NOTIFICATION SQUAD: Of all the epic places we visited, where do you want to go the most? In case you missed last year's 14 Day itinerary for the Golden Route be sure to check it out. And thanks to Skyscanner for making this massive country wide shoot possible! 🌟Grab their app here and sort your flights! skyscanner.app.link/AbroadInJapan
Very good use of the Rules of thirds by your cameraman... also depth of field, focal distance etc ... the entering and exiting frame is perfect also... nice to see how far the production values have come over the last decade Chris... ok back to the video haha still watching now .. just thought to post a comment due to I notice such things working in TV and Film vfx since the 80s till now.
@@kurodah7210 日本人ですが、横から失礼します。 変わった場所は「地獄谷野猿公苑｜ようこそ、ニホンザルの世界へ」 は如何ですか？ 温泉に浸かるお猿さんを見れます。 I am Japanese, but excuse me from the side. How about "Jigokudani Yaen-koen｜Welcome to the world of Japanese monkeys" for an unusual place? You can see monkeys soaking in hot springs.
Truth be told this is exactly what all the sidelined prefectures need. All the usual tourist destinations are overtouristed already, yet Kyushu, Shikoku, and Tohoku areas got cold shouldered because the bilingual infrastructures and transportations are less convenient than the level of Tokyo, which may scares away tourists that are not fluent in the language.
Honestly I'm impressed at how varied and unique this list of suggestions is. I was in Japan for a little over a month, and I thought my route was pretty unique, but aside from the shimanami kaido, there isn't a single suggestion here that I did personally, goes to show how much there is to explore in Japan, and makes me want to visit it again...
i went for two weeks with a bunch of friends last october, first in tokyo, then kyoto, then osaka and back to tokyo for departure. So many more things want to see and i cannot wait to go back again.
Chris. This is pure quality, you know it. Yeah, your last video has quick big views -- f*** it. You know why and it doesn't compare to videos like this for those who truly care about your content. Thanks as always for your work.
@@AbroadinJapanI sometimes enjoy the commentary videos you make, but it seems very low effort (compare to your other videos). I wish you can pump out more amazing videos like this, keep up the great work!
@@adamguerrero4220 Depends on what area you're from, I'm from Singapore and this next trip will be my 4th. Budget airline is around 600~700 SGD for me. Accomodation I try to stick with hostels and they can go up to reallllly cheap for 30 SGD/night in Kansai Area or 60 SGD/night If you buy the JR Pass, 7 days which is 50,000 ¥ it's very worth it if you're planning a long stay and exploring a lot of region. In my case, I went Nagoya,Inuyama,Kinosaki Onsen, Okayama,Kurashiki,Hiroshima, YudaOnsen, Takamatsu. Even took the sleeper train back to Tokyo. If you plan to just stay within Kyoto I would advise getting it. Kyoto, Osaka, Kobe can all be access with their local trains. My 2nd trip in December where I stayed for 21 days, Tokyo+Osaka+Kyoto+Kobe was approximately around 3 to 4k in expenses. I ate well and went everywhere I wanted. My 3rd trip that I took in November was 2 weeks and approximately that much was spent too. Because I bought a JR pass and went to a lot of collaborations and ate expensive food LOL. I would say 3k to 4k is a comfortable amount!
I spent 28 days in Japan this year but I went north to Tohoku and Hokkaido and loved every single second of it. My itinerary was basically just your recommendations over the years stretching from Sendai to Sapporo. Your smaller vids on Aomori and Hachinohe were of special use, and now that I have my sights set on southern Japan, this video is perfect for me.
@@S1apShoes oh that’s awesome! I did a project on aomori when I was in college and I’ve been obsessed with wanting to visit there ever since. one of these times i’m totally going to follow a similar route of prefectures xd Did you get to see the coast in iwate? I tried to do that on my first trip but the typhoon damage messed that up for me and i didn’t get to go
@@thecloudyfox I didn't stay in Iwate, but I did take the train out of Hachinohe to travel south along the coast and I ran right up next to Iwate. Lots of little seaside towns and some great food out there off the beaten path. (as well as tons of locals who are wondering how you managed to get this far out by yourself lol.)
I'm psyched you included Kinosaki! We just had our 3 week honeymoon to Japan back in October and Kinosaki was high on my "need to visit" list (actually thanks to Sharla's video a few years ago!). 2 nights was perfect to take in the vibe and visit the baths. Walking around town in yukata visiting baths followed by post bath beers and retro arcade shenanigans was definitely a highlight!
Oh my goddd - this is perfect and so timely. I've been to Japan 3 times already... each with different people who have never been there before and have done the same 3 places... with some detours in between and need something new! Thank you for this!!
It's great going with people who've never been before, even if it means getting leant on a lot haha. Though my next friend I'm going with is vegetarian so I might be missing out on some good Yakiniku places!
@@Shinigaami5 I did a budget trip so for 12 days of stay if you exclude the airport, it was about ~750€ per person. The trip we did was pretty much the same as Chris 14 days trip, minus Hakone.
