NOTIFICATION SQUAD: We should've just called this video "Man Tries ROBSTER LOL" What did we miss though?! Share your wisdom below and help me bully Connor.
There is one severely underrated thing I noticed when I visited Japan. The engineering involved with simple cheap convenience store food. Like it's amazing how almost every package is designed so your hand never touches the food, or how with onigiri there's that small little plastic film that keeps your seaweed wrap crisp. Microwavable bags of edamame that magically turn into bowls, pudding with an air release valve on the bottom so you can easily get it out. This list just keeps on going!
@@w花b Yep, gotta agree with you, Japanese packaging is way overdone and rarely account for its environmental impact. I mean, they mostly incinerate their garbage in combined cycle power plant, but they definitely could do better with less.
The 24 hour cities sound really cool actually, I wish there were more options I could go to get food in the middle of the night where I'm at. It'd be perfect for when you get the munchies.
Even during covid in south carolina I have lots of options for late night stops. QT is open 24/7, the taquito's are generally good and if it has the 24/7 kitchen then even better. Mc Pilots (mcdonalds & pilot gas station combined) are open 24/7. Cookout is open until 3-4am. Most every bar within a 25-35 minute or less drive away is open past 12 although I find the drinks to be hit or miss at night sometimes, probably due to tired or slightly plastered staff who knows. There are plenty of other places but I have already written to much.
I would say that was a pretty decent list. The 'Shipping' one was probably one of the last things I learned from lugging baggage all around Japan with a rail pass. Eventually my friends way down south in Kyushu put me onto the service that takes care of your bags for you and that changed things a lot! Simply walk to the JR station, board your train, sit back and enjoy the trip, in the full knowledge that your bags will be waiting in your hotel for you when you arrive. Perfect way to travel without stress or strain!!!!
the shipping thing is spot on - my first trip to Japan we went skiing in Hakuba, then shipped all our ski gear to our hotel in Tokyo, while we went to tour Osaka, Kyoto and Hiroshima. it was cheap and reliable and super easy.
The struggle is real haha I'm currently studying Japanese in college and when I come home from conversation class I also mess up the two consonants sometimes 🙈
@@lynn9265 Right?! When I was taking classes, I lived, breathed, ate, and slept Japanese language. (I labeled all of my ingredients, listened to Japanese books in my sleep, etc) It came with the unfortunate side effect of struggling SO hard to keep my Ls & Rs straight when speaking to my family. 😅 And accidentally slipping between languages while talking, which made me feel pretty rude.
I agree with Connor about shipping! It helped make my trip in Japan back in 2017 so much easier. I was able to send my luggage to my next hotel and not have to worry about having to lug it around onto the shinkansen or up the stations' many flights of stairs. It was especially helpful while my sister and I cycled the Shimanami Kaido. We started at Onomichi, cycled the entire route in 2 days, and then we arrived at our hotel in Osaka to see our luggage waiting for us. It's so awesome!! I wish we had a service like this in the US that is just as painless.
did you just pack some necessities for the night in between? was there a decent option for places to stay? I would like to do it, too, but prefer over 2 days instead of 1
@@OldSchoolAnni between 10 and 20 bucks, we used it about 5 times when going around Japan, we just took a backpack with clean underwear, socks a t-shirt and bathroom items with us, its so convenient..
@@dohtje5029 Damn, that's pretty cheap! Especially considering it's so reliable and efficient. Will keep this in mind once we're able to safely travel again 👍🏼
As an Irishman, I have to say, Chris' Irish accent is probably the best I've ever heard from an Englishman. They usually murder it. Impressive stuff, Broad-san.
Chris and Connor should do a Japanese conbini wine tasting session. There's a grape variety that's unique to Japan: Koshu. But to be honest most other Japanese* wine is pretty disappointing. *A bottle of Japanese wine only needs to be 5% local to be considered 'Japanese'
@@in_sun4746 I live in Chile, where a 75 USD high quality "Japanese" wine equivalent costs no more than 5 USD xD I would definitely feel like it's poison haha
When Connor was going on about how easy shipping is, I was pleasantly surprised. But when he said about able to easily ship things back to your home, in another country, my interest peaked!
Another thing is that they require you to sign off on the delivery. None of that nonsense here in the US where they just dump packages in front of your door and you hope nobody steals it
@@Zydico The Amazon locker solves this but that is more of a rare use. And like they said in the video, the fact that you don’t get packages late and have to be home all day to make sure no one steels it is amazing. Also I feel like in Japan, there will never be something that the earliest shipping time is 1 month later. I have had that happen way to many times, but I guess that is the penalty of being very far away and disconnected from the rest of the world. It is like everything in Japan is perfectly optimized for you except the workplace.
For food I'd say Kushikatsu is underrated. It's kind of just simple fried food, but going with a bunch of friends and just getting your favorites and a few drinks - so chill and good! Even better if it's in one of those small booths in between other shops, where you sit in front of the chef's, and get to have a conversation with them, and maybe exchange a few words with the always cheerful Japanese regulars. I miss it so much!
@@w花b He never said his opinions about it changed, just that he stopped thinking about it (maybe because it's a pain in the ass to get a visa or because of the amount of money you require). Obviously moving to another country is not something to take lightly, don't get me wrong.
Great list! As a foreign resident who’s been in Japan for the last 20 years I agree with all of them. Cycling? Heck yeah, I commute by bike every day and it’s pretty fantastic. (This is quite a bit better in rural areas, though. And yeah, Shikoku.) Bar hopping? Definitely. But definitely watch out for any place that doesn’t have prices clearly listed. There are places known as ‘catch bars’…and I’ve been ‘caught’. One thing I would add to the list, as a parent, is: amenities for kids and babies. Especially in smaller cities or towns, but it’s just way easier to go places with kids here than in other countries. Free, well-stocked community centers, Kid & baby friendly publicly accessible washrooms, clean food courts with kid-sized tables at shopping centers…it’s just really convenient. Life in Japan’s not perfect, but it’s got lots of good points for sure!
From my experience it seems bar hopping is difficult in Japan, but because of covid I haven't had much chances to go. It seems like a lot of bars have a cover charge and some of the ones who don't seem to charge more without any increase in quality. For me I lived in a big city in the US so I knew where to go and normally there were no cover charges. Think I just need to learn where to go.
@@Juichi yeah, cover charges suck. Izakayas are usually the safe bet since they’re more casual and almost never charge a cover. (Well, some of them give you a kind of ‘welcome snack’ to go with that beer you’re going to order. But they’ll never charge much for it because izakayas are in the business of repeat customers.) Also, as you said, the pandemic has made bar-hopping a lot less fun. A lot more drinking at home these days…
@@sarthakkrishna3492 yes, I do have have Japanese friends, although as a lot of people will point out, it’s not always an easy thing. I’ve managed to make Japanese friends mostly through common activities - in my case, co-workers and music friends (I play in a rock band and also taiko drumming group). But to be honest, the only Japanese people I connect deeply with are those who have international experience. As far as being accepted by the community in general, it’s not that hard as long as you follow the rules and take part in neighborhood committees, PTA, etc. Oh, and mastering the language helps. 😅
Yes it’s one of my favorites. I have family in the Nagoya area so when I would visit we’d always get it multiple times in the trip. There’s also a Hitsumabushi restaurant in the Nagoya/chubu airport.
