Japan's Country Towns Were Dying, Then COVID Happened
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- Опубліковано 29 тра 2024
- Rural Japan has been on a long, steady decline for decades, but the pandemic now has some seriously considering a life outside the cities. For three straight months, the number of people leaving Tokyo outpaced those moving in-a new trend that could breathe some much-needed life back into Japan’s dying towns.
But in a shrinking country where, in some towns, empty homes can outnumber neighbors, can the country dream become a reality?
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Imagine living in those peaceful, serene villages and the internet will still be fast because Japan.
JAPAN FOR YOU
Internet is slow as fuck
Little to no internet at all, cause they’re all old.
Tt
I live in a village of 300 in Austria. Internet is 30 down 5 up, will hopefully increase soon due to 5G
From Salary-man to Celery-man. What a heartfelt way of life
Can I see a hat wobble?
@@2525Kody Give me a print out of oyster smiling.
N U D E T A Y N E
"I can live anywhere as long as I have my laptop and wifi" lmao golden
At first I thought I saw wife and not wifi 😂😂😂
That's funny but so true
welcome to Estonia ! we do this way for 10 years allready !
Thats it 😂
@@AndresUffert2 if I'm not mistaken having internet access is a human right to Estonia
The 2nd couple already made their contribution to Japan by having 3 children.
The face of Japan 🇯🇵 will no longer be the face of Japan. It seem like it’s anglo helping anglo assimilate into a culture. It’s always anglos who do better in foreign countries.. better than the natives on all continent.. why?
@@scampishfoxx3138 it's not a race thing. It's more that the people that take enough risks to go across the world. And have the dedication to get to where they want to be. Those are naturally more likely to take risks in their livestyles and employment stability. Like moving to a rural place and start a farm.
@@scampishfoxx3138 if you are implying Japan were like one of those former Anglo colony in Africa or even South Asia, you are ignorant and delusional.
@@scampishfoxx3138 White ppl aren’t weighed down by the cultural and family expectations of Japanese & Asian cultures thats why they have more freedom to do things like this. Their culture is also just more individualistic they don’t need to worry about their families back home in america. Its a part of white privilege.
@@scampishfoxx3138 I Diagree When You say that anglos always do better then the natives!
Its not a race thing in any sense! They took the risks and work hard! Thats all. Consider Indian Americans. They are the most successful ethnic group in The USA. But these same people have also been cripled by the Mismanagement within India for decades .
I prefer mid size cities, not so big to be overcrowded, not so small to lack services, just the perfect size.
Same
Same here.
Canberra, Australia
Surabaya,indonesia 👍
I agree
To be honest, I'd rather live in the countryside than in the city. Imagine waking up everyday with beautiful surroundings and a breath of fresh air :')
I lived in a small town my whole life, I can certainly see why people like it, personally it’s amazing but it’s lonely especially after my breakup; I’m kind of looking of going to the city. I lived in the city for a few months and when I came back, I liked how I can see the stars and my family and my house and it’s landscape is peaceful and pretty but that’s it. I don’t like that I have to drive almost an hour to get to a big supermarket and almost two to get to an airport
It becomes boring with times by the way.
I've never lived in bigger cities but although it's fun to explore and stuff climb mountains etc. it can be pretty boring. Like severely boring... Good thing not many crimes happen and although the country has 20 typhoons every year our area is surrounded by mountains all around so a category 4 typhoon will only affect like a category 1 typhoon. Especially since although most houses are almost a century old they are built using trees as the part of the foundation, trees also surrounding the houses which lessens the wind sheer.
Earthquakes although strong at times are manageable because tree foundation.
It's hard to love in the countryside nowadays -things such as internet, work posisbilities, they were made so important by today's standards that few people can allow themselves to live without. It's just sad - I was raised in the countryside, and had to leave as soon as I had to go to school, because there was no schools in my village. No shops. No markets. No schools. People who stay are people who can't afford to leave - who are left behind. I hope things change, sincerely, because there's this rampant medieval thing in countrysides, whre rich people posess all of the fields and kinda employ everybody else ? It's from another age lmao.
I think the problem is because regions development.You know since people moving to city to find opportunity and government focusing the city while somewhat neglected the countryside
Why not develop those countryside like better access to healthcare, education, communication and entertainment so people moving in
Very nice! My husband and I moved out to the countryside, Aomori, this year. We LOVE it! It was definitely the right choice for us. We both work for Tokyo companies remotely, so a lot of zoom meetings, but having no commute is nice! One of the best things has definitely been starting our own vegetable garden and sharing fruits/vegetables with others in the community. The amount of money we spend on food has been reduced dramatically! I only go to the supermarket 2 or 3 times a month now vs. the 3 or 4 times a week I went while living in Tokyo. I was worried about making friends, but I've made more friends since I moved here 4 months ago than I did the 5 or so years I lived in Tokyo.
Wow, that`s amazing. Can I ask, how easy/hard was to adapt life in Aomori in the beginning? Are there any international schools and hospitals?
@@sanjarazim7579 For me, it wasn't hard at all! Of course, it helps that I can speak Japanese fluently and also that my husband is originally from this area. I am not sure if there are any international schools, although I think there probably are a few. We don't have kids so I haven't looked into these kinds of things. There are lots of hospitals in Hirosaki, where I live.
