**NOTE: THIS VIDEO IS THE BEHIND THE SCENES watch the Full Documentary** on the area and what happened to it *right here:* ruclips.net/video/BDPT6q_4OHY/видео.html **THIS VIDEO WAS THE BEHIND THE SCENES/PART-2 TO THE DOCUMENTARY ABOVE** Did you have a favorite moment? a favorite interview? a favorite bee keeper with a super cool voice? let me know below!
There are some haunted places in Japan I'd like to visit when I return. There are groups on the net that talk about haunted places, sightings...etc Aside from getting my Momotaro remake manga published and gold hunting, checking out haunted villages/buildings is on my to-do list. :D
Hello Norm, thanks for the video! I enjoyed seeing so many abandon villages! Although, it really makes me want to go exploring. But can't because I am staying at a motel and can't leave my Granddad alone for too long. However, I think you have a new fan in him. I showed him a couple of your videos and he enjoyed them a lot. "Can't wait for the next video!" Says Grandpa Joe.
💚 I absolutely love this vlog & series!! I’ve always had a big interest in looking for abandoned houses & documenting them! You Norm are a brave soul!! You’ve given me so much inspiration to go do what you are doing! Thank you for sharing these adventures with us ✌️
Hi, I'm from Osaka who became a Canadian citizen a while ago. It's very refreshing to see someone get so excited about things we ignore. Probably Japanese viewers like us are more excited with his reactions than the documentary itself, however, it becomes an exciting video to watch because of the hosts' contagious reactions, & good character. (Imagine you try to adventure your own local places with the same excitement) Please keep up your good job introducing places like these !
thanks so much for watching!! This isnt actually the documentary though! this is the behind-the-scenes of me making the documentary!! The actual documentary is here and I would LOVE if you would watch it!! It's one of my favorite videos ever! ruclips.net/video/BDPT6q_4OHY/видео.html thank you again~
As a historian, I really enjoyed the insides of these houses. I have a fondness for old architecture, particularly those made of wood. The area looks absolutely beautiful and I can imagine that in the 60s-80s this would have been a wonderful place to raise a family and teach the kids about the land, nature, and wild animals. Would love more stuff like this!
I did the 88 Temple Pilgrimage (hachijyiuhakkashou) in Shikoku in 1997 as an exchange student. What a crazy adventure. This brought back fond memories (or interesting people and wildlife). If only RUclips existed in 1997.
Can we take a moment to appreciate his genuine curiosity and his big heart? You don't find people like him often enough, you can just see it in his eyes.
You've got some guts traveling to remote places like this alone. If I saw a person in the distance and then they disappeared, I would have ran away immediately. Thank you sharing with us.
so amazing when someone go for the information and dive so deep to understand and share the story of those people/places, thank you for being one of these people Norm
Thank you for sharing your experiences! I was hiking around Kyoto area in search of a waterfall, and walked through a small town that looked abandoned. There wasn't a single person in sight, all the houses were boarded up. Having grown up in a city that was a very surreal experience. It reminded me of Miyazaki Hayao's Spirited Away.
It's a shame because even though I do love the comforts of modern technology, I get the feeling I would love to live in a place like this if it wasn't abandoned, a small village in a forested mountain area, sounds quite nice tbh
Love that you have taken the time to stop and reach out to (continue) to hear people’s stories. Keep on! Your excitement is infectious and inspiring. Watch out for those spiders 😬!
t’s always astonishing to me how many of the most wonderful adventures shared on RUclips come from being curious, talking to strangers. & seeing where life leads. Stuff like this makes me just so thankful for this platform.
Norm's got guts , being in a abandoned forrest then noticing the guitar went missing and some freshly cut branches straight after that . To top it off , he said he wants to meet the people too ...
Such a shame. Reminds me of my late grandpa's village. Deep in the mountains. People moved out due to the lack of accessibility. In 20 years time nobody will be staying there. Progress devours everything but that's life.
I love the eagerness of most people to share their stories and you going the extra mile (literally) to follow the leads. Might as well be a documentary on tv.
My heart aches for all the wasted resources, the memories long forgotten. Thank you for showing us things that we would not have known otherwise. Going through your footages must've been a nightmare. haha.
Norm, your-kid-on-Christmas-morning energy is priceless. I keep saying it, but you're a treasure and I am grateful you chose to share your passion and enthusiasm with the world.
Yes!!! ^_^ I loved the bee keeper from the full doc and I'm so glad there's a bit more footage of him. I'm so glad I can be a Patron of your channel Norm!! You've inspired me to get up early and explore places when there's no one around--places I've been to often take on a whole new vibe...and you've inspired me to go out and and explore more places around my area. Thank you!!!
