TOUGHER than diamonds and STRONGER than steel - Abroad in Japan is back! But what do you hate the most in Japan and what did I miss guys? Sorry for the long absence - I've been trying to get fit. Also been filming a ton of videos that'll be out over the Christmas season. Should be a fun month!
@bhagyajitpingua9891
Жыл бұрын
don't
@カルム-b4z
Жыл бұрын
Its like you're just waiting for the Japan gatekeepers to comment🤣
@alexeijaremko7405
Жыл бұрын
Hello
@hafreeze13
Жыл бұрын
You missed putting Connor on the list
@SetiKt
Жыл бұрын
One thing british hate about japan... Everything
@scalien225
Жыл бұрын
The number of times Chris complains about Connor makes it clear this can only be love.
@MarsLonsen
Жыл бұрын
Better love story than twilight! And twilight was really good!
@frecuenciasoniricas2867
Жыл бұрын
It's oficial, isn't it?
@paultaverne2788
Жыл бұрын
@@frecuenciasoniricas2867 yeah, Chris called Connor his boyfriend once
@Ronsparks1006
Жыл бұрын
Still daydreaming about Chris being gay? Talk about sexual harassment.... Calm down Francis!
@Sunprince7
Жыл бұрын
Chris himself said that Mouse is Connor's wife, which basically mean....
@bertdaniels
Жыл бұрын
Gotta admit Chris, best "list" video you made yet. Not just sitting in a room , but strong editing, going out and filming the subjects, well build arguments. Great quality work Mr. Broad!
@SophiaAstatine
Жыл бұрын
The days of Chris just sitting in a tiny room are over.
@simontanguay3619
Жыл бұрын
Genuinely felt it had been ages since Chris' last "classic" abroad in japan video. Really shows how much the content quality has improved compared to earlier works in the same format.
@xiwhiplash2523
Жыл бұрын
This is a very classic chris video you can tell that he is enjoying youtube more than ever
@NationX
Жыл бұрын
When I saw this pop up in my feed I was almost shocked to see it was a new video and not something from 2 years ago or so. Instant click
@zulawoo
Жыл бұрын
No bike or complaining about being and/or getting fat?! What is this tomfoolery??
@siliconhawk
Жыл бұрын
@@NationX exactly. i was like is this a reupload, but then i was like it has too many views for a reupload.
@h0welss
Жыл бұрын
@@NationX Same haha
@InvestDiva
Жыл бұрын
Mos burger, “the best thing to come in a basket since Moses” I’m dead 😂😂😂😂
@ronknox3376
Жыл бұрын
Honestly Chris, this is more entertaining than anything on TV. Keep the sarcastic, sardonic image and keep producing gems like this. What is great that most KZitemrs don't do is sneak in a lot of good information and positive information into a I Hate list. Best thing on YT
@booba2141
Жыл бұрын
He’s also someone who should do sweet kissing & rubbing & being wet to the friends & friendship.
@arbbar2674
Жыл бұрын
@KDW whats it about this specific video that you find funny? bc he has loads of videos like this
@footjuice
Жыл бұрын
The production of this episode is stunning! You just never stop, do you? The Chris that keeps on giving!
@AbroadinJapan
Жыл бұрын
THAT’S THE POWER OF LOVE
@larsstougaard7097
Жыл бұрын
Creepy nuts for life ✌️
@wiseweeb5578
Жыл бұрын
@@AbroadinJapan Now that's what I call being affable
@tachidesu
Жыл бұрын
ah yes creepy nuts thats going on my discord bio
@ThunderRoo
Жыл бұрын
I love that tired singing xD
@HydrangeaFLWRS
Жыл бұрын
You look great Chris. So proud of you for taking the initiative to improve your overall health
@AbroadinJapan
Жыл бұрын
Many thanks! It’s been a long journey these last few months and it’s awesome to finally be slimmed down and able to work out properly! 🎉
@PaNDaSNiP3R
Жыл бұрын
@@AbroadinJapan KFC Christmas Chris !! 😂
@s-o-u-p6095
Жыл бұрын
@@AbroadinJapan What are the gyms in Japan like? same as any other, or is there more of a "keep slim" mantra behind fitness over there?
@McChopper2000
Жыл бұрын
Its all the camera angle like in the hobbit
@zZiL341yRj736
Жыл бұрын
Looks the the same.
@wombatpandaa9774
Жыл бұрын
The four season thing confused me when I lived in Korea too, especially because...most places do have four seasons. Like, they might not be the same four seasons you're used to, but the planet we all live on turns the same everywhere in the world.
@devanman7920
Жыл бұрын
Ya I don't understand how they go from you're Japanese is good and can you use chopsticks to we have four seasons yano? 😅
@DsiakMondala
11 ай бұрын
Some places only have 9 months summer , 1.5 spring and autumnn Some places high up north have 10 months of winter and 2 months of mercy
@NunontheRun
10 ай бұрын
@@DsiakMondala lol - yeah.. I live in the UK.. here we have damp and warm, and damp and cold - and there's a few weeks in-between those two seasons where all the leaves fall - that's called "leaves on the track" season, I'm from Canada though, so winter is -40, summer is +35 (and lately smoky) - spring and autumn are the mercy seasons.. one of them has leaves.
@Trackers89
10 ай бұрын
To be fair near the equator you often have a dry season and wet season, or four seasons but less distinct with temperature differences and not much else. But yeah anywhere with a similar temperate climate (ie much of Europe and the northern US) also has similar seasons.
@larsinthewoods
9 ай бұрын
Seasons come from the Earth's tilt. There are no seasons at the Equator.
@assistantmagus5213
Жыл бұрын
Chris was so dedicated to making this video feel immersive, he grew a detached extra limb to give him things from off-screen, and I really respect that.
@SewingBoxDesigns
Жыл бұрын
The daughter in school photo. 😂👍
@slimii275
Жыл бұрын
himeno's ghost :)
@andrewcgs
Жыл бұрын
I'd love to see you making a "12 things I hate about the UK" some day, that'd be hilarious
@salientsolution5436
Жыл бұрын
Gonna need a bigger list
@persnikitty3570
Жыл бұрын
That'd be at a minimum a 3 hour opus, the Dr Zhivago of crankiness and bitter sarcasm.
@Cotfi2
Жыл бұрын
The "Things I hate about the US" list is an open-ended project due for a spin-off channel...
@persnikitty3570
Жыл бұрын
@@Cotfi2 I think my toppers would be drivers who come to a complete stop at a green light, and those who insist on driving 5-10 miles under the posted speed limit. Granted, the green light issue might be from color-blindness, but they are always oriented in the same way to mitigate that issue.
@Artista_Frustrado
Жыл бұрын
so a Top 12 CDawg list then LMAO
@KenshinRyuzaki
Жыл бұрын
Damn Chris did not have to go this hard for a simple list video but I'm glad he did. I expected the typical KZitemr droning-on-to-the-camera sort of video, only to be surprised that we've got scene re-enactments, Chris actually heading to the locations he talks about, along with him sacrificing his body by eating Fruit Sandwiches. Love the dedication to the craft.
@Redshirt214
Жыл бұрын
Man they really, really should have left Harujuku station alone. It was one of the last Meji era buildings in Tokyo, a beautiful part of the neighborhood that, with its more subtle and cottage like architecture really was a good balance to the *other* Harujuku. As someone who is in historical preservation it just kills me to see that they demolished an architectural gem and replaced it with a crappy glass box!
@Blood_Empress_Skarlet
10 ай бұрын
Yes, to me this frustrated me the most of all points Chris made in the video. It was such a beautiful building with historical value, just destroyed for an utterly generic station. It annoys me even more because here in the Netherlands they do it too.
@thomaskurtz9592
9 ай бұрын
Very sad to see timeless architecture replaced by functional crap ( sorry about my language).
@4FYTfa8EjYHNXjChe8xs7xmC5pNEtz
4 ай бұрын
That happens a lot in Japan. There does seem to be more of an appreciation for retro architecture, fashion, and cars lately, though.
@sublight
27 күн бұрын
Something had to be done, since the old building couldn't hand a tenth of the current passenger load, but it's too bad the new building couldn't have had a design that recalled the old one. At least there's a lot more space and more exits.
@thequietplayer3691
Жыл бұрын
Going to Japan as an outsider, eating an ekiben and a fruit sandwich on a train, having fun driving a go-kart around, taking pictures with your friends in a purikura, losing money on a pachinko, having karaoke in a hostess bar, ending your night eating a Moss Burger half drunk, and washing your creepy nuts with the bidet in your modern hotel room while watching Japanese television. I don't know, Chris. It sounds like a fun time to me.
@boomguitarjared
Жыл бұрын
He gave us a crash course for experiencing all the funkiest Japanjank in a day 🤙
@buch1224
Жыл бұрын
Until the Groundhog Day effect kicks in after a month or three of it.
@kleinerprinz99
Жыл бұрын
What makes those nuts creepy? But the Bidet is exactly for that to wash your intimate area clean after using the toilet or whenever.
@melyourheart
Жыл бұрын
How much this comment made me laugh omg ahahhaah
@lauracoutinho5478
Жыл бұрын
It's fun to do as a visit. Not month after month year after year. Believe me, all that gets old FAST
@pressonyang5835
Жыл бұрын
as someone who have lived there while in the military I can concur with the hostess club opinion. I had a military buddy that is always going to them saying he will get lucky but after 4 month of losing all his money it finally hit him like an Isekai delivery truck.