Ah, I envy you. I use to rent a house in Tsugaru and lived there for 3 years out of Sendai. Lovely area though the winters in my day were quite cold.
@@missplainjane3905
Not at all! 😊
1. Generally, yes. Some aspects are quite old, such as the continued use of fax machines, etc. but I would still say Japan is quite developed and advanced overall.
2. In my opinion, Japan is a 10. Some people may disagree, but personally, I find Japan to excel in all categories.
3. There are all kinds of Japanese people, so it’s kind of hard to generalize, but I would say that the majority of Japanese people are sincere, hard-working, and considerate of others.
4. Beautiful, safe, abundant! I am constantly at awe of the beauty and abundance of nature in Japan. It is also one of the safest countries (as in, least likely to be murdered in) 😆
@@missplainjane3905 it is very big here and most people are familiar with it. Of course, not everybody is into it, but it is well-known by pretty much everyone. 😊 As far as something people don’t know about Japan, I would say that it is that there is such an abundance of nature and so many beautiful places to see outside the usual urban/tourist places such as Tokyo and Osaka.
Vice: Lets talk about why japanese are leaving Tokyo
Also Vice: asks an English why
Thought i was the only one who noticed it lmao.
@@user-lb4rx2th2d it's so weird to me that they only talked to expat families, like... that's not exactly representative of much
@@alyssinclair8598 exactly, they were interviewing the minorities here. What about the actual Japanese? Or Are expats gonna revive the whole country side. So many plot holes.
Asking the ones in a country where foreign looking people r treated somewhat differently
Lol
Great documentary! I’ve been trying to lure friends away from Tokyo for years. Not necessarily to farm life but to life in the country, albeit to no avail so far! The lack of jobs and work opportunities remains to be the biggest hurdle unfortunately.
Lmao Chris wtf you doing here. I guess this got recommended too 🤣. But yes good point.
I think COVID may change that. At least within my own field it seems to be going towards a fully-remote work life even post-pandemic. It's interesting to me that this has all been quite possible for awhile but it has taken this pandemic push to bring this realization to fruition.
I don't see what's so great about the documentary. There have always been gaijins in Japan that get burned out and move to the countryside.
Chris why are you here? Hahahhaha nice videos btw
love ur vids
"We were losing our faith in the countrysides, but everything changed when the COVID attacked."
haha i like what u didi there
Covid has a lot of positive effect to nature than any human event to help curb pollution.
Covid has a lot of positive effect to nature than any human event to help curb pollution.
“My girlfriend turned into the moon”
@@spongechameleon6940 "That's rough, buddy."
the country side guy -> smile face. the city guy -> sad face
Both white men lol
B. L. Nelms wtf wrong with you their is no race in love as long as they love each other...are you jealous then go find some girls boy
City guy looked happy when he arrived in the countryside. Hopefully he moves he'll probably be better off... although that commute sounds like a beast. The city couple just looked really tired.
@@riottonitedragon8344 your point is?
I remember a call with my mom weeks ago. She said that a lot of those who left for the big cities were coming back home. I could understand. This pandemic taught as a lot of things.
I used to live the same kinda life but in Seoul. I moved out of the city and got a motorcycle to avoid the crowded commute. Best decision ever.
Good on you, brother. I'm thinking of doing the same since like last few weeks.
Yeah!!! It's better the same and fortune we think of the City life is nothing compare to this. Corona is all in the city not in the country side
Milyang is a nice place. During the summer months, a lot camp next to the river there
Life in the countryside sounds great!
Covid aside, don't you miss all the readily available services, fun nightlife, art and culture, etc?
My wife and I moved To Kamiyama, Tokushima a town of less than 4000 people and opened a Asian street-food style restaurant. We remodeled a 150 year old house and life is awesome!
😍
@Jay i wish :-) Too busy with the restaurant and kids :-)
Living chill in Okayama countryside and love it all
Is your wife Japanese too like the people in this video?
Good for you
Vice Asia: Blurs kid's face at 2:11
Also Vice Asia: Forgets to blur kid's face 9 seconds later.
My same thought, haha. Turns out, two separate kids. I assume the older one wanted her face blurred.
@@jaredspencer3304 the kid is literally the only one in the room what the hell are you talking about two separate kids?
Yep. It's like saying "Mr. Thomas Whitmore will be dubbed as Tom and his identity will be hidden." They said while showing a picture of his face, address, and phone number.
LOL, I noticed that too..
I assume the first couple did not give permission to show their child's face. Where the second couple gave permission. That's usually how these things work.
I just love how those children are being raised on that farm. Resilient and independent.
Right? It's so healthy for children to grow up in the countryside, surrounded by animals and nature
There are no children more independent and resilient than city kids. You see and experience a lot, rich or poor.
My grandma actually lived in a small island with a small town in Japan. There were no kids there so the schools closed down. Just old people now.
tell your grandma to adopt me 😊
Sounds lonely asf
Guessing all the kids moved to the city
dam which island
How much is it for land tax there might get a small house there :0
@@IamINERT
yeah lol
No everyone leaves the city to start a farm, they just needs less stress .
