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
@lieutenantpepper2734 This is not news to anyone, especially not to Australians. Not sure if you mean that as an insult, because no one would be upset over such a commonplace fact
@@lieutenantpepper2734 Surely that can't be true. We don't make a secret of that. Also SO many Asian people live, work, educate themselves and holiday in Australia that the word must have spread by now 😂
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::
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
For those north american readers, that gejigeji centipede is common in north america at least i've had more than a few in the South. First time i saw one walking across a wall i thought sci fi had become real and i put a lot of distance between me and it before regaining control of myself. I turns out they're quite amazing to watch and they busy buddies who like to walk. They're afraid of you and no longer scare me.
I believe that's a type of Scolopendra centipede, who have large, cousins in the Amazon as well and are also known for a painful bite. This is the wikipedia page I found: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scolopendra_japonica.
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)
You’re my new favorite Japanese countryside vlogger. I’m living vicariously through your videos. My personal favorites are your meal prep shorts. I love how you paired them with your eclectic musical choices.
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.
Hello Jesse and Mika, as a retired Marine I spent many six-month deployments in Japan during my 23 years of service. I had aways enjoyed my time spent there and tried seeing what I could of the country. Language was always a problem, but I managed to get always around it. People were always kind and helpful were ever I went and I always tried to returned that kindness. You always hear a lot of bad things about service members and there are always some bad one in each and every unit. I had always looked that it this way, I was a visitor in their country, and would never do anything to dishonor their country, my country or myself. It had aways amazed me how they kept theirs so clean. You never saw trash laying around, our people in the US could learn from this, but at last I know that can never happen. It is so wonderful to see you have a connection with your neighbor’s and everyone looks out for each other, that is something that has gone away from people in our country. Once people use to sit outside and talk with each other as they would walk by or make friends with to their next-door neighbors. If someone was sick there way always a neighbor wheeling to give a helping hand. Our social has gotten to a point to were they hide behind closed doors and windows with the shades and curtains pulled. Oh, you still see a little kindness with people in the countryside but not many. Sorry for running off like that, but I do want you to know that I have not watched many of your videos and those that I have I enjoy and looking forward to the next one.
I also agree and would so wish that people would be able to talk to people like back in the day. In the country side of Viet Nam, it is also similar to this. Everyone in the village knows each other and even when riding by via scooter or bicycle, my aunty would call out to each household she passes. And people can sit outside their houses, chit chat, drink tea or even come and help you with whatever you are doing at the time, or walk down anywhere in the village and chit chat to each other on the way. It is such a warm hearted feeling that penetrates my heart, soul and body. To feel that you have your space in the world amongst other kindred beings, and not strangers. Even a nod or a smile over where I live makes a world of a difference. We are just creatures after all, it is natural to acknowledge another living creature like animals do. I get pretty anxious trying to talk to strangers but little by little I am getting much better the more I encourage myself to do it. One of my neighbours and I are friends now, and it is a whole new world of experiences that I would have never experienced if I hadn't done anything. And I have decided that I will try and muster up my courage to talk to my other neighbour over the fence who I have casually chatted to, but haven't seen her face because of the fence! :P I hope you can make friends too. The very best of luck to you!
I crave this kind of lifestyle so badly. My father actually grew up in a valley in the hot deserts of Arizona, about 30 minutes from the nearest towns as well! He tells me stories of all of his neighbors and their get togethers. He explained that every other weekend, most of the neighbors would get together and have dinner with one another, and share. He’s talked about friends he made as a child with these people during his remote & rural life. It seems so peaceful, and relaxing. I can’t say I live the same way because I live 15 minutes away from town, but even then it is really a nice way to live. During the summer you can hear the bullfrogs sing, and all the wildlife comes out of hiding. I’ve adapted to the creepy sun spiders and wolf spiders, because I know they’re helpful :) It was very nice to see a glimpse of your country side life ❤️
I love that you just ended up becoming friendly with the creepy crawlies! I could maybe get used to even the spiders, but the centipedes are a no-no!!!!!
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 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.
It's wonderful to see you living with the creatures and be a part of your neighbors lives. What a blessing to recognize we are all family and to share in charity. Thank you for sharing this.
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.
Great video thanks. I was impressed you were able to bake good bread in the small oven ! Also I would be pleased to see your efforts with cheese making so far. Blessings ~ Linda
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.
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!
I was born, live, go to school and work in the city, all this hustle and bustle makes me explode. I hope one day I can be like you, live in the countryside and do what humans should do which is to go back and be one with nature.
