Hi all! Thank you all for your wonderful comments so far! Just as a reminder, while I read all your comments, unfortunately, I’m unable to respond to them. To assist you better, I have created an FAQ page that contains the answers to some common questions here: www.maigomika.com/about-me/faq/ Thank you! -Mika
I love that you connect with your neighbours. The main mistake of people who move to countryside is to live like a recluse. On one hand, yes, it is appealing, as you will be left alone and you can do what you want, but on the other hand - you won't get any help when you need it. Plus, socialisation is key to living in general. Most countrysides in Japan have older population and those people are really lonely. New blood makes their life a little bit brighter, so in most cases they are welcoming to foreigners even though in the big cities you will have a lot of problems trying to find an apartment as a foreigner. And it's so refreshing when a person, no matter in which country they live, tries to socialize with people in the village.
@@icze4r As someone who grew up a good hour's drive from a city, getting to know your local community and neighbors is a necessity, because when natural disasters occur (not if but when) emergency services will be hours or sometimes days away (20 days of no power or road access after a wind storm for example). Your neighbors are nearby, just minutes away and developing rapport and mutual trust is a matter of life or death. Unlike a city though, there is more space, you don't have to see or talk to your neighbors every day, but the idea of moving to the countryside to never talk to anyone is a fantasy born of city-slickers and those sorts of people are caustic when they move to small communities and will turn a high trust safe community into a low trust dangerous community and bring many of the problems of the city to the countryside. Develop rapport with your neighbors, make that little sacrifice, and most days you will still have to yourself, the community will remain intact, and you will have options when disaster strikes.
There is no socialization anymore, barely. Most people talk about their appliances and cars and jobs even women now have no soul anymore. I tried to socialize in the country where I live and we get along pretty well with a few people but it's not like a community. I'm sure Japan is different though.
This is an interesting opinion. Introverts and introvert creatives all around the world might disagree. It depends on your personality type , cultural upbringing and work/life balance ethic.
I was all in until the centipedes and the bath prep lol. Thank you for sharing a glimpse into this very fascinating way of life. The landscape is lovely.
I loved the geckos, frogs, lizards etc but i'm deathly terrifies of centipedes. Spiders are scary, but I could probably get used to them, but I could never adapt to the centipedes. The giant hornets they get over there in summer is also a huge nope. I love Japan and have been several times, and hope to go again in the future, but I avoid summer like the plague XD
Those uber-leg centipedes are far worse tbh. And poisonous centipedes IN YOUR BED? I'll enjoy the japanese countryside from the comfort of my computer screen.
Wow!! It would be really cool if you show us one whole tour of the town, like showing post office, library, public bath. Or maybe another video of just a day in life (showing what you do on any random day)
I reside in a tropical country so the we live with critters all year long, i'm so used to them and i appreciate their importance, gecko help the home to be insect free, the bigger spider preys on cockroach, i once saw a big spider carrying a cockroach and even gave the spider the thumbs up for a job well done haha.
@@PeglegkickboxerI grew up in Florida. I'm aware of how important bugs & such are to our environment. I can do all lizards, frogs, toads, etc. I can do almost all 6-legged bugs, and just now I'm even okay with 8-legged ones as long as they aren't the size of my hand (huntsman spiders, I'm looking at you). I can even do small 'pedes! All of that being said, I would scream bloody murder the first 100 times I laid eyes the long-legged bugger from this video!! ::shudder::
As a fellow Vancouverite now in rural Hokkaido, your videos really reflect our own experience living in rural Japan. We also miss our hometown foods. We make it out to the big city, Sapporo, once every few months to stock up on some goodies like North American potato chips, and Costco multigrain bread and roasted chicken never tasted so good, haha. We've been baking, gardening, building, renovating (despite the attempt at peaceful coexistence we had to get rid of the carpenter ants) ... It's often been challenging for us but been wonderful for our two small kids. There's so much kindness and community around them, surrounded by pristine nature. We're swimming at the local lake many times a week over the summer. They do all the wholesome stuff we would used to do as kids growing up in the 1980s, things we couldn't even find anymore in the west.
I agree with everything you have said about living with nature. Having all those creatures around is a sign of a healthy environment too. I think just showing us your daily life experiences is fine. Your drive to town, a walk down your local street or any natural lovely views in your area would all be nice to see. I have always been fascinated by Japan but have had enough of the big city and tourist videos. The natural beauty and countryside of Japan and how you live there is what I would most appreciate to see. Thank you.
I am deeply fascinated by the sense of community and presence that can be discovered in the countryside of Japan. It's those creepy critters that get me every single time! I couldn't keep my eyes on the screen when the centipede showed up..I have a long way to go before I can survive out there. : /
Blacks are despised in Asia. Stay away. How someone can be so shameless when they know they are not liked by the folks. And yet they keep on coming to Asia and marry Asian girls using the influence and taking advantage of their innate kindness. Asian men won't even look at Black women as they are ugly, lack manners and have zero culture. Don't even try to use notion of racism or xenophobia here. Asia is no America or Africa. Live and let the other live in peace.
I dislike spiders and other creepy crawlies, but they are part of nature and often help to keep the destructive pests in balance. I'm in the UK so we don't have anything that can kill you, but I do try to have a "we'll just ignore each other" policy for anything that is around😄
I am sure that the Sunrises and the Sunsets must be amazing. And your comment on turning off the outdoor lights just to gaze at the night sky must be so beautiful. I'm in the Pacific Northwest about 15 minutes from town. Lots of trees and local animals, which adds a character to the landscape. So I understand how some of the "Locals" might try your patience, but I like to think they are there for a reason. So Best of Luck to you two and Thanks for sharing.