Means the ABSOLUTE WORLD to me that you helped make this project possible to begin with! It’s oddly exciting to think we kinda got to collaborate in one way or another!! Thank you~
Notification Squad! Ah, the inevitable Nihongo jouzu lol. Cool that the dam staff were so helpful about finding a local who used to live in the village!
Loved this. So much extra footage. I think if you made a channel for just all of your unused B-roll, people would watch that too, cause personally I find this stuff fascinating and would love to watch it just to see all the little things that tell the story of such places.
YES!!! Another Norm adventure! Everything was a favorite, but that Beekeeper’s voice! Your enthusiasm and excitement is invigorating. Definitely go back for more adventures and distractions. Thank you 🙏 .
I’m so happy you mentioned the bugs and spiders. I always think everything is so perfect in videos, but you brought the real details to your video. Thanks @tokyolens
I love seeing how the encounters happened chronologically in this behind the scenes vlog after seeing the full episode earlier. ^^ Comparing the two really highlights your amazing storytelling skills~
This Norm, this is what i am talking about, longer videos and more talking with the people! I hope for more videos where you talk to people, normal people and listen to their stories (and share it with us of course), that's one of the things that I love about Japan, to meet new people. I was really excited watching this as well, I could almost feel your energy while watching it. If you come back to hike, you just got to bring Quinlan with you, he is the hike sensei 😂
Exploring Japan like this and meeting locals to hear their stories has always been my absolute favorite part of Japan. I miss it every day. Thank you for letting me live vicariously through you for a half hour. That was sorely neeeded.
I know this video is a bit old, but I wanted to say that I love watching your apartment videos, and watching this has honestly just moved me so much on how you truly want to tell everyone’s story. It’s quite beautiful lol
Thanks so much. This is actually the behind the scenes. The full documentary is linked. I really hope that you’ll take a few minutes to watch it. It’s definitely one of my favourite videos ever!
I could watch such videos for hours, just you exploring abandoned villages or just towns in general. It's so calming, aesthetic and in general you have a great vibe ♥
I love that you care and want to tell stories of ppl and places, RUclips would be an emptier place without you! Here's to hoping we never lose you, thank you so much for all your hard work, for being a content creator, and such an inspiration. Can't wait to see what you film next ^^
I really like the presentation in this video. Especially the music choices, setting the mood from almost a whimsy adventure of discovery to the final, more ominous tone of a long time abandoned place in heavy state of decay. And he's right, how it's interesting how much "stuff" was left behind in some abandoned homes.
The last bit, that’s how I feel when I explore ruins in Japan. You always want to go further, always want to see more. Keep it up! Love your haikyo videos!
Hey Norm, one of my favourite things about your videos is that a lot of the people you talk to seem to want to go out of their way to talk to you and help you as much as possible. I know that part of that is because Japanese people tend to be super polite and helpful, but I suspect a large part of it is that you yourself are super polite and respectful of them, and your enthusiasm is infectious. I constantly look forward to when your next video is dropping.
Love these behind the scenes videos! It’s nice that so many people were willing to talk about their experiences. If some random person walked up to me and started asking random questions like that I’d probably be a lot more hesitant
Interesting point of you Norm! I think one of the reasons the collapsed houses are abandoned is the owner died and there are no one to inherit or even if there is his child who has ownership, the child just lets it go because there are some taxes needed to pay for owing it. It is one of the problems Japan has regarding our lands.
I’ve been living in Japan for almost 20 years, and seeing all this abandoned places is heartbreaking. Reminds me of the Japan I fall in love with. Your genuine curiosity and interest though, I really love. Thanks for all your videos. 😊
I really enjoyed the documentary but the making of it was equally interesting and showed Norm at his investigative best. You should be damn proud of this series Norm, it's excellent.
7 months later and I'm seeing this but oh my gosh! How cool is this?! I give you mad props for exploring the woods into the unknown! Especially with all the bugs and spiders. Thank you for sharing your experience with us as most of if not all who watch this will never get the chance to explore these abandoned villages.
Wow! So much beauty, even in the heart of desolation. I loved the beekeeper and how he was talking about his bees as if they were like his children. Such care and gentleness. You captured so many stories and facets of these places.