@@kaldogorath I have had unagi in Tokyo, Osaka, and Wakayama, but Nagoya takes the cake. Hitsumabushi is a little extra compared to just regular unagi-don
I never thought of Japan and cycling, being from Denmark and living in Belgium and the Netherlands where they quite literally build the roads for cyclists. Then I visited after highschool and learned about the Japanese using bicycles in WW2. Really nice to cycle there.
I'm really happy that midnight diner was mentioned. It was a habit of mine for a while to get my dinner and set on that show almost to make it feel like I was enjoying my dinner with everyone at the diner. Good way to wind down from a day of work or errands that's for sure.
I love Midnight Diner! I've been rationing episodes, so I haven't watched it all yet. If you don't know, it's based off of a manga called shinya shokudou. The art style is pretty unique, but the stories are just as good and it's still ongoing!
Agreed, I've binged all five seasons and two movies waaaay too many times! It's the perfect show to relax to, and it really captures that special mood one might have being up late
Greetings from Japan. The "shoyu ramen" on the counter looks really good. It's hard to find "shoyu ramen" in Tokyo these days, as it's all "tonkotsu" and "seabura". Still, as a Japanese, I've always been happy to know Japanese casual food is very popular overseas ありがとう、皆さん！
Japanese casual food is popular outside of Japan, but overseas it is pretty expensive and not ‘casual’! A normal bowl of ramen in London would be ¥1200 at least.
@@Bonyari_Boy Yes, I know. It's especially expensive in London and New York, right? furthermore, the price of a plate of pasta in Tokyo is also too expensive, with the exception of Saizeriya and the like
Love this video and I agree with all of it!! I’m also very touched that Chris mentioned about Fukushima. I was a ALT on the JET program in Iwaki City, Fukushima and I’ve been to all the places he has mentioned. I was grateful that I also had the opportunity to learn about the prefecture and it was the best 3 years of my life. It’s true that I feel that we know Fukushima for all the wrong reason and like the rest of Japan, it has its own little gems for you to enjoy, explore and experience as well :) I hope everyone will one day have the opportunity to go there!!! Not to mention, there are wonderful and amazing people there as well! ^_^
Yes, cycling was one of my greatest joy while I was in Japan. Especially those river rides from Edogawa cycling path up to Gunma's Watarase cycling path.
I have watched Midnight Diner and I liked it very much. Nice stories about customers who come to eat local place. The main character, Master is like warm hearted chef, who cooks and prepares food from customers ingredients and also gives advices. And usually customers memory or problem is related to certain food.
That part about the cinemas was spot on. I saw a movie in a 4DX cinema in Roppongi before and it was an experience (a bit scary though coz it turned out the shaking also came from a M4~ earthquake near Tokyo).
As someone who was placed to live in Fukushima, I am incredibly happy about the mention cause Fukushima is so beautiful and if you love the outdoors, there are so many mountains to hike, and Inawashiro is beautiful for skiing, and there are so many beautiful lakes to swim and kayak in! Please visit
Agree with Chris here, proper Yakitori is the experience I look forward most to when visiting Japan. Cold beer, cozy place, good hosts and just insanely good chicken is just heaven in my eyes.
11:17 there is actually a company in Japan where you can rent something like a Mazda Roadster, Toyota 86, Lancer Evo, Lexus ISF or even a Nissan GT-R. Of course, it'll be a lot more expensive than your usual rental, but it is pretty cool that the option is there.
We have smoked eels in Poland, they are delicious. Probably my favourite smoked fish, we also have a salmon smoked so it's sort off cooked in the smoke. It's really good too.
I always wondered about shipping items as a tourist. I knew I wouldn't be able to contain myself from buying every Godzilla figure I encountered if I ever got to go to Japan, but I really didn't want to drag luggage around with me, either. Very good to know.
Awesome video guys! I love midnight diner! Everyone should watch it. One thing to note, I'm a bit of a car guy and when I visited Japan in 2019 me and my friend actually rented some cool cars (in our opinion) I rented an r34 Skyline and he rented a mk4 Supra from a company called Omoshiro Rental. Great guys to deal with, some really cool cars available to rent and it was an amazing experience driving on the Wangans and going to daikoku futo parking area in some JDM legend cars ✌🏻
Pro tip: horror movies in 4D cinemas. My first experience was at one that used smells as well, watching "It". Every time Pennywise was about to appear, you'd get the slightest whiff of something that could be described as a sewer smell. Could have been really revolting, but was light enough that it just worked really well.
I like the video dinamic when you two guys are on it toghether. It really fun. Cdawg has the energy necesarry to complement Chris's not so energetic style.
Connor's on point with No8. Cat Eye is a god send when you're traveling. You can drop off your luggage and ship it to a destination rather than carry it on a tonne of trains. Lats time i went to the snow i had to go from Tokyo to Himeji to drop off most of my luggage that i needed towards the end of my trip, then immediately train back past Tokyo to get to Hakuba - i could have shipped my luggage on Cat Eye and NOT torn my shoulder carrying it for 11 hours.
About the shipping thing. When I first visited Japan in 2001, I bought a ton of stuff the first week, so I had to ship it home so I didn't have to carry it around (and I needed to make room for the second week of stuff). It was very simple to just get it to a post office and send it off. It ended up costing quite a lot, but it also arrived before I went home so in less than a week.
@@Working_on_life How dare you criticise Japanese culture! That plastic taste has been formed over thousands of years, carefully crafted by ancient craftsmen in a traditional eggshell dojo.
There’s a Japanese restaurant near where I live in Oregon that has a great Unadon with egg. The eel tastes quite amazing, especially with the special sauce they cover the eel in. The only thing that throws me off a bit is that sometimes I end up eating a few eel bones because they’re really soft and I can’t really distinguish them from everything else in my mouth while chewing it all. But really, I didn’t expect to find great Unadon near where I live in the region of Oregon that I live in.
That's about the perfect unagi though ... the skin thin and just a little bit crispy, the flesh like light fluffy steak, and just a few of those pin bones in
Loved Fukushima. Back in April 2015 I went to Japan. Hanami had already moved North. Jumped on a train to Fukushima and got great views of some stunning colours.
I was reluctant to try it because I thought it would be slimy, but it was actually really good! It had the sauce on it, nice kind of sweet and smoky flavor. You have to at least try it!
I think general overall efficiency in all East Asian countries like Japan, eg public transport or roadworks etc are underrated immensely. I remember in Hong Kong people started getting annoyed if the KCR was running late... (it ran every 7 minutes and that person had been there for almost ten, oooh horror!) And sinkholes are repaired within a day, here in Manchester we had one appear on a main flyover in the city centre and it took nearly a year for it to be finally completely mended. And I think it only happened because too many people started civil action with the council for damage to their car’s suspension!
