Hey man, the channel is going to get big if you keep doing what you're doing. You have such a unique concept here presenting some of the lesser-known pieces of weird Japanese culture. Western media often bombards us with "Japan Weird" all the time, but often it's these small, everyday annoyances that everyone can relate to and it sorts of brings us all together.
I really enjoy your style of videos, especially: your calm, informative, and amusing rants; the lack of background music and annoying sound effects; and little-discussed topics. Please keep it coming!
Your choice of words is so excellent! Sometimes you make me laugh to tears! The skeletal victim was so goddamn funny, keep it up I love it so so much!!
Same problem here in South Korea. Umbrellas everywhere. All of them very cheap. My son always forgets to bring one so we have a small closet FULL of cheap vinyl umbrellas just like the ones in Japan. The plastic wrapping on snacks and sweets too. A box of 12 cookies and every single cookie is individually wrapped. And it's not like its a very good or large cookie. They are crappy and tiny. You will probably want to eat at least 2. At least in Japan they are usually very good about litter and recycling. Not so much here in Korea. It could be worse, and it used to be. But there's so much needless littering and improper disposal of garbage.
Japan loves giving you plastic stuff to throw away. I bought a couple stickers, they took them, put them in a paper bag, taped it, then put that in a plastic bag. I had my rucksack ready ... but still, BAGS.
Your channel is just fantastic. There's something so brilliant about the film and narration style. I feel I could watch you talk about almost anything mundane but super niche about Japan. I hope that some of your stuff gets a Japanese cc translation so that it can reach a wider audience.
I don't know how you consistently make such interesting content on such mundane topics. I'm convinced you made some sort of Faustian pact with the kami of entertainment.
This is the kind of content UA-cam was born to host Every upload brings me joy in a way akin to an equivalent exchange, for deep down I am aware this joy is an advance payment, neutralizing the sorrow caused by the future sight of a traffic cone On a more (less?) serious note, I wonder if those umbrellas do not fit in some sort of aesthetic of the impermanence. Like tombstones for the rain showers of bygone days.
Single use umbrellas are such a perfect candidate to use entirely biodegradable materials, or at least not use vinyl. But probably the most effective way to avoid this mess altogether is to force a minimum price for umbrellas that aren't actually designed to be disposable. Then you might end up with maybe 300 yen sustainable umbrellas and regular umbrellas forced to sell at 500 yen. If umbrellas are 5x the price you're a *lot* more likely to buy an umbrella that'll last you 5 times as long.
Maybe. All of Japan has access to Amazon which sells a fantastic umbrella for cheaper than the convenience store ones. It's deep rooted, the disposable plastic stuff, and I don't know where it's best to start.
Loved my time visiting Kyoto, thanks for reminding me! It was raining when I was there, had my raincoat and didn't get to partake in the umbrella economy.
The blind spots of Japanese society are really funny and interesting. It's a wilful ignorance. This is now the second video of yours I've watched and I'm a big fan of the style and content. I think you're destined to find an audience. Subscribed!
I get the rant but UK has its own wrapping plastic problem. It shocked me when I came to live in the UK for the first time. So much waste when going for a shopping run.
When I was in Japan, I bought an umbrella there which I used for most of the trip. At the time I didn't realize that umbrellas are the one thing the Japanese don't seem to mind stealing. So when I left my umbrella in an umbrella stand outside a convenience store, I was surprised to see that it was gone when I returned. A real shame. Do they think of them as so disposable that they believe that whoever they're stealing from won't mind? A real shame too since I was hoping to bring it back home with me. I really liked the transparent look.
If anime is to be believed the thin cheap plastic umbrella is the only thing keeping your average healthy Japanese person from getting horribly sick with the flu because they got wet that one time. Perhaps the random umbrellas left everywhere are a gift for the next poor unfortunate soul who left the house without one.
Yeah, agreed. The plastic situation was something I got quite annoyed about. No way to avoid it. Our AirBnB's trashcan was basically a recursive bag of bags. Individually plastic-wrapped pieces of fruit... which have perfectly capable skins or peels which protect it. It just made me sad. I absolutely love the country, have visited many times, will hopefully visit many more. But I beg of Japan to reduce their plastic consumption. It can not stay.
So what you´re saying is that they should (rre-)distribute UBUs (universal basic umbrellas) among the wet proletariat? In keeping with the Vimes Boots theory of economics, a high quality UBU would reduce both economic unfairness and plastic waste.
The environmentally friendly solution would just be for people to wear coats with hoods instead, but I imagine this would be a tough sell since hooded raincoats don't show up in old Samurai period shows like umbrellas do.
