Abroad in Japan, by Chris Broad – An entertaining recollection of 10 years in Japan.

I’ve known Chris Broad’s YouTube channel for a very long time. I certainly don’t watch all his videos, but every now and then they pop up on my YouTube homepage I give them a watch. Especially since I went to Japan myself last year. And still, when I saw his book in the bookstore, it didn’t click, and I didn’t realise whose book I was looking at and buying 🤣.

It wasn’t until I started reading it and he talked about creating his YouTube channel that I had a lightbulb moment. But from that moment on I was even more interested.

Chris Broad – The author

Chris Broad is a British filmmaker and founder of the Abroad in Japan YouTube channel, one of the largest foreign YouTube channels in Japan with over 3 million subscribers and 500 million views. Over ten years and two hundred videos, Chris has visited all of Japan’s forty-seven prefectures, focusing Abroad in Japan on travel, food and culture. He has also covered contemporary issues through documentaries on the Fukushima nuclear disaster and the Tohoku earthquake and tsunami. His experiences have made him a sought-after voice on life inside Japan and he has been featured on the BBC, TEDx, NHK and the Japan Times.

Synopsis – What is it about?

When Englishman Chris Broad landed in a rural village in northern Japan he wondered if he’d made a huge mistake. With no knowledge of the language and zero teaching experience, was he about to be the most quickly fired English teacher in Japan’s history?

Abroad in Japan charts a decade of living in a foreign land and the chaos and culture clash that came with it. Packed with hilarious and fascinating stories, this book seeks out to unravel one the world’s most complex cultures.

Spanning ten years and all forty-seven prefectures, Chris takes us from the lush rice fields of the countryside to the frenetic neon-lit streets of Tokyo. With blockbuster moments such as a terrifying North Korean missile incident, a mortifying experience at a love hotel and a week spent with Japan’s biggest movie star, Abroad in Japan is an extraordinary and informative journey through the Land of the Rising Sun.

Opinion – What did I think?

Abroad in Japan is an interesting recollection of memories which Chris Broad lived through since he moved to Japan. It’s easy to read, personal and funny, like reading parts of his personal diary.

Chris tells the story of his journey to Japan, from his beginnings as an English teacher in rural Yamagata to becoming one of Japan’s most recognized foreign content creators. With his characteristic humor and wit, he makes the narrative both fun and engaging. Through personal anecdotes, embarrassing moments, and cultural mishaps, he offers an authentic glimpse into life as a foreigner in Japan. His story covers the everyday challenges—fitting in as a foreigner, mastering the language, and the dreaded apartment hunt—as well as unexpected rewards, like filming documentaries about natural disasters or Japanese legends such as rock star Hyde, or eating pizza with acclaimed actor Ken Watanabe.

I really enjoyed him describing the behind the scenes of how he created some of his videos which I have watched over the years. It’s like a short trip down memory lane and makes you understand that coming up with ideas and creating engaging content is not always easy.

For me, the most important message comes from the epilogue: “If I walk away, will I live to regret this?” Don’t give in to fear—seize the opportunities life presents. This powerful message applies to everyone at some point: step out of your comfort zone. You’ll always have more to gain than to lose.

What sets this book apart is its authenticity. It doesn’t overly romanticise or criticise the country, and Chris maintains a balanced view, acknowledging both the positives and negatives of Japanese life. His writing style engaging, humorous, and refreshingly honest. It is an insightful look into modern Japan through the eyes of someone who has truly lived it. Chris’s observations are sharp, his stories are entertaining, and his growth throughout the journey is evident.

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