@FormerGovernmentHuman
Жыл бұрын
Should have just gotten a soapie for $100 and guaranteed happy ending. Girls aren’t bad either.
@ironjade8666
Жыл бұрын
@@FormerGovernmentHuman A soapie is a one and done experience. hell with the clubs and bars at all, hit up the shops. That's where shit is awesome.
@solitarelee6200
Жыл бұрын
Four months it took him??? Dang, that man had some confidence... probably unwarranted but still!
@eewweeppkk
Жыл бұрын
@@solitarelee6200 Military men are dumb creatures. Source: was one.
@magmarr8304
Жыл бұрын
Creepy Nuts is honestly such a great duo, their music checks every vibe. Some songs fit perfectly for a summer day and some fit perfectly for a cold fall/winter night
@ThugHunterfromIsrael
Жыл бұрын
@messagemeontelegramam_abro1311 explosives
@NICHOLSON7777
Жыл бұрын
8 years ago they randomly showed up in my youtube feed. They were the gateway to japanese hip-hop for me.
@magmarr8304
Жыл бұрын
@@NICHOLSON7777 I started following their music after reading a manga called "call of the night" and the author said the manga got its name from their song
@akaroth7542
Жыл бұрын
Welp, screw it. Gonna have to check them out.
@Foranoda
Жыл бұрын
@@magmarr8304 and they made an anime recently of "call of the night", and it's not only using Creepy Nuts for the opening AND ending songs, but they also have a small cameo, even voiced by the guys themselves. such a great circle of appreciation
@paolaanimator
Жыл бұрын
I loved how Chris changed locations as he went through the list, his videos are so entertaining!
@hermz8616
Жыл бұрын
Its like he was walking around and said “oh yeah, add that shit to the list so i can rant real quick”
@steveneardley7541
22 күн бұрын
You can tell he enjoys doing this because he hasn't gotten lazy. I'm often struck by how verbally and visualizing interesting his videos are.
@felixpujade1541
Жыл бұрын
I appreciate that Chris doesn't waste any of the food. It always annoys me when influence buys big bowls of food and then never eat it
@FusionKush
Жыл бұрын
Why if they bought it with their money. I could careless about another person's meal that they paid for them selves.
@Inucroft
Жыл бұрын
@@FusionKush It's a waste. We produce enough food to feed three times the global population without any starvation. Yet here we are with such a vast food surplus yet mass starvation.
@FusionKush
Жыл бұрын
@@Inucroft that's the problem you care to much about nothing. Just because someone paid for there food and doesn't finish it doesn't mean it's the end of the world. What if they didn't like it? I know if bought food and it tastes gross or it didn't meet my taste buds then I might as well throw it away. After I paid for it. Yes I know it will be disrespectful if some else paid for it but to be fair I won't eat anything I don't like even if someone else paid for it.
@midorykq7217
Жыл бұрын
Carbon footprint. I do care about it. Buying and not consuming, generates a big carbon footprint, the food that arrives to table took many steps: logistics, transportation, packaging, etc.
@L0REN0R2Z0RR0
Жыл бұрын
@@FusionKush Waste of food - and a lot of other things - is a huge problem in this world. We use up more ressources from poor countries than we need, our way of life currently is too much for the planet. It would even be too much for two planets.
@Mryodamiles
Жыл бұрын
One thing that somewhat annoys me about Japan is how indirect they are. Like many Asian cultures, Japanese etiquette values politeness so much to the point that people don’t tell you things directly…. This means you encounter a lot of passive aggressive behavior in Japan. For people who grew up in the culture this kind of thing is a norm and learning to read between the line is a part of becoming adults . But for foreigners who are not used to that type of culture and language, passive aggressive behavior really puzzled them. Honestly it can really triggered you when you deal with them so often and don’t understand why people just don’t say things directly/clearly. It also one of the reason why japan is such an emotionally repressed country.
@kleinerprinz99
Жыл бұрын
Holding grudges seems to be very common and a motivation for suddenly violent but meticuleously planned outbursts like the assassination of Shinzo Abe or attacking Idols with a hacksaw (althought that might be of sexism and general consumerism and generally bad working conditions and contracts for idols).
@Croz89
Жыл бұрын
I imagine it is a problem from cultures like Germany and the Nordic countries, where being very open and direct is the norm.
@charlesjones7063
Жыл бұрын
Yep....I have had so many similar experiences in SEA...particularly in the Phils...but, I have learned to blow of things that don't matter...my more aggresive Westerner side exhibits itself when things do matter (such as money)...it is actually entertaining to watch a Filipino's reaction when you point out the absurdity of their propositions when make assumptions about your Western ignorance
@Dezomm
Жыл бұрын
This is why one of my closest friends I made in Japan was super direct. She will always state her opinion very clearly. It made conversation much easier and more fun, and as a result we got much closer than we probably would have otherwise!
@InfernosReaper
Жыл бұрын
If I didn't grow up dealing with haughty Southerners in the US, people notorious for passive aggressiveness(see "bless your heart") and backhanded compliments, I don't think I would have been able to get my head around that aspect of Japan so easily. It's particularly similar to dealing with certain parts of Tokyo
@legitbread
Жыл бұрын
I came back from my vacation in Japan a week ago and I LOVED it, but one thing I will always hate is the amount of plastic waste that is generated. So many tiny snacks, cutlery, and products are layered in needless plastic and most of it ends up in the garbage. Although I love myself some Japanese snacks, I can't help but wince every time I open a bag to find a bag within a bag containing a single piece of candy.
@wombat5252
Жыл бұрын
They are over the top on cleanliness and contamination. Extremely clean country, but they go overboard lol. Probably one of the only countries where you can lick a public toilet's seat though.
@bfragged
Жыл бұрын
I remember shopping in Japan and them wrapping and then bagging a tiny money clip which was already in a box. Basically creating 3x the waste then if I just put it in my pocket when I bought it.
@luciussakura5031
Жыл бұрын
Yeah, when I went there we went to a restaurant with plastic napkins. Like why???
@tsmcdiz1758
Жыл бұрын
Japan is infinitely better and more effective at recycling than the US, so it’s not as much of a problem as you’d think
@julcaos
Жыл бұрын
Brazil has this same issue...
@toni-kaku
Жыл бұрын
I was in Japan for 4 months in 1995 and almost every conversation was exactly as you describe. Good to know some things haven't changed!
@Chrnan6710
Жыл бұрын
*_N I H O N G O J O U Z U_*
@Redisnice100
Жыл бұрын
I was also in japan in 8 years I’m still here
@insiainutorrt259
Жыл бұрын
Why do you 2 assume every japanese is the same person?... Quite uttery insane aint it...
@jameswiggle
Жыл бұрын
@@insiainutorrt259 they lived there longer than you.
@Jarred94
Жыл бұрын
Yeah, can't mess with the classics
@jaanaberg6125
Жыл бұрын
If you're a swedish speaking finn you basically get Nihongo Jouzu'd when you go to Sweden. Because they have no idea we have a swedish speaking minority in Finland. The most I've had is them having trouble understanding my dialect but I've heard a lot of others who go to Sweden, speak swedish to swedish people, and get the response "Oh you've learnt swedish really well" and you're just like yeah I'd sure hope so it's my native language :D スウェーデン語上手 indeed
@katek1381
Жыл бұрын
Lived in Japan for a decade and re: Microaggressions -- you nailed it. 10 years of the same boring ass questions from everybody, and if you ever try to steer the conversation to something different (in Japanese, mind you, there are no language issues limiting the conversation topics), they often push it back to basically "yeah yeah, back to you being a gaijin tho." Always gaijin first, person second. That's fine working as an ESL teacher where your conversation is paid for, but dealing with that on a personal level wears on the soul after awhile.
@Dreadlock1227
Жыл бұрын
I don’t think that’s exclusive to Japan. Even for me, as an American living in Canada, I get those little micro aggressions whenever I tell someone I’m American, and it’s always the same questions. And people are really passive aggressive about it too. They just wanna hear me say how much I love Canada and how much better it is than America. Which I don’t even necessarily think, but that’s just the answer everyone’s looking for
@FransceneJK98
Жыл бұрын
I found that it’s really hard to make real friends in Japan. Like way harder than in other countries. Idk why but Japanese are reluctant to show you who they really are or what they really think. It takes a long time for them really warm up to you. So I give up before that
@amazin7006
Жыл бұрын
@@FransceneJK98 For me it was the opposite. I made a handful of friends on my first time visiting over the course of a single month, many are still in contact. It's going to be hard to make friends just on the street or something (even here in America), but if you're in a nice work environment, or playing sports or something it's not hard at all imo. My closest Japanese friend I met while playing football in some random field lol
@alexandresobreiramartins9461
Жыл бұрын
@@FransceneJK98 Japanese are genetically hypocrites.
@mikespike2099
Жыл бұрын
You Gaijin!!!
@kimmysmilesatyou
Жыл бұрын
The first time I went to Japan we landed at the Narita Airport in Tokyo, and my teacher so excitedly told us to try the bathroom, and let me tell you. That was the first toilet I used in Japan and I just. I had been violated by a toilet. That shit just goes straight up, no warning. My teacher, and classmates were dying laughing. She decided to remind the whole class towards the end of our study abroad. It was an experience I'll never forget.
@martiuscastle
Жыл бұрын
"Violated by a toilet" made me laugh really hard! Cheers!