Props to you for getting used to the critters! Frogs and geckos and snails are fine… spiders and centipedes would be another story. Even the tiny little Canadian house centipedes fill me with terror.
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😄
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.💕💕💕😥
Without going too much into details it would be nice if you could discuss the economics of living such a lifestyle. How do you afford daily necessities? Did you save some money from when you used to live in Canada? Stuff like that.
Refreshing to see people that don’t want to exterminate every creature around them, I did not realize Japan was still so wild, definitely will check that out!
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.
Hey! I think people would love it if you decide to do a video on ambient sounds of the night life there at your house - kind of like an asmr video almost, when I was watching this video I repeated the parts of the cicadas, frogs and other creatures dwelling there against the backdrop of the night sky and the mountains. It was very calming to hear it as well as seeing it.
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.
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'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.
Please just keep making videos. Im pretty sure it must be challenging to come up with stuff to "impress" the audience but just watchinf your day to day is enough to make me dream, being inspired and feel peace. If you ever run out of ideas please just do a journal, write whatever comes to mind of your experiences and put it over video of the landscapes, the critters, of anything tbh, just keep sharing, i absolutely love this.
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 🇺🇸
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 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!
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).
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 🥹
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 :)
We're in the process of moving into a mountain house with farmland. Our welcome "party" with our neighbors took place last week, and I already feel a bit overwhelmed by the expectations of socializing and helping the community. I tend to be a bit reclusive, but thankfully my wife is extremely outgoing. I do look forward to doing a lot of baking to share with our neighbors, until our gardening starts to produce something to share. And yes, I've had to quickly come to terms with the fact that huntsman spiders are a benefit to the house. So far, only one mamushi and two mukade have been spotted inside house, but every visit to the toilet involves checking the walls, ceiling and under the seat. I envy you your youth. We're much younger than our neighbors, but old enough that learning to farm seems incredibly daunting, and I'm hoping my body can adapt. I'm curious about the state of the house? My wife and I have both been suffering bad allergies and fatigue since we started living in this house full time just over a month ago. I'm guessing there's a ton of dust and rodent droppings that have collected in the attic area over the century the house has been around. I'm bracing myself for a crawl up there with a shop vacuum to remove as much as possible.
It might also be mold, with old wooden houses. Hope its not, wish i could do what youre doing some day but im 30 years old and my body is already destroyed most likely irreversibly by disease (ironically due to my love of nature), lost my family and soon to be wife years ago, big in debt due to medical history the last years. Life is probably not going to go that way for me if it will even last that long, but im always happy to hear other people managed to do it after a long time of hard work... wishing you guys the best! Im sure you will find vitality and strength in the fulfillment the countryside life will bring!
Agree that mold is one likely cause. We're in rural Hokkaido and have looked at many houses for sale and rent. We've found the insulation and moisture protection of the houses are low to non-existent in most Japanese houses. The construction standards have been surprisingly very low. We had to move out of our rental unit a few months ago because of encroaching mold. If it's a problem for you guys and you won't be leaving the place anytime soon, I'd suggest a good air purifier with UV, and dehumidifier.
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
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 :)
We live in Northern California, the Sierra mountains and your life in Japan is very similar to ours. Learning to live with the land instead of against can be tiring but it is also mentally freeing. The peace you have when you sleep at night is worth all the hard work during the day.
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
I live in a small village in sweden with about 250 people. But it has a supermarket and a gas station and other stuff because of tourism. I love living here. Everyone is so friendly and you stop and talk to people everyday. Been here for 8 years now i think. Thank you for sharing about your life in japan!
Loved this! I watched this with my son (he’s 7) and he was fascinated with all the critters. I’m wondering, what do you do for work? Are you able to work from home and have internet? Also, do you both speak the language? Are you able to talk with your neighbours?
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.
We've also recently moved to the countryside and I was wondering what you do to deal with all the insect bites? That's one of the things driving me almost insane! We too have a hot water issue and barely bathed this past winter. The lack of showering and bathing is also something very hard to get used to. Our grocery run is more than an hour away, so we keep putting it off. The village we live in is very close-knit (as are most villages, I suppose). In fact all the villagers are related to each other, so we are really like outsiders. There's some cultural and regional language differences too, not to mention intellectual disparity, so I guess we've a long way to go before we feel integrated. It's no doubt beautiful, but I wonder at times if it's worth the social isolation and lack of conveniences. Would love honest your opinion on these things. Thanks!