I always have a feeling for abandoned places, to put it simple, I want to understand, to experience others' lives. When looking at an abandoned place, my mind will start drawing the pictures, like how people were living back then, what were there, TV programs, mangas, patin shoes, uniform, so they must have a school right, how was it, how was everything back then, what did the children do in the summer. Oh the curtains, they were used back then, when the weather was hot, how was everything then, how were the people, were there the children sitting there and reading books, or they gathered there in the evening to talk, to sing. The inside, the boxes were left there, they contained daily items, is that a present box, for who, when, what is it inside, how were the parties back then? Over 40-50 years ago? Back then, Vietnam was even in war! Things look peaceful there, the kitchen, the slide doors, the manga pages, the mail box. How were they abandoned, when, why? Who were the last one to leave, how did they feel, how did the people from nearby villages feel when their friends stopped visiting? By the time the houses were build, the time when the items inside the house were purchased, I didn't even born yet... Wow... but the keys, the clothes hanging, the books... somehow they make me feel familiar... Ah yeah because people still revisit the place XD also, even in the rural places, things look still new, I mean like there are still people, there are still items transfer to these places. It's so great to find a person share the same interest with you, when you say "I feel like a little kid, I feel like I'm having an adventure", I feel that too, even through the screen! I really hope that some days I will save up enough to travel and explore in Japan just like you do, and I hope I can see by my own eyes, and can compare stuffs with your videos
Its pretty cool that your showing how the abandoned villages/houses are left to time and age. Also how some of them are just left as is, like a time capsule of memories. Love the vids, keep up the great work.
I stumbled onto your site by accident and am so glad I did! I lived in Japan for four years and this is such a different perspective from my daily life. That said, the thing I find the same is the friendliness of the Japanese people and their love for sharing stories. Their unique perspective on life and nature is inspiring and lovely and you capture it very well. It is often hard to tell people why I loved it in Japan so much (my Japanese friends used to call me tamago, saying I was white on the outside, but yellow on the inside), but you really capture it. This makes my heart yearn to go back. Can I come work for you?! 😜🤣 Thanks for all the work you put into these videos! 🥰
I’ve seen this video before, but I never used to comment! I love watching you explore these abandoned places. The clothing, awards, plaques, TVs, and etc left behind really speak me. History is a huge passion of mine and I enjoy seeing things “frozen in time” especially with belongings left behind. Amazing footage and commitment to this story!!!😊
@@MulinaTheAngelWolf Thank you so much! I totally understand! I’m not someone who usually comments either, I’ve just started recently. I love to see these types of videos especially when everything is left behind. Such a cool, unfiltered look into someone’s life :)
This video reminded my of my first trip to Tokyo. I just walked everywhere and kept getting side tracked by random stuff I wanted to checkout. And when my body was ready to give out, I just kept going.
This is such a gem of channel. Each new video, always surprises me. How each video is made from the b-roll to the music to the story telling. Amazing stuff Norm. Also more podcast episodes please!!
This is honestly really depressing because this place seems so beautiful, like a place out of a studio ghibli movie. It’s sad that many of these families would of had to leave because they just couldn’t afford to live somewhere like that anymore due to a lack of jobs.
It is amazing how nice everyone is. All of these abandoned homes is like a photo of a life that was there. A photo of a place in time. A story waiting for discovery.
Can’t wait to explore and experience stuff like this with my wife. Hopefully we will still be able to find stuff like this when we make are way to Japan.
Abandoned villages are fascinating. Just watching this video made me wonder what it must've been like back when they lived there. Especially ones living deeper in the mountains. Still unbelievable there were people who just up and left everything behind as if they're just going out somewhere but never coming back. There's this sense of loneliness and dread when I saw those abandoned houses. I'm glad you met so many nice people. It's awesome they shared their stories and some of them seemed to have really wanted to do so. The villages might be abandoned but their story will go on cause of these videos. The last village was creepy! The bgm didn't help I just felt uneasy looking at it haha. It would definitely make an interesting video although it seems dangerous though.
The mountain has some kind of mushi-shi energy, the scenery, the soundtrack, the landscape all together reminded me of it. Anyway, pretty good vid as usual, the scenography was on point!
Wow.. it's so breathtaking watching your video.. The abandoned villages are so beautiful with the forest surrounding them. I can imagine how the villages used be back when it still populated. Such a shame for those places to be forgotten like that. Thanks for bringing these beautiful world to us😃
This is an excellent video. I'm 38, born in Portugal, always lived here. It has been MANY years since I've been in the countryside but as a kid I remember MANY different stories such as these from older folk, stories and realities that kept me amazed by how different it was for them (seeing how I was a young kid full with the benefits of modern life convivences). Finding these places and people in another country and showing it in a video such as this is priceless. Thank you so much!
Love the kind of determination you have to visit and document these places. You give us all such a good look and understanding of things that we might never be able to experience and you go and track down people who are around to get more information as well. Bravo (and, yes, we do love these longer video formats!)
Honestly, after watching the first one, I really can't stop thinking of this place, like you'd still want to know and see more, and I'm surprisingly glad that you went back for more. Thank you truly for this second part of the journey.
I've been homeless twice now... only about 4 months each time... not being able to wash is the worst part of it... how can you be around people knowing you smell?
It's so fascinating to see these places that have begun to fade into history. It's warming to see that some of the locals still live around the area but also sad to see tangible memories slowly disappear with so few the tell the story of those places. It was strange enough for myself to see abandoned buildings alongside the train track when getting a train to Takayama.
