommon in most of the world?

To be fair "Your accent is very nice" Is something I hear from English speakers in discord very often.

First time I saw Yakissoba or Straverry Pie Sandwich in a Japanese store in my country, I laughed my ass off

You're insane Chris MOS burger is great