@Puda No, not Japan, but been a city dweller my whole life. It was more affordable compared to home prices in cities and of course, being close to nature. Country life takes time to get used if you have no experience of it.
@@MM-TheEnd just like everything else I guess :) I am about 20 min from downtown in a 1.3M inhabitants city. The city itself is not very active and I am in a residential neighborhood with a large backyard. I have an herb garden and I grow veggies. It’s rare to see neighbours enjoying their backyards so it feels pretty safe :)
Curious about the following questions: -what do you guys do for work? are you retired and simply enjoying the country scenery or do you guys work, if so; what as? -what is the WIFI scenario like? -what is the commute like to the nearby store for groceries? -do you feel accepted and welcomed by your neighbours?
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! ♥♥
Watching you guys combine the Canadian pleasure of cracking open a beer and sitting by a rice paddy was great. I just started watching your channel and love to see you cook the traditional Japanese meals.
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
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’.
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.
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. :)
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 !
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
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. ☺
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.
My wife is Japanese and moved to Canada in 2020, and ever since I started watching your videos it's made me think how much I'd love to leave Toronto and move to a place like this. I'm not sure we'd want to go quite so rustic or want to do any major renovations ourselves, but I have no doubt our mental and physical health would improve greatly if we moved to a small Japanese village somewhere, which would be fairly easy with her still being a citizen there and me being able to work from home.
Just move to almost anywhere in BC and you can experience much greater wilderness than anything in Japan or most of the world-rainforest and grizzly bears :) Of course, you’d also be in a much harsher climate, much more remote, and probably not much in the way of jobs outside of a few places (and the selection even in Van is already much worse than TO). I think what’s interesting about the rural life in Japan is that it’s actually rural in a relatively small and very dense country-you can go from countryside to one of the largest urban areas in the world in a relatively short distance and time. Plus the artificially cheap housing market due to lots of elderly people + barely allowing anyone not-Japanese in.
@@NickHchaos What's interesting abt Japan's nature is its diversity. You can see from drift ice and heavy snow to mangrove forest. Only the cities in the country are dense. 70% of its land is mountains. Also Japan's actual immigration policy, not imagined stereotypical one, is one of the loosest among G7 countries.
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.
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. ❤
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.
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
Yes, concur with other commenters that this is the most wonderful and calming vlog. Would love to see more daily recipes, love the gardening, grocery store/market days. Love it all!
This has become one of my favorite video series on UA-cam, thank you so much for sharing your lives with us. Seeing you connect with your neighbors is truly special.
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 🙏🙏
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!
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!
Hubby and I had the pleasure of living in Japan for close to 6 years (until 2019). We miss it although love our forever property down in the SW of Western Australia. Yes, many folks cannot work out how we can live with all the critters, but as you know - you adapt! I laughed when I saw your visiting huntsman spiders - loads here. I just name them as I see them. Enjoy your new life!
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 live in Australia. This is exactly how you adapt to critters! You just learn to co-exist and suddenly they are not frightening anymore. Great job!
Australia used to be used as a jail country.
@lieutenantpepper2734 This is not news to anyone, especially not to Australians. Not sure if you mean that as an insult, because no one would be upset over such a commonplace fact
@@2oqh it is news to people in asia. Just spreading the knowledge
@@lieutenantpepper2734 Surely that can't be true. We don't make a secret of that. Also SO many Asian people live, work, educate themselves and holiday in Australia that the word must have spread by now 😂
@@cmamelgna5585 I live in Asia. And people told me did not know.
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.
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.
I'm sure the gejigeji centipede is very helpful to have around, but it sure looks like it crawled out of hell 😨
Just had one fall out of my futon last night. Yes...from hell.
For those north american readers, that gejigeji centipede is common in north america at least i've had more than a few in the South. First time i saw one walking across a wall i thought sci fi had become real and i put a lot of distance between me and it before regaining control of myself. I turns out they're quite amazing to watch and they busy buddies who like to walk. They're afraid of you and no longer scare me.
I believe that's a type of Scolopendra centipede, who have large, cousins in the Amazon as well and are also known for a painful bite. This is the wikipedia page I found: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scolopendra_japonica.
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)
You’re my new favorite Japanese countryside vlogger. I’m living vicariously through your videos.
My personal favorites are your meal prep shorts. I love how you paired them with your eclectic musical choices.
what are some recommendations of other people doing similar videos?