There was a small accident near my old apartment in Japan, a low traffic residential area, where a long part of a guardrail was smashed in and tore apart by a car. It was already cleaned up some when I saw it so it wouldn't get in anyone's way, and it was fixed after two days.
@@ArisaPD Yeah the reason I mentioned that sinkhole on Manchester was I remember reading about a MUCH larger one appearing on a highway in Japan and it was completely repaired THE SAME DAY! I was astounded!
Not in Japan, but I absolutely love unagi. We always order an extra side of nigiri unagi when we go to our fav sushi place. It's very rich and delicious! Edit: I really loved your videos about the Fukashima event and the aftermath. They were really well done.
OMG The Jeffrey Epstein experience at the cinema... Super surprised you didn't say how CHEAP alcohol is to buy in Japan because of the lower alcohol tax...Midnight Diner is a great series on Netflix... but the current quasi-state-of-emergency with no alcohol sales after 9PM has had a major impact on the barhopping and 24-hour cities point #10... Great video Chris and Connor! :D
the shipping thing is SO true. i used to live in Sapporo and was AMAZED at the convenience of the mail. miss a package ? no problem! just use the automated system to pick a new day and time (even that same night after you get home from work). blew my mind. im back in canada now and getting stuff delivered is such a headache. you’re either hoping no one steals your stuff from your porch while you’re at work or going to pick up your packages at the depot because no one delivers after 4:00pm and you certainly can’t choose WHEN a package is delivered.
I went to Japan in 2019 with only the silly subtitles-Japanese I learned from over 10 years of anime and movies. The bar culture was amazing! As long as you try a little and sometimes whip out google translate everyone is very accommodating. It changes from place to place, but people are chatty for the most part when you're coming in by yourself.
My experience also, everyone is so sweet and welcoming! I went by myself in 2017 and I knew only a little Japanese from the first few chapters of the language book 'Genki' so I was pretty nervous about whether or not I'd be able to communicate. It ended up not being an issue at all, great experience 😊
@@xyanide1986 haha that seems to be most people's experience, tho I don't drink personally. Even without alcohol there was no issue getting in touch (albeit on a superficial level) with the locals :)
Funny to watch old vids, eel is super good, and in Norway it used to be super popular, but due to a low population its now illigal to consume eel, or at least catch and consume eel from norway, so its super fun when I can get some. Really want to visit Japan to taste so many of its dishes, especially also Wild Boar and Bear, cause only a few places in Norway serves those and I havent gotton to eat bear yet, but would love to see the differences between the Norwegian dishes made of wild animals and the Japanese versions.
unagi is absolutely incredible. even cheap unagi rice is fantastic. also i love how you have so many other expats on your channel palling around and doing funny things, it's great
Ahh, robster loll, an acceptable alternative to lobster roll. Also was it pure chance that after filming they went to an Ichiran for a late night supper?
I agree with Connor about shipping in the West (USA/UK), except for Amazon Prime; I’ve never had bad shipping experiences with Amazon Prime. To be fair though, the fact that UPS handles most Prime shipping is likely the top reason why the 2 day Prime shipping is great where I live. UPS really is great though; it’s no wonder why the UPS delivery people are paid so well.
13:30 having just had the panic of waiting for fedex on my day off to deliver my package so the they wouldn’t just knock once and leave makes me relate to this point so hard. Or inaccurate delivery times, or just straight up the seller saying the package shipped and the tracking info for whatever courier saying its not in their system or they haven’t received it till the day its out for delivery and suddenly magically they have the whole tracking history scanned in like 5 minutes from when the deliver it.
Eel is delicious! (pretty comon in the Netherlands as well, smoked eel on a soft bun is awesome) Also an amazing and underrated feature Japan has, wich I've never seen in any other country and ive traveled quite a bit. "Luggage forwarding" Almost any convenience store and hotel have this service, they send your big ass suitcase to your next hotel for you it takes about 48 hours, so you just take a little backpack with you with clean underwear, socks, T-shirt and your bathroom items for the overlapping day and you won't have lug around that giant suitcase in the train, metro, bus etc and it only costs between 10 and 20 bucks. I couldn't stop laughing seeing all those tourists in Tokyo lugging around those huge suitcases up and down the escalators.
Hey I just wanna say your videos have always brought a smile to my face, been watching for years. Congrats on the new studio, excited for the next vid of Fukishima!!
Definitely agree on the 24 city part, especially for me in London in zone 5. Problem here is that buses and trains essentially stop at 1am, and unless you're on a night bus area you're shit out of luck. Bars here close down at 1am on a Friday if you're lucky, some are 2/3am but it's the other side of the city usually. I get it, people want to go home, they can't stay up all night and not be able to get home if they're working in these bars or restaurants. We have night trains but only selected trains and branches, Uber's and Freenow can be expensive as well. Though I did find Berlin had bars open till 8am as well as night buses, but again as tourists we don't know if that's just a central Berlin thing or all over the suburban area where normal people live.
I'd heard that the freshwater eels used for Unagi are a threatened species and that we should order Anago, the saltwater eel, should be ordered instead. That said, they're both delicious.
Yeah the freshwater eel industry is notoriously dirty and unsustainable, which is an actual tragedy, because unagi is sooooooo good. I feel guilty whenever I get it, but my willpower is not as strong as my desire for one of the best seafood dishes on earth.
Took a bit of a break from my Winesday Wednesday, but I'm back and very pleased to have my favorite duo together! I love a good bromance and a glass or two or three of wine. You two should go to a winery in Japan. Omg that would be my dream episode! But another great video and look forward to the next!! Cheers! *Grabs third class of wine* 🍷🥂
I really enjoy unagi. I first tried it as sushi a few years ago and was surprised how much I really liked it and I have it whenever I get the chance now. That thing about people talking in the cinema reminded me of one of most irritating times that happened to me. I was at the premiere of Pokemon I Choose You and (spoilers) when Ash dies, Pikachu holds his hat close, wailing to the sky. It's supposed to be a really emotional moment... and it was totally ruined by a bunch of kids several seats down my row who thought it was the perfect time to have a very loud discussion about Ash's Glalie from the show, despite it having literally NOTHING to do with the scene at all.
Unagi is honestly so good! And I've only ever had it in Japanese restaurants in Germany. It instantly became my favourite food ever, but yeah, it's quite expensive. But how good must it be in Japan if it's already so good in Germany? o-o
The difference between good Japanese food in Europe and a chain restaurant version of a dish in Japan is probably less than the regional variations of the same dish in Japan. Of course you can get food court sushi etc in the west which is pretty suspect. Japan has restaurants that will specialise in particular dishes which are amazing, but you can also do worse on the tourist trail, like in *any* country.
Japanese eels have been endangered since 2014. I do think it is something that should be considered when consuming or recommending eating it. I haven't looked into the Japanese Eel as much as into the European Eel (critically endangered, both in the same family), but at the very least the European Eel doesn't breed in captivity. Just like the Japanese Eel it is a migrating species that spawns at sea but lives in fresh water, so I assume they have the same issues. From what I've looked up, farmed Eel is still wild caught young Eels (glas eel) raised in captivity.