"So many bugs here!" Its okay, I can deal with that just fine! Exploring seems fun! "You would not believe how many spiders I found *on myself*" Nope nope nope nope nope nope nope nope nope nope nope nope I'll leave the adventuring to you and just watch from my house after all...
Dam good video.... personally i would have loaded this first before the previous one.... my brain kept recollecting scenes from that video and merging it with this one... I wouldn't say they have an obsession rather they got it down pat as how to monetize everything... which is why i also think most of the towns/cities have their own "character rep" ...hmmm you know what could have helped you out with the insects and spiders Norm?!?🤔 Some sort of head gear 😉 One of the reasons i love hats is for protection of my hair, added benefit don't need to put sunscreen on my face 😁
i really appreciate the respect you show when going to abandoned places, especially those in other countries. too many tourists (typically white americans) treat other countries they visit as something to entertain them. you treat it like what it is; historically and culturally significant, a place where people used to live and raised families and lost loved ones and got married and lives full lives. and i really appreciate the lack of corny spooky music.
Talk about adventure! Camping with no actual campgrounds, braving the spiders, finding all these people that want to share their story so bad. I’m not the kind of person who would ever be brave enough for journeys like this, but I’m just happy to be able to witness the adventure!
do you every worry about your safety with strangers? is japan really that safe? i would love to do this in the states but i'd be afraid of who i may run into.
To get out there and tell these stories of places that would just get past by, by everyday people is truly amazing. Every time I pass a unique person or small town, I’m always like what’s their story. You go out and do it. I should try and take inspiration from you!!!! Always great stuff!!
Listening to you talk about bears reminded me of camping in Algonquin Park as a child and listening to the bears roaming around at night, scavenging from the garbage cans.
**NOTE: THIS VIDEO IS THE BEHIND THE SCENES watch the Full Documentary** on the area and what happened to it *right here:* ruclips.net/video/BDPT6q_4OHY/видео.html
**THIS VIDEO WAS THE BEHIND THE SCENES/PART-2 TO THE DOCUMENTARY ABOVE**
Did you have a favorite moment? a favorite interview? a favorite bee keeper with a super cool voice? let me know below!
There are some haunted places in Japan I'd like to visit when I return. There are groups on the net that talk about haunted places, sightings...etc Aside from getting my Momotaro remake manga published and gold hunting, checking out haunted villages/buildings is on my to-do list. :D
Definitely the beekeeper with the perfect music😎🎧🎶
I've really enjoyed your series.
I'm really excited to see your next big adventure 🐱
Hello Norm, thanks for the video! I enjoyed seeing so many abandon villages! Although, it really makes me want to go exploring. But can't because I am staying at a motel and can't leave my Granddad alone for too long. However, I think you have a new fan in him. I showed him a couple of your videos and he enjoyed them a lot. "Can't wait for the next video!" Says Grandpa Joe.
💚 I absolutely love this vlog & series!! I’ve always had a big interest in looking for abandoned houses & documenting them! You Norm are a brave soul!! You’ve given me so much inspiration to go do what you are doing! Thank you for sharing these adventures with us ✌️
Hi, I'm from Osaka who became a Canadian citizen a while ago. It's very refreshing to see someone get so excited about things we ignore. Probably Japanese viewers like us are more excited with his reactions than the documentary itself, however, it becomes an exciting video to watch because of the hosts' contagious reactions, & good character. (Imagine you try to adventure your own local places with the same excitement) Please keep up your good job introducing places like these !
thanks so much for watching!!
This isnt actually the documentary though!
this is the behind-the-scenes of me making the documentary!!
The actual documentary is here and I would LOVE if you would watch it!! It's one of my favorite videos ever!
ruclips.net/video/BDPT6q_4OHY/видео.html
thank you again~
i know a lot of people who adventure in their local towns with this excitement, specially when it comes to abandoned spaces haha
I could spend years just helping people for the opportunity to see what looks like a beautiful area
@@TokyoLenswhat happened with abandoned village today?.
@@awangmujin3988your comment is recent
As a historian, I really enjoyed the insides of these houses. I have a fondness for old architecture, particularly those made of wood. The area looks absolutely beautiful and I can imagine that in the 60s-80s this would have been a wonderful place to raise a family and teach the kids about the land, nature, and wild animals. Would love more stuff like this!
Kanawa Tsugi
Carrying camping gear just in case is the most Canadian thing. Incredible how friendly all those people were.
😂
I did the 88 Temple Pilgrimage (hachijyiuhakkashou) in Shikoku in 1997 as an exchange student. What a crazy adventure. This brought back fond memories (or interesting people and wildlife). If only RUclips existed in 1997.
