How Did I End Up Tokyo’s Biggest Seller of British Cheese? 🇯🇵 NEXT on Abroad in Japan

While I avoid Facebook these days now that it seems to exclusively exist as a homepage feed littered with AI generated artwork, I’m reminded that once upon a time it was useful.

Today, this photo popped up from 13 years ago (above).

There I am, hunched over a desk like Gollum doing a dissertation, surrounded by energy drinks, chocolate, crisps, and most bizarrely, a candle (what can I say, the scent of cinnamon once calmed me).

I was revising for my final university exams, because although I was already lucky enough to secure a place on the JET Programme, I still needed the precious degree to officially qualify. A rather cruel technicality!

To this day, I have no idea what I was actually studying. Probably something to do with English linguistics. I wish I could reach through the photo and tell that past version of me: “It’ll be alright. One day, you’ll be equally stressed, but this time over far more interesting things like volcanoes, books, and running a bar full of cheese.”

Because here we are, 13 years later, and May has once again become my annual Month of Doom. Last year, we had almost no videos in May thanks to the Cyclethon, followed by an explosion of content in June. And this year? Well, the pattern continues.

So, what the dickens is going on off camera? Let me reveal all.


📘 Book #2:
If my 21 year old self thought the exam was stressful, my 35 year old self is currently battling a book publisher’s deadline.

I’m currently deep in writing a second book, this time  about travelling off the beaten path in Japan and shining a spotlight on unexplored regions from Tohoku to Shikoku to Kyushu and Hokkaido. I’m having a lot of fun with it as it’s a cross between a guide and a collection of short stories, with the perfect title to match.

That being said, it’s been significantly harder to write, mostly because this time I actually have to do research and reading for it. If all goes well, the book will be finished by summer and released next year. If it doesn’t, I’ll vanish into the woods of rural Yamaguchi and live off moss.

I always suspected I had two books in me, and I’m now confident that after this one, it’ll take a full decade and possibly a midlife crisis before I attempt another. So it has to be good.

The Abroad in Japan book continues to go from strength to strength too - just yesterday I received a copy of the German edition of the book which recently peaked at #12 in Germany’s non-fiction charts. It’s crazy stuff and thank you to German readers/viewers here on Patreon that grabbed a copy! I’ve no doubt the follow up will get the faithful German translation it deserves as well. (It’s also releasing in Spanish in the not too distant future too!)

🌋 The Volcano Documentary:
Having wrapped filming just before the Cyclethon, the team has been editing our next documentary on Japan’s deadliest volcanoes. It’s been months in the making, shot across three locations, and it’s purely a passion project, entirely funded by you guys here on Patreon.

Amidst a country battling earthquakes and tsunamis, volcanoes often go under the radar, and yet they threaten communities and cities across the country. Coming from the UK where our greatest threat is poor political decisions, it’s sobering to stand in the shadow of a sleeping monster. And all the more impressive chatting with the locals who live nearby these ticking time bombs.

Right now we’re scheduled to launch in June and it should be a fascinating episode that I can’t wait to share with you all. Thank you for making it possible!

🍸 LOST Bar — 6-Month Update
So many viewers have been requesting an update on LOST Bar.

Yes, it still exists. Yes, we still serve cocktails. And somehow, we’re now the biggest dispensary of British cheese in Tokyo. I’m not entirely sure what that says about the city… or us… but I’m calling it a victory. Every week we sell about 60 blocks of 500g of mature cheese!

A video will be dropping later this month (likely on the Chris Abroad channel) sharing what’s really been going on behind the scenes. Spoiler: running a bar in Japan is anything but dull!


🗼 Tokyo Travel Guide (feat. Natsuki)
This week, Natsuki’s in town and we’re embarking on our most ambitious mission yet — filming what may well become the definitive travel guide to Tokyo. And not just the “here’s Shibuya Crossing, isn’t it mad” kind. We’re talking every corner of the world’s biggest city, from glitzy skyscrapers to noodle shops hidden in basements that smell faintly of socks and miso.

We hope this video will help travellers see the real Tokyo, beyond the usual sushi conveyor belts and robot cafes, and into the side streets, back alleys, and glorious weirdness that make the city truly unforgettable.

Wish us luck on the shoot!

🥪 All the Sandwiches in Japan
In a moment of weakness, I let Connor talk me into filming a video where we attempt to eat every sandwich in Japan. And I don’t mean the nice café ones with sourdough and smugness. I mean every plastic-wrapped, convenience store monstrosity we could get our hands on.

What began as a light-hearted food adventure quickly descended into a mayonnaise-soaked fever dream. I now flinch at the sight of Lawson’s egg salad like a man haunted by war.

The video will drop on CDawgVA in the weeks ahead. Watch it so my suffering wasn’t in vain.
📽️ 13 Years on YouTube — A Retrospective
And finally, I’m working on a more personal video looking back on 13 years of life on YouTube. I’ve felt more self reflective than usual recently, I think brought on by turning 35. But the video is part therapy session about the lessons I’ve learned, and part reflection on the many mistakes I’ve made along the way.

There’s plenty I’ve never shared, and this video is my attempt to look back with a mix of honesty, sarcasm, and just enough dignity to avoid a full emotional breakdown on camera.

So the pressure is very much still on. But at least this time it’s self-inflicted, slightly more meaningful, and involves fewer exams and more volcanoes.

For now guys, I hope you're having a great Thursday! Get ready for things to kick off in the weeks ahead.

Best,
Chris