That would require MASSIVE changes to both Japanese society and the work environment of Japan as a whole.
the biggest problem Japan will face soon is they wont be able to produce thier own foods on the farm hence prices will sky rocket in an already expensive city
land still expensive but there are some town that paid you to moved there.. if they can work at home.. alot of people do... mostly older people with no kid..
Megacity and less stress will not mix together.....they never will....
Japan has a major suppression issue and it’s very sad
I have botany and veterinarian degree and training.....my mind is racing with the potential
Me too. Im an artist and self employed anyways. I deal with all my clients online. Never face to face. So moving to this beautiful place would be a dream come true for me
Let's go out there!
You guys realize that immigrating here isn’t as simple as that right?
I think degrees are a waste of time. You know you know more than what that little title on a piece of paper says you know.
@@MEAT_CANNON Yes, can be overrated unless there is a particular field/endeavor that one wishes to enter.
Watching that couple having an intelligent conversation and their children helping comfort the baby and passing their infant to one another, such a precious thing I witnessed. It kind of reminds me of some kind of wholesome voice over animation.
This should be the model for family business & healthy family relationship 😭💘
The shot of the mom holding her three kids, rocking the infant, is beautiful.
Naaaaaaaah broooo. It's normal
Loda
dont forget to have kids ladies.. im seeing a lot of lonely women @ 40 around me
......ok? Lol weird comment
@@minervaowl8298 u wont think so in 20 years. remember that
For a video about rural Japan, I see quite a lack of Japanese people...
😂😂
Social distancing lol
Vice probably doesn't have a lot of Japanese connections so it makes sense for them to contact these guys instead who probably have access to international site and language. Most Japanese can't speak English so unless you have a Japanese friend or associate then would be difficult to find the right person to do this kind of mini documentary. At least that is my guess
@@zeromailss there is Vice JAPAN and Vice doesn't have connections? LOL
There were 2 non-Japanese people 🤷♂️
Anyone interesting in looking further down that route, there's a really good book by Andy Couturier. It is called The Abundance of Less: Lessons in Simple Living from Rural Japan. The author interviews about 13 people that left the city to live a live of homesteading that included art and philosophy. All of the people he interviewed were native Japanese.
It is a tremendous book, one of my favorite. I reviewed it on my channel.
I was born in the States, resident of Central Japan for thirty-some years. We beat the rush and moved to the countryside a little over ten years ago. Bought a relatively modern empty house which I am slowly refurbishing, on nearly an acre of land... now fully reclaimed.
Life has never been better... we grow a lot of our own food, and trade for what we don't grow. Twenty-five households in our community, high on the Hill. The air is clean and fresh, and the nights are quiet, and dark... you can see all the stars. And in our case there's a fairly decent city just twenty minutes away; the best of both worlds.
Yes... the neighbors were a tough nut to crack. Once they saw, they believed, and I'm now the go-to guy in the village for machinery parts and repairs... and beer and BBQ.
Lots of work... but absolutely worth it.
If the internet connection is good, anywhere can be your home
Weak or lack of internet is honestly the only deal breaker
I saw a vlogger in Japan who interviewed a family who moved out of the city & they said that the government had actually invested & set up internet all over the island. It's what pushed them to make the move to her old family home in the countryside finally. It was Only in Japan 🤔 I think...
Yea Just Like In India U Have 4g thorough out The Country. And I Live In Rural Area.
Exactly
Really? I have internet, but even without it i would be fine.
Humans are not meant to be packed like sardines.
But we need to work in order to live that's why some of us are forced to live in the city.
It's not so simple. We used to live in caves, and before that in trees.
@@Yoonalayciangelo cities are the source of income. not all have the desire to become farmers or agricultural industries. Because the society wants us to work in high profile jobs.
@@Yoonalayciangelo Sadly to work in order... we apes invented politics and religion which divides the herd :(
@@Yoonalayciangelo Humans are not meant to cultivate and consume every square foot of land on the planet either. Sometimes city life is the most environmentally friendly solution for the amount of population we have on the planet right now. Depopulation is my solution, Japanese should not be working slaves for the system. But rather living for themselves, enjoying some amount of life.
My heart really went out to Jason commuting like that, and to his lovely wife also. I really hope they can make the move. That commute sounds and looks soul crushing. And what he said there at the end about not waiting for life to happen and then react to it, but instead making life happen yourself, is also exactly where I am right now. Awesome, wholesome video, thank you for the post.
I lived in Tokyo, used to commute 3-hours a day. Did it for 5 years, exhausting. Do know how the natives do it all their lives.
I grew up in Japan my whole lige and came to America for College in 2018... more than a year before the COVID outbreak. I am travelling back to Japan this winter and cant wait
I pray you arrived safely. God bless and protect your country.
America has its benefits for sure but it must get tiring dealing with all the narcissistic nutjobs there.
Omg! Same!
You could live in the biggest city with the most population and still feel lonely.
trust me i live in london one of eu biggest mega city and i feel lonely.
Exactly
@@A.D.540 same
And those are usually the people from the rural areas that moved into the cities.
Yep felt this when I lived in New York for a year
My parents kept talking about going back to rural. I didn't understand their position quite well as who wouldn't want to work and get money but thanks to this it brought a new light to me .
Thank you for bringing it to me and other viewers. I might need to talk to my parents again about this.
Why dont you guys interview a Japanese individual whos lived their lives in Japan and get their perspective on how the virus affected their daily lives? And then ask them, “have you considered moving to a rural part of Japan?”
good idea, do that!