@juanluisuribedavies8086
Жыл бұрын
As an architect I got to tell you. You don't hate modern japanese architecture, you just hate modern comercial architecture, which is happening, unfortunately all over the world. Japanese architects are probably the best and most renouned in the whole world, in fact they have won the pritzker award more times than any other country. Otherwise good video, I'm going to japan soon in my honeymoon and looking very much forward to it. Been watching your videos lately to get an idea of what to expect.
@MetaKnight964
Жыл бұрын
Except you won't find many japanese style houses in any other part of the world.
@tupums
Жыл бұрын
Indians are best architects since ancient times. Look at the colossal granite temples still staying for thousands of years! Sanathana Hindu Dharma is the source of architecture science and many other sciences too.
@protoaltus
Жыл бұрын
@@tupums the only issue there is, right now? Nah the architecture is just blocks upon blocks with maybe some flair in between for offices. But yeah, the Shinto Shrines and the Temples do share similar structure.
@ThePandaAgenda
Жыл бұрын
@@MetaKnight964 Romania. No srsly.
@sandygordon496
Жыл бұрын
You are an architect and you can't spell commercial or renowned ?
@blanktroll2606
Жыл бұрын
The spoon breaking really shows how sturdy the rice is and the reaction from Chris is priceless XD
@jenniferdevoe9921
Жыл бұрын
Your willingness to get sprayed by a bidet to illustrate your story shows an amazing work ethic and dedication to your cause! Bravo Chris!!
@Peter_Schiavo
Жыл бұрын
#8. I have a cousin-in-law who emigrated from Chile to Sweden 40+ years ago. He's been a Swedish citizen for 30+ years. He speaks fluent Swedish. He still, to this day, is treated like an outsider.
@TurtleGamers1
Жыл бұрын
Really? You must live in a smaller town? As long as someone speaks fluent Swedish they usually are treated normally where I live/have grown up
@9.5.9.5
Жыл бұрын
If you move to another country, you are an outsider
@naturesfinest2408
Жыл бұрын
@@9.5.9.5 not most of the U.S. Thats one of the reason why i like it here. Almost anywhere in America, usually in or near the city i can meet people from another country. Ive met hundreds and i always ask them how is it living here? Do you feel alone? Treated as out of place? Or something along those lines. And the answer in overwhelming "yeah there are a few people but most people are nice/don't care." It doesnt matter in the U.S because of the large foreign population, especially in and near cities but even in rural areas. Its crazy the amount of people you can meet. I love it.
@xxnoobslayeriv
Жыл бұрын
@@9.5.9.5 Not in North American cities PAL! Go to a Toronto mall and it is like a rainbow. I assume nearly every brown, black, and East Asian is born here.
@staggeringdeath8479
Жыл бұрын
Japan is far less multicultural than Western countries and that is the reason people that visit Japan walk away saying their culture is so different and unique from Western countries and the day that they decide multiculturalism and immigration is a strength is the day Japan becomes another multicultural shithole!
@nopenopeandnope7050
2 ай бұрын
As a rather large and long-haired white guy with a beard, it annoys me sometimes that it's kind of hard to get a taxi at night time in large centers if my partner isn't with me. One time in kytoto I ended up trying for over an hour, before giving up and walking the 45 minutes in the rain back to our accommodation. The taxi will be parked there, rear door open, waiting in the cold with nobody around. I walk up, indicate I want to get in, the door slams shut and the thing speeds off into the night. And trying to flag a taxi down is almost impossible (yes, I know what the signs in the windscreen mean). This has happened to me a lot over the years. to the point that tended to just walk for however long it took to get home. I've eventually learned that to get a taxi at night by myself I have to walk up to a taxi from behind, act Like I'm just going to walk past, and just as I get to the open door jump in and start speaking japanese at the driver before he has a chance to leg it. If I'm trying to wave down a cab in a more remote area, I just stand in the middle of the road as it approaches, forcing it to stop. Weirdly, I don't have to do this shit if my partner is with me. She's small, has very long dark hair, and can easily be mistaken for a japanese woman, until you look at her eyes. By which time we are already in the car and telling the driver in detail where we need to go. Is that a micro-aggression? It pisses me off either way.
@Pawsandstitch_
Жыл бұрын
I’m from Honolulu, HI and I COMPLETELY agree with those touristy Mario cart things being an nuisance. We have become over run with scooters and go-carts all over Waikiki. It’s irritating but because this area is basically all business and there’s already so much traffic to begin with 😩😩😩
@nanifa6082
Жыл бұрын
sounds terrible! I can only imagine... and its already painful. Hope your government(?) wises up and closes down all of them
@Logan-ed4pu
Жыл бұрын
Yeesh. I visited Honolulu in 2007, and traffic was a fustercluck then. I couldn't imagine it now with the go carts.
@HotdogSosage
Жыл бұрын
Hi Ashley, really bad place to put this but me and my Japanese girlfriend are taking her parents to hawaii and some places are so insanely expensive. Do you know anywhere that might be good but not the most expensive touristy spot?
@very_vaelin
Жыл бұрын
The “Japan has four seasons” thing baffles me. When I studied in Tokyo, I blew someone’s mind when I responded, asking if they thought other countries didn’t have seasons.
@user-bf9dk4xb1j
Жыл бұрын
My country, for instance, only have 2 seasons, the dry and wet season lmao😭💀
@mr.prince7086
Жыл бұрын
Weirdest flex ever...
@xchemicalXladybugx
Жыл бұрын
Sometimes I feel some places have like 8 seasons
@annierutter5398
Жыл бұрын
🏴 can have all the seasons in one day
@xchemicalXladybugx
Жыл бұрын
@@annierutter5398 Same in Texas
@btread8875
3 ай бұрын
When I think of things that I don't like about Japan, 3 things come to mind immediately: no washcloths, no grounded plug sockets, and that godforsaken bird tweeting that I heard over the loud speaker at every single train station. Next time I go to Japan, I will make sure to bring washcloths, a plug adapter, and a sack full of earplugs. However, like Chris said, there are a lot of things to like about Japan....the train culture, convenience stores, Hard Offs, restaurant food, the scenery, older architecture, safe environment, being able to leave an item on a table to go to the bathroom and finding it still there when I come back, friendly people that were eager to help, cash is still embraced, and perversely...even the fact that I stood out since I look so different from everyone else. All of these things make me want to go back and a slew of other things. I plan to go back next year and I am looking forward to it.
@PTS504
Жыл бұрын
Chris, I moved to Japan (studying abroad at university) about two months ago, at least in part due to your "glowing" coverage of the place. If I were to take a shot for every time I heard "nihongo jouzu" or "why did you come to Japan" in one day, I'd be even worse of an alcoholic than the cheap Gekkeikan carton sake has made me. Thanks.
@seregruin
Жыл бұрын
Have you come up with any good standard answers, though? There should be a self-help group out there about this.
@PTS504
Жыл бұрын
@@seregruin At this point, my standard answer for why I came is that it was just to study, which is only maybe 5% of the real answer - it's just not worth trying to explain the whole thing. What really sucks is what I call "Gaijin English Training," in which you're automatically targeted by people who have 0 interest in you except as a practice dummy for conversation - especially at bars. Sadly, GET doesn't have the payroll or benefits of JET. When I'm knee-deep in my fifth pint, I'm not exactly looking to give an English lesson - or even capable of it!
@AbuHajarAlBugatti
Жыл бұрын
I just always answer women. If men they leave me alone and if women they show if interested
@coffeeandchijen
Жыл бұрын
I appreciate the honesty in this video. The "nihongo jouzu" thing got tiresome after a while, but I learned to stop faking self deprecation (Ehhhh really? No, no, no.), and just started answering with "Thank you, I've studied hard." That usually nipped that conversation in the bud. All in all, I think the irritations are outweighed by the advantages. There were things that drove me up a wall when I lived there, but I'd move back in a heartbeat.
@jb.9526
Жыл бұрын
Nowadays I just ignore the compliment, especially if it comes from someone I have just met and hasn't really heard me speak Japanese.
@ChrysusTV
Жыл бұрын
Got told this yesterday by the radiologist at the hospital because I was able to say my name and birthday in Japanese. Wow, imagine!
@coffeeandchijen
Жыл бұрын
@@ChrysusTV I suppose at the end of the day, it's harmless small talk and people mean well, but it's a bit...eh...when it's after two or three basic words.
@ChathushkaPeiris
Жыл бұрын
Thank you is never the answer if someone gives a complement. it should be "iie iie.." (no no not so much). else the speaker will think you are full of yourself.
@coffeeandchijen
Жыл бұрын
@@ChathushkaPeiris I'm not really concerned with what someone I don't know thinks of me in conversation honestly. Like I said in the comment above, I appreciate that it's harmless small talk, but sometimes it does come off as patronizing. My response to people are on a case by case basis.
@PragMagik
Жыл бұрын
Chris! You are looking GREAT my dude! It is amazing to see your health journey and you can definitely see it is paying off!
@thefray123
Жыл бұрын
Most affable
@brendago4505
Жыл бұрын
As an American, that burger and fries from Mos Burger made me want to cry for the poor cows that died for that burger
@tokyohands
Жыл бұрын
Yep, Mos burger sucks! Slimey burgers and about 3 fries.
@holyordersol2668
Жыл бұрын
Glad i listened to my instincts to not try out the local Mos Burger during my stay.
@mac9954
Жыл бұрын
American are war criminals please don't comment on other people's ways
@thelifeofbatteries2603
Жыл бұрын
don't be surprised if that patty once went "woof"
@Peanutdenver
Жыл бұрын
If Mos Burgers truly uses 100% ground beef for their patties I'll spend two weeks in a hostess club that only plays Taylor Swift, Justin Bieber and all the hostesses look like Amy Schumer. Mos Burger west wingers need a trip to the States and sample a few Fat Burgers or Five Guys or In&Out burgers for some help on their patties.