@@Shinigaami5 i would say it depends on where you sleep and eat. It can be anywhere between 700USD all the way to 2000+ if you want to stay better hotels and eat better grade food. You will have to research and find what works for you
Oh Chris, we met at Yamadera and made the most epic selfie!! You asked me about the highlights of our trip, right? Well, meeting you two was certainly one of them (and I made a lot of my friends jealous haha)!! Nice to see this whole video up and what an unforgetable experience ❤ edit: also realised we are in the background at 30:40 😅 (the three people in the middle standing still and looking over the landscape)
As a fan of Architecture, I've spent hours roaming around Japan cities and the country side looking for interesting buildings, houses and Castles. Thank you for including places that Ive missed.
Himeji was one of my favorite experiences in Japan. Chris is right about Himeji is best from the outside: Be sure to explore the gardens surrounding the castle, especially the traditional tea room. Servers in kimono will serve matcha as you gaze over the beautiful zen gardens.
I'm so glad to see these kind of videos again, i spent years watching your videos, and I feel like this is really close to how i remember the channel when i was just a young nerd wanting to travel to japan, now im a grown nerd whos moving there in just less than a year. Thank you and all your amazing friends/guests for keeping my dreams alive!
I am at the part of the stork. The japanese actually watch a dutch livestream which send 24/7 video's about a pool at a rescue center for seals. Between 200 and a 1000 japanese people watch it the whole day. They love it when a bird appears, most favorite is a heron. The heron scares smaller birds away, that might harm the young seals, or even worse, steal their fish. So they call the heron "the director" "principal of the kindergarten". Meanwhile the heron is pretty much also there to steal food from the young seals. Japanese love their animals. Its very sweet and sometimes funny.
As someone who watches the Sea Otter live cam at Vancouver Aquarium - we have Stephen Seagull, Russell Crow and Rocky Raccoon and family who like to cameo😁
@@Woug they give the seals ussually easy names, like pear, apple, curry (this one escaped almost, but the japanese sounded alarm seeying a seal in the background walking away on the livestream). But they called the seal that was most loved by the Japanese "chabashira". While in most western cultures the 4 leaf clover means lucky, a tea leaf means luck in Japan. When seals relax in the water according to the japanese they look like a tea leaf. Chabashira means tea leaf. Chabashira was extreemly sick, but was a massive baby once they got released, to the point the japanese where making fun of the big cage to release chabashira compaired to the others.
I followed your 14 day itinerary to the point with my friends earlier this year. Nice to get an update for my upcoming travels to Japan. Abroad in Japan never disappoints
Seeing this video makes me want miss Japan even more, I was there my 4th time during the dreaded August summer period in Fukuoka and travelling along Kyushu. And now I want even more to return there. Thank you for the incredible videos of Japan!
Loved it! I've been bikepacking there for 2 months this year, some months ago and everytime u meantioned some cities I did look up if I drove through it, recognized some scenes and pics you had shown. I still missed so much. Unfortunately I got rear-ended by a car in Tsuruoka, above Niigata, spent a week in a hospital, but what ever, I loved it
Last year I went to Japan for 11 nights for my 30th, and spent 3 nights in Fukuoka. Tokyo and Kyoto are always discussed, but Fukuoka was an excellent city to visit, and so was the temple and the Reclining Buddha. Certainly worth a visit if you haven't already
Going to fukuoka for three full days next year for the first time!! glad to see i’m not the only one who picked that amount of time lol because idk if im doing it right
Mate, you've inspired me so much over the years that I've finally come on my first visit to Japan. I thought I'd seen and covered a lot so far, but watching this I realise I've barely scratched the surface and I'm already planning my next trip when I'm not even done with this one. Thanks man, if we happen to cross paths it'll be beer and fami chiki on me.
Finally, I achieved my dream and arrived in Japan in October for the first time on a 23-day trip. I did the 14-day itinerary, Including Hiroshima, and visited Lost Bar in Shibuya, and it was a wonderful trip (to put it bluntly). Thank you, Chris. I have been watching your videos since the start, and you have been a great inspiration to me when planning my first trip to Japan. I can't wait for my next adventure in Japan and well done to 12 years of awesome videos.
Just got back a bit over a month ago from 23 days in Japan. First time there and did Tokyo, Matsumoto, Takayama, Kanazawa, Kyoto, then back to Tokyo and let me just say...I'll ABSOLUTELY be going back!
I just want to thank you and say that your videos have been a huge inspiration! I am travelling with my mum to see Central Japan and Kanazawa for two weeks and staying a bit longer after she has to go home. Many places we (and I) are visiting have taken inspiration from your videos!
Absolutely lost it seeing you visit Kinosaki! I was there only a few weeks ago! It was incredible! We stayed at sennen no yu koman and it was amazing, and the food was to die for.
😮😮 Yay, you responded to my question about this in your Q&A video and mentioned you were making this and I've been waiting ever since! Thank you for making this video!
I always enjoy long form travel documentaries such as this; with just-about-right amount of information about each place and reasons why travellers would want to visit these places ourselves. Plus, it is fun to see Chris and Natsuki hanging out together, both are such spirited people whom I can only hope to meet one day in person to thank them for doing what they do so well in bringing Japan to the world.