It's not just litter, I have left my wallets/keys/stuff in ramen places, sukias, matsuyas, mcdonalds, izakayas even you name it. It was always stashed away, the delivered to the local koban(police box), lifted of the ground and placed on a easy to see spot and so on. Yet in total I had about 7~10 umbrellas stolen honestly I stopped counting, walk outside famimarkt and it's raining,check the stand, 0 umbrellas. It didn't have that stupid sticker on it it had ACTUAL STICKERS like anime stuff on it and it was just gone. Sure it's just 500 yen but god damn it I am always incredibly mad when it happens.
It's the inverse in Germany, you'll find random trash lying around, but traffic cones and umbrellas are kept orderly :) Are all of these generic transparent umbrellas made from the same manufacturer?
No offense but the design is really dumb. An umbrella is suppose to protect a person from both rain & sunlight. The sun reflects on the transparent umbrella. Maybe it suits the people of Japan because Japan is known for tall trees but for tropical countries mostly with cities & less trees it's not helpful.
Thanks to you, I no longer need to imagine what it would have been like if David Mitchell had lived in Japan.
"It provides essential nutrients for growing traffic cones"
I love that there's a Yozora Cinematic Universe developing here. Best channel.
The "Swan relaxing on an island" line made me laugh. Thank you for another insightful rant. Loved it!
Hey man, the channel is going to get big if you keep doing what you're doing. You have such a unique concept here presenting some of the lesser-known pieces of weird Japanese culture. Western media often bombards us with "Japan Weird" all the time, but often it's these small, everyday annoyances that everyone can relate to and it sorts of brings us all together.
Appreciate it, thank you 🐸
I really enjoy your style of videos, especially: your calm, informative, and amusing rants; the lack of background music and annoying sound effects; and little-discussed topics. Please keep it coming!
Your choice of words is so excellent! Sometimes you make me laugh to tears! The skeletal victim was so goddamn funny, keep it up I love it so so much!!
8:38 I'm looking forward for the episode about bags stuffed in trees
Same problem here in South Korea. Umbrellas everywhere. All of them very cheap. My son always forgets to bring one so we have a small closet FULL of cheap vinyl umbrellas just like the ones in Japan.
The plastic wrapping on snacks and sweets too. A box of 12 cookies and every single cookie is individually wrapped. And it's not like its a very good or large cookie. They are crappy and tiny. You will probably want to eat at least 2.
At least in Japan they are usually very good about litter and recycling. Not so much here in Korea. It could be worse, and it used to be. But there's so much needless littering and improper disposal of garbage.
Japan loves giving you plastic stuff to throw away.
I bought a couple stickers, they took them, put them in a paper bag, taped it, then put that in a plastic bag.
I had my rucksack ready ... but still, BAGS.
Your channel is just fantastic. There's something so brilliant about the film and narration style. I feel I could watch you talk about almost anything mundane but super niche about Japan. I hope that some of your stuff gets a Japanese cc translation so that it can reach a wider audience.
I'm glad you enjoy the videos, thank you for the kind words!
I will never understand why your channel is not more popular. This content on japan is so interesting
I don't know how you consistently make such interesting content on such mundane topics. I'm convinced you made some sort of Faustian pact with the kami of entertainment.
I have no idea why i love these videos so much, but i do, they are very calming i guess :D
Just got back from two weeks in Japan, and that was the thing that blew my mind, the most
Such an underrated channel. When you blow up remember us!
Thank you for the support!
This is the kind of content UA-cam was born to host
Every upload brings me joy in a way akin to an equivalent exchange, for deep down I am aware this joy is an advance payment, neutralizing the sorrow caused by the future sight of a traffic cone
On a more (less?) serious note, I wonder if those umbrellas do not fit in some sort of aesthetic of the impermanence. Like tombstones for the rain showers of bygone days.
i use a cone as an umbrella
Single use umbrellas are such a perfect candidate to use entirely biodegradable materials, or at least not use vinyl. But probably the most effective way to avoid this mess altogether is to force a minimum price for umbrellas that aren't actually designed to be disposable. Then you might end up with maybe 300 yen sustainable umbrellas and regular umbrellas forced to sell at 500 yen. If umbrellas are 5x the price you're a *lot* more likely to buy an umbrella that'll last you 5 times as long.
Maybe. All of Japan has access to Amazon which sells a fantastic umbrella for cheaper than the convenience store ones. It's deep rooted, the disposable plastic stuff, and I don't know where it's best to start.
a minimum price won't do anything but punish poor people, why would companies change anything if there is a mandated floor?
