@@abanana96 my country - Malaysia does not have any season ,except you count wet and dry season .Malaysia has pot holes everywhere even in a residentual neigbourhood . its all pot holes
For me the best part about Japan is the sense of security. I feel safe here while walking around in my neighborhood and pretty much everywhere. I feel safe even at 2 am in the morning. This was something unknown for me since I was born and raised in Mexico.
The fact that you don’t need to own a car with two kids and still live easily and do daily chores is a big big plus point comparing it to a city like LA or NYC
@@cloudridermrbliss7085 yeah but I work in construction and 1/3 of what I make gets taken up on gas for work, new tools for work, and maintenance or stuff that relates to work. Nothing like working so you can continue working.
This dude could make a KILLING making travel guides for, well, anywhere or anything! The production values, professional attention to detail and the raw humanity are so compelling.
Meanwhile Indian people spits on the streets pee on the streets and poo on the streets oh btw they also throw garbage on the street lol I live in India and it feels like hell I mean we do have a lot of cool stuff here in India as well but because of low life shitholes our country is ashamed of itself
This is one of the videos that really did take me 5 years to make. That's how long I've been living in Japan with my family. Not only did I need to spend the time to experience enough to be able to speak about this, but if you look at the shots, I had to pull a lot from existing videos I've shot over the years. By the way, this is only my experience with my family, so take that for what it's worth. Thanks!
Thank you for such an insightful glimpse into life in Tokyo. I was pleasantly surprised that you addressed mental health care and attitude, which is an increasing need in our times.
Dude, your videos are so well-made, informative, interesting, and articulated; you should win some kind of RUclips recognition award or something. My interest in Japanese culture has been pretty nuetral, but the videos on both of your channels have really given me a perspective that I may have otherwise not considered.
I love how at the end he actually responded properly rather than still having the voice over. It shows so much more sincerity and gives a more personal effect to not only the question but the entire video.
I was horribly bullied in Japan as a kid as a foreigner but it was the 80s. It was the main reason my family returned to the US. We lived in Yokohama for 2 1/2 years and my dad had the chance to stay and because of my school life we left. I’m glad your experience has been different for your kids. I loved living there minus school.
Students cleaning their schools and serving their lunches should be emulated worldwide. Other than learning skills in those areas, and adapting them to daily life, these duties also erase the line of social class between students. Clean and serve whether you're a prince or a pauper. The result and effectiveness of implementing these duties (among others) in schools is evident in Japanese society today in direct relation to cleanliness and customer service.
well said! it is our duty to teach children how to behave since there are so many spoiled kids nowadays! they have to get whatever they want right away!smh
I saw a video of their kids all brushing their teeth right after eating lunch in class. That blew my mind. What a way instill good habits in their still developing minds.
Here in U.S. kids have school janitors to clean up their mess, so they don't feel responsible picking up their mess or keeping school clean 😩 (Also their 5 yr old selfish mentality can carry on till their 30s or even 50s = meaning they never grow up)
I am living in Japan for a year right now, working part-time and studying Japanese. I am in a small crisis with culture and life in Japan right now, but your video kind of kicked me out of that state of mind. Thanks! It's not easy, as I am living and working mostly among Japanese people (speak Japanese all day, culture differences...) but I think with the mindset you showed in the video, i will really enjoy it here!
I want to work there your so lucky i met a girl over there when i backpacked that worked for some company as a desk representative and she never learned Japanese because they spoke english shed lived there 7 years already when i met her! I am intermediate and i want to be fluent but im soooo jealous and idk how to get a jib besides english teacher but im not alone itd be me and a friend trying to work together so idk where to find a job
Just do it man there's no time than now and yes even in Corona virus time it is safer there people work hard there. Just know u need to work hard and if u have a family maybe wait a little bit but if it's just u. Do it
I like the cleanliness of it all. No empty cans or bits of paper anywhere . . . And those little patches of rock with flowers and water one sees between houses here and there. One senses that people actually care about their surroundings. I think the people are beautiful, too.
He didn't show the rivers where old refrigerators, other appliances and cars get dumped. Or woods, mountains and inner parks with same garbage. Also the garbage after festivals and fireworks are something to behold (there are zero bins in Tokyo and most other cities). Also puke in the train, on the street, etc at night, especially the weekends. To be honest, I found Canada much cleaner overall.
I just got home (back to Michigan) from Tokyo and I must say, with tears, that Tokyo was absolutely amazing and very hard to leave. Healthcare. Social activities. Sensibility about quality of work. Amazing place
Great video. I'm from Texas and I wish our education system taught as much responsibility as in Japan. Teaching people how to be grateful will make them happier people.
There is a fine line between “responsibility” and “obedience”. Cleaning the floors and washing your dishes doesn’t make someone responsible. Japan education system is mainly to indoctrinate the children to confirm to the norms.
@John Monday No offense but I grew up in a very negative household. Our world view and general outlook can be learned. At the same time, it can be "unlearned." I personally, had to learn how to look for things I was grateful for. It has helped me emmeasurably. As an American, that is my reference point.
Your channel is great and this video is awesome ! It is so refreshing to watch such a fact based, serene examination of life in a foreign country, as opposed to the numerous accounts full of clichés that plague the internet. Very informative, clear and positive. Keep up the good work !
Im skeptical about this so called "fact based" reporting. Arguably his account is worth as much as any other anecdote on the internet. Rather i would say he is an outlier considering his special circumstance as a foreigner, self employed youtuber and limited time living in the country which is not representative of most people living in japan. Even as a foreigner he is in the minority of white english speaking foreigners that inhabit japan, and if you take into account his job it truly is not a proper representation of white english speaking foreigners in japan. The video is biased, and is even admitted to in the title so you should not take it as fact. I checked out the sources he used and they don't give much if any real credence to the generalizations he is making.
I'll go for the in-between response, which I think it's a mix of facts and personal anecdotes. I try to be clear when I'm stating my feelings or personal experience vs. what's a fact. Like some of what I said about the how the healthcare or educations system works, those are based on research. But how I feel about social obligations, those are more touchy/feely. Affordability of housing is also something I researched. Anyways, a mix, but it's always good to do your own research.
My main gripe is with how you qualify statements. For example you say Japans suicide rate is quote "Not that different from most developed countries", whilst using an article to qualify the objectivity of the statement. However it is a completely false and misleading statement, ill refer to the Newsweek article you sourced which also contradicts that statement "Japan still has one of the highest suicide rates among industrialized nations". Sorry if this sounds a bit harsh, i do enjoy these videos but criticism where criticism is due.
Also in line with this i think you could do a better job of self reporting your own personal biases (as a mentioned before you have a unique situation in japan it seems). Just for the sake of objectivity which i assume your videos are trying to capture.
Compared to Japan, almost every other country in the west seems undeveloped especially when it comes to the level of public services such as transportation, education and medical care. I stayed in Tokyo for 9 months in 2003 and living in Sweden since 2006 and standards for public services in Sweden are very high but Japan seems more civilized and better organized and the food is cheaper and better in quality...
Public Transportation comes at a high price. I was spending about average 300Yen+, $3+US per day just on public transportation. The education system is setup for the Japanese workforce, it better to leave Japan for better education especially at the college level. Medical care is hit or miss, the premium hospitals(ones you have to pay premiums in addition to the state health insurance) are so much nicer than state hospitals. I can only compare food prices to the US as that where I am from, for the most part it is the same or cheaper in Japan and better quality, but fresh Fruits and Vegetables cost much higher in Japan. However foods like meat tend to spoil much faster in Japan because they use less preservatives, something I was not use to.
@@TheBaldr 300 yen is not much. I live in California and gas prices are about 4 dollars a gallon. Going to and from work costs me about four dollars a day. Plus there is the cost for the upkeep of the car. The only thing I cannot stand in Japan is the small living spaces, especially in big cities.....where all the jobs are.
@@RyviusRan In the UK 300yen in pounds would get you a 20 minute bus journey. My 15 mile train ride to my sister's place to see my family costs 700 yen (in pounds) and that's just one-way. I also live in the North which is much cheaper than living in the south.
The part about walkability is very true. Living in walkable and dense neighborhoods impacts our lives more than most people realize. Jane Jacobs talks about this in her book The Death and Life of Great American Cities. It is something that is stressed over and over again within the urban planning circle
Michael, you hit the nail on the head, most people are oblivious to this aspect, especially people in US, walkability is single most part of "quality of life".
Greater Los Angeles area... Almost zero walkability. Aside from downtown metro LA with frequent bus and train system, in greater LA buses are unreliable and runs infrequently, high cost of housing for semi-decent safety & owning car/high gas prices necessity, not to mention everything is too far, too dangerous, etc
かんぐちあき I used to live in LA, and even the Metro runs infrequently. I ended up driving my car most of the time. Now I’m in Texas and again, no walkability. Oh well 😔
@@かんぐちあき I do agree with most of your comments. Gas prices were at the time I was living in LA not that high though. Renting a house will cost you an arm and a leg.
The first thing you notice when you visit Japan, especially the bigger cities is how clean and organized they are. And also how much pride people take in their community. For example, you (very) often see older people cleaning/scrubbing the streets outside their properties to ensure they are clean. You do get that most places I would imagine but not to the extent as in Japan. The safety aspect also cannot be understated...not once in all my 11 years of visiting frequently with my Japanese wife have I ever felt intimidated or scared on any street or in any area.