"It's not work. It's a way of life" Thank you for the quote of the day.
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.
Hello Jesse and Mika, as a retired Marine I spent many six-month deployments in Japan during my 23 years of service. I had aways enjoyed my time spent there and tried seeing what I could of the country. Language was always a problem, but I managed to get always around it. People were always kind and helpful were ever I went and I always tried to returned that kindness. You always hear a lot of bad things about service members and there are always some bad one in each and every unit. I had always looked that it this way, I was a visitor in their country, and would never do anything to dishonor their country, my country or myself. It had aways amazed me how they kept theirs so clean. You never saw trash laying around, our people in the US could learn from this, but at last I know that can never happen. It is so wonderful to see you have a connection with your neighbor’s and everyone looks out for each other, that is something that has gone away from people in our country. Once people use to sit outside and talk with each other as they would walk by or make friends with to their next-door neighbors. If someone was sick there way always a neighbor wheeling to give a helping hand. Our social has gotten to a point to were they hide behind closed doors and windows with the shades and curtains pulled. Oh, you still see a little kindness with people in the countryside but not many. Sorry for running off like that, but I do want you to know that I have not watched many of your videos and those that I have I enjoy and looking forward to the next one.
I also agree and would so wish that people would be able to talk to people like back in the day. In the country side of Viet Nam, it is also similar to this. Everyone in the village knows each other and even when riding by via scooter or bicycle, my aunty would call out to each household she passes. And people can sit outside their houses, chit chat, drink tea or even come and help you with whatever you are doing at the time, or walk down anywhere in the village and chit chat to each other on the way. It is such a warm hearted feeling that penetrates my heart, soul and body. To feel that you have your space in the world amongst other kindred beings, and not strangers. Even a nod or a smile over where I live makes a world of a difference. We are just creatures after all, it is natural to acknowledge another living creature like animals do.
I get pretty anxious trying to talk to strangers but little by little I am getting much better the more I encourage myself to do it. One of my neighbours and I are friends now, and it is a whole new world of experiences that I would have never experienced if I hadn't done anything. And I have decided that I will try and muster up my courage to talk to my other neighbour over the fence who I have casually chatted to, but haven't seen her face because of the fence! :P I hope you can make friends too. The very best of luck to you!
Enjoyed read your article. Best wish to you and yours!@@lypee2
Thank you Michael. I wish you happiness. Take care.@@michaelgardner800
I crave this kind of lifestyle so badly. My father actually grew up in a valley in the hot deserts of Arizona, about 30 minutes from the nearest towns as well! He tells me stories of all of his neighbors and their get togethers. He explained that every other weekend, most of the neighbors would get together and have dinner with one another, and share. He’s talked about friends he made as a child with these people during his remote & rural life. It seems so peaceful, and relaxing. I can’t say I live the same way because I live 15 minutes away from town, but even then it is really a nice way to live. During the summer you can hear the bullfrogs sing, and all the wildlife comes out of hiding. I’ve adapted to the creepy sun spiders and wolf spiders, because I know they’re helpful :) It was very nice to see a glimpse of your country side life ❤️
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.
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!
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😊
I love that you just ended up becoming friendly with the creepy crawlies! I could maybe get used to even the spiders, but the centipedes are a no-no!!!!!
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 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.
It's wonderful to see you living with the creatures and be a part of your neighbors lives. What a blessing to recognize we are all family and to share in charity. Thank you for sharing this.
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.
Great video thanks. I was impressed you were able to bake good bread in the small oven ! Also I would be pleased to see your efforts with cheese making so far. Blessings ~ Linda
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.
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!
I was born, live, go to school and work in the city, all this hustle and bustle makes me explode. I hope one day I can be like you, live in the countryside and do what humans should do which is to go back and be one with nature.
Props to you for getting used to the critters! Frogs and geckos and snails are fine… spiders and centipedes would be another story. Even the tiny little Canadian house centipedes fill me with terror.
I love close to Canada, and this video made me appreciate long winters more.
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😄
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.💕💕💕😥
Without going too much into details it would be nice if you could discuss the economics of living such a lifestyle. How do you afford daily necessities? Did you save some money from when you used to live in Canada? Stuff like that.
I would also like to know this. I see lots of videos about people moving to Japan but none of them discuss income or jobs.
Hi @magicomagique, I'll be answering that in a future video. Stay tuned!
Refreshing to see people that don’t want to exterminate every creature around them, I did not realize Japan was still so wild, definitely will check that out!