Agree, although unagi and anago are delicious to eat it may be something my grandchildren will never eat. In Sweden eels are almost totally protected, still the state electricity companies kill millions of them with the ill designed energy water dams in all rivers. No, they do not breed in captivity at all. Somewhere on CNN there is a program about a chef in Tokyo who makes delicious fish dishes from fish that is considered "waste", normally goes only to cat food or being just thrown away. I have lived in Japan for years, but getting more and more reluctant to order eel. Not that it changes anything...
I love LOVE unagi. Although it's freaking expensive in Malaysia, personally... Sushi zanmai does it the best. I had a bad experience in Rakuzen... They didn't debone the fish thoroughly.
The best goddamn Denny's I've ever been to on this planet was in the Washington hotel in Akihabara. Went there thinking it would just be fun to try a Denny's in another country. Came out life changed.
Thanks for the video, always a good time. Midnight Diner is extremely "binge-able", terrific stories and a recipe... I too recommend it. In a perfect "Abroad in Japan World" you would be filming in a tiny bar and in walks Quentin Tarantino wanting to chat and see the night through a TH-cam Contributor's eyes...it would eventually wind up in a FamilyMart or Lawson for chicken at 3 a.m. but still great content. 😊🇨🇦
I'm so thankful you were the first guest on TT, and then befriended the rest of the boys. These weekly videos with Monke is always entertaining to watch. I'm still holding out for "Taken for Garnted" though. Make it happen. Please.
@@Serjo777 if you listen to the podcast you would know that Chris was not a big fan of the show, and based on the video it would seem he has warmed up to it. And I never implied it was dubious, it was the way Chris talked about it on the podcast.
Logistics is definitely underrated in Japan, which not many people can experience. I remember back when I was a kid during summer vacation, my mother will Takkyubin our suitcase to our other relatives, and it will be there on THAT day we got to their houses. We used to also buy fruits for our relatives and ship them to their house, so we can enjoy them later that night. Like, you can NEVER do that in America. You can't even do that locally.
In terms of ordering stuff online, netherlands is the same in my experience. You can select time and day and it'll be there. Usually within 24-48 hours.
Can confirm the prices for popcorn, drinks, etc. here in the UK are, and have throughout my life, been quite overpriced for the experience. Would love to go to a cinema in Japan, not surprising to hear cinema experiences over there are far superior
Watching your video's, I am inspired to want to move to japan and start my own little farm. Hopefully it can grow large enough to the point I can hire people to work for me, that would be nice. Still waiting in Ikea land for Japan to open up to foreigners, hopefully that happens soon.
NOTIFICATION SQUAD: We should've just called this video "Man Tries ROBSTER LOL"
What did we miss though?! Share your wisdom below and help me bully Connor.
😂
I should be asleep
Ok chris i help you
Yo
Chris it's time you rename your channels if Connor is going to be in a crushing majority of the videos 😜😅
We want Chris on the Trash Taste Cycling Special 2. It's gotta happen. Get the man back on a bike again
that would be one pain in the ass. literally
i need to see chris in cycling gear 2 sizes too small like garnt 🙈
Nice
@@shvtvra no, that would be 4 pain in the asses
That would be amazing! haha.
There is one severely underrated thing I noticed when I visited Japan. The engineering involved with simple cheap convenience store food. Like it's amazing how almost every package is designed so your hand never touches the food, or how with onigiri there's that small little plastic film that keeps your seaweed wrap crisp. Microwavable bags of edamame that magically turn into bowls, pudding with an air release valve on the bottom so you can easily get it out. This list just keeps on going!
But on the opposite side that means plastic consumption is through the roof that even recycling isn't a good enough reason
@@w花b Yep, gotta agree with you, Japanese packaging is way overdone and rarely account for its environmental impact. I mean, they mostly incinerate their garbage in combined cycle power plant, but they definitely could do better with less.
@@w花b They do recycle 85% of their plastic though. Compared to other countries I reckon that offsets it plenty.
Although I can imagine quite some unique ways of packaging, the pudding one is definitely not unique to Japan
@@noniegyachtet …I’ve never seen it before.
Not even notified, I just felt it.
Chris's Irish accent was incredibly accurate. He even got the "like" at the end.
"The best thing to come out of Wales since Gimli."
Yet another thing to add to the amusing one-line descriptions for Connor list.
My favorite was when they went to the abandoned amusement park and Chris said, "This looks like a Welsh playground." :D
The 24 hour cities sound really cool actually, I wish there were more options I could go to get food in the middle of the night where I'm at. It'd be perfect for when you get the munchies.
Since COVID, I don't even have McDonald's as an option anymore.
Learning to cook always is so I hope you guys learn something you love
Everything in my city closes at like 8pm and it’s so annoying.
@@reneaceballo yea but you need to have ingredients on you all the time. Usually I crave something and I don’t got the stuff to make it.
Even during covid in south carolina I have lots of options for late night stops. QT is open 24/7, the taquito's are generally good and if it has the 24/7 kitchen then even better. Mc Pilots (mcdonalds & pilot gas station combined) are open 24/7. Cookout is open until 3-4am. Most every bar within a 25-35 minute or less drive away is open past 12 although I find the drinks to be hit or miss at night sometimes, probably due to tired or slightly plastered staff who knows. There are plenty of other places but I have already written to much.
I'm always waiting for you two to start eating before I realize that it's plastic props...
Only Sharla gets to actually eat at his studio
@@noolie62 yeah they are
Are they really a couple?
@@thebunnydiaries they're not and she's already engaged with a japanese guy
@@suba1030 rip
I would say that was a pretty decent list. The 'Shipping' one was probably one of the last things I learned from lugging baggage all around Japan with a rail pass. Eventually my friends way down south in Kyushu put me onto the service that takes care of your bags for you and that changed things a lot! Simply walk to the JR station, board your train, sit back and enjoy the trip, in the full knowledge that your bags will be waiting in your hotel for you when you arrive. Perfect way to travel without stress or strain!!!!
What's this service you're referring to?
@@Emperorerror If someone reading is interested it's Yamato transport
the shipping thing is spot on - my first trip to Japan we went skiing in Hakuba, then shipped all our ski gear to our hotel in Tokyo, while we went to tour Osaka, Kyoto and Hiroshima.
it was cheap and reliable and super easy.
You can tell Connor's been improving a lot in his Japanese. So much so that he's having a difficult time enunciating L and Rs
The struggle is real haha
I'm currently studying Japanese in college and when I come home from conversation class I also mess up the two consonants sometimes 🙈
@@lynn9265 Right?! When I was taking classes, I lived, breathed, ate, and slept Japanese language. (I labeled all of my ingredients, listened to Japanese books in my sleep, etc) It came with the unfortunate side effect of struggling SO hard to keep my Ls & Rs straight when speaking to my family. 😅 And accidentally slipping between languages while talking, which made me feel pretty rude.
Chris looking so youthful with his backwards slightly tilted trucker hat.