After watching your videos for 1year, I moved from South Africa to Tokyo in March this year. It's been amazing and overwhelming, but mostly- the best! Thank you for the videos and motivation! Your family is beautiful! 😊
The quality of life is better in Japan, however, there is a lot of emotional and mental disabilities that are not addressed which causes a lot of social problems and the inability to handle the rapidly changing environment. Which you touched on, so yeah.
That was great. I live in Sapporo, Japan and have for 12 years. My wife (Japanese national) and I (American) own a school and have a great quality of life. We don’t have kids but wouldn’t move if we did. Owning a business is 24/7 mentally but allows for more flexibility with our schedules. We live near downtown Sapporo and ride motorcycles (when there is no snow) otherwise we walk, train or take the bus. I wouldn’t live anywhere else!
I’ve lived in Japan for 14 years and I agree. I think it’s also because the “rules” all make sense to me. They do make life better or more comfortable for the general community - like wearing masks when you’re sick, not leaving your trash wherever, segregating your garbage, being involved in schools. All of them are inevitably for the good of everyone. And you’re right, they make it so easy for you to follow that it doesn’t become burdensome - like color-coded trash bags with pictures of things that go in them. You go to the drop off point and you see what color is being picked up today. No hassle at all once you get used to it. If foreigners just keep an open mind and make even a small effort to try these rules, it won’t be a big price to pay for the security, safety and ease of life here.
@@marconemeth9683 Japan is an ancient country, though. They’ve been developing waste management systems to cope with their rapid industrial growth since the Meiji period (1900s.) After the war, they implemented facilities to handle large amounts of waste that resulted in the fact that their manufacturing industries grew even more rapidly (the birth of products such as Sony, Toyota, and more household names.) This developed into the modern sorting policies we now know (which began in the early 70s.) So, Japan’s garbage sorting and recycling practices aren’t new. In fact, the earliest recorded use of recycled paper was in 9th century Japan. 🤷🏻♀️
Your videos are really well made and i think that they do the perfect job of conveying your opinion across to your audience and really portraying the landscape and perspective that you make the video from. Just wanted to say great job and every time you make such a well made video i want to pack my bags and move there to reconnect with my family there, but alas life goes on... Just awesome video and keep up the great work.
I live a good quality of life in Joso-Shi, Ibaraki-Ken. I have a 2 story house, 2 golden Retrievers, a nice yard for them to play in. I have a nice Sakura Tree that is now big enough to shade my dogs during summer time. I work in Tokyo but with TX train and I get to sit down in air-condition, WIFI-support and people are really quiet *mostly sleeping" on the train in the morning. It is safe, neighbors are great and had no issues with anyone making me feel unwanted. I must note that I speak and read Japanese fluently which is important if you want bind with Japanese society. So, should you jump on a plane and move here? Not so fast! Like I said, If you are not going to make the effort to master Japanese, your options will be limited. Most non-Japanese are FORCED to live in certain areas of Tokyo. To get to where I am , it can take many many years. You have to become Permanent resident and have a long-term good standing with the banks, etc. before you can ask for a house loan for example. Also, you need be SEISHAIN (full-time employee) for several years of good-standing of one company. But once you get to that point, Japan has great opportunities and best place to live!
@@elmalanmalan2175 In general,japanese workers are paid transportation cost by their company. But if worker who lives too long distance,can't get enough transportation money.
I noticed this too. This video clearly took many many hours to edit together. It's better than a BBC or NBC clip on editing alone and it's so much better in detail and relatability. Top stuff.
Hey, just wanted to say that your videos mean the world to me. They legitimately transport me to another world like nothing else does. It has a lot to do with the shots you get, and the quality of them. The super in-depth information also helps.
I've always felt that the Western depiction of Japan tends to be very limited in scope and not all that positive. The focus always seems to be on technology and weird, gimmicks and products you can buy 'only' in Japan... it always seems to revolve around how "weird" the Japanese are, apparently. So it's nice to see such a level-headed perspective of how it really is, as opposed to how people in the West so often depict it! Fun Fact: Japan uses about HALF the oil, natural gas AND electricity per capita as Canada. Eat your heart out 'Climate Barbie' Trudeau!!
@HakuProtagonist And yet they excel at taking in foreigners more than any other country, if this video is anything to go by. The immigrants where I am from are isolated, live in their own suburbs, don't follow rules and aren't expected to. Because they aren't part of the wider community this ends up very bad. It seems like this is not a possibility in Japan as you are made to contribute and be part of a community and this is better for everyone
The "Western" depiction of Japan is often quite positive. Moreso than it needs to be. Take a look at shitty clickbait series such as "America Versus" and their depiction of Japan.
@@Pattoe Immigrants in Japan who aren't racially Japanese are almost never accepted in their communities. Japan is adamantly ethnocentric and shows no signs of changing, even with those BS "immigration" programs being rolled out by the Abe administration, which are mostly a smokescreen. Anyone not of Japanese ethnicity or who is a visible minority in Japan is given the eternal foreigner treatment.
That's amazing! Both Canada & Japan sound super awesome to live at! I'm in Texas and I've had to resort to online home schooling for my kids because the school systems here are so poor that they refuse to help my children in school because of their autism. It is a challenge for me to home school them. And I am also in online college for my bachelor's degree. I am hoping to one day move out of this small town I live in and hopefully find a better quality of life somewhere else in the future.
I live in Toronto, and my two biggest complaints regarding quality of life are the cost of housing and the cost of food. Both keep going up and up, while my income isn't.
Shaun Dreclin I live about 40 min from Vancouver and I can relate. I want a good job but it’s hard to get one unless being close to the city. Most people can’t afford to buy a home. Walkability in most surburban areas are still zero. I see many more patients come to the hospital I work at from hit and run accidents. Car insurances keep rising. It’s frustrating.
I'm from Tokyo. It was the same situation in Tokyo in 1980s. Only rich people could afford to buy a house in central areas of Tokyo. But the Housing Bubble burst in 1990s. Now the housing price has declined to less than half or one third compared to 1990. Any normal middle class people today can buy a house in Tokyo. In general, when the time comes people can't pay such high prices for housing anymore, the housing price inflation will come to end and start dropping. In North America, the population is still growing, but Japan isn't.
It depends on the perspective. When you compare current housing price in Tokyo to the one in 25 or 30 years ago it's not that expensive. But if you compare housing price in central Tokyo to the one in rural areas of Japan it's ridiculously expensive. However Tokyo is big enough. There are many areas in Tokyo where normal middle class workers can buy a house with 300 or 400 thousand Dollar. This is obviously not ridiculously expensive.
Before I traveled to Japan in November 2016, I understood how safe the country was compared to the USA. But it shocked me when I saw an elementary student being dropped off at the train station. She looked about 8 years old and it took me a second to not start worrying about if she would be able to get to her school. I look forward to going back with my 2 boys. Love the videos.
On the other hand, when I I was an elementary student in the US for a year, I found it very annoying that walking to and back from school was seen as something actually dangerous. The heck. It was a relatively safe neighborhood, geez. I mean, there was only _one_ mafia familly nearby that got murdered, and we had nothing to do with that, and they don't tend to involve outsiders in those spats :/. I still walked, obviously. Also, there's a higher chance of dying in a car accident than some misfortune befalling you on a sidewalk.
After my waking-up, why does everything seem sad to me, knowing that my parents who passed away were probably ( i was not aware, because kids' consciousness is pretty dreamy) proud of the little me as I am about my kids now. Sad that there is an end to all this happiness..
Man so much production value. I like how you put effort into your vids. You could do this whole thing by talking straight into the camera and save a lot of time. but you didnt. Nice job 👍
Quality video. The mood of the video is sooo relaxing, love it. Love is kind of an understatement even, that's how much I like the mood. I also feel a bit of nostalgia because of all the anime I've watched lol. Keep it up man!
From a high schooler really considering school abroad in Japan, thank you for making a more comprehensive and cohesive video of what I may have to expect!
This video is coming from a family man who doesn't work at a japanese company, so i doubt it'll be what you expect tbh. Ill give you my 2 cents about Japanese university if you are considering. That is if you are actually planning to study your full degree over there, the quality of undergrad education over there is atrocious and your degree will be worthless not just from an educational point of view, but also the prestige. It's great if your only planning on staying for a semester or a year cos you get to party heaps but i wouldn't bet my future on it.
Goretexx yeah I've heard similar but at the same time, the couple schools I'm looking at are actual leading contributers to the field of science I'm interested in going into in the future. Besides, paying $7000/per year for education in a country I'm considering working in in the future compared to $50000 at another top-notch American university is hardly an even reasonable comparison
Mate did you read my post. I said Undergraduate education blows. Research output phd/masters programs is a different story mate. The education just sucks for undergrad's man, and im also talking top tier universities, tokyo university, waseda, keio etc. I couldn't imagine what it'd be like for anything below top 15 schools in japan. A mid tier state university in the us offers higher quality education than any of japans top tier uni's. Your really not getting your money's or even time's worth if you study undergrad.
Also if you want to go into the field of science which is heavily academic, you'll be at a huge disadvantage with such a piss poor education, having not properly learnt the material and skills expected of grads.