What a beautiful life you both have. Thank you for sharing it. 🌻
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.
Hey! I think people would love it if you decide to do a video on ambient sounds of the night life there at your house - kind of like an asmr video almost, when I was watching this video I repeated the parts of the cicadas, frogs and other creatures dwelling there against the backdrop of the night sky and the mountains. It was very calming to hear it as well as seeing it.
Noted! You might be getting something like that soon 😉
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.
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'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.
i don't care how much time I spent in a place, having to *check the bed for centipedes* is not a thing I would ever get used to. XD
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.
This has quickly become one of my favourite channels on youtube. Thanks for sharing, looking forward to the next video!
Please just keep making videos. Im pretty sure it must be challenging to come up with stuff to "impress" the audience but just watchinf your day to day is enough to make me dream, being inspired and feel peace. If you ever run out of ideas please just do a journal, write whatever comes to mind of your experiences and put it over video of the landscapes, the critters, of anything tbh, just keep sharing, i absolutely love this.
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 🇺🇸
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 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!
- *I am an adult,* && even the tiniest spiders && their webs scare me. I'll never get over that. My house is fully sprayed with spider juice 😊. 5:00
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).
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 🥹
You guys are doing such an amazing job :)) keep up your work! I'm really excited to follow you on your journey
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 :)
We're in the process of moving into a mountain house with farmland. Our welcome "party" with our neighbors took place last week, and I already feel a bit overwhelmed by the expectations of socializing and helping the community. I tend to be a bit reclusive, but thankfully my wife is extremely outgoing. I do look forward to doing a lot of baking to share with our neighbors, until our gardening starts to produce something to share. And yes, I've had to quickly come to terms with the fact that huntsman spiders are a benefit to the house. So far, only one mamushi and two mukade have been spotted inside house, but every visit to the toilet involves checking the walls, ceiling and under the seat. I envy you your youth. We're much younger than our neighbors, but old enough that learning to farm seems incredibly daunting, and I'm hoping my body can adapt. I'm curious about the state of the house? My wife and I have both been suffering bad allergies and fatigue since we started living in this house full time just over a month ago. I'm guessing there's a ton of dust and rodent droppings that have collected in the attic area over the century the house has been around. I'm bracing myself for a crawl up there with a shop vacuum to remove as much as possible.
It might also be mold, with old wooden houses. Hope its not, wish i could do what youre doing some day but im 30 years old and my body is already destroyed most likely irreversibly by disease (ironically due to my love of nature), lost my family and soon to be wife years ago, big in debt due to medical history the last years. Life is probably not going to go that way for me if it will even last that long, but im always happy to hear other people managed to do it after a long time of hard work... wishing you guys the best! Im sure you will find vitality and strength in the fulfillment the countryside life will bring!
Agree that mold is one likely cause. We're in rural Hokkaido and have looked at many houses for sale and rent. We've found the insulation and moisture protection of the houses are low to non-existent in most Japanese houses. The construction standards have been surprisingly very low. We had to move out of our rental unit a few months ago because of encroaching mold. If it's a problem for you guys and you won't be leaving the place anytime soon, I'd suggest a good air purifier with UV, and dehumidifier.
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
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 :)
We live in Northern California, the Sierra mountains and your life in Japan is very similar to ours. Learning to live with the land instead of against can be tiring but it is also mentally freeing. The peace you have when you sleep at night is worth all the hard work during the day.
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
I live in a small village in sweden with about 250 people. But it has a supermarket and a gas station and other stuff because of tourism. I love living here. Everyone is so friendly and you stop and talk to people everyday. Been here for 8 years now i think. Thank you for sharing about your life in japan!
Loved this! I watched this with my son (he’s 7) and he was fascinated with all the critters. I’m wondering, what do you do for work? Are you able to work from home and have internet? Also, do you both speak the language? Are you able to talk with your neighbours?
Yes. I'm interested to know that too!
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.
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.
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
We've also recently moved to the countryside and I was wondering what you do to deal with all the insect bites? That's one of the things driving me almost insane! We too have a hot water issue and barely bathed this past winter. The lack of showering and bathing is also something very hard to get used to. Our grocery run is more than an hour away, so we keep putting it off. The village we live in is very close-knit (as are most villages, I suppose). In fact all the villagers are related to each other, so we are really like outsiders. There's some cultural and regional language differences too, not to mention intellectual disparity, so I guess we've a long way to go before we feel integrated. It's no doubt beautiful, but I wonder at times if it's worth the social isolation and lack of conveniences. Would love honest your opinion on these things. Thanks!