Am from Kenya and am this crazy lifestyle of living in the city being on top... from this video am making a 360° change starting 2021. Moving to the country side to have an organic life
Terry, I hope you achieve your goal and find a nice farm in the country. All the best.
I had a long uber drive from the airport (here in Texas)...and for 1 1/2 hours I had the most interesting conversation with my Kenyan uber driver. He told me all about the family farm in Kenya, and how he would fly out there 2-3 times a year to visit family. He described it in detail...sounded like a beautiful area in the countryside. Good luck with your plans Terry!
180 degrees is the opposite, 360 degrees means you end where you started.
That would be awesome, I would much prefer the countryside and live off the land.
Onyango yoooo😅 I am also thinking about it by the way. It's kind of difficult especially for me as a lady I am thinking, I have to buy some land😅
It's not just Tokyo, also NYC and LA. Sky-high rents, health concerns, crime rates and high taxes are causing people to leave big cities and move to a less densely packed place in another state.
Liberalism is another big reason that people are leaving Democrat controlled states thats the main reason. Then the idiots vote for the SAME failed policys that caused them to flee in the first place.
@@Revo2Evo Tokyo has nothing to do with liberalism though. It's the most expensive, most congested city in the world, and quite polluted too. Crime rate is still low and you don't see crazy feminists running around with rainbow flags. That's a Western issue.
@@Revo2Evo there’s ALWAYS comments like this in every post on instagram about people leaving NYC like damn, you trolls working overtime
@@Revo2Evo people can leave a state and still carry their liberal beliefs just like conservatives that do the same. 🙄
Yep COVID ran plenty of folks out the cities to the South and rural East coast towns
When you're trying to document a phenomenon in Japan as a whole, but can only get foreigners to be in it...
Seriously. They couldn't get a Japanese dude + gal?
@@jamin12342 it's getting on your nerves ey👀. They are stealing your women
Most Japanese people don’t like being on film so... yeah
Yeah young Japanese are going to Tokyo. Real farming sucks. Hard dirty work with 14 hour days from spring to Autumn.
@@deedumeday518 Most Japanese men aren’t attracted to foreign women.
As someone who now resides in the countryside, I can attest to the beauty of the scenery, particularly when it rains. Because the gathering is tiny, everyone knows each other, which is nice but not ideal. The poor internet connection would be the primary difficulty, and don't expect any malls or large stores. The milk and grocery store is the only store within walking distance of my home. There are numerous power outages as well, so be prepared to draw water from the well. But if people want to live here, I guess they should expect to be a little less pampered.
Can VICE try to interview some real Japanese locals instead of some western immigrants? It’d provide a more realistic perspective
they do the same in europe so stfu
@@bacilluscereus1299 why not?
real Japanese are abandoning the country side.
@@joenuts5167 They interviewing japanese in europe about europe culture? Interesting
@@sinatraforeign they interview Muslim in europe and black in europe about our own history. having foreigners decide what our history is. memorial to the founder of my country Otto von Bismarck was desecrated by forigers, saying "de colonize BERLIN." they want us out of our own country and the media supports them.
8:52 Beautiful to see little man living life properly and developing real skills at such a young age. Like the the footage of his sister in the previous scene with the chicken, so relaxed in her hands. This is a big part of being human and worthy of this earth and birth. Great parents.
Go back to the 1920's, and you find famers, up until the 1950's. Since then, all electronic.
The 1920's began my family's movement from farming and 13 children, down m to 1 or 2 children and being suburbanites.
Working the services field---nurse, librarian, electronics, teacher,medical coding,
Military.
Praise be to all working for us and not against us.
The virus teaches us to go back to our roots. The place we abandon in the past, is now a place of peace and happiness.
Yes i think the solution to our future could well lie in the past 🔑
Probably the best observation I've heard about this experience.
This virus has done nothing but bounce me backwards. I can’t start my life, no college wants to enroll a student whose parents have the covid virus, even if it’s online school. I cant even get a job, I was about to start my life and this has only stepped me backwards. For you to say that is almost an insult towards myself and many.
@@xx4u2fearxx89 The virus will be over & you can go back to college. Get healthy first, then do what you like to.
This is in bible its time Jesus 2020 this nothing if all don't repent this all in the word if you read it and study God amazing warning and mystery and truth set you free this just middle of sorrows you haven't seen tribulation vet this is just a taste of Sorrows this is a Daniel 7 Matthew 24: mark 13 Luke 21pray fast repent God bless.
“Convenience is also relative” . Good point
Well Vice, We would also love to hear what Japanese has to say on the topic?
Great episode, would love to see a followup to this.
ua-cam.com/video/dRl67mSRyI8/v-deo.html
@@garconworldwide8475 🖕🏻
I just learned there is a Vice Asia!
It's near impossible to buy those abandoned buildings though, unless it's mentioned later on in this documentary, which I am super fascinated to watch, but it would involve a Japanese government shiftup
Or, these guys who just launched a few months ago to combat this issue; www.akiyainaka.com/
I was about to say. The Japanese government has a reclaiming program where they auction off Country Homes.
I'm not sure how ope they are to foreign interest
Easier than you might expect. A couple of my friends have bought. Indeed, the local governments are offering incentives and will sometimes help pay for renovations, etc.