I wish that this video had similar details to the first one (how long to spend in each location, travel modes and times). We used the first video as a guide for our first trip to Japan in October, and those scheduling details were wonderful!
We went to Kinosaki Onsen on our last trip in April 2023. One of the absolute highlights of the trip 😍. Highly recommend Nishimuraya Honkan Ryokan. It has one of the most beautiful gardens!
I'm going to Sapporo and working my way down Tohoku to Tokyo this coming January because I was super inspired by your videos. This one coming out now just built the hype up even more!
Oh boy another Abroad video. I love how Im able to count on Chris' vids for their consistency and good informative content. It's not flashy garbage like from certain money-grabbing youtubers. I hope I can visit Japan and doing all the things mentioned here and in the 14 day video.
OMG Chrisssss!!!! This is THE video I've been waiting for! I've watched your channel for years, and I've always known that I would reference them before my first trip to Japan. To have your most recommended travel destinations all in one spectacular video is extremely helpful.
For anyone who is planning on visiting Nanzoin Temple in the near future to see the Reclining Buddha, I was there towards the end of November and there was scaffolding blocking the frontal view, but you can still access and rub the feet! Also, for a fee, you can even go inside the Reclining Buddha!
I’m going to Japan for the first time and will be there for 3 weeks in October 2025. I’ve decided to stay in Osaka, Kyoto, Fujikawaguchiko, and then Tokyo. Half of my stay will be in Tokyo. Although I would like to venture off more outside the tourist area, I don’t understand or speak Japanese and don’t feel like I would do well as a first time traveler. I am also traveling alone. I heard that it would take at least a month or so to even explore around Tokyo, and people are more likely to understand English so that’s why I decided to stay there half my trip. Idk if I am making a wrong decision but as a first time traveler I’m excited.
Same, i'm going to Japan for the Athletics world championship held in Tokyo, meaning that most of my stay will have to be in the Kanto area with some day/two day trips here and there. I keep telling myself that won't be the first and only time I'll go to Japan ✨
We did the trip last year! It was a lot of fun (spend 7 days in Tokyo and we were still short on time!). I think for a first time Japan trip, it's nice to follow the golden route and would not have wanted to plan it otherwise.
Last year, I went on my third trip to Japan (for 16 days), and I had decided to do West/South Japan, which overlapped a lot with your itinerary. 🙂 During my trip I went to: Kumamoto-Kagoshima-Fukuoka-Kokura-Beppu-Hiroshima-Himeji, Kobe and Osaka. If I had that third week extra, I would've added in places like Nagasaki, Kurashiki (which are present in this video) and maybe Okayama. But there already was so much I wanted to see in 2 weeks and 3 weekends. There's just so much to do in the South & West, I still wouldn't have bothered with East Japan if I had a third week. So in my opinion that feels like weirdly tacked-on at the end. If anything, my next trip in a few years will be focusing on North/East Japan for another similar time period (around 16 days). So I'd rather see a dedicated 2-week itinerary for that.
Last november we did our first trip in japan, covering the big three plus a road trip in yamanashi, nagano, gifu, ishikawa. We love the road trip and we started planning something reallyreally ambitious for the next time....this video is a good starting point. Thanks
Amazing! As they say there is only one Japan, and as I say there is only one Natsuki! Both global heritage treasures! Yes please make more videos in the future from "less well known and visited regions" of Japan! It can help us discover local gems and preserve their towns through tourism, plus spread out the over tourism of say Kyoto etc!
I am going to Japan for the first time soon, and am not doing the typical route largely because of your videos featuring Northern Japan! I can't wait to go to Aomori City and Sendai for the second half of my trip!
thank you very much. I appreciate your info so much. Have a son that moved to Japan, lives in Kobe. And I will visit him soon again, and watch your videos at RUclips to find places to visit. love it. Watch nearly all you have made. Cycling. Car trips. It is great.
I really appreciate your videos. We have our first Japan trip coming up and it’s overwhelming trying to pick where to go with no context. So excited for the fooooooood!
One thing I would definitely want to see if I went to Japan would be the Kyoto Senior High School Band (THE Orange Devils) perform in person, some absolutely amazing musicians. I'd be even better if I could get to see Izumo Business and Kobe Koryo bands as well. Other than that, I'd just be happy taking in the culture and people, regardless of where it was in the country.
Stunning places and a chilled out natsuki - amazing! It is too difficu.t to choose a favourite place, they all look really fascinating. Your videos are going from strength to strength.
Chris, I genuinely love your videos. Every single last thing about them is pure perfection. From the bottom of my heart, and im sure many others, thanks for always pouring your soul into these videos ❤
Enjoyed that. I'd really like a "Night on the town" series. Bar hopping is one of my favourite things to do in the evening and there isn't a tonne of informative content out there for different places (especially Kobe)
In march I’ll go to japan for the first time. Of course I’ll go to the big three, but I’m also going to Hiroshima, Beppu and Fukuoka:) I’m really excited for Fukuoka now that I’ve seen this video!
After 4 years of waiting (Covid + health stuff), I just spent the last few days planning our 3 week trip in May based on your 14 day video! Not sure whether to be annoyed or delighted 😅 But I know I'm going to love the video regardless 😁
Was great to see some of the places we've got planned for our 18 day trip next year. Himeji, Kurashiki and Nanzoin. We will also be passing Matsuyama so will definitely check out the castle now!