Shout out all my Canadian hommies
I didn't know he was Canadian but it makes so much sense
A true Canadian always keep a basecamp bag in the trunk just in case! 😁
Can we take a moment to appreciate his genuine curiosity and his big heart? You don't find people like him often enough, you can just see it in his eyes.
If you made hour-long videos, I'd watch them. Would have been good to see more interviews with the locals.
Glad you enjoy them that much!!
If you haven’t caught the full documentary yet
You can see all the interviews with the locals there!!
You've got some guts traveling to remote places like this alone. If I saw a person in the distance and then they disappeared, I would have ran away immediately. Thank you sharing with us.
The moment he said someone had took that guitar away I've got shivers.
so amazing when someone go for the information and dive so deep to understand and share the story of those people/places, thank you for being one of these people Norm
Just so many questions that had to be answered
Thank you for sharing your experiences! I was hiking around Kyoto area in search of a waterfall, and walked through a small town that looked abandoned. There wasn't a single person in sight, all the houses were boarded up. Having grown up in a city that was a very surreal experience. It reminded me of Miyazaki Hayao's Spirited Away.
Your giddy kid energy at the prospect of finding new places and stories is rather infectious
I genuinely don’t think I could’ve enjoyed this adventure more than I did!!
It's a shame because even though I do love the comforts of modern technology, I get the feeling I would love to live in a place like this if it wasn't abandoned, a small village in a forested mountain area, sounds quite nice tbh
Honestlg i agree, but the bugs just make me think twice
@@finn4921 maybe
@@finn4921 Same here
With all the spirits and ghosts...
Spirits, ghosts, bugs... absolutely. For this, I'll take them.
Love that you have taken the time to stop and reach out to (continue) to hear people’s stories. Keep on! Your excitement is infectious and inspiring. Watch out for those spiders 😬!
Honestly was so exciting!
Thank you for tagging along~
t’s always astonishing to me how many of the most wonderful adventures shared on RUclips come from being curious, talking to strangers. & seeing where life leads. Stuff like this makes me just so thankful for this platform.
ruclips.net/video/BDPT6q_4OHY/видео.html
Thanks so much
hope you enjoy the full documentary too~
The musical choices made for this one are so on point!
Yaaaayyyy
Indeed it was it really set the atmosphere
4:54 anybody please tell me the song name? Can't see it in the description or on shazam ☹
Norm's got guts , being in a abandoned forrest then noticing the guitar went missing and some freshly cut branches straight after that . To top it off , he said he wants to meet the people too ...
And the bullet casings at the start
I cant believe Norm got eaten by a bear while spending 48 hours in an abandoned village in Japan
Lol
NO SPOILERS!! hahaha
@@TokyoLens real talk though, excellent job on this one fam. Love the longer form vid.
Such a shame. Reminds me of my late grandpa's village. Deep in the mountains. People moved out due to the lack of accessibility. In 20 years time nobody will be staying there. Progress devours everything but that's life.
The little shrine is so pretty
I love the eagerness of most people to share their stories and you going the extra mile (literally) to follow the leads. Might as well be a documentary on tv.
Watching this in the middle of night while eating chocolate ice cream is the most relaxing thing for now.
My heart aches for all the wasted resources, the memories long forgotten. Thank you for showing us things that we would not have known otherwise. Going through your footages must've been a nightmare. haha.
Norm, your-kid-on-Christmas-morning energy is priceless. I keep saying it, but you're a treasure and I am grateful you chose to share your passion and enthusiasm with the world.
The true treasure really is the adventure you have along the way. Loved all the locals, especially that beekeeper.
Yes!!! ^_^ I loved the bee keeper from the full doc and I'm so glad there's a bit more footage of him. I'm so glad I can be a Patron of your channel Norm!! You've inspired me to get up early and explore places when there's no one around--places I've been to often take on a whole new vibe...and you've inspired me to go out and and explore more places around my area. Thank you!!!
Means the ABSOLUTE WORLD to me that you helped make this project possible to begin with! It’s oddly exciting to think we kinda got to collaborate in one way or another!!
Thank you~
24:07 Norm: "This place is creepy. "
Also Norm: " Should I come back?"
Notification Squad! Ah, the inevitable Nihongo jouzu lol. Cool that the dam staff were so helpful about finding a local who used to live in the village!
Lol couldn’t help it
And yea
They were really amazing!
The bee guy was awesome. What a character and so lovely 🐝
Loved this. So much extra footage. I think if you made a channel for just all of your unused B-roll, people would watch that too, cause personally I find this stuff fascinating and would love to watch it just to see all the little things that tell the story of such places.
Who says... I didn’t just make a channel like that 😏
And who says it wasn’t already announced (Kinda) on the podcast 😉 hehe
Great minds think alike~
@@TokyoLens Behind the Lens! Can't wait!