Goretexx I think it's highly dependent on which university you attend in Japan just as it depends on what college you attend in the United States, however. Attending a city or state university in America and expecting to be the most qualified individual in your field in inconceivable. I expect the same is in Japan, attending the University of Tokyo or Kyoto University prepares you in a much different manner than a standard local university in a more rural prefecture
Thanks for sharing specific details. I once studied in Japan for a month, and began to feel part of the community. I've never experienced that in Australia! I hope to return to Japan to live one day.
Loved the video! Learned a lot. Your voice is amazing and so soothing to listen to. I myself was born and raised in Germany and now live in the US. Some days I wish I could be back home but the opportunities are just much better in the US. I do miss the European lifestyle however. Cheers!
Great video and having lived for 15 years in Tokyo I agree 100% with your assessment. Quality of life can mean different things to different people... but in the end everybody seem to agree that SAFETY is the N°1... particularly as a parent ! Peaceful people, peaceful country !
dude ur doing a good job we had a magazine that published every month so I know how hard content production is especially doing al original content as we did like you do, people have no idea how hard original good quality content is to produce
I really enjoyed this video very much. I've been to Tokyo four times with my job. Each trip being at least two weeks. I love Tokyo and think that if I spoke Japanese, I would like living there. I am a US American who lives in Munich, Germany. I love living here (except for the cold winters). We have very good health care, not free, but affordable. I live in a good area and often work evenings, but the subway system runs well and it is pretty safe to be out at night. There is beautiful country side just about a half-hour from the city and lots of cultural events to see.
It's amazing how well you document everything as a blogger and present it via video. Well edited, well researched, and well produced. You just earned another sub. Glad I found this channel.
I've recently discovered your channel and as someone who is extremely fascinated with the Japanese culture and is considering building a future for myself there someday, your videos have been so informative and wonderfully put across! I admire the effort you have put into making this video as neutrally-opinionated yet factual as possible, plus the really cool shots :D Keep up the fantastic work! I found the part about the Education system really interesting as Singapore ranked #1 (that's where I'm from by the way, hello from Singapore!). I believe that no Education system is perfect and as someone still furthering my studies, that's very much evident. There's always room for improvement everywhere! I was afraid of pursuing my Uni years in Japan due to stigma that Japan's education is more shrewd than SG, but your video has given a different insight. Singapore may top but we've got a long way before it'll focus on the love of learning instead of focusing on the grades solely - I don't know much of Japan's focus but hopefully it might adopt that mind set too! The quality of life here in SG isn't that different from Tokyo, but the emphasis of family time is something Japan has compared to us. Which I think is lovely!
This is why i want to move to Japan. So many positive views. I want to raise my future kids. I told my mom about my dream it even includes her, i know she'll like the view. One more year of university. Unfortunately i won't be able to study abroad now.
Don’t raise your kids here or they will end up as lonely,bullied and will not recognize affection people here focus on politeness but no love watch Nobita’s You Tube video he will tell you the dark side of Japan. I live in Japan for 18 yrs and work with Japanese too the grass is greener on the other side but wait until you experience it. Most People here unhappy and have a mental heath issues and suicide rate here is very high.
@@madeinjapan3333 As if loneliness and being bullied doesn't happen in the US!! WRONG!! I was ruthlessly bullied my entire school career, by both students and teachers, to such a severity as to literally be driven into suicidal depression!
I love this i love this i love this😭 I backpacked Japan for 3 months. I had so much reverse culture shock and whenever i talked about it majority of people dont believe me and bring up Japans suicide rate or how ill be outcasted(that they are the most racist) this all coming from people who never been there and know nothing. Such ignorance boils my bones. Its how you said the exception not the generic average of things. I felt completely accepted everywhere i went it was such an experience, i backpacked Hokkaido, Honshu, and Kyushu. Sometimes i stayed at a locals house(couchsurfing) and whenever i stayed at a families house they made me feel part of the family. Even on an outting with them i wasnt looked at funny or discriminated against. I knew NO JAPANESE i took the college classes after my trip. I noticed how there were no chains on bikes people dont steal them (in USA even if your bike is chained it can be stolen and odds are its repainted sold on the street or at a flea market) even with wallets or bags or train passes(i dropped mine so many times someone be chasing me to return it) and the odds of it being stolen is almost none while in USA if your gone more than 10minutes its likely gone stolen. I experience more appreciation and respect, for being a human for helping clean the house for the little labor things or other ways i could help i was actually thanked and rewarded while in USA all ive done is struggle check to check and slowly got more isolated because no one wants to spend time with a poor person. I survived better and healthier in Japan while USA its expensive and difficult and the cheapest food is nasty fast food or frozen food that gives me a stomach ache. I was safe walking Tokyo alone at night, i traveled the country solo and camped or couch surfed and was 100% safe never had problems not once(except buying to many souvenirs that broke my suitcase casing me to buy a new one) while in USA i cant walk after dark, i cant walk alone during the day depending on where i am, i work at Oakland airport and just a month ago someone in the huge parking lot right in front of the airport got robbed at gunpoint 1pm in the afternoon! I live in san jose and hear about stabbings or attempted robberies everyday....just down the street from me. I would honestly do anything to move to Japan and get out of here. Oddly as it is i actually felt i belonged in Japan when i was there! Even now i stare at the pacific ocean everyday feeling a magnetic pull it feels real and i can never scratch it away or forget. I miss Japan so much.
I'm a native Japanese and run a small apartment house near Tokyo apart from my lecture job. I have had a male and a female American house shares there for a few months in the past, and I felt those Americans had no idea what kind of country the US is. I say this, because, except for the US, Janan and most developed countries have adopted social democratic policies, have implemented reasonable welfare policies, and basically strive to avoid large educational and economic disparities in their societies. I assume most Americans don't understand the reality of the US. If the large educational and economic disparities in the society are not created in the US, their problems of insecurity and lower class harsh poverty can be eliminated in the richest country of the world.
@@jimany3965 all the programs I see have requirements like a bachelor's degree in something/anything, I have 3 AAs but no BA/BS, many also have an age limit of under 30 for starting and around same for language schools, I turn 31 this June. I just visited for the week of new years in Tokyo. I didn't want to leave, now I have to work and save for another trip maybe in a few years.
Thank you very much for making and sharing this video. It is wonderful how the internet allows us the opportunity to learn about life in a country on the other side of the world (I'm from the UK), and it has also made me think more about what life is like for myself as a citizen of London! I will keep watching more of your videos :)
Dude your videos are great. Seeing these recordings from the train ride makes me want to rewatch the video where you only filmed train rides. I'm actually going to watch it now again. Could propably watch stuff like this for hours :D
Pretty informative video , I really enjoyed it . I’m visiting Japan in July , well I should say I’m passing through on my way to South Korea . I’m looking forward to my 20 hour layover in Japan . I have a lot of respect for the Japanese and their culture . An awesome place .
I came across one of your videos by accident but now I am addicted and in love with your children! Thanks so much for your hard work I am really enjoying and now addicted to your playlist xxx
I considered living in Tokyo some years back, but ultimately the working life there is just that - live to work, not work to live. Otherwise it would probably be better than here in Finland, mostly due to weather, and big city possibilities. I'd prefer Finnish schooling for kids though, a lot more freedom and creativity. There's also no annoying obligations and must-do's, but there's no real sense of community either. For an expat in Japan, working for yourself is really the best case scenario, though that might still end up taking all your time.
Melinon what do you mean about the working life in Japan? Too many hours? Not enough hollydays? Both? How about contracts, are they mostly temporary jobs or are there good quality contracts?
Both, and it's always workplace first, family and holidays second. If there's a conflict, work wins always, no questions asked. People there like to say how the people at the workplace are "family", and it's no wonder, these people hardly see their actual families. Personally I think it's the biggest issue in Japanese society, how the working culture overrides people's personal lives to the point that they don't have the time to take care of their lives and relationships. My viewpoint is from the tech industry, not English teaching, but I feel its pretty universal. Getting a job at a branch of an international company is probably better than a Japanese native one, but not a guarantee of anything. These are generalizations of course, ymmv.
Most larger offices are also open-plan with rows of tables, with a team and a manager, and a few bigger bosses to the side with their own table. It's all very structured and "efficient" from a space usage point of view since these large offices in downtown Tokyo aren't exactly cheap for the companies. But once you actually sit in an office that spans half a sky-rise level with dozens of rows of tables and hundreds of people, you can't help but feel like a cog in a machine. Introversion isn't really an option, there's nowhere to hide. Now, this might not be what most foreigners would end up doing working in Japan, but it is the life of an average salariman, added with the obligatory nomikais and other nights out with colleagues that you'd rather spend with your family and hobbies. Some people make it work, but it's far from ideal for me personally, and another example of how companies expect workers to just put up with it. Then there's the bonus systems, two big bonuses for winter/summer that might be up to 6 months salary in total. It's an assumed part of your salary, but companies may cut it something like 20% on a bad year if they feel like it, and you have no say over it, and your performance is irrelevant since it's a company wide thing that's supposed to make people take more responsibility of the common good of the company. Of course there are some counterpoint to the obligations of the employees vs. companies, and there's this expectation that a company will "take care" of their employees in some scenarios rather than just kick them out, but once again, it's all about obligations and social expectations. From a legal standpoint, companies there have all the power, and you as an employee have very little. You just gotta trust that the unwritten social agreements hold, and for the most part I'm sure they do. If they don't you are SOL.