I went to Kinosaki on my first trip to Japan last month and I'm SO glad I did. I think Kinosaki is going to be a constant staple on any future Japan trips.
Hi Chris! I’ve been meaning to say this for years while watching your channel-don’t ask me why, but you and your charisma (in appearance too) totally remind me of Robert Downey Jr. or maybe Tony Stark as a character, but even more positive and with a better sense of humor. 😂 You’re basically the Iron Man of Japan lol
I'm about to move to Japan to each english, and I love watching your videos, they get me excited for whats to come! Thank you for your amazing content!
Woww that onsen location in Kinosaki is gorgeous. I took a trip to Japan last year to Kagawa and had a fantastic time there, but now I have more places to explore. Yay! Natsuki looks so stylish 🔥
My most recent 21 day trip to Japan, included a 14 day solo motorcycle tour back in March. Thank you for another excellent video that will be invaluable in my planning of a 2025 trip with my wife🙏
15:44 I just realized that my green tea cans have this beautiful meaning hidden in their naming. I always get away with something new to know about Japan thanks to your Videos :) Greetings from Germany!
Trying to set up a trip to Japan for a week next year, your itinerary videos have given me so much to work with for my own itinerary ❤ thanks again, Chris & team!
Thank you for all the lovely videos, Chris. Your advice was tremendously useful when I visited Tokyo last week. Unfortunately, there was just too much going on during the mad dash to see everything, that I didn't get to pop into LOST. I DEFO will next time though, which won't be too long!
NOTIFICATION SQUAD: Of all the epic places we visited, where do you want to go the most? In case you missed last year's 14 Day itinerary for the Golden Route be sure to check it out. And thanks to Skyscanner for making this massive country wide shoot possible!
🌟Grab their app here and sort your flights! skyscanner.app.link/AbroadInJapan
LETS GOOO!
Do you think it's practical to visit Tokyo, Osaka, Kyoto, and Okinawa in 14 days? Thanks for the great videos! Hello from Canada.
Conor's Apartment!
I love how much research you put into each video!!!
Very good use of the Rules of thirds by your cameraman... also depth of field, focal distance etc ... the entering and exiting frame is perfect also... nice to see how far the production values have come over the last decade Chris... ok back to the video haha still watching now .. just thought to post a comment due to I notice such things working in TV and Film vfx since the 80s till now.
You can't ever call a trip to Japan, "A Trip of a Lifetime" - because after a trip to Japan, you immediately start planning your next trip to Japan.
So true 😀 I'm hooked and am about to start planning my 5th 👍
@@inverlane1939 Since you've been there 4 times already, do you have any unusual places you'd like to recommend? Your favourites too of course!
Went for the first time this october for 3 weeks, now im already planning for next september 🤣
@@kurodah7210 日本人ですが、横から失礼します。 変わった場所は「地獄谷野猿公苑｜ようこそ、ニホンザルの世界へ」
は如何ですか？ 温泉に浸かるお猿さんを見れます。 I am Japanese, but excuse me from the side. How about "Jigokudani Yaen-koen｜Welcome to the world of Japanese monkeys" for an unusual place? You can see monkeys soaking in hot springs.
the first time we went last year we stayed 90 days and now we are going again in April 2025 for another 90 days
once again stunned by natsuki's phenomenal vocals... reduced to tears. Absolutely sensational.
Can't believe Natsuki is bullying people across the internet to the point of tears.
Gotta love that guy 😍
I'm in tears, absolutely sensational, my ears refuse to hear anything else after that.
I'd expect nothing less of Japan's Most Man.
love natsuki !
Glad to see one of the travel videos about Japan thats not just "Tokyo" and "Kyoto".
Exactly! So cool to see some of the less obvious places
Truth be told this is exactly what all the sidelined prefectures need. All the usual tourist destinations are overtouristed already, yet Kyushu, Shikoku, and Tohoku areas got cold shouldered because the bilingual infrastructures and transportations are less convenient than the level of Tokyo, which may scares away tourists that are not fluent in the language.
Although these r awesome, yeah I agree there’s more
I would actually like a deep dive into Tokyo though, go to the places tourists and travel publications usually don't.
Ever heard of OSAKA
Honestly I'm impressed at how varied and unique this list of suggestions is. I was in Japan for a little over a month, and I thought my route was pretty unique, but aside from the shimanami kaido, there isn't a single suggestion here that I did personally, goes to show how much there is to explore in Japan, and makes me want to visit it again...
come again!
i went for two weeks with a bunch of friends last october, first in tokyo, then kyoto, then osaka and back to tokyo for departure. So many more things want to see and i cannot wait to go back again.
A country you can spend a good chunk of your life living in and not get to experience everything in, even Chris still goes on amusing new adventures.
Chris. This is pure quality, you know it. Yeah, your last video has quick big views -- f*** it. You know why and it doesn't compare to videos like this for those who truly care about your content. Thanks as always for your work.
