ONLY in JAPAN

Last Day on Aogashima!

It's hard not to love this island! I've made a video answering your questions from the last post and will upload it tonight. Thank you all for an amazing trip, making it possible! I hope you'll love this episode. Still a couple more scenes to take (the final comment) but it's been such an adventure. A typhoon is headed this way so I'm flying back via Helicopter tomorrow night and taking the boat back to Tokyo the next morning.

Q&A from AOGASHIMA (July 2017)

I can't do a live Q&A but I can answer your questions and upload a video from Aogashima! Please keep it simple and ask just 1 :) and I'll answer as many as I can!
THANK YOU ALL for the support. I'm here on this island because of you and I can't thank you enough. The episode about this island 🌴 is made possible with Patreon! (Photo: drone shot of an interview I did with the nurse on the island. One doc, one nurse! Can you see us down there?)

John on NHK World's Journeys in Japan

The episode I shot with NHK World last month will be broadcasted today, 5-6 times every 4 hours. I loved spending a week at DAISEN in Tottori Prefecture for this. I hope you enjoy it too.
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/tv/journeys/journey_20170718.html
I'll be on demand after the worldwide broadcast.

Half a million!

While I've been running around filming, editing, planning and packing / unpacking (with a little sleep here and there) the channel quietly passed 500,000 subscribers!
A Japanese viewers sent me a screenshot.
I'm on the subway now to Roppongi to film some burgers for OIJ. Tokyo is like a sauna!! Stay cool everyone and THANK YOU for the support. -- I've been quiet lately but will be doing another Q&A tomorrow :)

Osaka

Live streams from Osaka!

Just a quick note that I have to travel to Osaka for a quick trip and will try to do a couple of live streams -- with KEVIN RILEY, the man, the legend. hahaha
I'm meeting him at 11:30 then it's GO! (That means the ONLY in JAPAN GO channel.) I'll post links here if you want to watch :)
PS: next episode is EDAMAME FARM then MANGA! The Shonen Jump Series. See you tomorrow! -John

Live on a motor bike

Peter's back and he brought his motorbike / scooter for a ride to Omotesando! 

Thanks to your support, I'm going HERE! (Aogashima)

• Thank you all for the continued support for the last few months. Because of it, I am making my first Patreon sponsored trip this month to -- AOGASHIMA!! It's a place no YouTuber has gone yet because of the distance and expenses. It requires a helicopter ride! Population: 160  
  I will be here for almost 10 days making a story for ONLY in JAPAN. It's all because of the support here and I can best thank you with an amazing episode and loads of stories. I think I can post photos but...
  2017-07-06 07:20:06 +0000 UTC View Post

Patreon Q&A live stream (July 2017)

Live stream for Patreon supports! Samurai level supporters can call in via SKYPE. Let's get this party going!

LIVE Patreon Q&A July 6th 10:30am JST

I'll be streaming a live Patreon only Q&A episode for supporters at the SAMURAI LEVEL on THURSDAY JULY 6th @ 10:30am Japan time.
Please ask any questions below in the comment section here too! I'll start with these and if you miss the live stream, it will be in the video!
If you're a DAIMYO level supporter, a video for you is coming this week as well as a monthly gift from an area of Japan which I'll announce on Thursday :)
THANK YOU FOR THE SUPPORT and can't wait to talk with yo...

Inside Kyoto's Japanese Style Starbucks

It seems everyone stops into a Starbucks when visiting Japan. It may be for the coffee (by the way, convenient stores have fresh grinder coffee machines for ¥100 / $1) or it may be for their amazing designs like this new Starbucks at NINENZAKA in Kyoto's Higashiyama District. Just a few year ago, it would have been IMPOSSIBLE for a foreign chain to own property here. Today, Starbucks is one of the first and they've gone to extreme lengths to make it fit in. A lot of respect to Starbucks for the...

Shinkansen from Subway to Seat

I was planning to go to Kyoto and before I arrived at Tokyo Station I said to myself why not live stream it? I spent about 3 minutes planning an episode in my mind -- I'll leave the Marunouchi Line's Tokyo Station and take viewers on a ride from ticket vending machine to bento store to the train ... would it be interesting? I really didn't know but that's not a reason NOT to do it. Making content never ensures a hit. With YouTube, it's hard to know what people will enjoy. Videos I spend days (we...