Wonderful video. Just visited Japan for the first time earlier this year. It was beautiful and the people are very kind. Maybe I will find my way back there again. :)
Don't know why YT took so long to recommend me your channel, but I admit I'm enjoying it alot! My kids are bilingual at a native level, my wife speaks to them only in Mandarin and me in English. I can understand the difficulties you're going through! Do take care and will be watching more of your japanese videos!!
An addition to the part about having consideration for people with health issues: I noticed everywhere there are braille trails for the visually impaired and I also learned that some of the sounds on train stations are there to help guide the visually impaired. It seems that Japan takes good care of them.
I love the way things are so systematic, this serves as a good model for city planning and urban development. 😊👍 Nothing better than getting insights from a resident. A city this good would do wonders in a highly populated country as ours. 👍
First I need to appreciate the efforts you took to compile so much information. Secondly I love how well kept the roads are. Must feel very pleasant to roam around.
I discovered this channel through the "Shinto Explained" video (I was curious about Shinto, having seen aspects of it in Japanese media for years, but never anything in depth) and I've been watching more since then, and I absolutely love it. So impressed by the quality of your videos and editing, but more importantly, I love that you talk about it all with a personal touch. It makes everything easier to understand in a way, and it's more fun and engaging when there's a real human experience attached to all of these concepts. Too often videos about life in unfamiliar places are stereotypical and dry, so I love your take on it. I already wanted to move to Japan and experience living there for a while at some point, and you're making me want it even more. Thank you for making these informative, useful videos. And thanks to your family for participating too! It's so sweet of you all to share your lives with us like this.
I guess you dont live in Japan. environment: concrete is the solution to basically everything, electric pylons absolutely everywhere, light and noise pollution. Respect: just appearances. So probably not worse than others, but certainly not better
I live in downtown Jersey City, NJ, which is right across the Hudson River from Manhattan. But I also have a property in 瑞江 (which is the next stop from you on 都営新宿線), and I absolutely LOVE that entire 船堀/瑞江/篠崎 neighborhood in 江戸川区. My parents live smack dab in the middle of Tokyo in 千代田区, but whenever I go back, my wife and I stay in 瑞江. I feel much more comfortable there. Less cost of living, noise, cleaner air, friendlier people!
Really informative and well made ! I don't think we can find this type of content anywhere else. I really enjoy it, even if I don't have any particular interest in Japan culture. I mean I do now ! I would like to find this kind of content for many other places in the world. Keep on doing the good work! Bye from Canada.
I just got back from Japan about 3 weeks ago. Spent a week in Urayasu and couldn't have been happier. Have visited many countries, but none can compare to Japan. My family and I are talking about the possibility of moving from the states to Japan. We would like to start looking at some of the areas outside Tokyo, but somewhere accessible by train. Love those. Any suggestions on a house, apartment, condo, etc.? Are homes affordable? No need for a mansion. Any recommendations?
A toast to your informative, fun, and very objective videos on Japan. I lived in a host family in Japan 10yrs ago and your videos really remind me of how their, and mine, day to day lives were like. Keep up the good work man!
10:54 Wait, was that a live action of ‘Your Lie in April’?! 😳 Great vid! Very informative, and seeing all those beautiful parks makes me want to visit Japan so bad! 😩😭
I love how concise and engaging this video is! From the visuals to the explanations, all of it (in my opinion) perfectly explains the different factors that contribute to a middle-class life in Japan, and all was explained without over-complicating the explanations or using difficult wording - I really appreciate that as it makes it easier for me (and I'm sure many others) to learn about what it's like to live in Japan. Thank you for making it! I hope you and your family are doing well :)
![Kumamoto Masters Japan 2024 | Gregoria Mariska Tunjung (INA) [5] vs. Akane Yamaguchi (JPN) [2] | F](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/EIjZybhsWqA/mqdefault.jpg)
I can't get over how beautifully smooth the roads are.
I wish our roads were like that 😕
@Soylent GoogleCuck same thing with the US. I really wonder why it's this way
@@abanana96 less semi-trucks on the road there probably. here in los angeles, they're on the road 24/7.
@@abanana96 some parts of japan do have constant snowstorm in winter...
@@abanana96 my country - Malaysia does not have any season ,except you count wet and dry season .Malaysia has pot holes everywhere even in a residentual neigbourhood . its all pot holes
For me the best part about Japan is the sense of security. I feel safe here while walking around in my neighborhood and pretty much everywhere. I feel safe even at 2 am in the morning. This was something unknown for me since I was born and raised in Mexico.
what part of japan you live in
Martha Munekalinda I live in Saitama, it’s 30 min ride away from Tokyo.
Estoy completamente de acuerdo, poca gente comprende cuando les explico que esa es una de las mas grandes razones por las que vivo aquí.
@@sidiousvic Y cómo se le hace para irse a vivir a Japón? jaja suena complicado (trabajo, cultura, idioma, etc.)
My female Mexican friend said the same thing about living here in New Zealand. That must be a great feeling, we probably take for granted!
The fact that you don’t need to own a car with two kids and still live easily and do daily chores is a big big plus point comparing it to a city like LA or NYC
You dont need a car in Nyc
@@cloudridermrbliss7085 yeah but I work in construction and 1/3 of what I make gets taken up on gas for work, new tools for work, and maintenance or stuff that relates to work. Nothing like working so you can continue working.
@A P Still better than working overhours that you won't get paid for and being forced to go out with boss after work
@A P Low standards of working. Workers in Japan are often treated as a slaves
I mean almost everywhere in USA a family HAS to have a car. The country is made for the cars, and not really keen on public transport
This dude could make a KILLING making travel guides for, well, anywhere or anything!
The production values, professional attention to detail and the raw humanity are so compelling.
Yes ..Exceptional ..I truly enjoy them all
His videos are very good and he does explain where he is and what he does and gives you a “know how”
Agreed.
it's so.... _clean._
Compare to my home , it's a trash bin.
@@fij01i94 what is your homecountry then?
i think it's because it is such a culture where respect is critical to everything - also the "not standing out" bit.
for me , Tokyo is trash bin.
come to Nagoya.
@@高木正弘-h6c Even if Tokyo isn't the cleanest place in Japan, it's still cleaner than 99% of the rest world
i like japanese people for their attitude in keeping their city clean.
Meanwhile Indian people spits on the streets pee on the streets and poo on the streets oh btw they also throw garbage on the street lol I live in India and it feels like hell I mean we do have a lot of cool stuff here in India as well but because of low life shitholes our country is ashamed of itself
this is all thanks to the government not the people
@lionstanding how...?
AshG321M how is it the governments fault now?
Acha hua japan me gutkha nahi milta
This is one of the videos that really did take me 5 years to make. That's how long I've been living in Japan with my family. Not only did I need to spend the time to experience enough to be able to speak about this, but if you look at the shots, I had to pull a lot from existing videos I've shot over the years. By the way, this is only my experience with my family, so take that for what it's worth. Thanks!
すごい！！
Greg, this is an excellent video. Good information and quality as usual ^_^
Beautiful video, nicely narrated and very informative! Many thanks!
Thank you for such an insightful glimpse into life in Tokyo. I was pleasantly surprised that you addressed mental health care and attitude, which is an increasing need in our times.
Japanese citizens have not had any salary growth the last 30 years because of inflation and the perpetual government debt.
Dude, your videos are so well-made, informative, interesting, and articulated; you should win some kind of RUclips recognition award or something. My interest in Japanese culture has been pretty nuetral, but the videos on both of your channels have really given me a perspective that I may have otherwise not considered.
Thanks for the kind words.
@@LifeWhereImFrom you should make a similar video about the quality of life for average person
Came to write the same praise. That's some outstanding quality for the RUclips content. Thank you so much.
I love how at the end he actually responded properly rather than still having the voice over. It shows so much more sincerity and gives a more personal effect to not only the question but the entire video.
The Dark Side of Japan: The Hard Truth About Japanese Culture
ruclips.net/video/JZh_6ttcHYs/видео.html
I was horribly bullied in Japan as a kid as a foreigner but it was the 80s. It was the main reason my family returned to the US. We lived in Yokohama for 2 1/2 years and my dad had the chance to stay and because of my school life we left. I’m glad your experience has been different for your kids. I loved living there minus school.
Have you visited recently? I mean before Covid
Sorry to hear that!
Students cleaning their schools and serving their lunches should be emulated worldwide. Other than learning skills in those areas, and adapting them to daily life, these duties also erase the line of social class between students. Clean and serve whether you're a prince or a pauper. The result and effectiveness of implementing these duties (among others) in schools is evident in Japanese society today in direct relation to cleanliness and customer service.
well said! it is our duty to teach children how to behave since there are so many spoiled kids nowadays! they have to get whatever they want right away!smh
I saw a video of their kids all brushing their teeth right after eating lunch in class. That blew my mind. What a way instill good habits in their still developing minds.
well my school here in australia makes us clean up our tables every term.... and the result is pretty good! no more gum and graffiti.