With the clean shaven face he looks so youthful XD
He looks very affable in his most drip
@@ErinFeldmandesigns And he's smiling! He looks great!
how do you do fellow kids
really? I was getting "I don't want to get old" dad vibes from it lol xD
I agree with Connor about shipping! It helped make my trip in Japan back in 2017 so much easier. I was able to send my luggage to my next hotel and not have to worry about having to lug it around onto the shinkansen or up the stations' many flights of stairs. It was especially helpful while my sister and I cycled the Shimanami Kaido. We started at Onomichi, cycled the entire route in 2 days, and then we arrived at our hotel in Osaka to see our luggage waiting for us. It's so awesome!! I wish we had a service like this in the US that is just as painless.
did you just pack some necessities for the night in between? was there a decent option for places to stay? I would like to do it, too, but prefer over 2 days instead of 1
How much was it, in case you don’t mind sharing?
@@OldSchoolAnni between 10 and 20 bucks, we used it about 5 times when going around Japan, we just took a backpack with clean underwear, socks a t-shirt and bathroom items with us, its so convenient..
How does it work sending your luggage? Do you just go up to a post shop and go “I want to send my luggage to a place”?
@@dohtje5029 Damn, that's pretty cheap! Especially considering it's so reliable and efficient. Will keep this in mind once we're able to safely travel again 👍🏼
Chris: “it’s so weird to be positive… family restaurants are underrated, let me tell you about the one I hate.”
The British DNA is too strong
It makes me happy to see that you guys are having so much fun while filming this=)
As an Irishman, I have to say, Chris' Irish accent is probably the best I've ever heard from an Englishman. They usually murder it. Impressive stuff, Broad-san.
I am of Irish descent and I can never get an Irish accent of any kind right. I am such a disgrace to my forefathers! 😂
I feel like Chris is the Ryotaro in the Chris-Connor dynamic.
He has been waiting so long for someone adequately younger than him to bully.
Chris and Connor should do a Japanese conbini wine tasting session.
There's a grape variety that's unique to Japan: Koshu. But to be honest most other Japanese* wine is pretty disappointing.
*A bottle of Japanese wine only needs to be 5% local to be considered 'Japanese'
Konbini*
It’s like you’re trying to kill them
@@in_sun4746 I live in Chile, where a 75 USD high quality "Japanese" wine equivalent costs no more than 5 USD xD I would definitely feel like it's poison haha
That'd definitely not work where I'm from.
Some good things in Hokkaido but, you know, that’s not exactly Japan climatologically
I really enjoyed this video. I like wacky weekends, but casual videos like this do show off the chemistry you two have.
When Connor was going on about how easy shipping is, I was pleasantly surprised. But when he said about able to easily ship things back to your home, in another country, my interest peaked!
Another thing is that they require you to sign off on the delivery. None of that nonsense here in the US where they just dump packages in front of your door and you hope nobody steals it
@@Zydico The Amazon locker solves this but that is more of a rare use. And like they said in the video, the fact that you don’t get packages late and have to be home all day to make sure no one steels it is amazing.
Also I feel like in Japan, there will never be something that the earliest shipping time is 1 month later. I have had that happen way to many times, but I guess that is the penalty of being very far away and disconnected from the rest of the world.
It is like everything in Japan is perfectly optimized for you except the workplace.
For food I'd say Kushikatsu is underrated. It's kind of just simple fried food, but going with a bunch of friends and just getting your favorites and a few drinks - so chill and good! Even better if it's in one of those small booths in between other shops, where you sit in front of the chef's, and get to have a conversation with them, and maybe exchange a few words with the always cheerful Japanese regulars. I miss it so much!
It feels taht whenever i stop thinking about moving to Japan, Chris posts a video to make me wanna move there again
If you change your opinion so easily maybe you shouldn't move but simply visit which is already good enough imo.
@@w花b He never said his opinions about it changed, just that he stopped thinking about it (maybe because it's a pain in the ass to get a visa or because of the amount of money you require).
Obviously moving to another country is not something to take lightly, don't get me wrong.
I just heard Japan will be opening its boarder again soon!
Great list! As a foreign resident who’s been in Japan for the last 20 years I agree with all of them. Cycling? Heck yeah, I commute by bike every day and it’s pretty fantastic. (This is quite a bit better in rural areas, though. And yeah, Shikoku.) Bar hopping? Definitely. But definitely watch out for any place that doesn’t have prices clearly listed. There are places known as ‘catch bars’…and I’ve been ‘caught’. One thing I would add to the list, as a parent, is: amenities for kids and babies. Especially in smaller cities or towns, but it’s just way easier to go places with kids here than in other countries. Free, well-stocked community centers, Kid & baby friendly publicly accessible washrooms, clean food courts with kid-sized tables at shopping centers…it’s just really convenient.
Life in Japan’s not perfect, but it’s got lots of good points for sure!
From my experience it seems bar hopping is difficult in Japan, but because of covid I haven't had much chances to go. It seems like a lot of bars have a cover charge and some of the ones who don't seem to charge more without any increase in quality. For me I lived in a big city in the US so I knew where to go and normally there were no cover charges. Think I just need to learn where to go.
@@Juichi yeah, cover charges suck. Izakayas are usually the safe bet since they’re more casual and almost never charge a cover. (Well, some of them give you a kind of ‘welcome snack’ to go with that beer you’re going to order. But they’ll never charge much for it because izakayas are in the business of repeat customers.) Also, as you said, the pandemic has made bar-hopping a lot less fun. A lot more drinking at home these days…
Do you have Japanese friends? Like, how do they treat you after you've lived for 20 years there
@@sarthakkrishna3492 yes, I do have have Japanese friends, although as a lot of people will point out, it’s not always an easy thing. I’ve managed to make Japanese friends mostly through common activities - in my case, co-workers and music friends (I play in a rock band and also taiko drumming group). But to be honest, the only Japanese people I connect deeply with are those who have international experience. As far as being accepted by the community in general, it’s not that hard as long as you follow the rules and take part in neighborhood committees, PTA, etc. Oh, and mastering the language helps. 😅
To Connor's point about Unagi, Hitsumabushi Unagi in Nagoya is probably my favorite food I've had in Japan
Yes it’s one of my favorites. I have family in the Nagoya area so when I would visit we’d always get it multiple times in the trip. There’s also a Hitsumabushi restaurant in the Nagoya/chubu airport.
Fully agree! I've tried myself at making it here, but daaaamn eel is so fricking hard to find here. Had to get a fresh one for it and skin it 😱
I tell everyone who wants to go to japan to get Unagi. it's fucking delicious, but I get so many people bitching about me cause Eel is endangered
@@kaldogorath I have had unagi in Tokyo, Osaka, and Wakayama, but Nagoya takes the cake. Hitsumabushi is a little extra compared to just regular unagi-don
Eel is one of my favorite foods, lol
I totally agree, when I was in Japan 30 years ago my friend took me to his province to eat Unaigudon. An experience I will never forget.
I never thought of Japan and cycling, being from Denmark and living in Belgium and the Netherlands where they quite literally build the roads for cyclists.
Then I visited after highschool and learned about the Japanese using bicycles in WW2.