@DonMIFC
Жыл бұрын
14:52 can also be attributed by the how often the word "gaikokujin"/Foreigner is used. I've lived in Japan, and also Australia, USA and Singapore. The word foreigner is so seldom used in those countries. Whenever, we talk about someone foreign in those countries we refer to their nationality specifically. "Oh he's Columbian, she's Italian, etc." This is ingrained in the culture and it reminds everyone whilst we may be Australians, there are 200 plus nationalities across the world and we are just a small spec of the world population. In comparison, in Japan, they quite rarely refer to a foreigners nationality and just call them foreigners. This creates a cultural divide where people in Japan are either, "nihonjin"/Japanese OR "gaikokujin"/foreigner. Essentially, what I'm trying to say, in Japan you're grouped in one of two nationalities, youre a foreigner or youre Japanese In most other countries, you will be referred to as your actual nationality (200 plus countries) On a side note, the only times I hear the word "foreigner" used in Western countries is when we are talking about administrative things. For example in university, we might group people as local students or international students as international students usually have to pay higher fees to the university (local students fees are subsidised by the Government)
@23Lgirl
Жыл бұрын
Japan is not America.
@jake2011rt
Жыл бұрын
@@23Lgirl That's a great observation. Thanks for cluing us in. However, neither are Australia or Singapore, so his point stands. The bigger thing to note is that Aus and the US, in particular, are very diverse countries with large immigrant populations and colonial roots. By nature these countries will be less likely to use the term "foreigner" because being Australian or American isn't necessarily tied to one's genetics or cultural heritage. In Japan, it is purely tied to these factors.
@user-bf9dk4xb1j
Жыл бұрын
I think that's fine if they just met you and don't know you personally.. like I've seen many videos in different social media platforms, where half Japanese people are offended if they are not seen as a Japanese person when meeting someone new in Japan (due to different physical characteristics: hair, skin, eye color, eye shape,etc.), and foreigners, who also get offended when they were thought of as Japanese lmao Idk what to think of this world anymore, people are just so sensitive and get offended in every little thing. Like for instance, do you see any blasian in every Japanese neighborhood everyday? Even if they look mixed Asian, how do you know if they're Japanese? They could be a mix of other Asian nationalities too. Also, East Asians and SEAsians gets mixed up a lot and can blend in with the Japanese. So is it rude to think they were Japanese if they look similar, can speak fluent Japanese, and live in Japan? Like you can be proud of your country/culture, but nobody can guess what you belong to at first glance... I'm not Japanese, but I meet foreigners of different nationalities a lot due to my work, and I always treat them the Japanese way, which is to not assume other people's nationality and just treat them as a "foreigner". And until they tell me what nationality they have, I will always refer to them as Foreigners...
@ChrysusTV
Жыл бұрын
@@23Lgirl What an incredibly useful response! I would add: "comparing countries does not mean you think all countries should be the same." Since you seem confused on this point. For example, I could say, "I've read Jacob Smith's and V's replies, and I think 23Lgirl's comment is useless compared to theirs," but that doesn't mean I think you should become those people! :)
@nanifa6082
Жыл бұрын
@@23Lgirl a 28Mboy is not a 23Lgirl
@joshuarizalforeman816
Жыл бұрын
I've never lived in Japan but I had to conduct business there quite frequently. One thing I was warned about, by a Japanese friend of mine in HK, was Japanese delaying tactics. I would be wined and dined with absolute courtesy, yet any business matter was delayed until the very last moment when your Japanese counterparts knew you had to make a deal but time was not on your side. I'm not knocking it - good business practice - but it pays to be aware.
@lenaistalar8032
Жыл бұрын
To be fair: the architecture thing is applicable nearly everywhere. Yes, rectangular glass and concrete buildings are very efficient in using space and money/materials, but they are also damn boring (and often ugly). Also, I loved the bonus karaoke at the end. You actually sounded like a text-to-speech in some lines xD
@LG-te4vh
Жыл бұрын
Fun facts: glass buildings are like greenhouses and require a shit ton of AC, resulting in an absurd waste of energy and money....
@coozant
Жыл бұрын
@@LG-te4vh Sure thats in the summer, but being a greenhouse is efficient in the winter?
@xw3132
Жыл бұрын
@Zonka There's no good way to put that many people in a single block and not look like a dystopia.
@chenry6835
Жыл бұрын
they got great architect like 伊東豊雄, 安藤忠雄, 隈研吾...etc, yup i like them but unluckily not all the others built like them cause of budget or anything else
@MysticalHaze.
Жыл бұрын
since there are several earthquakes that happen there, do the buildings that are copy pasted at least build with that in mind....cause isn't all that glass just going to break if things get crazy, the cities will have some glass showers if it ever were to happen. Also the glass like mentioned previously...would that not just become an oven and freezer during seasonal changes e.e what is da logic wea
@HiimSpencer0808
Жыл бұрын
There’s like 3 KZitemrs that I come back to and binge every few months, Chris is one of them and I’m doing it now(I’ve watched every single abroad in Japan video till now)
@aileenjones8484
Жыл бұрын
I live in Korea and they say the same things to foreign-looking people too. I literally just say hello and they’re like “wow your Korean is so good!” They say the four seasons thing too 😅
@Josh-dr9db
Жыл бұрын
Makes me wonder what they learn in school sometimes. Most people don’t seem to know the sun and moon cause the tide
@Taima
Жыл бұрын
I find it pretty baffling that while generally considered smarter than most of the world, they apparently don't understand anything about seasons around the world. Not like you need to know what it's like everywhere, but kinda weird that even Americans know more places than not have the "full set" of seasons, some are more just rainy and dry, some just one extreme or the other. Like wtf do they actually think is in Europe and North America?
@wingracer1614
Жыл бұрын
What's up with that? Do they think all Americans come from Florida?
@antonallen8972
Жыл бұрын
Your rants bring me back to some of your earlier content - I absolutely love them! I love your new content as well, but its also nice when you go back to some of the throwback formats you have
@lauracoutinho5478
Жыл бұрын
his early stuff was gold. I've watched them all over and over and I hope he has more coming in this style
@Zante_on_google
Жыл бұрын
I met my in-laws in 2019, I've been married with their daughter for three years now, and they know I-ve been visiting Japan regularly since the '00s. They still compliment me on my use of chopsticks.
@holliswilliams8426
Жыл бұрын
lol
@kermit8173
Жыл бұрын
Honestly I would just snap and tell them that they are acting like a cliche.
@CleverGirlAAH
Жыл бұрын
@@kermit8173 Easy, bud...
@kermit8173
Жыл бұрын
@@CleverGirlAAH Snap: To speak abruptly or sharply. I'm not dropping the third nuke bud. Also, you aren't my bud, pal.
@ftuT
Жыл бұрын
Man, if you don't like the bidet option stop pressing the bidet button. It's completely optional, I know it, you know it, so stop lying to yourself and accept that you really love it.
@justaleafinthewind8858
Жыл бұрын
I cannot fathom ever enjoying a host club experience.
@blowbert9126
Жыл бұрын
I can see how a lonely man with nothing to lose besides money could enjoy attention from someone even if it is only because he pays. Japan is filled with lonely people as are most countries.
@rootfish2671
Жыл бұрын
Looks like Japanese Hooters
@katydid5088
Жыл бұрын
In some ways it's sadness or loneliness. They really want to have connections without any work or any risks of commitment attracts them there. The girls who are employed are just earning money and care only so much as it's a paycheck. Other girls who are fully employed in office jobs work such brutal schedules that they don't want to flirt and waste time endlessly just for sex. Mastrubation is up in all population groups for good and bad reasons and the social hesitance,imperminance and lack of work life balance in my opinion is one of the bad ones. People making meaningful connections with the expectation of money exchange for the privilege doesn't strike me as particularly healthy. I'm not against sex work but I am against cultures who so flagrantly dismiss the importance of deep human conversation and relationships. Hopefully, people who have grown up in healthy households feel loved and appreciated without an expectation of sex or emotional or physical extreme servitude for that love or acceptance. Selfless friendships and marriages or long term parterships are essential to good mental health. We are a social species despite many of the permutations which assume people can survive alone. No man is an island. The base of many relationships exists WITHOUT the expectation of payment but simply because you enjoy each others company. Japan's suicide rate seems to indicate that for the many good things about Japanese culture this is not one of them.
@blowbert9126
Жыл бұрын
@@rootfish2671 Hooters is a family restaurant.
@jamesc3953
Жыл бұрын
Same here. It takes too long to earn money to blow on an experience like that
@Watcher413
Жыл бұрын
My grandmas friend got a Japanese bidet toilet for the cost of a car down payment. Gotta admit I tried it once for the expirence and fell in love with it and went out of my way to use it every chance I could. I swear it’s the best invention of all time
@aarrodri
Жыл бұрын
Exactly! Hating on bidets is what separates humans from animals.. Only a uncivilized monster would defend a poop-smeared cyclops over the sanctity of a fresh peanutbutter-free knuckle...
@MysticJabulon
Жыл бұрын
I agree. A toilet that 's simultaneously an entertainment center, what's not to love?
@Watcher413
Жыл бұрын
@@MysticJabulon well it cleans way better than toilet paper and heated toilet seat ring winter is a whole new world of comfort you didn’t know was possible until you have it.
