Abroad in Japan: The No. 1 Sunday Times Bestseller

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I haven't read much travel writing so I haven't got much to compare this book to but I felt as though a large portion of the book was focusing more on the people Chris had met which I loved. Ludwig brings Chessboxing to the world of content creation with the Mogul Chessboxing Championship". As these were included I was surprised to see that there was no mention of his current fiancée Sharla, other than in the last portion of the book where she is mentioned in one sentence. With blockbuster moments such as a terrifying North Korean missile incident, a Japanese national TV experience gone horribly wrong and a week spent with Japan's biggest movie star, Ken Watanabe, Abroad in Japan is an extraordinary and informative journey through the Land of the Rising Sun.

This biography of a living person needs additional citations for verification, as its only attribution is to self-published sources; articles should not be based solely on such sources. Trying to find his place, dealing with the highs and lows of a Youtube career, and embracing his film making dreams through his documentaries.However, as much as I understand I can't help but feel that there were things left out of the book that I thought would have been included, or at least mentioned. The guy just jetted off there one day to teach English despite having no teaching experience and knowing barely any Japanese. Also because it is a memoir and a slice of life in Japan, I also could see that it can be a good contemporary companion book to Pico Iyers The lady and the Monk: Four Seasons in Kyoto, which I absolutely loved. It's a quick and fun read which gives some insight into the realities of living in Japan as a foreigner as well as the highs and lows of being a YouTuber. Carves a unique path across Japan bringing him into contact with far too many cats, heartening renewal in Tohoku, and even pizza with Ken Watanabe.

He focuses on the creation of videos about Japanese culture, Japanese food and travel in Japan, primarily in the Tōhoku region. Follow Chris Broad and a cast of hilarious characters on a seemingly never-ending journey of despair, from Yamagata in north Japan, to the volcanic city of Kagoshima in Kyushu, as they devour mouthwatering cuisine, travel across jaw dropping landscapes, and get lost in neon cityscapes. But it's off the big screen where Ken plays his greatest role of all; rebuilding a town devastated by a tsunami. I particularly enjoyed the early years in Japan when he was finding his footing at the school and learning the culture, language, and making connections.It didn’t have as many revelations as I’d hoped, but it was entertaining, interesting and poignant at times.

I really enjoyed this book and will probably re read it in the future, plus I hope we can get a follow up one day. With no knowledge of the language and zero teaching experience, was he was about to be the most quickly fired English teacher in Japan's history? Overall it was great and I highly recommend it to everyone who loves Abroad in Japan, or who’d love to learn some new things about living in Japan as a foreigner.The latter 40% talk a bit more about the missile and when his Youtube career started to pick up - and that’s when the pacing changes. The best part of the book is the first 60%, detailing his time teaching English in rural Japan and reaching the highs and lows of that experience. To my relief, I soon learned that the volcano was more or less dormant, last caught puffing out a mediocre quantity of smoke in 1974.

His tone, humour and personality shone through the pages and the book was a very enjoyable read that I worked through in just a few hours. Broad spoke at a TEDx conference at Tohoku University where he presented about the power of YouTube and encouraged the audience to share their experiences with the world through the platform.

At least he's lived there for more than a holiday, and seen more than a movie while sitting in the West! After learning of and applying to the JET Programme, Broad moved to the city of Sakata in Yamagata Prefecture in 2012 while creating videos about his life and experiences in Japan. However, even as a first time author, Chris is a remarkably talented author with a fantastic penmanship. I’m a sucker for travel books like that and I’d love Chris to share some more personal stories about that time. Even if you are unfamiliar with Chris and his channel, you could still enjoy this book if you are interested in Japan.