Postcard Reward ٩( ᐛ )و Last Day

Today is the final day for the postcard reward :) everyone who's above $10 (please add in your address) will be sent a MISSION COMPLETE postcard which will be sent before July 4th! It was originally available to backers on the Hitchhiking Japan Kickstarter page and I printed some more for Patreon. THANK YOU EVERYONE for your support! John in Kyoto

Tokyo Station🗼to the Shinkansen 🚅

Live stream from the Tokyo Subway to the JR ticket vending machine to the bento shop 🍱 to the train platform and ON TO THE SHINKANSEN! Oh, we also unbox that ekiben

From Kyoto! Live stream for Patreon supporters on Friday, June 30th.

I'll be traveling to Kyoto for a day and will be live for a special Patreon only stream for SAMURAI & DAIMYO level supporters. Ask me anything about Kyoto FROM KYOTO!

ONLY in JAPAN on The List

So, I got this call last week to help out a TV show in the US called The List. They wanted a vending machine specialist. That's what they got. lol I guess it was broadcasted nationwide recently but we also get to watch it here :)

THANK YOU (☝︎ ՞ਊ ՞)☝︎

GREETINGS FROM TOKYO!
Thank you everyone for the support here.
Next month I'm going to announce a trip I'm making that's paid for with the support here.
I am SO EXCITED about this upcoming trip and episode too. One of the toughest places to get to as well so requires 10 days of my time to shoot it.
Once again, everyone who supports with $10+ this month will get a postcard on July 1st :) *Daimyo level patrons have been sent one yesterday.

Patreon Live Q&A JUNE 22 @ 10:00am JST

Hi everyone! It's time for another call in Q&A where I answer any and all questions about Japan, the show, travel, life etc.
I'll keep it to about 30 minutes from 10-10:30am and I'm happy to have people calling in :)

Live in Akihabara with CAKE

Want some "cake"?

Live stream live!

ONLY in JAPAN GO live stream!

I'm on my way to Akihabara now. It's the start of the rainy season but the weather is okay so far.
I will be live streaming a few shows on OIJ GO the next 3 days. Please make sure notifications are on (click the bell next to the subscriber button) and I'll try to link the stream feed to Patreon so you don't miss them. THANK YOU everyone! https://www.youtube.com/c/onlyinjapango

Japan's Rice Terraces from Above

Here's my second drone live stream over the rice paddies at the base of Mt Daisen. I was taking footage for the Journeys in Japan episode I'm reporting on and also live streamed it. Mt Daisen is called the Mt Fuji of the West because ... it looks really the same. It's 1700m high and you can get there by plane from Tokyo to YONAGO airport of with the JR SUNRISE IZUMO over train which I took a couple of years ago for the show.

Live from Mt Daisen!

For Patreons from Tottori Prefecture :)

Live stream in 10 minutes!

Sorry for the late notification but I'll be online SKYPE to take any calls in 10 minutes, 07:35 japan time.
Just wanted to say a quick hi from Tottori.

Japanese Mountain Coffee House

This coffee house is on the road towards the summit of Mt Daisen in Tottori prefecture. There's something special about leaving the cities and known areas and heading for new places with few foreign tourists. It feels like a more authentic experience instead of a tourist spot. This place is quiet with light background music, views at a counter overlooking a garden. Sure beats Starbucks!

LIVE Q&A from Tottori Prefecture!

I'll be doing a PATREON live stream from Tottori Prefecture on Monday morning 6/5 (Japan Time) and taking a few calls from SKYPE. Patreons at the $5 level have access to my SKYPE call-in info. I appreciate your support and will be here to answer all your questions! Please check back for exact time.

I'll be sending the DAIMYO level rewards on 6/5!
PS: I'm really enjoying my time here. Loads of nature, blue skies and fresh air, amazing food and friendly people. Nothing beats a small to...

Daisen G Beer, craft beer with mountain power!

I got a chance to meet with brew chief Iwata-san and drink straight from the the beer tanks! (I may or may not have been a little tipsy filming most of today ;)

Incredible! THANK YOU!

Thank you all for supporting and YES, we made the goal of $1000 together. I'm humbled by it and so thankful to have the independence to focus on OIJ & OIJ GO and keep charging ahead searching for unique aspect of this amazing country.
You are very important to me so please write anytime you have something on your mind. That's what we are, a community.
Last night, I had an extended phone call with Lance from California and we both learned a lot from each other. He's going to try to re...

Live stream Q&A (May 29 2017)

John me for tonight's live stream

Live Stream on 5/29 @ 8pm

Hi everyone! I'll do a fast (I promise!) live Q&A tomorrow 5/29 at 8pm (Japan Time). You must be at the $5 level to participate. This time gives other time zones a chance to pop in. I will take 3-4 quick Skype video calls (video only) for anyone who asks a question here and is okay with that :) I'm going to try to do it all outside this time. Thank you everyone for the support!! If you can tune in, you'll be able to see the live stream on demand. -John