@@megamcee lol hint: Explore
An alternative title could be "I drove out to an abandoned village to get "Nihongo jouzu desu ne'd" haha Thanks for this amazing adventure Norm!
It’s inescapable 😂
YES!!! Another Norm adventure! Everything was a favorite, but that Beekeeper’s voice! Your enthusiasm and excitement is invigorating. Definitely go back for more adventures and distractions. Thank you 🙏 .
Jozu-ed again... 😭😭😭
Should get a stamp book for that
I’m so happy you mentioned the bugs and spiders. I always think everything is so perfect in videos, but you brought the real details to your video. Thanks @tokyolens
I love seeing how the encounters happened chronologically in this behind the scenes vlog after seeing the full episode earlier. ^^
Comparing the two really highlights your amazing storytelling skills~
This Norm, this is what i am talking about, longer videos and more talking with the people! I hope for more videos where you talk to people, normal people and listen to their stories (and share it with us of course), that's one of the things that I love about Japan, to meet new people.
I was really excited watching this as well, I could almost feel your energy while watching it.
If you come back to hike, you just got to bring Quinlan with you, he is the hike sensei 😂
Their story is so interesting and captivating. I like these type of mysteries that can be solved through talking with others.
I really enjoy when you have segments with you and locals speaking Japanese. I would love to see more of this in your videos.
Exploring Japan like this and meeting locals to hear their stories has always been my absolute favorite part of Japan. I miss it every day. Thank you for letting me live vicariously through you for a half hour. That was sorely neeeded.
You always keep making me add things to my bucket list for when I eventually start living in Japan haha 😆
Hope you can make it there!!
@@TokyoLens Holding that hope with strong determination 😄😤
I know this video is a bit old, but I wanted to say that I love watching your apartment videos, and watching this has honestly just moved me so much on how you truly want to tell everyone’s story. It’s quite beautiful lol
Thanks so much.
This is actually the behind the scenes.
The full documentary is linked.
I really hope that you’ll take a few minutes to watch it.
It’s definitely one of my favourite videos ever!
I could watch such videos for hours, just you exploring abandoned villages or just towns in general. It's so calming, aesthetic and in general you have a great vibe ♥
I love that you care and want to tell stories of ppl and places, RUclips would be an emptier place without you! Here's to hoping we never lose you, thank you so much for all your hard work, for being a content creator, and such an inspiration.
Can't wait to see what you film next ^^
Loved it! The aesthetics, peaceful and frozen in time vintage vibes of this place are amazing
I really like the presentation in this video. Especially the music choices, setting the mood from almost a whimsy adventure of discovery to the final, more ominous tone of a long time abandoned place in heavy state of decay. And he's right, how it's interesting how much "stuff" was left behind in some abandoned homes.
The last bit, that’s how I feel when I explore ruins in Japan. You always want to go further, always want to see more. Keep it up! Love your haikyo videos!
Hey Norm, one of my favourite things about your videos is that a lot of the people you talk to seem to want to go out of their way to talk to you and help you as much as possible. I know that part of that is because Japanese people tend to be super polite and helpful, but I suspect a large part of it is that you yourself are super polite and respectful of them, and your enthusiasm is infectious. I constantly look forward to when your next video is dropping.
I love your determination and courage to try to find out what's behind these abandoned villages. really enjoyed this series :)
Love these behind the scenes videos! It’s nice that so many people were willing to talk about their experiences. If some random person walked up to me and started asking random questions like that I’d probably be a lot more hesitant
Interesting point of you Norm! I think one of the reasons the collapsed houses are abandoned is the owner died and there are no one to inherit or even if there is his child who has ownership, the child just lets it go because there are some taxes needed to pay for owing it. It is one of the problems Japan has regarding our lands.
I’ve been living in Japan for almost 20 years, and seeing all this abandoned places is heartbreaking. Reminds me of the Japan I fall in love with.
Your genuine curiosity and interest though, I really love. Thanks for all your videos. 😊
I really enjoyed the documentary but the making of it was equally interesting and showed Norm at his investigative best. You should be damn proud of this series Norm, it's excellent.
7 months later and I'm seeing this but oh my gosh! How cool is this?! I give you mad props for exploring the woods into the unknown! Especially with all the bugs and spiders. Thank you for sharing your experience with us as most of if not all who watch this will never get the chance to explore these abandoned villages.
What's even scarier than a bear? A bear with a shotgun!! ...damn! Cheers Norm :)
Wow! So much beauty, even in the heart of desolation. I loved the beekeeper and how he was talking about his bees as if they were like his children. Such care and gentleness. You captured so many stories and facets of these places.