@@DavidGroff hi do you know the details of buying?
@@jessoppetroski9286 that's disgusting
They have 3 kids. Almost unheard of in Japan.
That was quite shocking I must say.
No dude, just travel to japan bro.
There’s a massive population decline. They’re just doing their part.
No, no. I teach in Japan and plenty of families have many children. The issue is that relatively speaking there aren't so many families.
I have 3 kids in Japan. I'm a proud father but not proud of that racist Japanese government. How many families have they hurt through the lockdown.
This is an eye opener. Thank you for sharing.
Decentralize the mega-cities. Not even a new idea. This may become one of the good things Covid will bring us.
that'll take several years but worth it ig
Ya, that’s not healthy for a city to make it even less dense. Urban sprawl isn’t good
Everyone who can work from home should. Less traffic on the road, less pollution, less mental illness and people no longer have to live in big expensive cities.
Sadly once lock downs ended where I live. Employers made virtually everyone go back to the old routine. My sister worked from home and was more productive and happier. Now she has to go back to spending an hour of her day commuting.
sprawl??? uhh no.
@@ND-qj2xh we are in 2020. And these towns have long planned for possible returns to country life. So they have a better system than making suburbs. Their government has been promoting this return. It just wasn’t as popular back then.
38million.. im sure the city will do fine if not better if a few thousand people moved out
WELCOME TO MEGACITY ONE! JUDGES RULE HERE! THE LAW RULES HERE!
I am dog.
What is with the replies? Lol
I am tuna
I am your brother
I love the way this is shot, the perspectives, the sun bursts, the pace. Nice work 👌
This only applies to mixed families? Or are also Japanese families leaving the urban areas for rural areas?
I live in a very rural area in India with all the facilities like water, internet, road, food and much and I never think of moving into town.
That's quite rare in india"all facilities "
which state do you live??
@@anum2737 yeah! I agree. That varies deeply states by states. BTW I'm from West Bengal.
@@subhasvlogs5117 lucky you, got didi there!!
@@anum2737 yup! Don't know about others but we're pretty happy with the aid and services we get from govt.
@@subhasvlogs5117 the commies did good in W Bengal
3 kids in Japan!! Give that couple a medal!
Japan government will cry by seeing them helping the population to increase
The way things are trending they might start giving out medals.
@@loofahsswanson559 they already give you some financial incentives to get you to have children. Might as well include medals lol
No
i live in Yokosuka japan, two is the average. many of my neighbors have three or more. too bad they cant help improve the population
I once worked in Japan. On my off time, i would visit and stay in the countryside. Very peaceful and the people are very nice. Great memories.
I originally wanted to move to Tokyo. But every time I visit Tokyo, especially in a car, the traffic, the maze-like roads (I’m incredibly directionally challenged, whether when driving or taking the subway, *even* with a map) and the overwhelming amount of crowds, it just exhausted and stressed me out. I even imagined, what if a zombie apocalypse happened? Tokyo would collapse first!
Then COVID-19 happened… 😑
I grew up in a small town in the south of France, 1000 or so people lived there when we moved in, in 2005. The polulation is now getting close to 4000 from people moving out of the cities, and I love my hometown, even now having not lived there full time for 5 years, I still get recognised in the street and have people stop me for a chat, it's a beautiful lifestyle.
I agree with what the bearded man said towards the end, yes things can be more inconvenient: you need to be able to drive because public transport is near nonexistent, food shopping isn't a worry, because a lot of towns still have local farmers markets and most of the larger towns will have at least one supermarket nearby. Getting packages delivered always takes more time than you expect,...
But in the end the quality of life and the peace of mind that come from having your own space, belonging to a community, and the freedom and privacy that comes with that is amazing.
Same here in Canada! We have to fight for our small towns.
4000 people here, there's 4 bakery and they all suck.
@@user-sg4ov7ng4h So learn to bake. It's easy, healthier and taste better anyway.
Funnily always thought I was missing out by not being in Tokyo, but since covid, I'm very grateful to have set up a life in the inaka (countryside) of Japan. Fresh air, birds chirping in the morning in the forest where I live, 9+ ski resorts to snowboard in the winter 🙌 The eco lodge owner is right though, living in the country, means you'll need more of a entrepreneurial spirit and some balls.
This has changed my perspective! Entirely! Great Documentary
@8:15 "where our energy comes from"
Eneos gas station in the background, haha
For those unfamiliar with the causes of the economic and population decline of Japan:
Japan has a work culture that rewards giving the appearance of working, and working long hours, as opposed to actual results. Japanese workers are generally expected to stay later than their boss, and their boss may stay for a long time just for the hell of it. This, coupled with a cultural reluctance to adopt new technologies, has diminished Japanese productivity. It is why real GDP per capita has not changed since the early 1990’s.
The adoption of new technologies and doing it early, coupled with high interest rates, is what led to the economic boom of Japan between the 1960’s and early 1990’s.
The cultural conservatism that keeps them from adopting new technologies (fax machines are one of the most common methods of business communication, face-to-face meetings are expected for things that can easily be done over the phone, etc.), low to negative interest rates that keep poorly run business afloat and promote corporatism and oligarchies, in addition to a work culture that encourages unproductive long hours and a lack of respect for women and any notion of a family life has hindered Japan economically. It hurts to see.
they just dont care. this is what happened.