I love watching your videos! When I first saw the footage of spiders and centipedes in one of your older videos, my first thought was “alright how are they gonna kill all of them”. But seeing you adapt to and coexist with the wildlife, instead of trying to find a way to keep them out, is something I never EVER would have expected. And I think it’s beautiful! Seeing you get over your fear of the critters gives me hope that I could do that, were I to live on the countryside ❤ much love from Texas!
Thank you for not hurting the little creatures. I plant flowers and vegetables in my garden to feed the little insects cause so many of the poor things are killed by people using pesticides
something i'd love to see in a future video is a walking tour of the surrounding area, both natural and built. I think that'd be really nice :) Love your videos!
I would love to see what other hobbies you have taken up since moving here. I know you have taken up gardening but have you picked up anything else like playing any games with your neighbors, playing an instrument, anything else that the locals like to get together and do. And are there any social events that the island has that you have done or been to that you have enjoyed. I also am curious about what you both do for work, I don't think you should go into specifics but it would be neat to know if you work on the island or something where you have a remote job or travel for your jobs. I also think it would be cool to go into what it roughly costs weekly to live the way you do and compare it to the US/canadian dollar and how different it is from Canada's prices that you experienced before previously. I'm also curious what your cleaning routine is and would love to see you showcase what and how you use it to clean different parts if your home.
I just started watching your videos and really enjoyed them, the countryside is absolutely beautiful but I could not get used to the bugs especially the spiders!!!!!!!! But I’m jealous how determined you guys are to make this place yours and how nice it would be if all neighbors would be so helpful and kind to help out this is rare. Can’t wait until the next video and I like all content from you guys, oh hello from Oklahoma in the USA 🇺🇸
Thank you so much for this. A country kid, stranded in a big city by a perfect storm, I miss the sounds of nature, gekkos, frogs, the wind, the rain. Thank you.💕💕💕😥
The fact that you touched that spider at 6:12 just sent me flying to the moon 😩😩😩😩 I will forever enjoy Japan’s countryside within Studio Ghibli’s ‘My Neighbor Totoro’.
Thank you for giving us a glimpse into your daily life. It is inspiring to me and I too love the simpler way of life with nature. Can you tell us what made you decide to come to live in the countryside of Japan and how long do you plan to remain there? How do you earn an income to support your expenses? Are you working remotely? Thank you and please continue to share more of your daily country life so full of nature.
Living close to nature is so rewarding. I did it for a long time in VA and had so many animals around. I had skunks and all sorts I would feed. Even bears would show up on my land. You have such nice views near you I bet you feel so blessed to be there. Thanks for uploading a vid showing this.
Word of advice when dealing with creepy crawlers mint and/or lavender keeps them at bay quite well. Moresover, for japan id go with either peppermint or catnip (yes, catnip is part of the mint family).
I've started realizing this dream in a much smaller scale in one of the burbs outside Chicago. I've got about an acre of land that I still need to work 50 hours a week to pay for, but have started gardening extensively in my off time - should have plenty of peppers, tomatoes and herbs this year. The satisfaction of enjoying a beer while examining the fruits of your labor (and the playful noises of rescue pups) can't be beat. Makes all the BS of the modern urban dystopia disappear, even if only momentarily. If you're watching this video and wishing for a similar life, just know that it IS within reach and can do so much for your mental health.
seeing the neighbors houses and yards would be nice. always great to see different types of buildings. but i'll watch anything your adding, and enjoy it
damnn what a peaceful life, i wish i had a courage to do something like that and escape from my 9-5 job. i know its a hard ride and wont be easy. hats off to both of u
Topics that I'd like explored are maybe something that is generally taken for granted. Topic 1: Showing us the different types of shrines and local culture around the area could be super cool. Shrine highlights, and some background on their history, and how they inform the local culture of Shikoku. Do any of the farmers have specific shrines they pray at to ensure good harvests, etc. Topic 2: Showcasing Shikoku as an area to visit, and giving a foreign audience who's on the fence about visiting, the good the bad and the ugly for what navigating through Shikoku might require. E.g. - how's train accessibility? Is a car rental mandatory. Can you get by without Japanese? Etc. Just my 2 cents, please reach out if you'd like any other ideas :)
The frogs and geckos are the best part! Incredible, it's so alive where you live! You're really putting yourselves out there and becoming a part of your community too! Thanks for sharing these moments with us, I look forward to more.
You are living the absolute dream. So much land and so much freedom to explore. Thank you for treating the creatures that were there before us so kindly. They deserve this level of respect 🫶🏽 I wish to experience a lifestyle similar to y’all’s one day 🥹
This was great! You've really upped your game so to speak as I only imagine the work needed for editing the various scenes of your daily life plus the light-hearted background music. I laughed aloud when you mention making bread and cheese. After 7 weeks living in Hokkaido, I'm missing cheddar and whole wheat bread from Canada as well.
Thank you for sharing your countryside experience with us. Watching your vlogs/video's is like distilling Japanese "slice of life" into a very relaxing and consumable form. The small pleasures you experience and share with your narrating makes it so comforting and homely. I look forward to seeing what you have in store next for us. ☺
I love seeing collages and timelapse’s of your everyday life, cooking and working in nature. It’s so soothing. The home renovations was also very interesting. :)
Your videos are so heart warming!!! I would love to see more videos of what you eat daily, especially making the best of the produce that you grow with a mix of Japanese and Canadian style of cuisines.