I always have a feeling for abandoned places, to put it simple, I want to understand, to experience others' lives. When looking at an abandoned place, my mind will start drawing the pictures, like how people were living back then, what were there, TV programs, mangas, patin shoes, uniform, so they must have a school right, how was it, how was everything back then, what did the children do in the summer. Oh the curtains, they were used back then, when the weather was hot, how was everything then, how were the people, were there the children sitting there and reading books, or they gathered there in the evening to talk, to sing. The inside, the boxes were left there, they contained daily items, is that a present box, for who, when, what is it inside, how were the parties back then? Over 40-50 years ago? Back then, Vietnam was even in war! Things look peaceful there, the kitchen, the slide doors, the manga pages, the mail box. How were they abandoned, when, why? Who were the last one to leave, how did they feel, how did the people from nearby villages feel when their friends stopped visiting? By the time the houses were build, the time when the items inside the house were purchased, I didn't even born yet... Wow... but the keys, the clothes hanging, the books... somehow they make me feel familiar... Ah yeah because people still revisit the place XD also, even in the rural places, things look still new, I mean like there are still people, there are still items transfer to these places. It's so great to find a person share the same interest with you, when you say "I feel like a little kid, I feel like I'm having an adventure", I feel that too, even through the screen! I really hope that some days I will save up enough to travel and explore in Japan just like you do, and I hope I can see by my own eyes, and can compare stuffs with your videos
Its pretty cool that your showing how the abandoned villages/houses are left to time and age. Also how some of them are just left as is, like a time capsule of memories. Love the vids, keep up the great work.
I stumbled onto your site by accident and am so glad I did! I lived in Japan for four years and this is such a different perspective from my daily life. That said, the thing I find the same is the friendliness of the Japanese people and their love for sharing stories. Their unique perspective on life and nature is inspiring and lovely and you capture it very well. It is often hard to tell people why I loved it in Japan so much (my Japanese friends used to call me tamago, saying I was white on the outside, but yellow on the inside), but you really capture it. This makes my heart yearn to go back. Can I come work for you?! 😜🤣
Thanks for all the work you put into these videos! 🥰
PS The bee man stole my heart! Love him!
Just came upon this channel recently as someone living in japan since 1994. It’s a great channel
Back at it again! Such an amazing piece again 😍
Thank you Carmen!
I’ve seen this video before, but I never used to comment! I love watching you explore these abandoned places. The clothing, awards, plaques, TVs, and etc left behind really speak me. History is a huge passion of mine and I enjoy seeing things “frozen in time” especially with belongings left behind. Amazing footage and commitment to this story!!!😊
THIS COMMENT I felt spiritually. never quite the best at making sure to share my thoughts!
@@MulinaTheAngelWolf Thank you so much! I totally understand! I’m not someone who usually comments either, I’ve just started recently. I love to see these types of videos especially when everything is left behind. Such a cool, unfiltered look into someone’s life :)
This video reminded my of my first trip to Tokyo. I just walked everywhere and kept getting side tracked by random stuff I wanted to checkout. And when my body was ready to give out, I just kept going.
I wore out the sole of my shoes, walked so much my hips were stuck in the morning, I went alone one in 2014 and one in 2017 , was told I was crazy 😝
This is such a gem of channel. Each new video, always surprises me. How each video is made from the b-roll to the music to the story telling. Amazing stuff Norm.
Also more podcast episodes please!!
My evening just got better!!
And for nearly half an hour lol
Your excitement are through the roof, it's also really cool when everybody just excited to share their stories.
10:50 wow, this gentleman's voice came out of nowhere!
This is honestly really depressing because this place seems so beautiful, like a place out of a studio ghibli movie. It’s sad that many of these families would of had to leave because they just couldn’t afford to live somewhere like that anymore due to a lack of jobs.
It is amazing how nice everyone is. All of these abandoned homes is like a photo of a life that was there. A photo of a place in time. A story waiting for discovery.
I could watch a 5+h video of this guy walking around that place. It's rare and i've never seen something like that in real life.
Thanks for sharing. When do the Tokyo lens abandon tours start?
Hahahaha wonder when those borders are opening lol
Nice, just when I ran out of stuff to watch!
Good evening, Norm.
Good timing!
Can’t wait to explore and experience stuff like this with my wife. Hopefully we will still be able to find stuff like this when we make are way to Japan.
Abandoned villages are fascinating. Just watching this video made me wonder what it must've been like back when they lived there. Especially ones living deeper in the mountains. Still unbelievable there were people who just up and left everything behind as if they're just going out somewhere but never coming back. There's this sense of loneliness and dread when I saw those abandoned houses. I'm glad you met so many nice people. It's awesome they shared their stories and some of them seemed to have really wanted to do so. The villages might be abandoned but their story will go on cause of these videos.
The last village was creepy! The bgm didn't help I just felt uneasy looking at it haha. It would definitely make an interesting video although it seems dangerous though.
The mountain has some kind of mushi-shi energy, the scenery, the soundtrack, the landscape all together reminded me of it. Anyway, pretty good vid as usual, the scenography was on point!