@MysticJabulon
Жыл бұрын
@@Watcher413 I completely agree. I had one in a hotel in Seoul and wanted one in my home ever since.
@Watcher413
Жыл бұрын
@@MysticJabulon if I was home more often (I travel 10 months out of a year for work) I’d buy myself one in a heartbeat.
@jasonjackson4555
Жыл бұрын
Holy crap! I didn’t realize they replaced Harajuku station😱 I studied abroad in Tokyo back in college and I remember that station well. Once, during Golden Week, that station was so packed you literally couldn’t get off or on the train. It was perfectly gridlocked and the train doors closed with almost nobody getting on or off.
@LadyRP
Жыл бұрын
One thing my partner and I agree on (me especially) is the view toward mental health in Japan. The idea that a person is not strong enough because they cannot handle it, and just meant to be treated as a personal struggle that no one else should be involved with. Also the shame that is perceived when the discussion comes up regarding seeking said help for their mental health. Japan can really make important, necessary strides to review this matter and help its citizens that are most vulnerable on this subject.
@amh9494
Жыл бұрын
The high suicide rates aren't a surprise in that context.
@LadyRP
Жыл бұрын
@@amh9494 Very true it wouldn't be a surprise. Their feeling of not wanting to be a burden rather than seek help. Definitely a mindset which needs to change.
@neonshadow5005
Жыл бұрын
I remember seeing a Japanese psychologist express this same thing. He said people like him, that is people who understand people need help some times to deal with shit, are very rare and that the negative stigma around has led to Japan having serious problems with peoples' mental health.
@jenniferstine8567
Жыл бұрын
I have a friend in Tokyo. One day she wrote to me asking my opinion related to mental health. It was one of the most awkward questions I've been asked. Do I give the American answer or something more Japanese? I no longer have any acquaintances from Japan to ask what I should do. Finally I decided to go with an American answer because it's the honest one. I still am not really sure if it actually helped or if she was being polite.
@AccordGG1
Жыл бұрын
big reason why the suicide rate in japan is alarming considering no one sees it as mental health but instead it's you being weak. it's sad because the culture there is reserve and shy so even if they can get help they're embarrassed to do so.
@BrandoCalrissi
Жыл бұрын
Early to mid 2000s I had hopes to work in Japan in the music industry, like MTV Japan. I was working in College radio doing a show featuring Japanese artists and Anime soundtracks. I ended up getting a CD from a band called... Bathtub Shitter. I still have that CD today.
@Xubuntu47
Жыл бұрын
Wow, I thought Bump of Chicken was weird, but apparently I know nothing.
@FuneralFleshFeast
Жыл бұрын
Grindcore is cheating!
@lowintellecttrash6737
Жыл бұрын
The modern japanese architecture bit really applies everywhere. its the same thing here where i live. while only one of our skyscrapers was trully unique and cool, most modern skyscrapers are generic premodeled glass buildings similar to those in Tokyo today
@ryano9520
Жыл бұрын
Ya building cheep 20 year structures for rental space is the new way for construction nobody wants the responsibility of owning things anymore.
@manictiger
Жыл бұрын
My favorite skyscrapers are trees. I'm never visiting these cities for tourism.
@BOB-wo2nb
Жыл бұрын
I love the fruit cream sandwiches lol!! So much that once I left Japan I kept making them for myself.
@BrendanishLeo
Жыл бұрын
Hey Chris, I doubt you look at these comments too often, but I've seen your videos for years on and off. I really followed your content a lot back when i planned on visiting Japan, and while I was learning Japanese. It's more on and off now, but this video popped into my feed and I figured I'd watch it while working. You haven't changed a bit mate! Only difference is how absolutely stunning your video quality is now! from dinky videos on learning Japanese to being a hugely successful man talking about a culture you live and breathe, congrats to you, and thanks for staying the same even though you're so successful mate :)
@TheRealGuywithoutaMustache
Жыл бұрын
I love how Chris really does listen to the fans by making this video.
@etaka
8 ай бұрын
I lived and worked in Japan for 12 years. I have a Japanese wife and children (who now prefer the US). I took myself and my family out of Japan because despite being a Japanese American with fairly old fashioned values, I did not like the demand for conformity in Japan. Expecting people to obey the law and have good manners is fine. People around the world should learn to be considerate of others and avoid conflict. However, corporate Japan expects men to work themselves sometimes to death without complaint, women are expected to devote themselves to being wives and mothers regardless of their talents, and children and people in general are supposed to accept authority without question. I worked in Japanese public schools. Japanese public schools can be like (not as bad as) Japanese prison. Children whose hair is not naturally black may be required to dye their hair black to conform with rules about NOT coloring their Japanese black hair. Children may not be allowed to possess snacks or money at school. Children may not be allowed in certain parts of town, or forbidden from having relationships, lest it "interfere" with their studies or damage the school's image (if the students don't progress into schools with a sufficient reputation). That is the kind of thing I hated about Japan, and in the end could not deal with. Issues of how people spend their money or time are personal choices. If a man wants to devote himself to his career, or women want to be wives and mothers (without the complaints we see online), that's their business.
@scottrobinson4611
Жыл бұрын
Favourite Japanese band name is "Mass of the Fermenting Dregs". Went to a Metal/Rock festival in the UK earlier this year. Saw a band called "Mass of The Fermenting Dregs" on the schedule and was fairly intrigued. I was expecting some brutal heavy metal with lots of pained screaming. Cue my surprise when I get to the tent at the start of their set and see these two little Japanese women setting up their guitars. Definitely not a brutal metal band, but energetic and extremely entertaining all the same.
@alexcarter8807
Жыл бұрын
There's that type of sake that has a sort of ... mass ... of what I guess are ... fermenting dregs ... sort of sitting in the bottom of the bottle. If you've been in a Japanese market you know the kind. I wonder if that was their inspiration?
@alexanderle3936
Жыл бұрын
Love that band, also love BUMP OF CHICKEN
@Moh-ib2zp
Жыл бұрын
I love that band!!
@bondeulv
Жыл бұрын
Masu Dore are great! I've really been enjoying their work throughout the years, and I'm really happy to see them producing new stuff and tour a little outside of Asia
@munrodeo
Жыл бұрын
OGRE YOU ASSHOLE. current favourite...
@CoryTheRaven
Жыл бұрын
This was my first time hearing about Harajuku Station and my jaw dropped. As a lover of vintage architecture and ESPECIALLY Meiji and Taisho Roman style, that was horrific.
@yuletak
Жыл бұрын
I lived in Japan for about 7 months in '99, and I also got the nihongo jouzu, which was fine. It's the chopsticks that got me, cuz I'm ethnic Chinese 🤨. When I told people that I'm American, I could see their brains trying to reconcile the fact that I'm not blond haired and blue eyed, yet I still called myself American.
@octogonSmuggler
Жыл бұрын
I went out to eat in the US with a friend of mine from Japan. When I asked for chopsticks, the lady brought them to him. I asked for another set and started using them in front of her. Blew her mind that this american girl was using chopsticks in america.
@yuletak
Жыл бұрын
@@octogonSmuggler lol, that probably shouldn't be too surprising. I personally would be a little surprised but not too much. Did you hold them correctly tho?? 😬😛
@octogonSmuggler
Жыл бұрын
@@yuletak Yes! Yes I did. I think that's the part that supprised the waitress so much.
@Swakkzmc94
Жыл бұрын
@@octogonSmuggler This is such a great example of why professional discretion is so valuable. We often make slightly embarassing mistakes like that when we rely on intuition, but if the server instead brings chopsticks for both guests they got all bases covered.
@rachelar
Жыл бұрын
99, yeah still cherishing their beloved old racial stereotypes about who looks "American" (Schwartznegger versus Wesley Snipes etc)
@grigorirazumovski1012
Жыл бұрын
One thing i know about Japan though. Is that if they build or fix roads, they do it at night with all the equipment needed to do it overnight, with the man power too. Unlike anywhere else, where road works start at 12:00 so that everyone can enjoy the road work show, and it will not be a one day thing most likely, it will propably be a 4 days min, maybe few weeks.
@junfusionseven9431
Жыл бұрын
1:04 hostess clubs 3:43 karaoke 5:09 bidet 6:26 mos burger 8:17 pachinko 11:27 go-karts 13:50 purikura 14:53 always an outsider 17:53 modern architecture 20:59 ekiben 23:04 fruit sandwich 24:18 j tv
@torachan23
Жыл бұрын
THANK YOU!
@oliverseiler2871
Жыл бұрын
THX 😃
@leonguyen896
Жыл бұрын
arigatou gozaimasu
@TheKingOfBeans
Жыл бұрын
Or just watch the whole thing wtf
@mokisan
Жыл бұрын
Thanks mate
@matchalatte6441
Жыл бұрын
As a Japanese myself I've been waiting for the videos like this. Enjoyed watching this. I totally agree with your hates. I also hate pachinko, kyabakura, stereotyped view of foreign people etc.. I really hate strawberry sandwiches, too!! There were no that kind of sandwiches sold previously at convini. Actually, foods sold at convini are getting worse. Much better in 90s.
@pixelfu623
9 ай бұрын
Sounds like a business idea. Retro 90s convini serving the 90s food with loads of 90s pop culture inside to see.
@martinpowers7894
Жыл бұрын
I have been watching your videos for several years now. My 7 year daughter came by & I asked what I was watching and who you are. I gave a brief synopsis. She wishes she could be in Japan with you because she loves rice, sushi, trains, and pokemon. I know you do not make pokemon content, but be aware you've been making excellent videos long enough to get second generation of fans.👍
@derncii
6 ай бұрын
Creepy nuts is actually getting tons of fame now for their new anime opening for mashle. It’s very popular among people who know anime.