That’s great that you recognize a lot of the scary insects actually help keep the house free of worse buggies. That’s something I had to come to understand during my gardening journey- which insects are good or bad.
Great video! I worked in Ehime Prefecture in the 1980's. It was hella remote back in those days. I had to take a ferry from Kobe to Matsuyama and then train to Iyomishima. I have fond memories of the Summer of 1985. Lots of beer and good food, some beautiful Japanese young ladies too! I always enjoyed living in rural Japan. Enjoy the tranquility. You are blessed.
Much respect to you guys for living without hot water tank, relying on a wood-burning stove and not complaining about it. It must be hard to live that deep in the countryside so I can't help but applaude you for all the efforts you put into your new life. May your choice keep rewarding you and bringing you joy!
Gardener from germany here hi, concerning your fire ressource, consider cultivating the miscanthus plant, it can be cut over the earth and is great and clean for heating. Best thing is the rhizomes regrow in the next year so you can harvest them continous and save a lot of money! dear regards
I forced myself to look at those huntsman spiders because some sort of country life is truly the life for me, but my problem will always be critters 😂😂 spiders are so useful but also so oblivious to boundaries. I love the videos, though. Honestly I'd watch anything. I think a day in your life would be really cool to see, kind of what you all do on your most average day of living in the countryside. Like, what do you plan to do with all of your harvest? Will you be doing any canning and preserves? Or what's life like living so far from clothing and technology? What do you do when you need to buy something other than groceries, such as bedding or otherwise? How do you get your mail and packages? Those are all things I think about when I think about moving far from city conveniences.
I love the green beauty and quietness of the countryside but I could not come to terms with the centipedes and spiders I think 😀 I even run from craneflies....brrrrrrrrr. It's nice to see such a simple and natural way of living although it can be hard. What makes something like this impossible for me is the dependence of the car. I can't drive and I also get nauseous in cars. I would need a place I can reach by train. I'd love to see more of your surroundings, maybe take a few walks and take us with you? The river looks wonderful and perfect for a quick wake-up dip before morning coffee! How is Tom the cat?
I have been planning to make an early retirement anywhere in the countryside of Japan. Your videos helped me realized the things that I should be preparing for. I am so excited to start my own journey too. Oh to be tired physically from housework and gardening and waking up in the morning seeing such beauty to befriending the local grandmas is such a dream! ♥♥
I'd like to see more of your restoration work on the home and how you've adapted your homemaking skills to not having all the creature comforts of a western style kitchen.
I grew up surrounded by nature in Brazil's countryside, but been living a city life in Tokyo since 2018. Just found your channel and really love it! It's nice to get such a fresh and rich perspective of Japan's countryside life. Thank you for sharing :)
Beatiful ! I would like to see more of your work : how you build your everyday life with this new environment. I love your views, the sounds of critters, your cooking and just watching !
Thank you. Its good to know theres at least one place in the world where nature is still strong (?). Houston, Texas was something like that many years ago.
I love watching your videos. Actually, I found your channel from 1 of your IG stories which showed up on my reel feed. Mahalo for sharing your journey.🤙🏼
Thank you for the video. It brings back memories of my childhood. I lived in a countryside of Japan, too. My dad used to burn wood to heat water. Sometimes, he would heat the water excessively, and we had to wait for an extra hour and complained a lot hah. Additionally, there were times when the bathtub became scorching hot, making it impossible to touch. I miss so much that days.
This has become one of my favorite video series on TH-cam, thank you so much for sharing your lives with us. Seeing you connect with your neighbors is truly special.
I grew up in the North Georgia Appalachia in the US and minus the ocean of course, it’s a very similar countryside, I miss all the nature and this looks beautiful and so familiar. Very comforting.
Remember too it being a big planned event to go to the grocery store which was 30mins into town and the movie theatre which was 45mins and the mall was an hour, it was always exciting to go on a Saturday or Sunday weekend trip.
I just love watching your normal life there. You could repeat this same video in 50 ways and I’d love them all. An account of your daily life is all we need. It’s living a dream we don’t get to do. ❤
Huntsman spiders are everywhere here in Australia too and my job is to to catch them and put them outside because my wife and 2 daughters will not got to sleep unless it’s removed. I usually leave them in the house to eat all the little pests,they truly are amazing creatures.
Knowing you do not own your home I hesitated is sending this, but... If you have a wood stove in your home, you might consider researching thermo-siphon hot water systems. I copied a system in the 1970's which worked like a dream. Pipe coils in a wood stove, that you run cold water thru. No pump is needed if it is set up correctly and once water is heated in the wood stove coils, it expands and pushed cold water around. I used an old electric hot water heater tank, I got for free once it stopped producing hot water from electric. I simply used it for storing the hot water after it was heated from wood stove. Cold goes out to the wood stove, stove coils heat water which pushes itself around. You could plumb that tank into your tub. Your videos reflect your personal vibe and environment, slowed down living peaceful couple sharing the love they found in each other with all who come around. Keep it up, your both wonderful. Cheers from Oregon😺
Thankyou for reminding me of insects. I was considering trying the country life in Japan, and have watched a few youtube video's. Yours is the first to bring up this aspect of country life. I would definitely struggle.
I just caught up on all your videos and really like them. It's kind of different from what you've uploaded so far but a longer video just showing the video from your window during a typhoon would be really nice.