Really nice to cycle there.
Midnight Dinner is the most chill feel-good show ever. I wish they'd made more episodes.
I'm really happy that midnight diner was mentioned. It was a habit of mine for a while to get my dinner and set on that show almost to make it feel like I was enjoying my dinner with everyone at the diner. Good way to wind down from a day of work or errands that's for sure.
I love Midnight Diner! I've been rationing episodes, so I haven't watched it all yet. If you don't know, it's based off of a manga called shinya shokudou. The art style is pretty unique, but the stories are just as good and it's still ongoing!
Agreed, I've binged all five seasons and two movies waaaay too many times! It's the perfect show to relax to, and it really captures that special mood one might have being up late
It’s great but also depressing especially the theme tune
@@niitsukid just watch the sunny version of it : silent forest, similiar concept but it is on countryside and instead of diner, its home food
Greetings from Japan. The "shoyu ramen" on the counter looks really good. It's hard to find "shoyu ramen" in Tokyo these days, as it's all "tonkotsu" and "seabura". Still, as a Japanese, I've always been happy to know Japanese casual food is very popular overseas ありがとう、皆さん！
Problem is, its hard to find good Japanese food outside of Japan. I am forever trying to find dipping noodles with a super strong broth.
@@urbanprojectz You may be right. I love "Tsukemen" too. Very tasty, right?
@ExtremelyOnline Guy Well, maybe not bad👍
Japanese casual food is popular outside of Japan, but overseas it is pretty expensive and not ‘casual’! A normal bowl of ramen in London would be ¥1200 at least.
@@Bonyari_Boy Yes, I know. It's especially expensive in London and New York, right? furthermore, the price of a plate of pasta in Tokyo is also too expensive, with the exception of Saizeriya and the like
Robster roll and meeso soup lol
Unagi is very delicious, so underrated! Agree wholeheartely with Connor!
Love this video and I agree with all of it!! I’m also very touched that Chris mentioned about Fukushima. I was a ALT on the JET program in Iwaki City, Fukushima and I’ve been to all the places he has mentioned. I was grateful that I also had the opportunity to learn about the prefecture and it was the best 3 years of my life. It’s true that I feel that we know Fukushima for all the wrong reason and like the rest of Japan, it has its own little gems for you to enjoy, explore and experience as well :) I hope everyone will one day have the opportunity to go there!!! Not to mention, there are wonderful and amazing people there as well! ^_^
Yes, cycling was one of my greatest joy while I was in Japan. Especially those river rides from Edogawa cycling path up to Gunma's Watarase cycling path.
Is there a name for this route on google maps? I'm trying to find it so I can ride it myself
I have watched Midnight Diner and I liked it very much. Nice stories about customers who come to eat local place. The main character, Master is like warm hearted chef, who cooks and prepares food from customers ingredients and also gives advices. And usually customers memory or problem is related to certain food.
Eel's in the UK are usually represented by jellied eels when they can be cooked in any way you cook fish. Love 'em!
Agreed. Just make sure they are properly prepared, otherwise you may feel a bit eel.
@@teaandmedals Well played.
@@teaandmedals *groan* ;-)
That part about the cinemas was spot on. I saw a movie in a 4DX cinema in Roppongi before and it was an experience (a bit scary though coz it turned out the shaking also came from a M4~ earthquake near Tokyo).
As someone who was placed to live in Fukushima, I am incredibly happy about the mention cause Fukushima is so beautiful and if you love the outdoors, there are so many mountains to hike, and Inawashiro is beautiful for skiing, and there are so many beautiful lakes to swim and kayak in! Please visit
Agree with Chris here, proper Yakitori is the experience I look forward most to when visiting Japan. Cold beer, cozy place, good hosts and just insanely good chicken is just heaven in my eyes.
11:17 there is actually a company in Japan where you can rent something like a Mazda Roadster, Toyota 86, Lancer Evo, Lexus ISF or even a Nissan GT-R. Of course, it'll be a lot more expensive than your usual rental, but it is pretty cool that the option is there.
We have smoked eels in Poland, they are delicious. Probably my favourite smoked fish, we also have a salmon smoked so it's sort off cooked in the smoke. It's really good too.
I always wondered about shipping items as a tourist. I knew I wouldn't be able to contain myself from buying every Godzilla figure I encountered if I ever got to go to Japan, but I really didn't want to drag luggage around with me, either. Very good to know.
Totally agree on number 3, Fukushima is my home away from home while in Japan. Plus Aizuwakamatsu castle in cherry blossom season is on point!
Awesome video guys!
I love midnight diner! Everyone should watch it.
One thing to note, I'm a bit of a car guy and when I visited Japan in 2019 me and my friend actually rented some cool cars (in our opinion) I rented an r34 Skyline and he rented a mk4 Supra from a company called Omoshiro Rental.
Great guys to deal with, some really cool cars available to rent and it was an amazing experience driving on the Wangans and going to daikoku futo parking area in some JDM legend cars ✌🏻
You know Conner has spent too much time in Japan when he mixes up L and R.
I know light?
Roru
Pro tip: horror movies in 4D cinemas. My first experience was at one that used smells as well, watching "It". Every time Pennywise was about to appear, you'd get the slightest whiff of something that could be described as a sewer smell. Could have been really revolting, but was light enough that it just worked really well.
I like the video dinamic when you two guys are on it toghether. It really fun. Cdawg has the energy necesarry to complement Chris's not so energetic style.
Connor's on point with No8.
Cat Eye is a god send when you're traveling. You can drop off your luggage and ship it to a destination rather than carry it on a tonne of trains. Lats time i went to the snow i had to go from Tokyo to Himeji to drop off most of my luggage that i needed towards the end of my trip, then immediately train back past Tokyo to get to Hakuba - i could have shipped my luggage on Cat Eye and NOT torn my shoulder carrying it for 11 hours.
Love this channel and the light hearted version of Chris and casual laughs ❤️
About the shipping thing. When I first visited Japan in 2001, I bought a ton of stuff the first week, so I had to ship it home so I didn't have to carry it around (and I needed to make room for the second week of stuff). It was very simple to just get it to a post office and send it off. It ended up costing quite a lot, but it also arrived before I went home so in less than a week.
International shipping can quite pricey. I sent my friend in japan a birthday present and for a small box it cost like $40.
Did you need to bring your own boxes or did the staff pack it up for you? Thanks
@@Solarstormflare A box was included in the cost. Mind you, this was 21 years ago so things might have changed.
I find it really rude of Connor not to even try the ramen Chris has prepared with love for him.
I bet the ramen taste very artifical.
@@Working_on_life How dare you criticise Japanese culture! That plastic taste has been formed over thousands of years, carefully crafted by ancient craftsmen in a traditional eggshell dojo.
There’s a Japanese restaurant near where I live in Oregon that has a great Unadon with egg. The eel tastes quite amazing, especially with the special sauce they cover the eel in. The only thing that throws me off a bit is that sometimes I end up eating a few eel bones because they’re really soft and I can’t really distinguish them from everything else in my mouth while chewing it all.