🙏Appreciate the kind words! Thanks
@@AbroadinJapanI sometimes enjoy the commentary videos you make, but it seems very low effort (compare to your other videos). I wish you can pump out more amazing videos like this, keep up the great work!
I'm about to head to Japan for 28 days!!! Thank you for the perfect timing !!!
I literally just 30 min ago bought my flight to stay 29 days in japan haha. Perfect timing indeed.
@@meloonimirsLet's enjoy our time together 🥳🎉 If you're heading towards Kansai, I enjoyed Inuyama quite well as well!!
About how much did it cost to book everything? Or better question how much did you save up cuz I'm trying to figure out how much to save to go too
@@ein1383 Yep Spending 16 days of that trip around Kansai! And thank you!
@@adamguerrero4220 Depends on what area you're from, I'm from Singapore and this next trip will be my 4th.
Budget airline is around 600~700 SGD for me.
Accomodation I try to stick with hostels and they can go up to reallllly cheap for 30 SGD/night in Kansai Area or 60 SGD/night
If you buy the JR Pass, 7 days which is 50,000 ¥ it's very worth it if you're planning a long stay and exploring a lot of region. In my case, I went Nagoya,Inuyama,Kinosaki Onsen, Okayama,Kurashiki,Hiroshima, YudaOnsen, Takamatsu. Even took the sleeper train back to Tokyo.
If you plan to just stay within Kyoto I would advise getting it.
Kyoto, Osaka, Kobe can all be access with their local trains.
My 2nd trip in December where I stayed for 21 days, Tokyo+Osaka+Kyoto+Kobe was approximately around 3 to 4k in expenses. I ate well and went everywhere I wanted.
My 3rd trip that I took in November was 2 weeks and approximately that much was spent too. Because I bought a JR pass and went to a lot of collaborations and ate expensive food LOL.
I would say 3k to 4k is a comfortable amount!
I spent 28 days in Japan this year but I went north to Tohoku and Hokkaido and loved every single second of it. My itinerary was basically just your recommendations over the years stretching from Sendai to Sapporo. Your smaller vids on Aomori and Hachinohe were of special use, and now that I have my sights set on southern Japan, this video is perfect for me.
Aomori and Hachinohe are awesome!
@@S1apShoes oh that’s awesome!
I did a project on aomori when I was in college and I’ve been obsessed with wanting to visit there ever since. one of these times i’m totally going to follow a similar route of prefectures xd
Did you get to see the coast in iwate? I tried to do that on my first trip but the typhoon damage messed that up for me and i didn’t get to go
@@thecloudyfox I didn't stay in Iwate, but I did take the train out of Hachinohe to travel south along the coast and I ran right up next to Iwate. Lots of little seaside towns and some great food out there off the beaten path. (as well as tons of locals who are wondering how you managed to get this far out by yourself lol.)
@ LOL that’s funny
totally seems like a fun area
I'm psyched you included Kinosaki! We just had our 3 week honeymoon to Japan back in October and Kinosaki was high on my "need to visit" list (actually thanks to Sharla's video a few years ago!). 2 nights was perfect to take in the vibe and visit the baths. Walking around town in yukata visiting baths followed by post bath beers and retro arcade shenanigans was definitely a highlight!
Oh my goddd - this is perfect and so timely. I've been to Japan 3 times already... each with different people who have never been there before and have done the same 3 places... with some detours in between and need something new! Thank you for this!!
It's great going with people who've never been before, even if it means getting leant on a lot haha. Though my next friend I'm going with is vegetarian so I might be missing out on some good Yakiniku places!
Chris, I did your 14 days trip to Japan and it was the best thing I have done in my life ❤ THANK YOU!
Yea same! After I came back, I looked forward to my next trip in Japan to different locations, and here is the second video to give me more ideas haha
How much did it cost to do that excluding the flight tickets?
@@Shinigaami5 I did a budget trip so for 12 days of stay if you exclude the airport, it was about ~750€ per person. The trip we did was pretty much the same as Chris 14 days trip, minus Hakone.
@@Shinigaami5 i would say it depends on where you sleep and eat. It can be anywhere between 700USD all the way to 2000+ if you want to stay better hotels and eat better grade food. You will have to research and find what works for you
@@yummy_tatoes since when did japan get that cheap to travel. Thanks mate packing my bags to travel there asap
Bonked my head pretty damn hard at the stairs at 5:52 some years ago. Completely forgot about it until I saw that scene again.
Oh Chris, we met at Yamadera and made the most epic selfie!! You asked me about the highlights of our trip, right? Well, meeting you two was certainly one of them (and I made a lot of my friends jealous haha)!! Nice to see this whole video up and what an unforgetable experience ❤ edit: also realised we are in the background at 30:40 😅 (the three people in the middle standing still and looking over the landscape)
As a fan of Architecture, I've spent hours roaming around Japan cities and the country side looking for interesting buildings, houses and Castles. Thank you for including places that Ive missed.
Where was your favourite?
Himeji was one of my favorite experiences in Japan. Chris is right about Himeji is best from the outside: Be sure to explore the gardens surrounding the castle, especially the traditional tea room. Servers in kimono will serve matcha as you gaze over the beautiful zen gardens.