Looks like fun! And the preparation makes the bath so much more significant. However, in a pinch I've found heating some water in an electric kettle and adding it to 2-3 gallons of water is enough to get the body squeaky and just-showered feeling! I'm building off grid and plan to make a japanese-style inspired wooden tub which will be filled from a spring and/or rainwater so I can soak
Hello Mikla, you have a very nice channel, I lived in Tosashimizu for 3 years. I farmed Shishito chilles, lots of mushi friends! Your channel is bringing back some lovely memories of the Shimanto river. I would cycle along the river from Nakamura having a bridge jumping session on the hot days. Perfect after a sweaty day at the hatake! Ganbatte!
I'd like to see more about how you make a living in this farm. Many of the watchers live in a different country, like me. Many tips and experiences can inspire us anyway. I bought a piece of land and am planning what I'd like to do there to earn my life. Your videos area amazing, thank you very much. The way you make the videos bought joy to my grey day.
Excellent vid. You have me genuinely interested in what comes next for you two, so ill be around from now on and I look forward to watching your next vids!
I found your channel as coincidence. Your story is quite interesting as foreigner who live in different environment especially live in countryside for any country is not easy life. You have many things to do since you first establish until now. I and other who watching you story like we also learning your experience through your vdo clip looking forward to see you vdo. Have a good life there thanks to sharing.
You two are very brave. I come from a very closed rice farming community in Toyama Prefecture, near the Kurobe Dam. I cannot imagine the reception if I ever went back after so many decades of living abroad and in Tokyo. My own sister who has lived and married locally calls me the 'alien' (in the sense of an outer space creature, rather than 'foreigner').
new subscriber! i just stumbled upon your insta and when I saw you guys had a TH-cam channel, immediately watched everything on here😄you asked what we want to see on here and I would say that I’d love just a simple day in your life💛I’ve been searching for Japan countryside channels on here for so long and im so so excited I found you guys! thank you for making these videos💛💛💛
I live for these types of comments.🥹🥹🥹 Thank you for much for your kind words, and I'll definitely work on a "day in the life" style vlog in the future. ☺️
Looks ideal to me, and I do understand, and even appreciate the challenges as I am living my own version of this in India and Sri Lanka. Thanks for sharing. Very interesting for helping me see my own priorities. What a lovely life you have there. 🌺🌺🌺
Frogs and toads singing in the night is my favorite part of spring/summer. Would love to see more gardening, western to country side lifestyle vids, and more exploring vids!
Thank you for these videos! My wife's parents live in Chiba and I always talk about moving from Los Angeles and buying an abandoned home in Japan. But once I showed her those red headed centipedes in your house, she said NO WAY!
Thank you for sharing us your life style in the country side. I love the way you see things...good relationship with your neighborhoods and the nature is so human. To live in a country side far away from the stress of life is luxury. You are very lucky. Take care 🙏🙏
I keep telling people after living in a house with a big tree outside in Australia that I grew to find huntsmen. They're docile and look like they have cute little mittens on.
Hi all! Thank you all for your wonderful comments so far! Just as a reminder, while I read all your comments, unfortunately, I’m unable to respond to them. To assist you better, I have created an FAQ page that contains the answers to some common questions here: www.maigomika.com/about-me/faq/ Thank you! -Mika
hi mika❤❤❤❤
I love that you connect with your neighbours. The main mistake of people who move to countryside is to live like a recluse. On one hand, yes, it is appealing, as you will be left alone and you can do what you want, but on the other hand - you won't get any help when you need it. Plus, socialisation is key to living in general. Most countrysides in Japan have older population and those people are really lonely. New blood makes their life a little bit brighter, so in most cases they are welcoming to foreigners even though in the big cities you will have a lot of problems trying to find an apartment as a foreigner. And it's so refreshing when a person, no matter in which country they live, tries to socialize with people in the village.
I disagree with everything you said.
@@MyrrdinWylltEmrys Ok?
@@icze4r As someone who grew up a good hour's drive from a city, getting to know your local community and neighbors is a necessity, because when natural disasters occur (not if but when) emergency services will be hours or sometimes days away (20 days of no power or road access after a wind storm for example). Your neighbors are nearby, just minutes away and developing rapport and mutual trust is a matter of life or death. Unlike a city though, there is more space, you don't have to see or talk to your neighbors every day, but the idea of moving to the countryside to never talk to anyone is a fantasy born of city-slickers and those sorts of people are caustic when they move to small communities and will turn a high trust safe community into a low trust dangerous community and bring many of the problems of the city to the countryside. Develop rapport with your neighbors, make that little sacrifice, and most days you will still have to yourself, the community will remain intact, and you will have options when disaster strikes.
There is no socialization anymore, barely. Most people talk about their appliances and cars and jobs even women now have no soul anymore. I tried to socialize in the country where I live and we get along pretty well with a few people but it's not like a community. I'm sure Japan is different though.
This is an interesting opinion. Introverts and introvert creatives all around the world might disagree.
It depends on your personality type , cultural upbringing and work/life balance ethic.
I was all in until the centipedes and the bath prep lol. Thank you for sharing a glimpse into this very fascinating way of life. The landscape is lovely.