But really, I didn’t expect to find great Unadon near where I live in the region of Oregon that I live in.
That's about the perfect unagi though ... the skin thin and just a little bit crispy, the flesh like light fluffy steak, and just a few of those pin bones in
Restaurant name?
@@BloodAngl_vmp I think it’s been almost 10 years since I’ve been there, but I think the restaurant name is Musashi Sushi Bar, in Grants Pass.
@@Kekoapono TYSM for coming back to reply 🙏
Loved Fukushima. Back in April 2015 I went to Japan. Hanami had already moved North. Jumped on a train to Fukushima and got great views of some stunning colours.
I'm always excited for your uploads. It's informative and entertaining at the same time also best duo EVER!!!!!! ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️
I can't remember when i first saw unagi, but ever since i did, i was like this is the one food i'll be obsessed with once i try
eel, no thank you, eels eat everything
@@wimviaene4153 And pigs don't?
I was reluctant to try it because I thought it would be slimy, but it was actually really good! It had the sauce on it, nice kind of sweet and smoky flavor. You have to at least try it!
I think general overall efficiency in all East Asian countries like Japan, eg public transport or roadworks etc are underrated immensely. I remember in Hong Kong people started getting annoyed if the KCR was running late... (it ran every 7 minutes and that person had been there for almost ten, oooh horror!)
And sinkholes are repaired within a day, here in Manchester we had one appear on a main flyover in the city centre and it took nearly a year for it to be finally completely mended. And I think it only happened because too many people started civil action with the council for damage to their car’s suspension!
There was a small accident near my old apartment in Japan, a low traffic residential area, where a long part of a guardrail was smashed in and tore apart by a car. It was already cleaned up some when I saw it so it wouldn't get in anyone's way, and it was fixed after two days.
@@ArisaPD Yeah the reason I mentioned that sinkhole on Manchester was I remember reading about a MUCH larger one appearing on a highway in Japan and it was completely repaired THE SAME DAY! I was astounded!
Isn't it Japan where the railway employees manhandle people to squeeze the maximum number in each underground carriage?
@@Phiyedough They're not there to manhandle, quite the opposite actually. It's to prevent over crowding and to make sure the doors can close safely.
Thanks to Connor, I'll never be able to hear the word "Lobster Roll" again without laughing. Also Unadon is absolutely delicious.
I'm actually so happy Chris brought up midnight diner. I actually love that show as like a chill before bed mind if ASMR show.
Loved this! Your chemistry creates the perfect balance of humor and information ^ ^ (My hopes inflated when Connor said “shipping” though hehe)
Not in Japan, but I absolutely love unagi. We always order an extra side of nigiri unagi when we go to our fav sushi place. It's very rich and delicious!
Edit: I really loved your videos about the Fukashima event and the aftermath. They were really well done.
OMG The Jeffrey Epstein experience at the cinema... Super surprised you didn't say how CHEAP alcohol is to buy in Japan because of the lower alcohol tax...Midnight Diner is a great series on Netflix... but the current quasi-state-of-emergency with no alcohol sales after 9PM has had a major impact on the barhopping and 24-hour cities point #10... Great video Chris and Connor! :D
Omg the 300 yen strong zeros
the shipping thing is SO true. i used to live in Sapporo and was AMAZED at the convenience of the mail. miss a package ? no problem! just use the automated system to pick a new day and time (even that same night after you get home from work). blew my mind. im back in canada now and getting stuff delivered is such a headache. you’re either hoping no one steals your stuff from your porch while you’re at work or going to pick up your packages at the depot because no one delivers after 4:00pm and you certainly can’t choose WHEN a package is delivered.
We appreciate authentic Connor and Chris's hearty laughter in response ^^
The movie that Chris watched “Small my Family” was quite funny. The Vietnamese character gets me every time.
I went to Japan in 2019 with only the silly subtitles-Japanese I learned from over 10 years of anime and movies. The bar culture was amazing! As long as you try a little and sometimes whip out google translate everyone is very accommodating. It changes from place to place, but people are chatty for the most part when you're coming in by yourself.
My experience also, everyone is so sweet and welcoming!
I went by myself in 2017 and I knew only a little Japanese from the first few chapters of the language book 'Genki' so I was pretty nervous about whether or not I'd be able to communicate. It ended up not being an issue at all, great experience 😊
@@lynn9265 the more you drink the more confident you get.
@@xyanide1986 haha that seems to be most people's experience, tho I don't drink personally. Even without alcohol there was no issue getting in touch (albeit on a superficial level) with the locals :)
Maybe I'm bitter because I was expecting my package to arrive on the 12th and it's now the 15th, but I really feel Conner's "Shipping" choice.
I work in a warehouse purchasing department and I just can't fathom something actually showing up on time
Funny to watch old vids, eel is super good, and in Norway it used to be super popular, but due to a low population its now illigal to consume eel, or at least catch and consume eel from norway, so its super fun when I can get some. Really want to visit Japan to taste so many of its dishes, especially also Wild Boar and Bear, cause only a few places in Norway serves those and I havent gotton to eat bear yet, but would love to see the differences between the Norwegian dishes made of wild animals and the Japanese versions.
unagi is absolutely incredible. even cheap unagi rice is fantastic.
also i love how you have so many other expats on your channel palling around and doing funny things, it's great
Ahh, robster loll, an acceptable alternative to lobster roll. Also was it pure chance that after filming they went to an Ichiran for a late night supper?
I agree with Connor about shipping in the West (USA/UK), except for Amazon Prime; I’ve never had bad shipping experiences with Amazon Prime. To be fair though, the fact that UPS handles most Prime shipping is likely the top reason why the 2 day Prime shipping is great where I live. UPS really is great though; it’s no wonder why the UPS delivery people are paid so well.
Saizeriya is literally my favorite restaurant in Japan, the food is good and it’s cheap as hell. Their garlic toast is TO DIE FOR
13:30 having just had the panic of waiting for fedex on my day off to deliver my package so the they wouldn’t just knock once and leave makes me relate to this point so hard. Or inaccurate delivery times, or just straight up the seller saying the package shipped and the tracking info for whatever courier saying its not in their system or they haven’t received it till the day its out for delivery and suddenly magically they have the whole tracking history scanned in like 5 minutes from when the deliver it.
Soothing Jobii tracks in the background, love it!!!
Midnight diner is a great show! Even more so for practicing listening skills when learning Japanese!
Eel is delicious! (pretty comon in the Netherlands as well, smoked eel on a soft bun is awesome)
Also an amazing and underrated feature Japan has, wich I've never seen in any other country and ive traveled quite a bit.
"Luggage forwarding" Almost any convenience store and hotel have this service, they send your big ass suitcase to your next hotel for you it takes about 48 hours, so you just take a little backpack with you with clean underwear, socks, T-shirt and your bathroom items for the overlapping day and you won't have lug around that giant suitcase in the train, metro, bus etc and it only costs between 10 and 20 bucks.
I couldn't stop laughing seeing all those tourists in Tokyo lugging around those huge suitcases up and down the escalators.
Oh thank you, you kind soul!!