Here in U.S. kids have school janitors to clean up their mess, so they don't feel responsible picking up their mess or keeping school clean 😩 (Also their 5 yr old selfish mentality can carry on till their 30s or even 50s = meaning they never grow up)
@@かんぐちあき Which leads into entitlement.
I am living in Japan for a year right now, working part-time and studying Japanese.
I am in a small crisis with culture and life in Japan right now, but your video kind of kicked me out of that state of mind. Thanks! It's not easy, as I am living and working mostly among Japanese people (speak Japanese all day, culture differences...) but I think with the mindset you showed in the video, i will really enjoy it here!
Nice one. You are so right that one's mindset it very important. 😊
I want to work there your so lucky i met a girl over there when i backpacked that worked for some company as a desk representative and she never learned Japanese because they spoke english shed lived there 7 years already when i met her! I am intermediate and i want to be fluent but im soooo jealous and idk how to get a jib besides english teacher but im not alone itd be me and a friend trying to work together so idk where to find a job
I will hate living there.
and how are you doing now? better, i hope?
ich würde nächstes Jahr nach Japan fliegen für eine Woche, paar Tipps für mich?
As a lower-class American, I'd say Japan is my new dream home.
not just a house, the entire country.
I’d look into the social and economic issues before trying to move there
Just do it man there's no time than now and yes even in Corona virus time it is safer there people work hard there. Just know u need to work hard and if u have a family maybe wait a little bit but if it's just u. Do it
I really love that life.
I wish you good luck
haha, as a person raised in Tokyo, we will welcome you :D
I like the cleanliness of it all. No empty cans or bits of paper anywhere . . . And those little patches of rock with flowers and water one sees between houses here and there. One senses that people actually care about their surroundings. I think the people are beautiful, too.
He didn't show the rivers where old refrigerators, other appliances and cars get dumped. Or woods, mountains and inner parks with same garbage. Also the garbage after festivals and fireworks are something to behold (there are zero bins in Tokyo and most other cities). Also puke in the train, on the street, etc at night, especially the weekends. To be honest, I found Canada much cleaner overall.
I find þe þickness of þe lede þere to be somehwat unsettling þough.
I just got home (back to Michigan) from Tokyo and I must say, with tears, that Tokyo was absolutely amazing and very hard to leave. Healthcare. Social activities. Sensibility about quality of work. Amazing place
everything is so clean and well maintained it doesn't even look real...wow
What third world country do you live in?
@@baronvonlimbourgh1716 USA
Living in Japan for 12 years, a lot of experience and daily life. THIS video is awesome! Well thought out,will done and informative. Great job 👍
agree feel like theres a lot of information and importantly, you get a good feeling what it'd actually be like in a day in the life
I really enjoyed watching this video. Very interesting and informative, well done 👍🏻
Yemircan Super Duper Informative! 👍
Those home made meals are very appealing lol, video a recipe session please ...
Yeah, I did too. There was something about the quality of his presentation...
Great video. I'm from Texas and I wish our education system taught as much responsibility as in Japan. Teaching people how to be grateful will make them happier people.
There is a fine line between “responsibility” and “obedience”. Cleaning the floors and washing your dishes doesn’t make someone responsible. Japan education system is mainly to indoctrinate the children to confirm to the norms.
lionstanding bingo. Schools are to teach the children in math and science. The Schools role isn’t to make a “responsible” student.
@John Monday No offense but I grew up in a very negative household. Our world view and general outlook can be learned. At the same time, it can be "unlearned." I personally, had to learn how to look for things I was grateful for. It has helped me emmeasurably. As an American, that is my reference point.
Your channel is great and this video is awesome ! It is so refreshing to watch such a fact based, serene examination of life in a foreign country, as opposed to the numerous accounts full of clichés that plague the internet. Very informative, clear and positive. Keep up the good work !
Im skeptical about this so called "fact based" reporting. Arguably his account is worth as much as any other anecdote on the internet. Rather i would say he is an outlier considering his special circumstance as a foreigner, self employed youtuber and limited time living in the country which is not representative of most people living in japan. Even as a foreigner he is in the minority of white english speaking foreigners that inhabit japan, and if you take into account his job it truly is not a proper representation of white english speaking foreigners in japan. The video is biased, and is even admitted to in the title so you should not take it as fact. I checked out the sources he used and they don't give much if any real credence to the generalizations he is making.
Im not dissing the video, just reckon people should take it for what its worth, personal anecdote, not fact.
I'll go for the in-between response, which I think it's a mix of facts and personal anecdotes. I try to be clear when I'm stating my feelings or personal experience vs. what's a fact. Like some of what I said about the how the healthcare or educations system works, those are based on research. But how I feel about social obligations, those are more touchy/feely. Affordability of housing is also something I researched. Anyways, a mix, but it's always good to do your own research.
My main gripe is with how you qualify statements. For example you say Japans suicide rate is quote "Not that different from most developed countries", whilst using an article to qualify the objectivity of the statement. However it is a completely false and misleading statement, ill refer to the Newsweek article you sourced which also contradicts that statement "Japan still has one of the highest suicide rates among industrialized nations". Sorry if this sounds a bit harsh, i do enjoy these videos but criticism where criticism is due.
Also in line with this i think you could do a better job of self reporting your own personal biases (as a mentioned before you have a unique situation in japan it seems). Just for the sake of objectivity which i assume your videos are trying to capture.
Compared to Japan, almost every other country in the west seems undeveloped especially when it comes to the level of public services such as transportation, education and medical care. I stayed in Tokyo for 9 months in 2003 and living in Sweden since 2006 and standards for public services in Sweden are very high but Japan seems more civilized and better organized and the food is cheaper and better in quality...
Public Transportation comes at a high price. I was spending about average 300Yen+, $3+US per day just on public transportation. The education system is setup for the Japanese workforce, it better to leave Japan for better education especially at the college level. Medical care is hit or miss, the premium hospitals(ones you have to pay premiums in addition to the state health insurance) are so much nicer than state hospitals. I can only compare food prices to the US as that where I am from, for the most part it is the same or cheaper in Japan and better quality, but fresh Fruits and Vegetables cost much higher in Japan. However foods like meat tend to spoil much faster in Japan because they use less preservatives, something I was not use to.
I disagree with the medical part.
@@TheBaldr 300 yen is not much. I live in California and gas prices are about 4 dollars a gallon. Going to and from work costs me about four dollars a day. Plus there is the cost for the upkeep of the car. The only thing I cannot stand in Japan is the small living spaces, especially in big cities.....where all the jobs are.
@@RyviusRan In the UK 300yen in pounds would get you a 20 minute bus journey. My 15 mile train ride to my sister's place to see my family costs 700 yen (in pounds) and that's just one-way. I also live in the North which is much cheaper than living in the south.
@kausmo tumynski How does this explain the UK, a country with extremely high taxes, yet still very high living costs?
I lived in Japan for a year in 2015 and definitely best year of my life, currently looking to go back 😞
What was it for? Study? Working holiday? :)
What did u do there?
@@ChargingStag I'd also like to know
Should be like "Are you happy with your live in Japan?"
"I bought a house"
The flex
That's the most Canadian thing I ever heard
The part about walkability is very true. Living in walkable and dense neighborhoods impacts our lives more than most people realize. Jane Jacobs talks about this in her book The Death and Life of Great American Cities. It is something that is stressed over and over again within the urban planning circle
Michael, you hit the nail on the head, most people are oblivious to this aspect, especially people in US, walkability is single most part of "quality of life".
In the US walkability is non-existant except for small areas of a few major cities.
Greater Los Angeles area... Almost zero walkability. Aside from downtown metro LA with frequent bus and train system, in greater LA buses are unreliable and runs infrequently, high cost of housing for semi-decent safety & owning car/high gas prices necessity, not to mention everything is too far, too dangerous, etc
かんぐちあき I used to live in LA, and even the Metro runs infrequently. I ended up driving my car most of the time. Now I’m in Texas and again, no walkability. Oh well 😔
@@かんぐちあき I do agree with most of your comments.
Gas prices were at the time I was living in LA not that high though.
Renting a house will cost you an arm and a leg.
The first thing you notice when you visit Japan, especially the bigger cities is how clean and organized they are. And also how much pride people take in their community. For example, you (very) often see older people cleaning/scrubbing the streets outside their properties to ensure they are clean. You do get that most places I would imagine but not to the extent as in Japan. The safety aspect also cannot be understated...not once in all my 11 years of visiting frequently with my Japanese wife have I ever felt intimidated or scared on any street or in any area.
did you ever see the totoro
lol because people littering in the streets that's japanese stereotype
@@JK-br1mu yes
@@しがらき did he tell you ancient secrets of the deep, deep woods?
After watching your videos for 1year, I moved from South Africa to Tokyo in March this year. It's been amazing and overwhelming, but mostly- the best! Thank you for the videos and motivation! Your family is beautiful! 😊
That's awesome! How is it in japan?
How much money you go there also i am planning to go there is my dream
The quality of life is better in Japan, however, there is a lot of emotional and mental disabilities that are not addressed which causes a lot of social problems and the inability to handle the rapidly changing environment. Which you touched on, so yeah.
Ill take them. Let me live there!!!
@Ken narville no crime.eay to get a job. Clean.
@Ken narville 1.5 jobs per every person to fill them there
@@billyb6001 are they jobs you really want? What about japanese work culture?