Yep, the centipedes were the hard 'nope' for me XD
I loved the geckos, frogs, lizards etc but i'm deathly terrifies of centipedes. Spiders are scary, but I could probably get used to them, but I could never adapt to the centipedes. The giant hornets they get over there in summer is also a huge nope. I love Japan and have been several times, and hope to go again in the future, but I avoid summer like the plague XD
I feel that! The spiders no problem. I could probably even get used to the long bath prep but the centipedes are a firm deal breaker lol.
The spiders in your video just destroyed my dreams of moving to the Japanese countryside 😂
Don't worry. They are not poisonous spiders. They catch cockroaches , eat them. so they are very friendly spiders! (๑╹ω╹๑ )
Unlike their Australian cousins almost all spiders and centipedes you can encounter in Japan are safe
Lol same here! I just got so creeped out watching them and those centipedes, and I grew up in various countries in Africa and S.E Asia!
Those uber-leg centipedes are far worse tbh. And poisonous centipedes IN YOUR BED? I'll enjoy the japanese countryside from the comfort of my computer screen.
Imagine being an adult human and having small insects intimidate you, amazing.
Wow!! It would be really cool if you show us one whole tour of the town, like showing post office, library, public bath. Or maybe another video of just a day in life (showing what you do on any random day)
I reside in a tropical country so the we live with critters all year long, i'm so used to them and i appreciate their importance, gecko help the home to be insect free, the bigger spider preys on cockroach, i once saw a big spider carrying a cockroach and even gave the spider the thumbs up for a job well done haha.
I can deal with huntsman spiders, but centipedes gross me the hell out.
@@PeglegkickboxerI grew up in Florida. I'm aware of how important bugs & such are to our environment. I can do all lizards, frogs, toads, etc. I can do almost all 6-legged bugs, and just now I'm even okay with 8-legged ones as long as they aren't the size of my hand (huntsman spiders, I'm looking at you). I can even do small 'pedes!
All of that being said, I would scream bloody murder the first 100 times I laid eyes the long-legged bugger from this video!! ::shudder::
@@Peglegkickboxer I remember being delighted at finding out there are bugs here who eat spiders but then finding out what they look like lol..
I live in a tropical country and happen to have a fear of a lot of bugs. So that's unfortunate.
HOW COOL IS THAT!? I Live in a subtropical area, and that view of the mountains, and the forest is so similar to the area in which I live.
This was fascinating!!! I love how the critters are just part of your house now and you coexist. Thank you for sharing your life like this!
I lived in Shimanto City for three years pre-Covid and it was amazing. There is a love in my heart for Kochi, it's scenery, it's food and it's people.
Your storytelling is so good, always leaves me wanting more. So glad you started a channel! The lake scene was so cinematic and made me smile😊
As a fellow Vancouverite now in rural Hokkaido, your videos really reflect our own experience living in rural Japan. We also miss our hometown foods. We make it out to the big city, Sapporo, once every few months to stock up on some goodies like North American potato chips, and Costco multigrain bread and roasted chicken never tasted so good, haha. We've been baking, gardening, building, renovating (despite the attempt at peaceful coexistence we had to get rid of the carpenter ants) ...
It's often been challenging for us but been wonderful for our two small kids. There's so much kindness and community around them, surrounded by pristine nature. We're swimming at the local lake many times a week over the summer. They do all the wholesome stuff we would used to do as kids growing up in the 1980s, things we couldn't even find anymore in the west.
"It's not work. It's a way of life" Thank you for the quote of the day.
I agree with everything you have said about living with nature. Having all those creatures around is a sign of a healthy environment too. I think just showing us your daily life experiences is fine. Your drive to town, a walk down your local street or any natural lovely views in your area would all be nice to see. I have always been fascinated by Japan but have had enough of the big city and tourist videos. The natural beauty and countryside of Japan and how you live there is what I would most appreciate to see. Thank you.
I am deeply fascinated by the sense of community and presence that can be discovered in the countryside of Japan. It's those creepy critters that get me every single time! I couldn't keep my eyes on the screen when the centipede showed up..I have a long way to go before I can survive out there. : /
Blacks are despised in Asia. Stay away. How someone can be so shameless when they know they are not liked by the folks. And yet they keep on coming to Asia and marry Asian girls using the influence and taking advantage of their innate kindness. Asian men won't even look at Black women as they are ugly, lack manners and have zero culture. Don't even try to use notion of racism or xenophobia here. Asia is no America or Africa. Live and let the other live in peace.
I dislike spiders and other creepy crawlies, but they are part of nature and often help to keep the destructive pests in balance. I'm in the UK so we don't have anything that can kill you, but I do try to have a "we'll just ignore each other" policy for anything that is around😄
I am sure that the Sunrises and the Sunsets must be amazing. And your comment on turning off the outdoor lights just to gaze at the night sky must be so beautiful.
I'm in the Pacific Northwest about 15 minutes from town. Lots of trees and local animals, which adds a character to the landscape. So I understand how some of the "Locals" might try your patience, but I like to think they are there for a reason.
So Best of Luck to you two and Thanks for sharing.
I love watching your videos! When I first saw the footage of spiders and centipedes in one of your older videos, my first thought was “alright how are they gonna kill all of them”. But seeing you adapt to and coexist with the wildlife, instead of trying to find a way to keep them out, is something I never EVER would have expected. And I think it’s beautiful! Seeing you get over your fear of the critters gives me hope that I could do that, were I to live on the countryside ❤ much love from Texas!
Thank you for not hurting the little creatures. I plant flowers and vegetables in my garden to feed the little insects cause so many of the poor things are killed by people using pesticides
something i'd love to see in a future video is a walking tour of the surrounding area, both natural and built. I think that'd be really nice :) Love your videos!