@veronikarogatskaja3731
Жыл бұрын
Why was this the most action packed and immersive episode ever?😂 we were in a bar, karaoke, train, Tokyo streets, Tokyo balcony, photo booth, studio, you name it😁 Great episode and I strongly agree on the architecture point, as you can see this happen almost everywhere nowadays:/
@Naryoril
Жыл бұрын
2 things i'd put on my list you missed: 1) The lack of trash bins. They pack up everything in 7 layers, but you can't get rid of the trash. You carry it around the whole day, only to stuff them into the mug sized sorry excuse of a trash bin in your hotel. 2) Japanese websites, they are an absolute atrocity in every regard. Also, i'm currently in Japan for the 8th time, but I can't remember having gotten the chopsticks question.
@inatm7862
Жыл бұрын
Every convinience store has trash bin, under the coffee machine.
@v1c4r10u5
Жыл бұрын
The websites!! I grow orchids as a hobby, and was recently browsing some specialty orchid nurseries' websites in search of certain plants I'm after. These sites look like they were (and probably were) made in the 90s and only ever had content updates. Just terrible. Very much 'if it ain't broke, don't fix it' mentality here. Also-- mail-order catalogue purchasing only. Lol.
@MrJayxander
Жыл бұрын
We did the Mari-Karts when we visited like any good American. But yes! It was terrifying and we broke down multiple times (IN THE MIDDLE OF TRAFFIC), with pieces falling off the carts. Fun, but we definitely didn't feel safe with the thin protection of Mario and Yoshi costumes.
@eduardozamora1947
Жыл бұрын
Haven't been in Japan in a while, it's sad to see that those iconic buildings are not there anymore. I agree with that point and its happening everywhere, cities neglect their traditional architecture in favor of the modern generic look
@destituteanddecadent9106
Жыл бұрын
I replied the same thing to someone else, but Harajuku Station is a terrible example of this, and it's beyond unfair to the workers behind the replication project and the viewers of the video to present it like this. They didn't replace the old traditional building, they replicated exactly it and added a glass structure next to it, expanding the space while clearly showing which part is replica and which part is new. This is something that happens quite often in Japan; my university building was also rebuilt to look the same from the ground but have a glass structure augmented behind and above, obscured from view. As a Japanese person who grew up near Harajuku, it really is unfortunate that Chris has brought it up multiple times. (This is around the third time as far as I know.) How they rebuilt Harajuku Station is simply the opposite of of tearing down traditional, detailed architecture and replacing it with bland, cookie cutter cuboids (which definitely has been a trend for a while, a point Chris has undermined here by bringing up such a poor example). I don't know if it's on purpose or he just missed it, but even though it is very deliberately an exact replica, it's always been hidden in the angles he presents in videos. If you want to know why they rebuilt it then to begin with, one issue surrounding traditional Japanese architecture is that you simply can't make durable buildings out of bricks or stone in such an earthquake prone environment. That is why the traditional building material is wood. That is also what makes it so hard to just preserve buildings as they are, what with the humidity in the summer and the fact that the city was bombed to near oblivion mid 20th century. Part of what made people value Harajuku Station as a classic beauty was the fact that it was built in 1924 and survived the bombings. That is why it had such a distinct, iconic aesthetic, because while after the bombings the city had to scramble to rebuild infrastructure all over with the critically limited resources at the time, to hastily get it back up and running, Harajuku Station was a stark exception. But, all wooden things must come to an end, and a 100 year old wooden building could not serve as a modern station any longer without major reconstruction. So they had to rebuild the whole thing from scratch, but to say the people behind the project neglected to pay their respects to the original architecture and the cultural hub that it came to manifest is an egregious misrepresentation of their work. That was a rant, but I'm just so deeply saddened that this is what people who've never even seen the station for themselves think of the new station and the incredible thought and effort that was put into restoring the past look. Easy W in my book. Edit: adding a preemptive disclaimer about the use of the word "traditional" since some hardcore architecture nerds might disagree with my usage of the term to refer to something built in the 20th century with heavy western influence.
@tamhuy10
Жыл бұрын
@@destituteanddecadent9106 as he said, taste in architecture is just opinion, he just doesnt like it and you do
@destituteanddecadent9106
Жыл бұрын
@@tamhuy10 I think you misunderstood, it's not a matter of opinion. He's just made a mistake in what the building is now. They didn't replace the old building with the glass thing, they are literally different angles taken from different places. If you take pictures from the same angle they would look the same because the current station building is an exact replica. It just has the glass structure built next to it to expand the space.
@tamhuy10
Жыл бұрын
@@destituteanddecadent9106 i saw the pictures, its just not the same, you barely notice the old building, and i think thats his point, and the skyline and view is different bc of modernisation
@destituteanddecadent9106
Жыл бұрын
@@tamhuy10 i get that the skyline is different, but I don't think you realize what I mean by different angles. I meant that even if the old building was there, you still wouldn't see it from that angle because the building in front would obstruct the view.
@charleyschoolmaster5155
Жыл бұрын
Been living in Japan for 20 years now, and the only reason I've ever stepped into a Pachinko parlor is to use the toilet. They are usually really nice and decked out with faux luxurious decor !
@mfdoomnyc1471
Жыл бұрын
As someone who’s never been to Japan but loves learning about Japan This was very Insightful
@hikarie.
2 ай бұрын
Really love how you style these full of talking theme videos into a magnificent journey while you explore and even demonstrated some of your points. Keep it up Chris!
@gruu
Жыл бұрын
18:47 Man this entire rant resonanted with me SO much, this is happening everywhere too. The genre "modernism" and it's subgenre "functionalism" is literally ruining cities all over the world EXACTLY the way you put it, in japan it has completely taken over and it's honestly such a shame :/
@thelostmessenger
Жыл бұрын
I completely agree. It's sterilizing the nearby culture. I'd rather want a building with character and just a glass building
@carlolaatst5649
Жыл бұрын
Indeed, dull glass corporate office towers lack authenticity and character. However, Modern architecture also led to the creation of the capsule tower. A lot of architects around the world wanted the capsule tower to be preserved as well. So, I blame corporate greed rather than the architectural community.
@marcodragneel8035
Жыл бұрын
Man. I'm a fan of any form of visual art, an seeing the world just basically foregoing any aesthetic artistic look and going all in on JUST function is kinda boring and kills the soul of the city. Cuz its suppose to be a part of the identity of each place, if you take that out and just conform and imitate the majority then it just feels like a soulless concrete jungle
@robinreliant8888
Жыл бұрын
Efficiency and quake-proofing drive modern design and you can see why. Those will trump people’s need to satisfy their Instagram urges
@allnighterist
Жыл бұрын
Bro you realise japan is the home of natural disaster mostly earthquakes, tsunami, torrential rains and flashfloods right? They built those same looking structures to adapt on that natural disasters, if you want arts and ancient culture of japan go to rural areas of japan there you will see their preserved traditional samurai house which is by the why sucks if thres a typhoon and in the time of winter.
@CatieChapman
Жыл бұрын
The capsule tower is even sadder when you think about how the capsules themselves were generally ok, but it was the fault of the irreparable internal water and electric infrastructure failure that really made it so it needed to be taken down. Otherwise it could have been repaired and stayed! Hopefully another capsule building, with an improved system, comes soon.
@mikeroman5208
Жыл бұрын
As I understand it, in order to repair or replace a capsule they needed to remove the surrounding ones as well which, as you can imagine, one's neighbors weren't too keen on approving. It was a design flaw that didn't become apparent until it was too late to do anything about it.
@stevens1041
Жыл бұрын
It made me incredibly sad when they took it down. Its not that modernity is depressing, its that in the last few decades, many buildings are so bland. There is no scientific laws of the universe preventing us from making buildings interesting again.
@emile_jeanne
Жыл бұрын
@@stevens1041 I think what truly caused this trend is the price of good design.
@ohredhk
Жыл бұрын
@@stevens1041 The problem is that other than it is different ans it is interesting, there is nothing else. It is clearly not very practical of the odd shape. The idea of a modular and reconfigurable system almost never work in real life as they are usually ends up being very bulky and people rarely actually make use of the modularity. It looks different but that does not means looks good. As Chris mentioned there are just as many people who think it looks ugly. Keeping an old run down building because someone who do not actually live there thinks its look different is not very convincing.
@BRAEKOS
Жыл бұрын
Fruit sando is great, its basically a dessert. Dont think of it as something you eat to fill your belly
@vedranantunovic9131
Жыл бұрын
Just wanna say Chris looks great man! You can really see he dedicated himself to training at it's amazing! Happy for you man! As always an amazing video both in content and production. All the best from Bosnia!
@mmmelissaaa
Жыл бұрын
@6:50 "its the best thing to come out of a basket since Moses!" had me choking on my fruit sandwich.
@Jraddy
Жыл бұрын
Ya gotta respect Chris going into a Mos Burger only to order food and loudly complain about it IN the Mos Burger; absolute legend!
@pro.procrastinator
Жыл бұрын
Now I want Chris back in a trash taste episode so connor can fight his bidet take 😂
@Croz89
Жыл бұрын
Personally as long as I can control the water myself, and the pressure is not trying to give me a colonic irrigation, I can see the benefits. Less TP used and you get cleaner quicker. I kinda prefer the Finnish way where you get a little miniature shower head on a hose next to the toilet, gives you more control over where the water goes.