Wish I knew about that when I was in Tokyo. I was one of those tourists lugging around massive bags.
Can't wait to come to Japan and test all these underrated things out!
Hey I just wanna say your videos have always brought a smile to my face, been watching for years. Congrats on the new studio, excited for the next vid of Fukishima!!
Definitely agree on the 24 city part, especially for me in London in zone 5. Problem here is that buses and trains essentially stop at 1am, and unless you're on a night bus area you're shit out of luck. Bars here close down at 1am on a Friday if you're lucky, some are 2/3am but it's the other side of the city usually.
I get it, people want to go home, they can't stay up all night and not be able to get home if they're working in these bars or restaurants.
We have night trains but only selected trains and branches, Uber's and Freenow can be expensive as well.
Though I did find Berlin had bars open till 8am as well as night buses, but again as tourists we don't know if that's just a central Berlin thing or all over the suburban area where normal people live.
Connor, Chris and alcohol are the best combination out there, comedy gold.
Midnight Dinner is such a great slice of life show. I highly recommend it.
I'd heard that the freshwater eels used for Unagi are a threatened species and that we should order Anago, the saltwater eel, should be ordered instead.
That said, they're both delicious.
Yeah the freshwater eel industry is notoriously dirty and unsustainable, which is an actual tragedy, because unagi is sooooooo good. I feel guilty whenever I get it, but my willpower is not as strong as my desire for one of the best seafood dishes on earth.
As a maori from nz I love smoked eel.. So good
Took a bit of a break from my Winesday Wednesday, but I'm back and very pleased to have my favorite duo together! I love a good bromance and a glass or two or three of wine. You two should go to a winery in Japan. Omg that would be my dream episode! But another great video and look forward to the next!! Cheers! *Grabs third class of wine* 🍷🥂
I'd be scared of trying eel, but you presented it really well. Enjoyed the episode!
Its delicious. Imagine a tasty fatty marinated tuna mixed with pork? Its good
Tastes like the silkiest, highest quality cod ever.
I really enjoy unagi. I first tried it as sushi a few years ago and was surprised how much I really liked it and I have it whenever I get the chance now.
That thing about people talking in the cinema reminded me of one of most irritating times that happened to me.
I was at the premiere of Pokemon I Choose You and (spoilers) when Ash dies, Pikachu holds his hat close, wailing to the sky.
It's supposed to be a really emotional moment... and it was totally ruined by a bunch of kids several seats down my row who thought it was the perfect time to have a very loud discussion about Ash's Glalie from the show, despite it having literally NOTHING to do with the scene at all.
Chris REALLY is the 4th member of TT, given his take on Yakitori being the best dish in Japan.
Unagi is honestly so good! And I've only ever had it in Japanese restaurants in Germany. It instantly became my favourite food ever, but yeah, it's quite expensive. But how good must it be in Japan if it's already so good in Germany? o-o
Same, I'll often have it in Canada when I go to Japanese restaurants. I wonder if what I'm getting is even all that close to the actual Japanese dish.
The difference between good Japanese food in Europe and a chain restaurant version of a dish in Japan is probably less than the regional variations of the same dish in Japan. Of course you can get food court sushi etc in the west which is pretty suspect. Japan has restaurants that will specialise in particular dishes which are amazing, but you can also do worse on the tourist trail, like in *any* country.
Find an actual unagi specialty restaurant in Japan, trust me, it's a world of difference.
I'm addicted to this channel now. Great stuff
I thought CDawg had a cast on the whole time LOL ...love you guys together..LOL!! informatively entertaining as always!
Japanese eels have been endangered since 2014. I do think it is something that should be considered when consuming or recommending eating it.
I haven't looked into the Japanese Eel as much as into the European Eel (critically endangered, both in the same family), but at the very least the European Eel doesn't breed in captivity. Just like the Japanese Eel it is a migrating species that spawns at sea but lives in fresh water, so I assume they have the same issues. From what I've looked up, farmed Eel is still wild caught young Eels (glas eel) raised in captivity.
Agree, although unagi and anago are delicious to eat it may be something my grandchildren will never eat. In Sweden eels are almost totally protected, still the state electricity companies kill millions of them with the ill designed energy water dams in all rivers. No, they do not breed in captivity at all. Somewhere on CNN there is a program about a chef in Tokyo who makes delicious fish dishes from fish that is considered "waste", normally goes only to cat food or being just thrown away. I have lived in Japan for years, but getting more and more reluctant to order eel. Not that it changes anything...
I love LOVE unagi. Although it's freaking expensive in Malaysia, personally... Sushi zanmai does it the best. I had a bad experience in Rakuzen... They didn't debone the fish thoroughly.
The best goddamn Denny's I've ever been to on this planet was in the Washington hotel in Akihabara. Went there thinking it would just be fun to try a Denny's in another country. Came out life changed.
Thanks for the video, always a good time. Midnight Diner is extremely "binge-able", terrific stories and a recipe... I too recommend it. In a perfect "Abroad in Japan World" you would be filming in a tiny bar and in walks Quentin Tarantino wanting to chat and see the night through a TH-cam Contributor's eyes...it would eventually wind up in a FamilyMart or Lawson for chicken at 3 a.m. but still great content. 😊🇨🇦
What a great set. Dig the format and dialog.
15:21 as an Irishman I can say Chris' accent was spot on haha
Finally the wait is OVER!!!
I'm so thankful you were the first guest on TT, and then befriended the rest of the boys. These weekly videos with Monke is always entertaining to watch. I'm still holding out for "Taken for Garnted" though. Make it happen. Please.
Thanks for recommending "Midnight Diner" Chris! I started watching it this afternoon and have binged the first three episodes so far - it's great!
Love the midnight diner progression from chris, it went from a dubious show to being highly recommended
It was a great show, I still think of the opening song.
How was it ever "dubious"? I liked it from the beginning, and it didn't really change that much.
@@Serjo777 if you listen to the podcast you would know that Chris was not a big fan of the show, and based on the video it would seem he has warmed up to it. And I never implied it was dubious, it was the way Chris talked about it on the podcast.
Logistics is definitely underrated in Japan, which not many people can experience.
I remember back when I was a kid during summer vacation, my mother will Takkyubin our suitcase to our other relatives, and it will be there on THAT day we got to their houses.
We used to also buy fruits for our relatives and ship them to their house, so we can enjoy them later that night.
Like, you can NEVER do that in America.
You can't even do that locally.
In terms of ordering stuff online, netherlands is the same in my experience. You can select time and day and it'll be there. Usually within 24-48 hours.
Can confirm the prices for popcorn, drinks, etc. here in the UK are, and have throughout my life, been quite overpriced for the experience. Would love to go to a cinema in Japan, not surprising to hear cinema experiences over there are far superior
Watching your video's, I am inspired to want to move to japan and start my own little farm. Hopefully it can grow large enough to the point I can hire people to work for me, that would be nice. Still waiting in Ikea land for Japan to open up to foreigners, hopefully that happens soon.
18:30 "How white girl of you" got me laughing.
I LOVE the “bbq” eel, it’s so damn good