I would love to see what other hobbies you have taken up since moving here. I know you have taken up gardening but have you picked up anything else like playing any games with your neighbors, playing an instrument, anything else that the locals like to get together and do. And are there any social events that the island has that you have done or been to that you have enjoyed. I also am curious about what you both do for work, I don't think you should go into specifics but it would be neat to know if you work on the island or something where you have a remote job or travel for your jobs. I also think it would be cool to go into what it roughly costs weekly to live the way you do and compare it to the US/canadian dollar and how different it is from Canada's prices that you experienced before previously. I'm also curious what your cleaning routine is and would love to see you showcase what and how you use it to clean different parts if your home.
I just started watching your videos and really enjoyed them, the countryside is absolutely beautiful but I could not get used to the bugs especially the spiders!!!!!!!! But I’m jealous how determined you guys are to make this place yours and how nice it would be if all neighbors would be so helpful and kind to help out this is rare. Can’t wait until the next video and I like all content from you guys, oh hello from Oklahoma in the USA 🇺🇸
Thank you so much for this. A country kid, stranded in a big city by a perfect storm, I miss the sounds of nature, gekkos, frogs, the wind, the rain. Thank you.💕💕💕😥
This has quickly become one of my favourite channels on youtube. Thanks for sharing, looking forward to the next video!
The fact that you touched that spider at 6:12 just sent me flying to the moon 😩😩😩😩 I will forever enjoy Japan’s countryside within Studio Ghibli’s ‘My Neighbor Totoro’.
Thank you for giving us a glimpse into your daily life. It is inspiring to me and I too love the simpler way of life with nature. Can you tell us what made you decide to come to live in the countryside of Japan and how long do you plan to remain there? How do you earn an income to support your expenses? Are you working remotely? Thank you and please continue to share more of your daily country life so full of nature.
Living close to nature is so rewarding. I did it for a long time in VA and had so many animals around. I had skunks and all sorts I would feed. Even bears would show up on my land. You have such nice views near you I bet you feel so blessed to be there. Thanks for uploading a vid showing this.
Word of advice when dealing with creepy crawlers mint and/or lavender keeps them at bay quite well. Moresover, for japan id go with either peppermint or catnip (yes, catnip is part of the mint family).
Japan is a fairy tale for me. Too beautiful and magic to be true!!!
I've started realizing this dream in a much smaller scale in one of the burbs outside Chicago. I've got about an acre of land that I still need to work 50 hours a week to pay for, but have started gardening extensively in my off time - should have plenty of peppers, tomatoes and herbs this year. The satisfaction of enjoying a beer while examining the fruits of your labor (and the playful noises of rescue pups) can't be beat. Makes all the BS of the modern urban dystopia disappear, even if only momentarily. If you're watching this video and wishing for a similar life, just know that it IS within reach and can do so much for your mental health.
What a beautiful life you both have. Thank you for sharing it. 🌻
Thank you for coming and living in my hometown Kochi Prefecture !
seeing the neighbors houses and yards would be nice. always great to see different types of buildings. but i'll watch anything your adding, and enjoy it
damnn what a peaceful life, i wish i had a courage to do something like that and escape from my 9-5 job. i know its a hard ride and wont be easy. hats off to both of u
Watching your vlog was a joy. All the best.
You guys are doing such an amazing job :)) keep up your work! I'm really excited to follow you on your journey
Perhaps you could look into a solar hot water heater? There are many passive and active designs that might help reduce the amount of firewood you use.
Topics that I'd like explored are maybe something that is generally taken for granted.
Topic 1: Showing us the different types of shrines and local culture around the area could be super cool. Shrine highlights, and some background on their history, and how they inform the local culture of Shikoku. Do any of the farmers have specific shrines they pray at to ensure good harvests, etc.
Topic 2: Showcasing Shikoku as an area to visit, and giving a foreign audience who's on the fence about visiting, the good the bad and the ugly for what navigating through Shikoku might require. E.g. - how's train accessibility? Is a car rental mandatory. Can you get by without Japanese? Etc.
Just my 2 cents, please reach out if you'd like any other ideas :)
The frogs and geckos are the best part! Incredible, it's so alive where you live! You're really putting yourselves out there and becoming a part of your community too! Thanks for sharing these moments with us, I look forward to more.
Gecko poo is yucky
May i ask what the WIFI situation is like? Are you able to get internet at your home?
Much appreciated! Keep up the awesome content. :)
likely fiber optic there.
You are living the absolute dream. So much land and so much freedom to explore. Thank you for treating the creatures that were there before us so kindly. They deserve this level of respect 🫶🏽 I wish to experience a lifestyle similar to y’all’s one day 🥹
One day I want to go to a place like this and live a life like this 😊 but without the spiders 😖
This was great! You've really upped your game so to speak as I only imagine the work needed for editing the various scenes of your daily life plus the light-hearted background music. I laughed aloud when you mention making bread and cheese. After 7 weeks living in Hokkaido, I'm missing cheddar and whole wheat bread from Canada as well.
Thank you for sharing your countryside experience with us.
Watching your vlogs/video's is like distilling Japanese "slice of life" into a very relaxing and consumable form.
The small pleasures you experience and share with your narrating makes it so comforting and homely.
I look forward to seeing what you have in store next for us. ☺
I love seeing collages and timelapse’s of your everyday life, cooking and working in nature. It’s so soothing. The home renovations was also very interesting. :)
Your videos are so heart warming!!!