Japan better than the usa
Safety is the most important thing for me when talking about quality of life. I'm truly happy for you and your family for having it in Tokyo.
You are a great narrator!! you make simple things interesting.
Keep up the good work.
That was great. I live in Sapporo, Japan and have for 12 years. My wife (Japanese national) and I (American) own a school and have a great quality of life. We don’t have kids but wouldn’t move if we did. Owning a business is 24/7 mentally but allows for more flexibility with our schedules. We live near downtown Sapporo and ride motorcycles (when there is no snow) otherwise we walk, train or take the bus. I wouldn’t live anywhere else!
I went to Sapporo a couple days for the snow festival, a great city I want to return to someday.
I am going to assume this is where the famed Sapporo beer was created?
You and me both but I'm not much for all that cold... I'm thinking about Okinawa again. Would be nice to have a house there
@@TheBaldr Yes Sapporo snow fest is nice to visit
@@MrValy128 Correct
I’ve lived in Japan for 14 years and I agree. I think it’s also because the “rules” all make sense to me. They do make life better or more comfortable for the general community - like wearing masks when you’re sick, not leaving your trash wherever, segregating your garbage, being involved in schools. All of them are inevitably for the good of everyone. And you’re right, they make it so easy for you to follow that it doesn’t become burdensome - like color-coded trash bags with pictures of things that go in them. You go to the drop off point and you see what color is being picked up today. No hassle at all once you get used to it. If foreigners just keep an open mind and make even a small effort to try these rules, it won’t be a big price to pay for the security, safety and ease of life here.
Interesting that you picked up separation of trash. it's common in many European countries. We've been doing it for years if not decades.
@@marconemeth9683 Japan is an ancient country, though. They’ve been developing waste management systems to cope with their rapid industrial growth since the Meiji period (1900s.) After the war, they implemented facilities to handle large amounts of waste that resulted in the fact that their manufacturing industries grew even more rapidly (the birth of products such as Sony, Toyota, and more household names.) This developed into the modern sorting policies we now know (which began in the early 70s.) So, Japan’s garbage sorting and recycling practices aren’t new. In fact, the earliest recorded use of recycled paper was in 9th century Japan. 🤷🏻♀️
Your videos are really well made and i think that they do the perfect job of conveying your opinion across to your audience and really portraying the landscape and perspective that you make the video from. Just wanted to say great job and every time you make such a well made video i want to pack my bags and move there to reconnect with my family there, but alas life goes on...
Just awesome video and keep up the great work.
Zubair Moth
I live a good quality of life in Joso-Shi, Ibaraki-Ken. I have a 2 story house, 2 golden Retrievers, a nice yard for them to play in. I have a nice Sakura Tree that is now big enough to shade my dogs during summer time. I work in Tokyo but with TX train and I get to sit down in air-condition, WIFI-support and people are really quiet *mostly sleeping" on the train in the morning. It is safe, neighbors are great and had no issues with anyone making me feel unwanted. I must note that I speak and read Japanese fluently which is important if you want bind with Japanese society. So, should you jump on a plane and move here? Not so fast! Like I said, If you are not going to make the effort to master Japanese, your options will be limited. Most non-Japanese are FORCED to live in certain areas of Tokyo. To get to where I am , it can take many many years. You have to become Permanent resident and have a long-term good standing with the banks, etc. before you can ask for a house loan for example. Also, you need be SEISHAIN (full-time employee) for several years of good-standing of one company. But once you get to that point, Japan has great opportunities and best place to live!
you live in ibaraki but work in Tokyo? you probably spend a lot of money on transportation.
@@elmalanmalan2175
In general,japanese workers are paid transportation cost by their company.
But if worker who lives too long distance,can't get enough transportation money.
@@ばかーんいやーん yes I know about it but in my company is base on the distance and is not enough money for gasoline cost.
The bit about buying a house sounds like pretty much every other country. You need to be established and secure, which is fair enough.
My goodness that’s to hard
Japan was the best time in my life-
We lived in Wakayama- and loved every minute.
Great video and thanks for taking the time to create Greg!
"Quality of life" is somewhat subjective to define imo but the important is that you feel happy with what you have.
Right , Having the best quality of life does not mean having the most happiness in life.
the quality of your videos is getting better and better it is amazing!
I noticed this too. This video clearly took many many hours to edit together. It's better than a BBC or NBC clip on editing alone and it's so much better in detail and relatability. Top stuff.
+Biomirth I totally agree!
Hey, just wanted to say that your videos mean the world to me. They legitimately transport me to another world like nothing else does. It has a lot to do with the shots you get, and the quality of them. The super in-depth information also helps.
Nice. I've lived here for 36 years... Never looked back. Well done on this video.
No joke, this video came in at a perfect time. I was wondering _a lot_ about QoL in Tokyo lately, so thank you so much, well made as usual ^_^
Japan. On my to do list since 1995
Do it! I've been to maybe 20 countries and Japan was the most mind-blowing. It's probably the most "alien" first-world country you could go to.
Once the pandemic ends, go for it! It's a lot more tourist friendly than it was back in 1995.
I've always felt that the Western depiction of Japan tends to be very limited in scope and not all that positive. The focus always seems to be on technology and weird, gimmicks and products you can buy 'only' in Japan... it always seems to revolve around how "weird" the Japanese are, apparently. So it's nice to see such a level-headed perspective of how it really is, as opposed to how people in the West so often depict it!
Fun Fact: Japan uses about HALF the oil, natural gas AND electricity per capita as Canada. Eat your heart out 'Climate Barbie' Trudeau!!
@imingzee: it's because of the propaganda by the west against Japan and Japanese culture.
@HakuProtagonist And yet they excel at taking in foreigners more than any other country, if this video is anything to go by. The immigrants where I am from are isolated, live in their own suburbs, don't follow rules and aren't expected to. Because they aren't part of the wider community this ends up very bad. It seems like this is not a possibility in Japan as you are made to contribute and be part of a community and this is better for everyone
Excellent observation of the treatment of immigrants outside japan.
The "Western" depiction of Japan is often quite positive. Moreso than it needs to be. Take a look at shitty clickbait series such as "America Versus" and their depiction of Japan.
@@Pattoe Immigrants in Japan who aren't racially Japanese are almost never accepted in their communities. Japan is adamantly ethnocentric and shows no signs of changing, even with those BS "immigration" programs being rolled out by the Abe administration, which are mostly a smokescreen. Anyone not of Japanese ethnicity or who is a visible minority in Japan is given the eternal foreigner treatment.
That's amazing! Both Canada & Japan sound super awesome to live at! I'm in Texas and I've had to resort to online home schooling for my kids because the school systems here are so poor that they refuse to help my children in school because of their autism. It is a challenge for me to home school them. And I am also in online college for my bachelor's degree. I am hoping to one day move out of this small town I live in and hopefully find a better quality of life somewhere else in the future.
I hope your kids have a successful future and comfortable future!! College is hard, good luck with all of your studies too :)
I cound'nt get enought of your videos about Japan these days....
I live in Toronto, and my two biggest complaints regarding quality of life are the cost of housing and the cost of food. Both keep going up and up, while my income isn't.
Shaun Dreclin I live about 40 min from Vancouver and I can relate. I want a good job but it’s hard to get one unless being close to the city. Most people can’t afford to buy a home. Walkability in most surburban areas are still zero. I see many more patients come to the hospital I work at from hit and run accidents. Car insurances keep rising. It’s frustrating.
Shaun Dreclin Toronto and Vancouver are overated unless you have a very good job
I'm from Tokyo. It was the same situation in Tokyo in 1980s. Only rich people could afford to buy a house in central areas of Tokyo. But the Housing Bubble burst in 1990s. Now the housing price has declined to less than half or one third compared to 1990. Any normal middle class people today can buy a house in Tokyo.
In general, when the time comes people can't pay such high prices for housing anymore, the housing price inflation will come to end and start dropping. In North America, the population is still growing, but Japan isn't.
@@morisoba2550 you do understand current housing price is ridiculously expensive in Tokyo right?
It depends on the perspective. When you compare current housing price in Tokyo to the one in 25 or 30 years ago it's not that expensive. But if you compare housing price in central Tokyo to the one in rural areas of Japan it's ridiculously expensive.
However Tokyo is big enough. There are many areas in Tokyo where normal middle class workers can buy a house with 300 or 400 thousand Dollar. This is obviously not ridiculously expensive.
Before I traveled to Japan in November 2016, I understood how safe the country was compared to the USA. But it shocked me when I saw an elementary student being dropped off at the train station. She looked about 8 years old and it took me a second to not start worrying about if she would be able to get to her school. I look forward to going back with my 2 boys. Love the videos.
@bartekj81
That must be heart breaking yet inspiring that your children are so quickly on the road to independence.
On the other hand, when I I was an elementary student in the US for a year, I found it very annoying that walking to and back from school was seen as something actually dangerous. The heck. It was a relatively safe neighborhood, geez.
I mean, there was only _one_ mafia familly nearby that got murdered, and we had nothing to do with that, and they don't tend to involve outsiders in those spats :/.
I still walked, obviously.
Also, there's a higher chance of dying in a car accident than some misfortune befalling you on a sidewalk.