And it'd a fact that work related stress is linked to Japan being the suicide capital of the world
@sonnick Precisely
@@user-ir9uy7rh6n And yes. It is good that you mentioned this. France is similar, although some may also attribute this to France's strong welfare state. So strong, that people will try to intentionally get fired so that they can mooch unemployment for around (1-2 years? I'm not French so I'm not sure lol). The decline of France and the abuse of the system is what the right-wing in the US has been using for decades as propaganda against any form of welfare or worker protections. As someone who believes that we need a higher minimum wage and better protections for workers in the US, it hurts to see the abuses of welfare and the decline of countries like France that then keep us from being able to have some semblance of reasonable policy passed.
I don't think the family life notion has anything to do with it though. There are plenty of countries with strong family values that are desperately poor. I agree that some frivolous traditions could be stunting their productivity. But I also think that Japan isn't taking full advantage of the foreign markets. Westerners, Americans in particular, love Japanese things. Japan makes better denim, better knives, better animation, etc. They should just put more emphasis on learning fleunt English and familiarizing with Western culture. Then they could more effectively attack the US market. And what's cool in America, is cool to the rest of the world.
As someone who lived their childhood in the countryside, its the perfect place to feel and take in every moment. Memories will be endless, worries will fade, happiness is easily found in the most mundane of places. There is so much space, and for a child, an acre of land is an infinite convas of imagination.
Edit: Thank you all so much for all the thumbs up, God bless you all 🙏
Ur childhood must be amazing
Loving the dad's energy/spirit and attitude about it all. He understands.
This is a great video. I hope there is a follow-up one to learn how the first family is adapting to country life and if they decided to formally move.
Yes!! Follow up video!!
Bro who wouldn’t want to live in that beautiful country side🤩🤩
Bro, you have the money? What work would you do?
Me, I've lived in the country side my whole life. Just like how these people did not wanted to live in tokyo anymore the same occurs to a lot of us.
@Goto M if that's a real story, then that's freaking awesome dude. Sounds like you've had a good life
Just lack of jobs and you are far away from shops and stuff.
@@hmax1591 plenty to do trust me
I live in a rural area and it’s happening here too. Everyone is leaving the city to come here. I have a feeling this will be the new norm.
Love Vice, they so often delve into issues/topics that no one else does. A fascinating little glimpse into Japanese life. By the way, the issues of severe rural depopulation are the same here in Spain, numerous abandoned/ghost villages and villages where the average age is frighteningly high.
Since town v country appears to have become the defining societal issue of our time in economically advanced countries (informing everything from politics to the economy to transport to climate policy), perhaps this pandemic might just spark a reality check on that front and decades of abandoning rural for urban with all the consequences that's had for rural communities could actually start to be addressed seriously.
Absolutely. Stabilizing rural areas are important however urban areas might be more better for the environment
Awesome video. Thanks for sharing.
Japanese megacity life is a warning for the future of developed nations like the United States. Japan is just 20-30 years ahead of the curve in terms of development. Cities in the West are becoming increasingly crowded, socially rigid, and extremely expensive to working class citizens.
Wonderfully put. It’s also affecting political and cultural changes, creating a more strained relationship with people in the countryside and people in urban areas
Lol, I would not put japan decades in front of the us in terms of development. How do you even measure that?
@@yellowforevor He probably based that on the economy and technology completely forgetting the different mentality between United States and Japan. Though the main part of the statment is correct, some of the biggest cities in US have become too expensive for working class citizens over the last 10 years. New York, San Francisco, Oakland, Boston, Washington to name a few. US is on it's way to have a similar debt to GDP ratio as Japan in probably around 20 years but there are differences in the percentages of who is owning the debt. In US 30% of the debt is held by foreign investors, where in Japan it's under 10%. Until Corona pandemic is not over is hard to give any further estimates for the future. It's probable that some countries in the world will change their politics from free market democracy to soviet like socialism looking at what kind of fascist laws are being passed right now through french and german courts to limit the freedom of people. Very serious times ahead of us.
They actually have the infrastructure to maintain it though when i was there I could travel by foot and public transport to practically everywhere with extreme ease. Even with the crowdedness
Vancouver, Canada is basically a write-off at this point for most who are not a baby boomer - and bought real estate 30+ years ago - or born into wealth...
The British- Asian woman does not want to move to the countryside and her face says it all 😂😂
Is not that she wouldn’t like to move to the countryside but most likely just insecure. Like the man in the other couple said, you have to have a visualization of an Intrapreneur to survive and succeed which is not easy. Imagine having to leave your stability from the city and then moving to a different lifestyle that you have never experienced before. Also, the lady said her parents died from lung cancer and that’s something she doesn’t want to deal with
0 virus
Millions AWAKE
@@blankeomwenteling8135 Agreed, humanity has let globalism take over civilization which is something unpredictable and scary at the same time.
@@blankeomwenteling8135 we are on scary times, Agenda 21 is on process 😔
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Townies - we want to move to the country
Country people - oh god not more townies
From florida. And i HATE snow birds and tourists. Well disrespectful ones.