I get excited whenever i see a new one of these in my sub box. another banger!
Thanks, more to come!
Loved my time visiting Kyoto, thanks for reminding me! It was raining when I was there, had my raincoat and didn't get to partake in the umbrella economy.
The blind spots of Japanese society are really funny and interesting. It's a wilful ignorance. This is now the second video of yours I've watched and I'm a big fan of the style and content. I think you're destined to find an audience. Subscribed!
i just love this channel
I get the rant but UK has its own wrapping plastic problem. It shocked me when I came to live in the UK for the first time. So much waste when going for a shopping run.
Agreed!
This channel needs more subscribers, this video is really well done.
And on topic! There are some hypocrisies in every society, this is one of them.
as always another super good video, great stuff, the interesting thing would be to study why the common umbrella gets mistreated all around the world
That amphibious deer was simply incredible!
I love these vids so much! :D
Thank you, i enjoyed that rant again. Poor lost umbrellas, never to be picked up again :(
When I was in Japan, I bought an umbrella there which I used for most of the trip. At the time I didn't realize that umbrellas are the one thing the Japanese don't seem to mind stealing. So when I left my umbrella in an umbrella stand outside a convenience store, I was surprised to see that it was gone when I returned. A real shame. Do they think of them as so disposable that they believe that whoever they're stealing from won't mind?
A real shame too since I was hoping to bring it back home with me. I really liked the transparent look.
OH MY GOD BEST JAPAN CHANNEL
the plastic love line was just too fire
Normally I don’t see deer in that part of Kyoto. Great video. Thanks.
They come downstream at night usually, you could see one tonight!
On NHK there is a zero waste life episode where a woman makes bags with old umbrellas.
Cool rant! Those are real safety hazards! I guess they are into disposables. What a weird phenomenon! New friend!
If anime is to be believed the thin cheap plastic umbrella is the only thing keeping your average healthy Japanese person from getting horribly sick with the flu because they got wet that one time. Perhaps the random umbrellas left everywhere are a gift for the next poor unfortunate soul who left the house without one.
always love ur vids but there are a lot of good lines in this one 🤣
Great vid. thanks
Yeah, agreed. The plastic situation was something I got quite annoyed about.
No way to avoid it. Our AirBnB's trashcan was basically a recursive bag of bags.
Individually plastic-wrapped pieces of fruit... which have perfectly capable skins or peels which protect it.
It just made me sad.
I absolutely love the country, have visited many times, will hopefully visit many more.
But I beg of Japan to reduce their plastic consumption. It can not stay.
I appreciate this channel because you experience Japan so I don't have to.
Watch out for the evil umbrellas.
Woof he's back
Was that a plastic bag on a potato?
I keep my Umbrella with me.
So what you´re saying is that they should (rre-)distribute UBUs (universal basic umbrellas) among the wet proletariat?
In keeping with the Vimes Boots theory of economics, a high quality UBU would reduce both economic unfairness and plastic waste.
You reminds Arthur Kirkland in real life living in Japan .
The environmentally friendly solution would just be for people to wear coats with hoods instead, but I imagine this would be a tough sell since hooded raincoats don't show up in old Samurai period shows like umbrellas do.
Cozy
It's not just litter, I have left my wallets/keys/stuff in ramen places, sukias, matsuyas, mcdonalds, izakayas even you name it. It was always stashed away, the delivered to the local koban(police box), lifted of the ground and placed on a easy to see spot and so on. Yet in total I had about 7~10 umbrellas stolen honestly I stopped counting, walk outside famimarkt and it's raining,check the stand, 0 umbrellas. It didn't have that stupid sticker on it it had ACTUAL STICKERS like anime stuff on it and it was just gone. Sure it's just 500 yen but god damn it I am always incredibly mad when it happens.
Finally !
dont open an umbrella inside home
thats bad luck lmfao
Who rides a bike with an umbrella and without a helmet?!?
It's like they are asking to eat a face full of pavement when a tire skids.
It's the inverse in Germany, you'll find random trash lying around, but traffic cones and umbrellas are kept orderly :)
Are all of these generic transparent umbrellas made from the same manufacturer?
did you just show singel wraped POTATO??? who would buy a singel potato???? here in germany you buy them by the 2 - 5 kilo nets!!!
1000 yen tax on the sale of new 'brellas.
The individually wrapped fruits and veges though, that would drive me batty.
No offense but the design is really dumb. An umbrella is suppose to protect a person from both rain & sunlight. The sun reflects on the transparent umbrella. Maybe it suits the people of Japan because Japan is known for tall trees but for tropical countries mostly with cities & less trees it's not helpful.