After my waking-up, why does everything seem sad to me, knowing that my parents who passed away were probably ( i was not aware, because kids' consciousness is pretty dreamy) proud of the little me as I am about my kids now. Sad that there is an end to all this happiness..
@bartekj81 German countryside...
@bartekj81 in San Diego, California, any teenage girl walking home alone, or even with another girl, could be kidnapped.
it's beautiful there: the amount of respect for one another\ clean streets\ architecture\ the walk-ability! I miss Tokyo!
Man so much production value. I like how you put effort into your vids. You could do this whole thing by talking straight into the camera and save a lot of time. but you didnt. Nice job 👍
Quality video. The mood of the video is sooo relaxing, love it.
Love is kind of an understatement even, that's how much I like the mood.
I also feel a bit of nostalgia because of all the anime I've watched lol.
Keep it up man!
Chestnutric3 q
10:53 is the movie for “your lie in April” which is also a anime and manga. I love “your lie in April” made tear up in the end it’s was wonderful
From a high schooler really considering school abroad in Japan, thank you for making a more comprehensive and cohesive video of what I may have to expect!
This video is coming from a family man who doesn't work at a japanese company, so i doubt it'll be what you expect tbh. Ill give you my 2 cents about Japanese university if you are considering. That is if you are actually planning to study your full degree over there, the quality of undergrad education over there is atrocious and your degree will be worthless not just from an educational point of view, but also the prestige. It's great if your only planning on staying for a semester or a year cos you get to party heaps but i wouldn't bet my future on it.
Goretexx yeah I've heard similar but at the same time, the couple schools I'm looking at are actual leading contributers to the field of science I'm interested in going into in the future. Besides, paying $7000/per year for education in a country I'm considering working in in the future compared to $50000 at another top-notch American university is hardly an even reasonable comparison
Mate did you read my post. I said Undergraduate education blows. Research output phd/masters programs is a different story mate. The education just sucks for undergrad's man, and im also talking top tier universities, tokyo university, waseda, keio etc. I couldn't imagine what it'd be like for anything below top 15 schools in japan. A mid tier state university in the us offers higher quality education than any of japans top tier uni's. Your really not getting your money's or even time's worth if you study undergrad.
Also if you want to go into the field of science which is heavily academic, you'll be at a huge disadvantage with such a piss poor education, having not properly learnt the material and skills expected of grads.
Goretexx I think it's highly dependent on which university you attend in Japan just as it depends on what college you attend in the United States, however. Attending a city or state university in America and expecting to be the most qualified individual in your field in inconceivable. I expect the same is in Japan, attending the University of Tokyo or Kyoto University prepares you in a much different manner than a standard local university in a more rural prefecture
Thanks for sharing specific details.
I once studied in Japan for a month,
and began to feel part of the community.
I've never experienced that in Australia!
I hope to return to Japan to live one day.
Greg, this video "Japanese Quality of Life: My Family's Experience in Tokyo" was so well done, researched, and annotated. Thanks you!
Loved the video! Learned a lot. Your voice is amazing and so soothing to listen to. I myself was born and raised in Germany and now live in the US. Some days I wish I could be back home but the opportunities are just much better in the US. I do miss the European lifestyle however. Cheers!
Great video and having lived for 15 years in Tokyo I agree 100% with your assessment. Quality of life can mean different things to different people... but in the end everybody seem to agree that SAFETY is the N°1... particularly as a parent ! Peaceful people, peaceful country !
dude ur doing a good job we had a magazine that published every month so I know how hard content production is especially doing al original content as we did like you do, people have no idea how hard original good quality content is to produce
Thank you for spending so much time making this video. This really helped me as I'm considering a move myself to Japan. You're great at what you do.
The production/Quality on this video is insane...Truly good job!
I really enjoyed this video very much. I've been to Tokyo four times with my job. Each trip being at least two weeks. I love Tokyo and think that if I spoke Japanese, I would like living there. I am a US American who lives in Munich, Germany. I love living here (except for the cold winters). We have very good health care, not free, but affordable. I live in a good area and often work evenings, but the subway system runs well and it is pretty safe to be out at night. There is beautiful country side just about a half-hour from the city and lots of cultural events to see.
It's amazing how well you document everything as a blogger and present it via video. Well edited, well researched, and well produced. You just earned another sub. Glad I found this channel.
I've recently discovered your channel and as someone who is extremely fascinated with the Japanese culture and is considering building a future for myself there someday, your videos have been so informative and wonderfully put across! I admire the effort you have put into making this video as neutrally-opinionated yet factual as possible, plus the really cool shots :D Keep up the fantastic work!
I found the part about the Education system really interesting as Singapore ranked #1 (that's where I'm from by the way, hello from Singapore!).
I believe that no Education system is perfect and as someone still furthering my studies, that's very much evident. There's always room for improvement everywhere! I was afraid of pursuing my Uni years in Japan due to stigma that Japan's education is more shrewd than SG, but your video has given a different insight. Singapore may top but we've got a long way before it'll focus on the love of learning instead of focusing on the grades solely - I don't know much of Japan's focus but hopefully it might adopt that mind set too! The quality of life here in SG isn't that different from Tokyo, but the emphasis of family time is something Japan has compared to us. Which I think is lovely!
aisha !
ちゃんCha why
This is why i want to move to Japan. So many positive views. I want to raise my future kids. I told my mom about my dream it even includes her, i know she'll like the view. One more year of university. Unfortunately i won't be able to study abroad now.
Don’t raise your kids here or they will end up as lonely,bullied and will not recognize affection people here focus on politeness but no love watch Nobita’s You Tube video he will tell you the dark side of Japan. I live in Japan for 18 yrs and work with Japanese too the grass is greener on the other side but wait until you experience it. Most People here unhappy and have a mental heath issues and suicide rate here is very high.
@@madeinjapan3333 As if loneliness and being bullied doesn't happen in the US!!
WRONG!!
I was ruthlessly bullied my entire school career, by both students and teachers, to such a severity as to literally be driven into suicidal depression!
I love this i love this i love this😭
I backpacked Japan for 3 months. I had so much reverse culture shock and whenever i talked about it majority of people dont believe me and bring up Japans suicide rate or how ill be outcasted(that they are the most racist) this all coming from people who never been there and know nothing.
Such ignorance boils my bones.
Its how you said the exception not the generic average of things.
I felt completely accepted everywhere i went it was such an experience, i backpacked Hokkaido, Honshu, and Kyushu. Sometimes i stayed at a locals house(couchsurfing) and whenever i stayed at a families house they made me feel part of the family. Even on an outting with them i wasnt looked at funny or discriminated against.
I knew NO JAPANESE i took the college classes after my trip.
I noticed how there were no chains on bikes people dont steal them (in USA even if your bike is chained it can be stolen and odds are its repainted sold on the street or at a flea market) even with wallets or bags or train passes(i dropped mine so many times someone be chasing me to return it) and the odds of it being stolen is almost none while in USA if your gone more than 10minutes its likely gone stolen.
I experience more appreciation and respect, for being a human for helping clean the house for the little labor things or other ways i could help i was actually thanked and rewarded while in USA all ive done is struggle check to check and slowly got more isolated because no one wants to spend time with a poor person.
I survived better and healthier in Japan while USA its expensive and difficult and the cheapest food is nasty fast food or frozen food that gives me a stomach ache.
I was safe walking Tokyo alone at night, i traveled the country solo and camped or couch surfed and was 100% safe never had problems not once(except buying to many souvenirs that broke my suitcase casing me to buy a new one)
while in USA i cant walk after dark, i cant walk alone during the day depending on where i am, i work at Oakland airport and just a month ago someone in the huge parking lot right in front of the airport got robbed at gunpoint 1pm in the afternoon! I live in san jose and hear about stabbings or attempted robberies everyday....just down the street from me.
I would honestly do anything to move to Japan and get out of here.
Oddly as it is i actually felt i belonged in Japan when i was there!
Even now i stare at the pacific ocean everyday feeling a magnetic pull it feels real and i can never scratch it away or forget.
I miss Japan so much.
I'm a native Japanese and run a small apartment house near Tokyo apart from my lecture job. I have had a male and a female American house shares there for a few months in the past, and I felt those Americans had no idea what kind of country the US is.
I say this, because, except for the US, Janan and most developed countries have adopted social democratic policies, have implemented reasonable welfare policies, and basically strive to avoid large educational and economic disparities in their societies. I assume most Americans don't understand the reality of the US. If the large educational and economic disparities in the society are not created in the US, their problems of insecurity and lower class harsh poverty can be eliminated in the richest country of the world.
You can go to Japan to teach English, and it is very easy to get.
@@jimany3965 all the programs I see have requirements like a bachelor's degree in something/anything, I have 3 AAs but no BA/BS, many also have an age limit of under 30 for starting and around same for language schools, I turn 31 this June.
I just visited for the week of new years in Tokyo. I didn't want to leave, now I have to work and save for another trip maybe in a few years.
@@SkuldXHimura You can teach in a private institution and as long as you are native speaker there is the need.
ぜひまた日本に来てください！
いやー、ものすごい撮影数と編集力ですね～。相当に手間をかけて作られてますね。素晴らしい❗
Wow,its so many filmed and nice edition.Lot of waste time for it.