I would love to see more videos of what you eat daily, especially making the best of the produce that you grow with a mix of Japanese and Canadian style of cuisines.
That’s great that you recognize a lot of the scary insects actually help keep the house free of worse buggies. That’s something I had to come to understand during my gardening journey- which insects are good or bad.
Great video! I worked in Ehime Prefecture in the 1980's. It was hella remote back in those days. I had to take a ferry from Kobe to Matsuyama and then train to Iyomishima. I have fond memories of the Summer of 1985. Lots of beer and good food, some beautiful Japanese young ladies too! I always enjoyed living in rural Japan. Enjoy the tranquility. You are blessed.
Much respect to you guys for living without hot water tank, relying on a wood-burning stove and not complaining about it. It must be hard to live that deep in the countryside so I can't help but applaude you for all the efforts you put into your new life. May your choice keep rewarding you and bringing you joy!
Gardener from germany here hi,
concerning your fire ressource, consider cultivating the miscanthus plant, it can be cut over the earth and is great and clean for heating. Best thing is the rhizomes regrow in the next year so you can harvest them continous and save a lot of money!
dear regards
Thank you. I love the harmony you found with nature in nature. Your homemade bread and grilled cheese sandwich looked great. Wishing you all the best.
I forced myself to look at those huntsman spiders because some sort of country life is truly the life for me, but my problem will always be critters 😂😂 spiders are so useful but also so oblivious to boundaries. I love the videos, though. Honestly I'd watch anything. I think a day in your life would be really cool to see, kind of what you all do on your most average day of living in the countryside. Like, what do you plan to do with all of your harvest? Will you be doing any canning and preserves? Or what's life like living so far from clothing and technology? What do you do when you need to buy something other than groceries, such as bedding or otherwise? How do you get your mail and packages? Those are all things I think about when I think about moving far from city conveniences.
I love the green beauty and quietness of the countryside but I could not come to terms with the centipedes and spiders I think 😀 I even run from craneflies....brrrrrrrrr. It's nice to see such a simple and natural way of living although it can be hard. What makes something like this impossible for me is the dependence of the car. I can't drive and I also get nauseous in cars. I would need a place I can reach by train. I'd love to see more of your surroundings, maybe take a few walks and take us with you? The river looks wonderful and perfect for a quick wake-up dip before morning coffee! How is Tom the cat?
I have been planning to make an early retirement anywhere in the countryside of Japan. Your videos helped me realized the things that I should be preparing for. I am so excited to start my own journey too. Oh to be tired physically from housework and gardening and waking up in the morning seeing such beauty to befriending the local grandmas is such a dream! ♥♥
I'd like to see more of your restoration work on the home and how you've adapted your homemaking skills to not having all the creature comforts of a western style kitchen.
"A day in the life" This type of video, one filmed from start to finish, would give an inside that would intrigue many!
Love this!!! The only thing I think that would make me go crazy is preparing the bath. Two hours 😅😅
I grew up surrounded by nature in Brazil's countryside, but been living a city life in Tokyo since 2018. Just found your channel and really love it! It's nice to get such a fresh and rich perspective of Japan's countryside life. Thank you for sharing :)
Beatiful ! I would like to see more of your work : how you build your everyday life with this new environment. I love your views, the sounds of critters, your cooking and just watching !
Thank you so much! Will do 👍
Thank you. Its good to know theres at least one place in the
world where nature is still strong (?). Houston, Texas was something like that many years ago.
I love watching your videos. Actually, I found your channel from 1 of your IG stories which showed up on my reel feed. Mahalo for sharing your journey.🤙🏼
TH-cam recommends are wild. Glad to have fallen into this rabbit hole. Looks amazing, just seems like I don't have that mindset yet to live like this.
Preparing lumber takes a while, I would recommend starting drying wood as soon as possible, as it can take months/years to properly dry wood.
I’d love to see videos of what you eat in a week, what a typical day living there looks like, a hike or adventure that you take 😊
Noted!
Thanks for sharing this with us, simple pleasures are the best.
Thank you for the video. It brings back memories of my childhood. I lived in a countryside of Japan, too. My dad used to burn wood to heat water. Sometimes, he would heat the water excessively, and we had to wait for an extra hour and complained a lot hah. Additionally, there were times when the bathtub became scorching hot, making it impossible to touch. I miss so much that days.
Hahaha that sounds familiar 🤣
the cinematography is sooooo goood i love your videos!
Oh my Shikoku is really far and truly the countryside. It’s certainly beautiful and has that untouched nature feel.
I've devoured these videos in one sitting - cant wait for more!
Haha thank you 😚 More coming you way.
This has become one of my favorite video series on TH-cam, thank you so much for sharing your lives with us. Seeing you connect with your neighbors is truly special.
Wow, thank you! 😚
I grew up in the North Georgia Appalachia in the US and minus the ocean of course, it’s a very similar countryside, I miss all the nature and this looks beautiful and so familiar. Very comforting.
Remember too it being a big planned event to go to the grocery store which was 30mins into town and the movie theatre which was 45mins and the mall was an hour, it was always exciting to go on a Saturday or Sunday weekend trip.
Thank You for Sharing Your life! It is a wonderful way to slowly wake up, as I enjoy my Morning Coffee! -- Stay Safe and Stay Wonderful!