I'm so glad to see these kind of videos again, i spent years watching your videos, and I feel like this is really close to how i remember the channel when i was just a young nerd wanting to travel to japan, now im a grown nerd whos moving there in just less than a year. Thank you and all your amazing friends/guests for keeping my dreams alive!
I am at the part of the stork. The japanese actually watch a dutch livestream which send 24/7 video's about a pool at a rescue center for seals. Between 200 and a 1000 japanese people watch it the whole day. They love it when a bird appears, most favorite is a heron. The heron scares smaller birds away, that might harm the young seals, or even worse, steal their fish. So they call the heron "the director" "principal of the kindergarten". Meanwhile the heron is pretty much also there to steal food from the young seals. Japanese love their animals. Its very sweet and sometimes funny.
As someone who watches the Sea Otter live cam at Vancouver Aquarium - we have Stephen Seagull, Russell Crow and Rocky Raccoon and family who like to cameo😁
@@Woug they give the seals ussually easy names, like pear, apple, curry (this one escaped almost, but the japanese sounded alarm seeying a seal in the background walking away on the livestream). But they called the seal that was most loved by the Japanese "chabashira". While in most western cultures the 4 leaf clover means lucky, a tea leaf means luck in Japan. When seals relax in the water according to the japanese they look like a tea leaf. Chabashira means tea leaf. Chabashira was extreemly sick, but was a massive baby once they got released, to the point the japanese where making fun of the big cage to release chabashira compaired to the others.
I followed your 14 day itinerary to the point with my friends earlier this year. Nice to get an update for my upcoming travels to Japan. Abroad in Japan never disappoints
Perfect timing, just arrived 6 hours ago. We are staying for 23 days. Great Video keep it up.
Seeing this video makes me want miss Japan even more, I was there my 4th time during the dreaded August summer period in Fukuoka and travelling along Kyushu. And now I want even more to return there. Thank you for the incredible videos of Japan!
For someone who knows nothing of where to visit in Japan, this was very cool to watch and learn I have a lot of cool places to see in Japan
Loved it! I've been bikepacking there for 2 months this year, some months ago and everytime u meantioned some cities I did look up if I drove through it, recognized some scenes and pics you had shown. I still missed so much. Unfortunately I got rear-ended by a car in Tsuruoka, above Niigata, spent a week in a hospital, but what ever, I loved it
Last year I went to Japan for 11 nights for my 30th, and spent 3 nights in Fukuoka. Tokyo and Kyoto are always discussed, but Fukuoka was an excellent city to visit, and so was the temple and the Reclining Buddha. Certainly worth a visit if you haven't already
Going to fukuoka for three full days next year for the first time!! glad to see i’m not the only one who picked that amount of time lol because idk if im doing it right
Thanks for this! I am currently saving for my first international trip! Japan is first!
Mate, you've inspired me so much over the years that I've finally come on my first visit to Japan. I thought I'd seen and covered a lot so far, but watching this I realise I've barely scratched the surface and I'm already planning my next trip when I'm not even done with this one. Thanks man, if we happen to cross paths it'll be beer and fami chiki on me.
Finally, I achieved my dream and arrived in Japan in October for the first time on a 23-day trip. I did the 14-day itinerary, Including Hiroshima, and visited Lost Bar in Shibuya, and it was a wonderful trip (to put it bluntly). Thank you, Chris. I have been watching your videos since the start, and you have been a great inspiration to me when planning my first trip to Japan. I can't wait for my next adventure in Japan and well done to 12 years of awesome videos.
Having just finished the chapter of your book where you met Natsuki for the first time, it's amazing to see how far your friendship has come!
Just got back a bit over a month ago from 23 days in Japan. First time there and did Tokyo, Matsumoto, Takayama, Kanazawa, Kyoto, then back to Tokyo and let me just say...I'll ABSOLUTELY be going back!
I just want to thank you and say that your videos have been a huge inspiration! I am travelling with my mum to see Central Japan and Kanazawa for two weeks and staying a bit longer after she has to go home. Many places we (and I) are visiting have taken inspiration from your videos!
You have such a charmed life. It's all due to your wit, social skills and adaptability. You're so cosmopolitan...
Absolutely lost it seeing you visit Kinosaki! I was there only a few weeks ago! It was incredible! We stayed at sennen no yu koman and it was amazing, and the food was to die for.
The timing is perfect. Just finished a temporary itinerary for 7 days trip in japan. Gotta get some pointers from this video. Thanks a lot.
Im jealous, enjoy!
My wife and I just booked for 3 weeks in May! What a perfectly timed video, thank you sir.
Enjoy Chef!
This is what I like about travelling. Going to hidden spots and the "road less travelled"
Another good one, Chris 👏
😮😮 Yay, you responded to my question about this in your Q&A video and mentioned you were making this and I've been waiting ever since! Thank you for making this video!
I wish these videos were like 2 hours long. Watching specificly Chris's travel itinerarys is like therapy.