Just in time before I run out the door for work.
Yaaaayyg
my man, your channel is fantastic! it's awesome to know about people and places that we will never probably meet, much love!
Notification squad! What's up Norm? Excited for the video
Hey Donald!!
@@TokyoLens I've really loved this series! Thank you for capturing and sharing these stories with us.
I feel comfortable watching this guys vids cause of how respectful he is towards the people in these kind of areas
7:02 made me spit my orange juice. 😂
Wow.. it's so breathtaking watching your video..
The abandoned villages are so beautiful with the forest surrounding them.
I can imagine how the villages used be back when it still populated.
Such a shame for those places to be forgotten like that. Thanks for bringing these beautiful world to us😃
Just finished making my coffee 🥰
Good timing!!
Same! Nice to wake up to :)
This is an excellent video. I'm 38, born in Portugal, always lived here. It has been MANY years since I've been in the countryside but as a kid I remember MANY different stories such as these from older folk, stories and realities that kept me amazed by how different it was for them (seeing how I was a young kid full with the benefits of modern life convivences). Finding these places and people in another country and showing it in a video such as this is priceless. Thank you so much!
The beekeeper literally looks and talks like a real life anime character.
I thoroughly enjoyed that video! I love seeing the real Japan and not the touristy areas. Thanks for showing us!
Wow this series was amazing! 😍
You can attach a bell to your backpack to alert bears so they won't come near you!
Quinlan used to do that and then someone he encountered on one of his hikes told him it doesn't work 🤷
The community is divided
Some day it helps repel bears
Some day it attracts them
What does work is human voices
And luckily…. I’m a youtuber lol
Love the kind of determination you have to visit and document these places. You give us all such a good look and understanding of things that we might never be able to experience and you go and track down people who are around to get more information as well. Bravo (and, yes, we do love these longer video formats!)
Drop everything- we're going on an abandoned village adventure.
#NotificationSquad
Yaaaaay!! How have you been?
Honestly, after watching the first one, I really can't stop thinking of this place, like you'd still want to know and see more, and I'm surprisingly glad that you went back for more. Thank you truly for this second part of the journey.
I feel like a kid watching and that man is a real one for showing you where to go.
imagine how tiring being homeless must be... camping is fun for a few days...
I've been homeless twice now... only about 4 months each time... not being able to wash is the worst part of it... how can you be around people knowing you smell?
It's so fascinating to see these places that have begun to fade into history. It's warming to see that some of the locals still live around the area but also sad to see tangible memories slowly disappear with so few the tell the story of those places. It was strange enough for myself to see abandoned buildings alongside the train track when getting a train to Takayama.
"So many bugs here!"
Its okay, I can deal with that just fine! Exploring seems fun!
"You would not believe how many spiders I found *on myself*"
Nope nope nope nope nope nope nope nope nope nope nope nope
I'll leave the adventuring to you and just watch from my house after all...
I love how excited you are ! Keep that positive energy! We need more of that during these crazy times. Thanks Norm!
Dam good video.... personally i would have loaded this first before the previous one.... my brain kept recollecting scenes from that video and merging it with this one...
I wouldn't say they have an obsession rather they got it down pat as how to monetize everything... which is why i also think most of the towns/cities have their own "character rep"
...hmmm you know what could have helped you out with the insects and spiders Norm?!?🤔
Some sort of head gear 😉
One of the reasons i love hats is for protection of my hair, added benefit don't need to put sunscreen on my face 😁
staying in an abandoned place sounds fun, like ghost towns and such. So much quietness to just enjoy
i really appreciate the respect you show when going to abandoned places, especially those in other countries. too many tourists (typically white americans) treat other countries they visit as something to entertain them. you treat it like what it is; historically and culturally significant, a place where people used to live and raised families and lost loved ones and got married and lives full lives. and i really appreciate the lack of corny spooky music.
Talk about adventure! Camping with no actual campgrounds, braving the spiders, finding all these people that want to share their story so bad. I’m not the kind of person who would ever be brave enough for journeys like this, but I’m just happy to be able to witness the adventure!
do you every worry about your safety with strangers? is japan really that safe? i would love to do this in the states but i'd be afraid of who i may run into.
In Japan people don’t have guns everywhere, in the US they do..
To get out there and tell these stories of places that would just get past by, by everyday people is truly amazing. Every time I pass a unique person or small town, I’m always like what’s their story. You go out and do it. I should try and take inspiration from you!!!! Always great stuff!!
Notification squad here.
Gonna watch it later tho just here for the comments and likes
Hahaha love it
Listening to you talk about bears reminded me of camping in Algonquin Park as a child and listening to the bears roaming around at night, scavenging from the garbage cans.
i really appreciate the music accompanying the different scenes and such, really sets the tone.