I just love watching your normal life there. You could repeat this same video in 50 ways and I’d love them all. An account of your daily life is all we need. It’s living a dream we don’t get to do. ❤
Holy crap, no way I could live there with that many creepy crawlies!!! I'd be bug bombing the house every day!!!
Huntsman spiders are everywhere here in Australia too and my job is to to catch them and put them outside because my wife and 2 daughters will not got to sleep unless it’s removed. I usually leave them in the house to eat all the little pests,they truly are amazing creatures.
Knowing you do not own your home I hesitated is sending this, but...
If you have a wood stove in your home, you might consider researching thermo-siphon hot water systems.
I copied a system in the 1970's which worked like a dream. Pipe coils in a wood stove, that you run cold water thru.
No pump is needed if it is set up correctly and once water is heated in the wood stove coils, it expands and pushed cold water around. I used an old electric hot water heater tank, I got for free once it stopped
producing hot water from electric. I simply used it for storing the hot water after it was heated from wood stove. Cold goes out to the wood stove, stove coils heat water which pushes itself around.
You could plumb that tank into your tub. Your videos reflect your personal vibe and environment, slowed down living peaceful couple sharing the love they found in each other with all who come around. Keep it up, your both wonderful. Cheers from Oregon😺
Thankyou for reminding me of insects. I was considering trying the country life in Japan, and have watched a few youtube video's. Yours is the first to bring up this aspect of country life. I would definitely struggle.
I just caught up on all your videos and really like them. It's kind of different from what you've uploaded so far but a longer video just showing the video from your window during a typhoon would be really nice.
Looks like fun! And the preparation makes the bath so much more significant. However, in a pinch I've found heating some water in an electric kettle and adding it to 2-3 gallons of water is enough to get the body squeaky and just-showered feeling! I'm building off grid and plan to make a japanese-style inspired wooden tub which will be filled from a spring and/or rainwater so I can soak
Hello Mikla, you have a very nice channel, I lived in Tosashimizu for 3 years. I farmed Shishito chilles, lots of mushi friends! Your channel is bringing back some lovely memories of the Shimanto river. I would cycle along the river from Nakamura having a bridge jumping session on the hot days. Perfect after a sweaty day at the hatake!
Ganbatte!
I'd like to see more about how you make a living in this farm. Many of the watchers live in a different country, like me. Many tips and experiences can inspire us anyway. I bought a piece of land and am planning what I'd like to do there to earn my life. Your videos area amazing, thank you very much. The way you make the videos bought joy to my grey day.
Such a charming video ❤
I can hear the same frog sounds from my room in Sendai. They just came back some days ago, announcing the end of spring.
Thanks for the video. I enjoyed having a peek at your life.
"It's a way of life!" I enjoyed every second of your video.
Excellent vid. You have me genuinely interested in what comes next for you two, so ill be around from now on and I look forward to watching your next vids!
I found your channel as coincidence. Your story is quite interesting as foreigner who live in different environment especially live in countryside for any country is not easy life. You have many things to do since you first establish until now. I and other who watching you story like we also learning your experience through your vdo clip looking forward to see you vdo. Have a good life there thanks to sharing.
Wow what a lovely looking town with lovely scenery. The creepy creatures are a bit scary. A tour of the township would be great.
You two are very brave. I come from a very closed rice farming community in Toyama Prefecture, near the Kurobe Dam. I cannot imagine the reception if I ever went back after so many decades of living abroad and in Tokyo. My own sister who has lived and married locally calls me the 'alien' (in the sense of an outer space creature, rather than 'foreigner').
new subscriber! i just stumbled upon your insta and when I saw you guys had a TH-cam channel, immediately watched everything on here😄you asked what we want to see on here and I would say that I’d love just a simple day in your life💛I’ve been searching for Japan countryside channels on here for so long and im so so excited I found you guys! thank you for making these videos💛💛💛
I live for these types of comments.🥹🥹🥹 Thank you for much for your kind words, and I'll definitely work on a "day in the life" style vlog in the future. ☺️
Looks ideal to me, and I do understand, and even appreciate the challenges as I am living my own version of this in India and Sri Lanka. Thanks for sharing. Very interesting for helping me see my own priorities. What a lovely life you have there. 🌺🌺🌺
The wildlife is part of the joy of country life.
Frogs and toads singing in the night is my favorite part of spring/summer.
Would love to see more gardening, western to country side lifestyle vids, and more exploring vids!
Noted!
Your video series is a treasure and I am so grateful that you are sharing such a candid point of view. Please keep the material going
Ahh, so nice! Thank you so much for sharing these videos. Someday ...
One of the things I miss most about Japan is the sound of the frogs in June
Thank you for these videos! My wife's parents live in Chiba and I always talk about moving from Los Angeles and buying an abandoned home in Japan. But once I showed her those red headed centipedes in your house, she said NO WAY!
that's too bad 🤣😅🙇♀️
Your content is genuine and entertaining, a great recipe for success. Take us on a hike of the countryside and show us some canyons.
Thank you for sharing us your life style in the country side. I love the way you see things...good relationship with your neighborhoods and the nature is so human. To live in a country side far away from the stress of life is luxury. You are very lucky. Take care 🙏🙏
I keep telling people after living in a house with a big tree outside in Australia that I grew to find huntsmen. They're docile and look like they have cute little mittens on.
I used to love going swimming in the river beside my school in Kobe. So cold!!
In a pinch, you could get a propane tank and a weed burner, stick the weed burner in the fireplace. It will warm it up quickly.
Thank you for your channel. Such a beautiful place!