My family and I traveled to Kurashiki inspired by your previous video, and we had an amazing time there. Thank you!
of all the places i’ve traveled on this planet… japan is the one place i cannot get enough of
this comboed with the 14 days trip and the og one from like 10 years ago plus all his cities advice is perfect perfect way of exploring the country
I always enjoy long form travel documentaries such as this; with just-about-right amount of information about each place and reasons why travellers would want to visit these places ourselves. Plus, it is fun to see Chris and Natsuki hanging out together, both are such spirited people whom I can only hope to meet one day in person to thank them for doing what they do so well in bringing Japan to the world.
6:34 that's Hajime Saito's deadly technique from Rurouni no Kenshin. I knew Natsuki was the special one
I wish that this video had similar details to the first one (how long to spend in each location, travel modes and times). We used the first video as a guide for our first trip to Japan in October, and those scheduling details were wonderful!
We went to Kinosaki Onsen on our last trip in April 2023. One of the absolute highlights of the trip 😍. Highly recommend Nishimuraya Honkan Ryokan. It has one of the most beautiful gardens!
Delighted to see the sponsor actually works for Brazil! Actually the best flight planner ive seen so far.
Perfect timing as always Mr. Affable 😮💨🙏🏼
I miss Japan so much I can’t wait to go back one day!
Natsuki is a national treasure
An international treasure; UNESCO World Heritage human being
I'm going to Sapporo and working my way down Tohoku to Tokyo this coming January because I was super inspired by your videos. This one coming out now just built the hype up even more!
32:20 Aomori apple juice is also amazing
Oh boy another Abroad video. I love how Im able to count on Chris' vids for their consistency and good informative content. It's not flashy garbage like from certain money-grabbing youtubers. I hope I can visit Japan and doing all the things mentioned here and in the 14 day video.
Went to kinosaki last May. Only a handful of other foreigners there. Absolutely charming place.
OMG Chrisssss!!!! This is THE video I've been waiting for! I've watched your channel for years, and I've always known that I would reference them before my first trip to Japan. To have your most recommended travel destinations all in one spectacular video is extremely helpful.
For anyone who is planning on visiting Nanzoin Temple in the near future to see the Reclining Buddha, I was there towards the end of November and there was scaffolding blocking the frontal view, but you can still access and rub the feet! Also, for a fee, you can even go inside the Reclining Buddha!
I went last week (early Dec) and it wasn’t blocked off.
As someone who's going in May for a 21 days trip (3rd trip there), that video comes in at a pretty good time! Thanks and keep up the good content!
Camera work for Yamadera was 10/10 perfection. ❤
24:41 those wings look absolutely divine. I'd make the trip just to try those!
I’m going to Japan for the first time and will be there for 3 weeks in October 2025. I’ve decided to stay in Osaka, Kyoto, Fujikawaguchiko, and then Tokyo. Half of my stay will be in Tokyo. Although I would like to venture off more outside the tourist area, I don’t understand or speak Japanese and don’t feel like I would do well as a first time traveler. I am also traveling alone. I heard that it would take at least a month or so to even explore around Tokyo, and people are more likely to understand English so that’s why I decided to stay there half my trip. Idk if I am making a wrong decision but as a first time traveler I’m excited.
Same, i'm going to Japan for the Athletics world championship held in Tokyo, meaning that most of my stay will have to be in the Kanto area with some day/two day trips here and there. I keep telling myself that won't be the first and only time I'll go to Japan ✨
We did the trip last year! It was a lot of fun (spend 7 days in Tokyo and we were still short on time!). I think for a first time Japan trip, it's nice to follow the golden route and would not have wanted to plan it otherwise.
Going for 21 days in a couple months, I've been waiting for this vid! We also added the Nakasendo trail from another vid
Last year, I went on my third trip to Japan (for 16 days), and I had decided to do West/South Japan, which overlapped a lot with your itinerary. 🙂
During my trip I went to: Kumamoto-Kagoshima-Fukuoka-Kokura-Beppu-Hiroshima-Himeji, Kobe and Osaka.
If I had that third week extra, I would've added in places like Nagasaki, Kurashiki (which are present in this video) and maybe Okayama. But there already was so much I wanted to see in 2 weeks and 3 weekends.
There's just so much to do in the South & West, I still wouldn't have bothered with East Japan if I had a third week. So in my opinion that feels like weirdly tacked-on at the end. If anything, my next trip in a few years will be focusing on North/East Japan for another similar time period (around 16 days). So I'd rather see a dedicated 2-week itinerary for that.
Last november we did our first trip in japan, covering the big three plus a road trip in yamanashi, nagano, gifu, ishikawa. We love the road trip and we started planning something reallyreally ambitious for the next time....this video is a good starting point. Thanks
Amazing! As they say there is only one Japan, and as I say there is only one Natsuki! Both global heritage treasures! Yes please make more videos in the future from "less well known and visited regions" of Japan! It can help us discover local gems and preserve their towns through tourism, plus spread out the over tourism of say Kyoto etc!
Haha, "Seven であります” - Natsuki. I love that guy, Definitely my favorite channel guest.
The G.O.A.T RUclipsr has returned with a great video Best wishes Chris
I am going to Japan for the first time soon, and am not doing the typical route largely because of your videos featuring Northern Japan! I can't wait to go to Aomori City and Sendai for the second half of my trip!