You got that right 👌
American country folk NEED to remember what the video said at first: Japan has had a declining population for decades. Rural towns are literally collapsing and disappearing because of lost tax base. This video is about a rebalancing that needs to happen in Japan. I lived there for 2 years, and it is a real situation
People like you with mentalities like are one of the reasons I moved away from the rural town I lived in.
So secular, judgemental and exclusionary. Not to mention part of why rural towns are so lonely and depressing to live in.
When the older girl kisses the baby...so cute! Beautiful family, and the kids are very fortunate. My husband and I grew up on/working on farms. It was tough, but we learned so much. It made us better people. We have no regrets!!♡
"Her husband Jason is an Engl--"
Yes, thanks, we already knew that
@Herr Judenbacken ikr
@Herr Judenbacken I don't think it's as clear an agenda as that so much as they can't speak Japanese, are a bit lazy and don't want to go through a translator (would take time, logistics, planning, etc.). So they're limited to English speakers. They're that English teacher that lives there for 8 years and only speaks enough Japanese to order at a restaurant.
@Herr Judenbacken Just as a heads up, Vice Magazine is owned by an ultra-conservative who enjoys knowing specifically what young hip liberals are into and giving it to them, while also molding their opinions. They're phony from the start. Nobody respects them.
@@dogchaser520 The UA-cam algorithm is the same, but it individually studies each viewers history and it's recommendations are molded from the preference of the viewer.
@@guycross493 True, but that's done via algorithm, a bit less consciously. It also reinforces whatever beliefs the user already has and tends to lead them to increasingly more extreme views. Check out The Social Dilemma for a good look at that. We all have a supercomputer aimed at our brains 24/7. Poor little apes aren't ready for that. We're already controlled by AI...
Watching all these ghibli movies made me love the countryside of Japan more.❤️
This was a really good watch and I wanted more
Nice documentary👍🏻
The major thing about living in japan really is that migrants need to be accustomed to isolation in social communities. Many japanese dont communicate much due to busy schedules, culture, shyness etc.. This would affect anyone mentally. Since no matter how much outgoing of a person you are, that still wont matter much if they really dont want to talk to you. Its a step up to the kind of loner people you see everyday.
Iam an introvert and thats like a paradise for me .🤣😂
@@starseed807 well you better know so 😂
@@starseed807 how would that be a paradise for an introvert. Either way aren’t you living like a recluse? it’ll just be the same experience
Thats more of a living in the city thing. Japanese people from the rural areas experience the exact culture shock when they move to the cities.
@@SlingingHashSlasher
I come from the country where people are very much interested in someone else's life rather than their own....so I'd rather live in Japan where nobody cares about no one.
Thanks God I realized earlier.. I'm working so hard since my age 18 until 24 at town.. then move to my hometown with 6 years of savings... Start a small business and have my own farm now.. it's great when you start thinking you shouldn't always follow the crowd to be success..when fancy stuff doesn't make you happy anymore.. sometimes less is more..
Less is more - this is the correct thought. It can save the soul.
So calm and peaceful to watch ! I really like this viedo! 😀
Good documentary!
😂they blurred the lil girl face then showed the side view😂 I was just considering moving to Japan
They used that baby like a talking stick, only the person holding them can talk
We use that here too, is there any other way to keep village council meetings orderly?
This one had me DYING
I've been inspired to live in a country-side after I've watched the anime "Non Non Biyori".
It's a slice-of-life genre anime. Not much is happening in the story, but I really enjoy that anime because of the green scenery and because of the characters' way of living. It's very peaceful and very inspiring, I must say.
Thank you, I was about to find something fun to watch
In 1987, I was given a house in Uenohara right on the river near the bridge. After 10 days, my wife decided the rural lifestyle was not for her so we left. Now I wish I would have stayed.
“Adam hearkened to his wife” and was cursed for it. The metaphor is still pertinent
"Japanese are moving back" show westerners moving back.
True. I was expecting to see and hear from authentic Japanese couples, not international couples.
are Japanese wives not Japanese enough for you, you need 2 more Japanese to be authenticated
@@bloodyrobchan You have to understand a few things.
Despite how "advance" Japan is, it's still a homogeneous and a male-driven society.
Moreover, in Asia, although we have terms like Japanese-American, Pakistani-British, Filipino-Kenyan, etc., the average citizens only differentiate each other with two things: you're either a foreigner or a local.
As you can see, it's a cultural thing.
It's not like in Western countries such as the US or UK where nationality isn't based on a person's skin or ethnic background.
Asian countries haven't yet reached that level of nationality mindset.
@@purika8324 i live in japan in the countryside. i wouldn’t paint every one of them with the same brush like you are. diversity is key to saving countryside japan
@@bloodyrobchan I see. You live in Japan's countryside, huh. Well, good luck and I wish you and your family the best.
Perhaps 10, 20 years from now, Japan would be one of the Asian countries that adapts the "nationality mindest" of Western countries and you and your family would be like a "poster family" for the modern Japanese family unit in Japan's countryside.
And by that time, Japan would just be another politically correct country that's rich in diversity (or is it multiculturalism? Sorry, my English is bad and I'm not familiar with some of the terms) and feminism.
Again, good luck and I wish you and your family the best. I really do.
Everyone should learn these skills in growing their own food. Using permaculture market gardening and holistic rotational grazing
Nice style of life. Thx from Czech Republic.