@noeinroad7294
Жыл бұрын
I'm surprised i haven't seen a Cdawg comment on this yet
@Djuntas
Жыл бұрын
really want to try a bidet...Its not a thing in Denmark really. Surprised Chris hates cause so many say its great...Haft to try it
@unterhau1102
Жыл бұрын
idk man I just wash my ass in the shower. Y'all are overthinking things
@victoriazero8869
Жыл бұрын
@@Croz89 Garnt actually complained about that miniature shower, aka, manual bidet. I like it better myself.
@steelerfaninperu
Жыл бұрын
I've lived in Peru for 13 years and I really empathised with your point about repeated conversations. But I also found it really useful for practicing the language at first. And then I just learned to kind of lean hard into it, really push back. Yes, I speak Spanish just as well as you. Yes, your food is good, but have you been to this spot? No? You're missing out. No, I didn't come here for some chick but if you're free can I have your number? I think every culture tends to do this in its own way. It's up to you to take control and change things up.
@denyssealferez8676
Жыл бұрын
I moved to Brazil almost 4 years ago, I still get “Your portuguese is good”. Is something from every country honestly.
@gisellemarisolmora
Жыл бұрын
Me hiciste reir mucho andrew, No vengas a argentina esperando algo distinto porque somos iguales jajajajajajjajaa
@steelerfaninperu
Жыл бұрын
@@gisellemarisolmoraSería un gusto me falta conocer Argentina, algún día pronto espero. En verdad me divierto demasiado con la gente porque asume que por ser gringo no se nada y me gusta fingirlo un rato y de ahí revelar todo lo que entiendo y se decir y las reacciones son un cague de risa literal
@gisellemarisolmora
Жыл бұрын
@@steelerfaninperu Igual yo con el ingles!! Pero trato de no demostrarlo mucho, porque me gusta tener ese "green pass" que te da el ser extranjero.. si te equivocas en algo, si no entendes algo, o si metiste la pata siempre podes usar "the foreign card" jajaja
@bobthebuilder609
Жыл бұрын
@@denyssealferez8676 I don't think that's true though. In the US, I have never once felt the need to say "your English is good". Either it's good, or it's not, and if they're tourists, I really don't care because it doesn't matter at all. I guess that's just sort of what happens when your country has actual diversity, as opposed to Japan or Brazil?
@eclipsedbadger
Жыл бұрын
About the buildings: same happened to Argentina too. We have lots of French and Spanish-inspired architecture from the 1920s and if you looked up or around Buenos Aires you could find lots of things, included Art Nouveau-inspired and Art Deco buildings and sculptures at walls. ...this has been changed for years because its cheaper to demolish and build a new perfectly square building than fixing and preserving the sculptures, structures and iron/bronze works. I understand it's cheaper but we lost so much beautiful architecture and design, but sometimes they keep the upper part of the buildings and only change the first+basement floors...still looks awful but, there is that? 🙄
@destituteanddecadent9106
Жыл бұрын
That also happens in Japan but Chris is straight mistaken when it comes to Harajuku Station... It's hard to tell from the pictures shown here but the angles are totally different here. They didn't just borrow a part of the old design, they took the old design itself and created an exact replica in its place. The glass structure, while it does seem out of place, was augmented to the side. It's something that happens often, you don't just tear down a widely loved iconic building like that and not at least attempt to recreate it, that would be such a slap in the face to the culture and history of Harajuku and the public would go mad lol Did a whole write up under some other comments about the problem of durable architecture in earthquake prone areas with wood being the only viable, durable material (aside from concrete ofc, but who had concrete in 1924?) but then the summer humidity would be hard to deal with and then got burnt to ashes during the bombings but... Just know Harajuku Station is still the quaint old looking thing it is, just now it has a glass rectangle next to it.
@cat_city2009
Жыл бұрын
Every city on Earth has the cancer of ugly, cheap buildings, it seems.
@wombat5252
Жыл бұрын
@@destituteanddecadent9106 But as technology and populations increase, things need to be built quickly and efficiently so it makes sense. It's unfortunate, but we need to be able to keep up with society and its increasing demands.
@66meikou
Жыл бұрын
I enjoyed this video. As a fellow Brit (who now lives in the US) I appreciate the sense of humor. When I was around 8 years old, we went to some friend of my parents and Dad's mate had a pachinko machine. I played if for about an hour before I ran out of balls. Fast forward many years later, I scored on from a local auction. As a Japanophile, I've always kind of liked them for sort of mindless entertainment. Plus I can open the back up an reload for free. As for Japanese architecture, a subject close to my heart as I study traditional structures and carpentry. I'm also an architect. Tadao Ando is my favourite Japanese architect but I like the works of Shin Takamatsu as well. One of his buildings i really liked was the Kirin Plaza in Osaka which featured in one of my top ten lists of films, Black Rain. I love Osaka and I generally prefer western Japan to eastern Japan. I asked a Japanese friend a few years ago about the building and he replied that they demolished it. I was gutted. Subb'd
@enque01
Жыл бұрын
Omg! I gotta say - in my humble opinion, this is the best video you've ever made, Chris. Sure, there was that Fukushima documentary, and sure there was that volcano song, and the many ones where you can sortof sense the flirting between you and Sharla, and many more great ones.... but in this video, everything just FLOWS. The editing is on point, the script is snappy and original - containing many things that were purely your own and nobody else could've said them. You made me laugh so many times in this single video. And also, WTF, why are you looking all hot all of a sudden?! You're supposed to be grumpy, british and lethargic - not slowly turn into some kinda model with every week that goes by! Seeing this transition makes me happy!
@juwitapurnamirs3891
Жыл бұрын
I agree about this so much. This video is GOLD.
@klavakkhazga3996
Жыл бұрын
The smalltalk one happens everywhere you move to, to be honest. I've had the "oh, where are you from? Your english is very good" conversation so many times in a few years that by now I have fun with it by making up outrageous lies and seeing if people bite
@Slanderbot
Жыл бұрын
its not about it happening, its about it happening repeatedly by the same person over years and years. They just don't stop! EVER!
@rdizzy1
Жыл бұрын
If you are asian but born in the US and raised in the US, and you speak english with an american accent, no one is going to say "Wow, your english is good", only the most blatant racists would say this.
@laurencefraser
Жыл бұрын
@Captain SuckButt Ugh. Honestly, as a native English speaker, hearing Americans ask that, and it's usually Americans and they almost always manage to make the second one sound like the person they're talking to is an idiot, makes me want to find the nearest blunt object and beat them about the head with it. Quite aside from the question itself or even the implications, the part that bugs me is their complete inability to actually formulate the question they're trying to ask.
@tevarinvagabond1192
Жыл бұрын
The phrase I hate the most though is "しょうがない" (shouganai/it can't be helped). It is SUPER common for almost everyone to say it ALL the time, especially females, and it gets me really annoyed as instead of trying to figure out solutions to things or doing something a different way...Japanese people just give up and do things the "normal" way
@sublight
27 күн бұрын
Long ago, back in the 90s, MOS Burger was actually good, at least relative to what was available if you were in the countryside. The shop's headline burger was topped with actual chili (now it's just an anemic tomato-onion sauce). Now, however, there are better burger places on nearly every block.
@denierlexiese
Жыл бұрын
I used to tell the Japanese their Japanese was very good. Always got a laugh.
@mikespike2099
Жыл бұрын
Those rural Pachinko parlours sound a lot like "RSL or Community Clubs" here in Australia.... you drive around the country and through these struggling country towns and the building that is the most modern and looks the nicest is the local "RSL/Community Club" ... mainly because of the pokies (gambling machines) .... though they do serve some nice food/beer in those places as well.
@Okayletsg0
Жыл бұрын
Came hear to leave this comment to see it was already left :)
@LOLxUnique
Жыл бұрын
The term “community club” just triggers me. Let’s get poor together!!!!
@chasewainscott8739
Жыл бұрын
Kinda sounds like how in North Carolina there’s a giant casino at the base of the Great Smoky Mountains surrounded by an incredibly rural and poor Native American Reservation.
@solarguy1702
Жыл бұрын
@@Okayletsg0 I showed my Veterans Affairs ID showing I had been a member of the US Air Force and I was allowed to join the RSL in Karuah, NSW. Two schooners of Tooeys please!
@DJMarcO138
Жыл бұрын
I am imagining an army of Crocodile Dundees at the slots xD
@Tozo97
Жыл бұрын
15:19 I find this question so strange. I couldn’t imagine meeting a foreign tourist and asking them “Oh, but can you eat Mexican food?”
@lucienryk5343
7 ай бұрын
this video is a year old and all but like creepy nuts' music is genuinely so good
@davidthomas9
Жыл бұрын
As someone who lives in Melbourne, where most pubs will also have a vegas-style sportsbook & pokie/slot machine palace attached, I also thought the Pachinko parlours were quite sad, especially when you see a bunch of them together in a shopping arcade. And with no bars attached, it appears the Japanese play them stone cold sober. At least here, if I wanted to blow my fortnight's salary at the pokies, I can also drown my sorrows at the same time.... I agree with you on Freshness Burger, they rock, even if the burgers might be on the small side. Love the fact that you can go into somewhere like a Wendy's or Freshness & have no issues getting a beer with your burger
@fat1fared
Жыл бұрын
It is similar to when one goes to a small town in the UK, and the only businesses on the high street are either betting shops or gambling shops.