17:31 I don't think Chris realizes how perfect that shot was, what with the bird and all
thank you very much. I appreciate your info so much. Have a son that moved to Japan, lives in Kobe. And I will visit him soon again, and watch your videos at RUclips to find places to visit. love it. Watch nearly all you have made. Cycling. Car trips. It is great.
What a beautiful country! ❤
I really appreciate your videos. We have our first Japan trip coming up and it’s overwhelming trying to pick where to go with no context. So excited for the fooooooood!
One thing I would definitely want to see if I went to Japan would be the Kyoto Senior High School Band (THE Orange Devils) perform in person, some absolutely amazing musicians. I'd be even better if I could get to see Izumo Business and Kobe Koryo bands as well. Other than that, I'd just be happy taking in the culture and people, regardless of where it was in the country.
Stunning places and a chilled out natsuki - amazing! It is too difficu.t to choose a favourite place, they all look really fascinating. Your videos are going from strength to strength.
Currently planning my second trip to Japan this May, so this video came at the perfect time! 😂
Chris, I genuinely love your videos. Every single last thing about them is pure perfection. From the bottom of my heart, and im sure many others, thanks for always pouring your soul into these videos ❤
3:25am in Japan and a new Abroad in Japan video just dropped? I know what I'm doing (after getting some famichiki and egg sandos) 😅
a???? from where?
oh my bad. 😂😂
i forgot japan has ACTUAL convenient stores. 😂
@AffectionateLocomotive haha no worries. There's a Lawson and 7-Eleven across my hotel in Hiroshima.
@datlam7836 hiroshima?! damn🔥🔥👍👍
Enjoyed that. I'd really like a "Night on the town" series. Bar hopping is one of my favourite things to do in the evening and there isn't a tonne of informative content out there for different places (especially Kobe)
Nice timing, refreshed and this popped up for the morning entertainment. Thank you for the videos
In march I’ll go to japan for the first time. Of course I’ll go to the big three, but I’m also going to Hiroshima, Beppu and Fukuoka:) I’m really excited for Fukuoka now that I’ve seen this video!
I love your vids so much and I hope to go Japan someday!
After 4 years of waiting (Covid + health stuff), I just spent the last few days planning our 3 week trip in May based on your 14 day video! Not sure whether to be annoyed or delighted 😅 But I know I'm going to love the video regardless 😁
Yay, Natsuki! Perfect cinematography, per usual.
Was great to see some of the places we've got planned for our 18 day trip next year. Himeji, Kurashiki and Nanzoin. We will also be passing Matsuyama so will definitely check out the castle now!
I was waiting for this epic video!!!
Last day of my 14 day Japan trip and I already know what I'm doing next time. Can't wait to be back.
7:19 Not be a bird nerd, but the bird you filmed here is actually not a stork but a great egret. Beautiful bird nonetheless!
I was thinking the same haha
I went to Kinosaki on my first trip to Japan last month and I'm SO glad I did. I think Kinosaki is going to be a constant staple on any future Japan trips.
You should set yourself up as a tour guide 😂. This was a great “alternative” to the usual touristy destinations.
Chris and Natsuki always delivers,awesome and beautiful video as everytime 👏🏻
Hi Chris! I’ve been meaning to say this for years while watching your channel-don’t ask me why, but you and your charisma (in appearance too) totally remind me of Robert Downey Jr. or maybe Tony Stark as a character, but even more positive and with a better sense of humor. 😂 You’re basically the Iron Man of Japan lol
I'm about to move to Japan to each english, and I love watching your videos, they get me excited for whats to come! Thank you for your amazing content!
Damn I want to move to Japan. The streets are clean, plenty of greenery and lots of restaurants to dine at.
if the work culture was more doable for me, I would totally do it too!
Woww that onsen location in Kinosaki is gorgeous. I took a trip to Japan last year to Kagawa and had a fantastic time there, but now I have more places to explore. Yay!
Natsuki looks so stylish 🔥
My most recent 21 day trip to Japan, included a 14 day solo motorcycle tour back in March. Thank you for another excellent video that will be invaluable in my planning of a 2025 trip with my wife🙏
15:44 I just realized that my green tea cans have this beautiful meaning hidden in their naming. I always get away with something new to know about Japan thanks to your Videos :) Greetings from Germany!
At 4:13 why his umbrella like that
Trying to set up a trip to Japan for a week next year, your itinerary videos have given me so much to work with for my own itinerary ❤ thanks again, Chris & team!
where do yall work where you can take 21 days off... I NEED TO KNOW
Not really an issue in a lot of European office jobs.
Europe.
Post office lol. I think I get 5 weeks a year of vacation time
Germany...
Just europe 🇪🇺
Chris is such an amazing film maker. I love watching how much he has grown and progressed.
This video was just what I needed. Your honesty is refreshing.
Thanks for the great video. Just got back from our first trip to Japan and cannot wait to return.
Love your modesty. It makes your work even more impressive.
Thank you for all the lovely videos, Chris. Your advice was tremendously useful when I visited Tokyo last week. Unfortunately, there was just too much going on during the mad dash to see everything, that I didn't get to pop into LOST. I DEFO will next time though, which won't be too long!