Interested to know why you did that in the first place? Are you from Japan?
@Puda No, not Japan, but been a city dweller my whole life. It was more affordable compared to home prices in cities and of course, being close to nature. Country life takes time to get used if you have no experience of it.
@@MM-TheEnd I don’t think I could do it. Hopefully you are enjoying it!
@Puda Thank you. Some aspects are amazing, some not so much :)
@@MM-TheEnd just like everything else I guess :) I am about 20 min from downtown in a 1.3M inhabitants city. The city itself is not very active and I am in a residential neighborhood with a large backyard. I have an herb garden and I grow veggies. It’s rare to see neighbours enjoying their backyards so it feels pretty safe :)
Curious about the following questions:
-what do you guys do for work? are you retired and simply enjoying the country scenery or do you guys work, if so; what as?
-what is the WIFI scenario like?
-what is the commute like to the nearby store for groceries?
-do you feel accepted and welcomed by your neighbours?
One day I want to go to a place like this and live a life like this 😊 but without the spiders 😖
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! ♥♥
This video put a big smile on my face. Please keep making them!
Watching you guys combine the Canadian pleasure of cracking open a beer and sitting by a rice paddy was great. I just started watching your channel and love to see you cook the traditional Japanese meals.
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.
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
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’.
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.
Just appreciative of this perspective! Cannot wait for the next one!
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. :)
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 👍
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
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 can not wait for your next video. Anything and everything about your life there is simply fascinating to me! Thank you and keep sharing.
Japan is a fairy tale for me. Too beautiful and magic to be true!!!
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.
My wife is Japanese and moved to Canada in 2020, and ever since I started watching your videos it's made me think how much I'd love to leave Toronto and move to a place like this. I'm not sure we'd want to go quite so rustic or want to do any major renovations ourselves, but I have no doubt our mental and physical health would improve greatly if we moved to a small Japanese village somewhere, which would be fairly easy with her still being a citizen there and me being able to work from home.
Just move to almost anywhere in BC and you can experience much greater wilderness than anything in Japan or most of the world-rainforest and grizzly bears :)
Of course, you’d also be in a much harsher climate, much more remote, and probably not much in the way of jobs outside of a few places (and the selection even in Van is already much worse than TO). I think what’s interesting about the rural life in Japan is that it’s actually rural in a relatively small and very dense country-you can go from countryside to one of the largest urban areas in the world in a relatively short distance and time. Plus the artificially cheap housing market due to lots of elderly people + barely allowing anyone not-Japanese in.
@@NickHchaos What's interesting abt Japan's nature is its diversity. You can see from drift ice and heavy snow to mangrove forest.
Only the cities in the country are dense. 70% of its land is mountains.
Also Japan's actual immigration policy, not imagined stereotypical one, is one of the loosest among G7 countries.
Thank you for coming and living in my hometown Kochi Prefecture !
Thanks for sharing this with us, simple pleasures are the best.
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.
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. ❤
Watching your vlog was a joy. All the best.
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.
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
Yes, concur with other commenters that this is the most wonderful and calming vlog. Would love to see more daily recipes, love the gardening, grocery store/market days. Love it all!
YAY YES!!! Will do!😚
5:11 This treefrog you can find also in the Netherlands .......
This has become one of my favorite video series on UA-cam, thank you so much for sharing your lives with us. Seeing you connect with your neighbors is truly special.
Wow, thank you! 😚
Thank you for sharing these updates! I love seeing how you are adapting
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 🙏🙏
Acceptance of critters 😊 👍
Salvaging scrap wood++
For hot water, clever 👁️
I love how you make your videos so interesting to watch.
Oh my Shikoku is really far and truly the countryside. It’s certainly beautiful and has that untouched nature feel.
Still loving this series. Do whatever you want. We'll watch!
😚
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
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 🤣😅🙇♀️
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!
Hubby and I had the pleasure of living in Japan for close to 6 years (until 2019). We miss it although love our forever property down in the SW of Western Australia. Yes, many folks cannot work out how we can live with all the critters, but as you know - you adapt! I laughed when I saw your visiting huntsman spiders - loads here. I just name them as I see them. Enjoy your new life!
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!
Thank you for your channel. Such a beautiful place!
Relating to this. 💖We moved from the suburbs to a rural property and it's been an adjustment. But a positive one.