I live in an Farming Community in Michigan in between Chicago and Detroit 3 hours both ways. Its not just Japan that people are migrating, it is here in the US as well. Even my community has seen a swell of those making a significant move from both cities back into the rural community.
Once also a dying Village only hanging on because of the larger town beside us now is thrumming again with life and families not seen in over a decade.
2020 is the lifetime lesson of our century.
Living in large cities is overrated.
💯💯💯❤
Cringe
Especially violent ones like NYC, with dictator style Mayors,
True but they often offer some benefits that villages don’t have. Both have pros and cons it’s up to you what you like. I personally prefer a mix or right in between.
Australia rural and far flung peninsulas are having a similar effect with the ability to zoom and conduct all types of business through the net. Its lovely.
I lived for about 3 years in a rural area of Shikoku, and it sure is beautiful there. I loved the climate. I had a spouse visa until my 15-year marriage to a Japanese citizen ended in divorce. I loved my job in Japan and wanted to get an engineer visa to continue there, but my employer was neglectful of the process and my application failed... even though my employer ended up owning patents issued in my name. To be fair, I don't actually have an engineering degree. I guess they are pretty fussy about letting foreigners get visas, but it is easy for Americans to travel to Japan for vacations. Between the declining population and the movement to big cities, I'm sure there are a lot of abandoned homes and unused backyard "grandparents cottages" in the countryside... I'm now nearing retirement age, and I sure wish I could connect with some Japanese family who owned such a place and was willing to rent it out (and have it cleaned/maintained) for 30 to 90 days a year. But I suppose there is some hesitance to allow foreign barbarians such as myself to move into such properties, not knowing how we will behave.
The girl’s face was blurred (min 2) when she’s eating, but not when she kisses her dad goodbye. Just an FYI
I noticed that too, i think its because the side angle isn't that identifying when it comes to ppl but I'm not 100% sure about that
the car's tag was blurred too, but I am pretty sure it will be easy to spot, that's probably the only pink car in japan.
@@jeylavan4914 They were both side angles tho
No open mouth the customs are endless.
@@yukiefromoz2573 hmmm you're right. I'm not too sure why they didn't blur her face more then. maybe because the first angle was more identifying than the other angle? it could have been a budget this as well. who knows
so they blur the kid's face and literally show it in the next scene
Clearly one couple allowed their 3 kids to be shown, while the other couple wanted their daughter's face obscured.
it's a different kid
to the other commenters: it isnt a different kid, he literally means 2 scenes after the face was blurred. The dad kisses the girl on the cheek and her face isnt blurred
I really liked the energy of the video and the perspective it’s giving me towards life. Hope they will get to enjoy the change in their lifestyles and hopefully one day I’ll get to do so as well.
This has happened to a large extent in india as well. Many of the people returned back to their hometowns in the lockdown, brought with them the new skill sets they had learnt and have decided to stay. One of my neighbours used to work as a network engineer, when he returned in the lockdown, he realised that good wired internet was non existent in our area. November last year he started a new ISP that provided fast & reliable fibre internet. Seeing his success, many established ISPs finally came to our area and now almost every neighbourhood has fibre. It has been a lot of help for WFH and online classes.
the way the little boy cut the wood 😂. Oh my gosh. He’s a pro but I was still concerned eeek .
Haha yeah when I was watching I was like “aww he’s not going to be able to cut wood like that but he’s trying, how cute” to “oh my gosh there’s a slit - he’s actually doing it!”
Shows what I know.
Cutting wood is not as hard as you think but today's smartphone zombie children would end up losing a finger or worse because they have no real life skills. Also having helicopter parents or worse, ones that couldn't care less because they are so into themselves doesn't help.
@@FirstLastOne Yes, shame on today's children for not inherently knowing how to cut wood.
I did this all the time when I was little. I was also there for lambing, feeding cattle, digging ditches, harvesting - none of this is unusual for country kids
I know I’m biased because I’ve lived in the woods my whole life, but cutting wood, especially softer wood, is quite easy. He cut it exactly how I would’ve.
'... then Covid happened'
ngl, thats sound like basic american movie trailer
excellent move from the city to the country side. YOU are responsible for the schedule of your life and your life style. I love it.
7:00 I feel you, it's hard having to always lower your head to get under the beams...
That little girl will grow up to be a main character.
I volunteer myself to live in Japan specially in countryside. 🖐♥️
West of Japan(kyushu) is super hot in the summer. Boiling..
You might think twice about that.
@Waldel Martell Doesn't France have more sunshiny side too?
@@superhotbm compare to my town in the equator.. if i have chance to live in that place.. yeah, someday.
Awesome video!
I feel like this pandemic has only affirmed my commitment to go back to the country to build my home. The city is crazy. The country is just better.
@@Ryaninsanity @Ryan Hou Followed up by both political parties using their lobbyist connections to continue make backdoor deals that continue to eat away at the middle class. Pulling heartstrings and stirring up needless drama to pull away from the root of the problem, continuing to push a status quo.
The simple way of things is a better way life,grow up living in a city and still is there are times i want to get away .
You chicken 🐔 ,scared of covid or what ?
@@fujoshilover2816 What the fuck did i say has anything to do with the pandemic,it could of been anything.