@vincentlake
Жыл бұрын
Your production values have really improved. Your old videos are certainly still good, but I can tell you’ve put a ton of work into ones like this. As always, thanks for the content!
@DreamBelief
Жыл бұрын
One for me that never seems to get a mention anywhere, and most people (even many in Japan) don't even believe when you tell them is how absolutely awful the disability access is. I have been to and live in many diverse parts of the world, including developing countries, and Japan was one of the worst. To add insult to injury it was the second worst when it came to people acting like I am dirty because I use a wheelchair and making it very clear they believe I shouldn't be allowed in many places because god forbid a tiny bit of dirt comes in off the wheels (first place on this went to Thailand, but I do want to stress that, as with anywhere, the majority of people were fine. Thailand beat Japan simply because the aggression was far more in my face).
@aradia1379
Жыл бұрын
This! Accessability is awful. I'm not disabled, but I'm always acutely aware of how many stairs there are without ramps or elevators, and other such things. I'm always surprised that people complain about minor things, but ignore these larger problems.
@uberlisk
Жыл бұрын
One of the few things America does right. I can't remember the last time I went anywhere that didn't have wheelchair access, and people here are rightly trained to give those who need wheelchairs the space and respect that they need and deserve. Hell, the theater I work for has reserved spaces with no seats in them in every screen, at ramp-level, to ensure there will always be a place for anyone who needs them, even if it means sitting less people in sellouts
@angerainbow9200
Жыл бұрын
I think this would be a good idea for a video for Chris. It looks like anyone who has a disability is hidden in Japan. Not embraced for what they can achieve.
@DreamBelief
Жыл бұрын
@@uberlisk things are better, but there are still many problems, particularly in certain areas
@uberlisk
Жыл бұрын
@@DreamBelief I did say "one of the few things" in my post, which means that I'm aware that there are many other issues
@jayemover_16
2 ай бұрын
The thing about ekiben is not the actual food most of the time for me, it's about the fun container I can reuse ad infinitum!
@dusky6280
Жыл бұрын
The pachinko problem is like liquor stores in the North Woods of the U.S. Gotta drive 30mins between each small town to buy bread, but each one will have 7 liquor marts and 2 peep-shows. Despicable how we've abandoned our rural communities worldwide.
@ohhi5237
Жыл бұрын
bread is harder to sell
@NotReallyAya.
Жыл бұрын
Pachinko is like a casino not ah damn corner store 😂😂😂😂
@dusky6280
Жыл бұрын
@@NotReallyAya. smoke less
@NotReallyAya.
Жыл бұрын
@@dusky6280 only difference, liquor store are jst stores , that sell shit and liquor. .
@ohhi5237
Жыл бұрын
@@NotReallyAya. they sell a service; its a store
@bassemb
Жыл бұрын
Somehow the production quality continues to rise. Those title sequences, the number of props and mini skits. Awesome.
@scockery
Жыл бұрын
I read that as "mini skirts" and wondered if I missed something.
@isaw8195
Жыл бұрын
I tend to agree on most things you’ve listed here. 😊(I’ve never been to a hostess or host bar though but I can imagine how dreadful they are). I don’t mind karaoke with some good friends here, once or twice a year it’s fun. I’ve been here 10 years and I try to ignore the micro aggressions too. My pet hate is when people are actually in front of you and talk about “gaikokujin” as if you were invisible. I used to work in a shop in Ginza and it happened so many times (customers). The worst thing is they don’t even realise how rude they are. And the fact that people assume you speak English because you’re a gaijin (I’m French). I do but the world is a large place …😅 One thing I disagree on though : the washlets ! I LOVE them ! but I am a woman and I always make sure the water is set on the lowest strength so it just rinses my “lady parts” (lol) softly. And just like you, for every little thing that gets on my nerves here I could find a thousand I love. Thank you for the fun video.
@rachelar
Жыл бұрын
"Micro aggressions" has certainly entered the vernacular, especially in relation to Japan!
@TechRyze
10 ай бұрын
I’m totally unsurprised that women love a toilet that can spray a jet of water at their lady parts 😂
@garryferrington811
7 ай бұрын
Very nice for helping to avoid those awful uterine infections. I've known a lot of guys who could have used a cleaner - that is, less smelly - butt.
@benjaminberkey2920
Жыл бұрын
The part when he starts describing why he hates pachinko, it says in the left corner, "PACHINKO Stupid Ball Game" 😂😂😂
@SirPeachyNietzsche
Жыл бұрын
I dont ever comment on youtube videos, but I feel like I need to say this. Your production/cinematography skills are fantastic. You dont have to put this much effort in for us, but you do. I appreciate it.
@starry4ry
Жыл бұрын
Hard agree, this was beautiful.
@englishatheart
Жыл бұрын
No hate meant, but why do people feel the need to announce that they supposedly never comment on KZitem videos? You don't have to do that for your comment to hold weight.
@SirPeachyNietzsche
Жыл бұрын
@@englishatheart I said that to show how much I care. for people like me who 99% of the time read comments, and dont care enough to respond, decided to post. That plus anxiety lol
@eijiiwakawa7269
Жыл бұрын
I always thought there was a game you could play with people from outside Japan - create list band names by randomly selecting the first and last words, mix them up with some real Japanese band names, then see if people could guess which one was real...
@MozzaBurger88
Ай бұрын
The micro-agressions parts isn't exclusive to Japan. It might be more intense because of the much wider cultural gap but even as a western European in North-America for 15 years, there are always these innocent-sounding remarks/questions that remind you that you're "not from here" and I believe it's simply part of the immigrant life. It actually affected me more when I eventually came back to my home country... with my shitty blend of accents, idioms and languages that people would always remark on to the point where I felt as an outsider in my very own home country. That's what taxed me mentally the most to be honest.
@tp6678
Жыл бұрын
When I lived in rural northern japan about 20 years ago, MOS Burger was the only option since the nearest McD was about a 2-hour drive each way. So disappointed to see how MOS has fallen - the burgers at my local chain had a thick slice of tomato, diced onions, a healthy bit of chili sauce, and a nice slice of cheese - My only complaint back then was that they didn't melt the cheese onto the burger. That said, it was visually appealing and looked about a million times better than whatever Chris endured at his local MOS.
@Narniaru
Жыл бұрын
I was looking for this too. MOS used to be way better
@z.833
Жыл бұрын
Chris purposely picked the most unpopular burger out of MOS. MOS still havs good ones like what you described. Chris is out of ideas of what he talks about Japan, it seems like.
@kiyotomiyazaki1668
Жыл бұрын
Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!
@controlcon
Жыл бұрын
@@z.833 or he's taking the piss out of the chain for entertainment reasons, because he's British. or even more shockingly, maybe his taste buds aren't the same as yours? wow I know shocking right.
@diannt9583
Жыл бұрын
MOS burgers might be bad, but I can't see how McD's is any better. McD burgers are already inedible.
@Stylomagic
Жыл бұрын
I am half Russian, half German living in Germany for nearly 30 years and I still hear: "Wow your German is perfect!" XD On one point I have to admit with you, even I never was in Japan and this is the architecture. As a tourist I would like to see and visit unusual buildings. I personally would love to stay in that old capsule house that you made videos on. Its a shame they took it down! I think this is what a real adventure is like: visit unusual places. The first thing I remember that was awesome to me, coming to Germany and living here are the buildings. And I don't mean the old and beautiful architecture, which on itself is absolutely stunning. I mean the typical houses with its red gable roofs! That was the first thing I was looking at from the plane when I was ten and I felt like I was visiting some sort of fairytale land. I live in Bremen, its the biggest city near Hamburg and if you compare our train stations, its one big reason for me not to move to Hamburg. Their station is a sterile, big building made out of glas, boring. In Bremen our station has a huge history and its a wonderful building that also survived the WWII with a big trick. It was bombed and it only survived, because the people draw a street on its roof. What a genius trick! I love to live in a city with so much history! I am very proud to live in Bremen! Also I don't know how different nato is tasting in Japan, but I found a Japanese restaurant here that serves it and its delicious! It just looks pretty bad and well the smell is a bit specific, but the taste is awesome!
@seregruin
Жыл бұрын
Maybe they say this, when you specifically present yourself as being Russian? Most of the Russian people I know wouldn't even get noticed as standing out unless you hear an accent. For my band member, I didn't even know he was half russian before they told me.
@GigAnonymous
Жыл бұрын
Nato *is* good, but Chris is british, so his taste buds are utterly shot.
@seregruin
Жыл бұрын
@@GigAnonymous Well, in Japan there are said to be two kinds of people. Those who eat natto, and those who hate it. About 2/3 don't really like it.
@Stylomagic
Жыл бұрын
@@seregruin No one would tell that I am half Russian if I from time to time wouldn't point it out XD Most of the time I say it, when I am thankful. I am not from Russia federation but from Sowjetunion. So after almost 30 years I still find things I am thankful to live in Germany XD And then I point it out and that's when people usually tell me I am speaking pretty good. But they also tell me, I don't look Russian. Both you can take as compliment, but its also hidden racism. I look Caucasian, but I have Asians in my family as also people from the Balkan region. It just happened that my mom looks more like her dad, who looked Caucasian and my dad looks Caucasian too. And I look like most Germans. My cousins on the other hand look more Asian. And they are confused for nearly every country on this planet, besides Kasachstan, where they were born XD I was born in Ukraine btw, but was raised in St. Petersburg.
@HrHaakon
2 ай бұрын
> Street go kart Huh, seems neat, I wonder how they made this safe for everyone involved? > They didn't How is that even allowed?
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