Amazing❗👍
“Lot of waste time”...すごい時間を無駄にしてますね😅
You had to say “I can tell you took a lot of time to make this well-made video.”😉
Thank you very much for making and sharing this video. It is wonderful how the internet allows us the opportunity to learn about life in a country on the other side of the world (I'm from the UK), and it has also made me think more about what life is like for myself as a citizen of London! I will keep watching more of your videos :)
Amazing video, thanks a lot for sharing and keep up the good work!
Ikr
Patreon early access. Some videos I publish a bit early as thanks for the support.
Beautiful, thoughtful video. So well done. If I could speak Japanese I would love to live there several months out of the year.
I love how thorough you are all every single video.
Been subbed to you for about 2-3 years and never am bored!
Thank you from an Irish-Japanese hafu
I liked the community spirit, this is something we miss in planet earth
You have a beautiful family and your presentation was very informative, clear, and balanced.
That was an excellent overview and really balanced - I found this helpful
Dude your videos are great.
Seeing these recordings from the train ride makes me want to rewatch the video where you only filmed train rides. I'm actually going to watch it now again. Could propably watch stuff like this for hours :D
lol man dein Name kommt mir ziemlich bekannt vor, als hätte ich vor Jahren irgendwas von dir in dem kommentaren gelesen
okay^^
Pretty informative video , I really enjoyed it . I’m visiting Japan in July , well I should say I’m passing through on my way to South Korea . I’m looking forward to my 20 hour layover in Japan . I have a lot of respect for the Japanese and their culture . An awesome place .
I came across one of your videos by accident but now I am addicted and in love with your children! Thanks so much for your hard work I am really enjoying and now addicted to your playlist xxx
Excellent video! Thanks for posting so much good information. Your children are happy and normal - that's really pleasing....
I considered living in Tokyo some years back, but ultimately the working life there is just that - live to work, not work to live. Otherwise it would probably be better than here in Finland, mostly due to weather, and big city possibilities. I'd prefer Finnish schooling for kids though, a lot more freedom and creativity. There's also no annoying obligations and must-do's, but there's no real sense of community either. For an expat in Japan, working for yourself is really the best case scenario, though that might still end up taking all your time.
Interesting how Finnish schools score better than Japanese schools with way less stress and obligations on studetns
Melinon what do you mean about the working life in Japan? Too many hours? Not enough hollydays? Both? How about contracts, are they mostly temporary jobs or are there good quality contracts?
Both, and it's always workplace first, family and holidays second. If there's a conflict, work wins always, no questions asked. People there like to say how the people at the workplace are "family", and it's no wonder, these people hardly see their actual families. Personally I think it's the biggest issue in Japanese society, how the working culture overrides people's personal lives to the point that they don't have the time to take care of their lives and relationships.
My viewpoint is from the tech industry, not English teaching, but I feel its pretty universal. Getting a job at a branch of an international company is probably better than a Japanese native one, but not a guarantee of anything. These are generalizations of course, ymmv.
Melinon oh god that sounds like a nightmare. It must be very hard for introverts to be forced into this "work family" mentality, I'd hate it for sure.
Most larger offices are also open-plan with rows of tables, with a team and a manager, and a few bigger bosses to the side with their own table. It's all very structured and "efficient" from a space usage point of view since these large offices in downtown Tokyo aren't exactly cheap for the companies. But once you actually sit in an office that spans half a sky-rise level with dozens of rows of tables and hundreds of people, you can't help but feel like a cog in a machine. Introversion isn't really an option, there's nowhere to hide. Now, this might not be what most foreigners would end up doing working in Japan, but it is the life of an average salariman, added with the obligatory nomikais and other nights out with colleagues that you'd rather spend with your family and hobbies. Some people make it work, but it's far from ideal for me personally, and another example of how companies expect workers to just put up with it.
Then there's the bonus systems, two big bonuses for winter/summer that might be up to 6 months salary in total. It's an assumed part of your salary, but companies may cut it something like 20% on a bad year if they feel like it, and you have no say over it, and your performance is irrelevant since it's a company wide thing that's supposed to make people take more responsibility of the common good of the company. Of course there are some counterpoint to the obligations of the employees vs. companies, and there's this expectation that a company will "take care" of their employees in some scenarios rather than just kick them out, but once again, it's all about obligations and social expectations. From a legal standpoint, companies there have all the power, and you as an employee have very little. You just gotta trust that the unwritten social agreements hold, and for the most part I'm sure they do. If they don't you are SOL.
This is one of a kind video I have seen! The holistic approach to your narrative to describe "Life in Japan" is so well contained.
Wonderful video. Just visited Japan for the first time earlier this year. It was beautiful and the people are very kind. Maybe I will find my way back there again. :)
Don't know why YT took so long to recommend me your channel, but I admit I'm enjoying it alot!
My kids are bilingual at a native level, my wife speaks to them only in Mandarin and me in English. I can understand the difficulties you're going through!
Do take care and will be watching more of your japanese videos!!
An addition to the part about having consideration for people with health issues: I noticed everywhere there are braille trails for the visually impaired and I also learned that some of the sounds on train stations are there to help guide the visually impaired. It seems that Japan takes good care of them.
Love your videos. Followed you a long time now. You are one of the reasons I moved to Japan to study Japanese! 😄
I love the way things are so systematic, this serves as a good model for city planning and urban development. 😊👍 Nothing better than getting insights from a resident. A city this good would do wonders in a highly populated country as ours. 👍
Japan is so clean and lovely!!! Thanks for sharing this video... it's super helpful and informative..
I'd love to see a video about the Olympics 2020 in Tokyo! Thoughts, tips, general info.
well yes the clip of the Japanese playing my national instrument warmed my little Trini heart!
First I need to appreciate the efforts you took to compile so much information. Secondly I love how well kept the roads are. Must feel very pleasant to roam around.
6:10 SIS WAS WALKING ON CRUTCHES IN HEELS
I thought I was the only one who noticed, gotta respect the hustle!
lolololol
😂
Many companies in Japan require women to wear high heels on the job, I guess even when they are injured damn
😄😄
Beautiful video, very professional, clear and very very informative, thank you! I appreciate it!
I discovered this channel through the "Shinto Explained" video (I was curious about Shinto, having seen aspects of it in Japanese media for years, but never anything in depth) and I've been watching more since then, and I absolutely love it. So impressed by the quality of your videos and editing, but more importantly, I love that you talk about it all with a personal touch. It makes everything easier to understand in a way, and it's more fun and engaging when there's a real human experience attached to all of these concepts. Too often videos about life in unfamiliar places are stereotypical and dry, so I love your take on it.
I already wanted to move to Japan and experience living there for a while at some point, and you're making me want it even more. Thank you for making these informative, useful videos. And thanks to your family for participating too! It's so sweet of you all to share your lives with us like this.
In terms of environmentalism and respect for others, I think that Japan is well ahead of many other places in the world.
I guess you dont live in Japan. environment: concrete is the solution to basically everything, electric pylons absolutely everywhere, light and noise pollution. Respect: just appearances.
So probably not worse than others, but certainly not better
I live in downtown Jersey City, NJ, which is right across the Hudson River from Manhattan. But I also have a property in 瑞江 (which is the next stop from you on 都営新宿線), and I absolutely LOVE that entire 船堀/瑞江/篠崎 neighborhood in 江戸川区. My parents live smack dab in the middle of Tokyo in 千代田区, but whenever I go back, my wife and I stay in 瑞江. I feel much more comfortable there. Less cost of living, noise, cleaner air, friendlier people!
Beautiful Japan. *The safety of the environment* creates more relaxed people.
The popsicle index / prince of bel air thing made me laugh thank you :))
The popsicle index made me think of Herbert from Family Guy. *Creepy*
14:11
_"No doubt"_
Your Canadian accent came in real thick then.
No doubt about it!
Really informative and well made ! I don't think we can find this type of content anywhere else. I really enjoy it, even if I don't have any particular interest in Japan culture. I mean I do now ! I would like to find this kind of content for many other places in the world. Keep on doing the good work! Bye from Canada.
I just got back from Japan about 3 weeks ago. Spent a week in Urayasu and couldn't have been happier. Have visited many countries, but none can compare to Japan. My family and I are talking about the possibility of moving from the states to Japan. We would like to start looking at some of the areas outside Tokyo, but somewhere accessible by train. Love those. Any suggestions on a house, apartment, condo, etc.? Are homes affordable? No need for a mansion. Any recommendations?
Love your videos man! You are so well spoken and have a soothing voice.
A toast to your informative, fun, and very objective videos on Japan. I lived in a host family in Japan 10yrs ago and your videos really remind me of how their, and mine, day to day lives were like. Keep up the good work man!
Wow, great job explaining everything without losing your watchers 👍
10:54 Wait, was that a live action of ‘Your Lie in April’?! 😳 Great vid! Very informative, and seeing all those beautiful parks makes me want to visit Japan so bad! 😩😭
I love how concise and engaging this video is! From the visuals to the explanations, all of it (in my opinion) perfectly explains the different factors that contribute to a middle-class life in Japan, and all was explained without over-complicating the explanations or using difficult wording - I really appreciate that as it makes it easier for me (and I'm sure many others) to learn about what it's like to live in Japan. Thank you for making it! I hope you and your family are doing well :)
I agree with you, I also liked the comparations to Canada
Hi I love your videos! Thanks for uploading often, I love them!