by: Nabila Rhapsodios
PRODUCT INFO
Title: Abroad in Japan ~Ten Years in the Land of the Rising Sun~
Author: Chris Broad
Publisher: Transworld
Language: English
Year Published: 2023
Page(s) Number: 308
PROLOGUE
Hello, Nabila Rhapsodios's here. I know Chris Broad's content and have watched a few of his videos on his Abroad in Japan channel. My favorite part is that he covered the story of survivors of the 2011 Fukushima earthquake and his follow-up story, in which he spent time with Ken Watanabe. I'm not a big fan of Chris or his channel, this book review is from a neutral angle.
My biggest compulsion to buy and eventually read this book is the stunning cover and the story of how an earthly, clumsy, yet funny Brit was stranded in Japan for so long. What brings him to Japan, and how he comes to terms with calling Japan his second home? I know Chris must have said all of his reasons in his videos, but like I said before, I've only watched his videos, not too often, so I hoped this book must have discussed them, which, yes, turned out to be true.
MY IMPRESSION
Chris Broad
The first part of the book was more enjoyable than the second part. In the first part, I learned about Chris' JET program experience in a high school, his early culture shock when adapting to Japan's climate and language, which is significantly dissimilar from England, and how he met Natsuki, who was adorable and witty. Chris's early years in Japan discussed how he met Ryotaro, another important figure who helped him instill Chris' first creativity and the quest giver for awakening Chris' dormant filmmaking skills, which was the turning point for Chris' YouTube channel Abroad in Japan. The first part is well-written and feels more intimate than the second, with bewitching behind-the-camera stories full of brim and a great sense of humor in the face of adversity. Hearing about Japan from a foreign citizen who arrives new to the country is always lovely, so his lessons about opening yourself into the unknown and stepping out of your comfort zone will likely inspire many brave souls and shape them to experience incredible parts of the place we want to visit, including hopefully myself one day. What Chris has done in taking every new chance, a balance of educational and English sarcasm, is incredibly brave and honest in the book's first segment.
The second part of the book was less energetic and the weakest section. It peeked briefly into the popular videos on Chris' YouTube channel chronologically. The second part also included his rise to fame as a leading foreigner YouTuber, focusing on Japan's food, culture, and travel. It's not bad; it just ended abruptly, and the anecdotes finally became less humorous. However, I can understand how the second part seems rushed because describing the ten best years of living in Japan and remembering the fruits of success in building a YouTube channel Abroad in Japan in text, it is challenging to choose the right words, and sometimes there are also instructions that the number of pages must not exceed that set by the publisher. The second part was not as comical as the first, which may have been his bragging about how many likes and views he harvests, even though it's not Chris' intention. None of the second section was stale or dull, but it's better to get to know all this prosperous YouTube stuff by checking out his YouTube channel.
This account by a former English teacher who began his journey in 2012 at age 22 is captivating. However, I lost some interest when his story evolved into a successful YouTube expedition and documentary video; the second part didn't hold quite the same allure as the earlier part. He did have a reasonable job bringing them to this book to familiarize those not along for the ride to his YouTube channel.
Because his writing style was hilarious, authentic, and easy to read, I did have a few chortles at his dumb luck, good fortunes, adventures, and misadventures. Chris treated somber stories with the necessity of respect, didn't gloss over hardships, and touched on highlights and ultimate lows; I think this book is not so to be called a 'travel book'; instead, this book is more to be called 'short memoirs.'
In ten years of living in the land of the Rising Sun, surely anyone would expect to see Chris mention Joey and Connor (yeah, I knew them. I watch his video sometimes), but, alas, they weren't mentioned at all. Sharla was mentioned in the very last part of the book; I was surprised by this move. Isn't Sharla his fiancee now? It is not wrong that I wish Chris would write the next book to tell the untold personal stories featuring them, what those names mean to him, and what they have done to change Chris' outlook on the relationship between Japan and his fellow foreigners, along with his bride-to-be.
Overall, this book taught me new things about Japan, and I proudly recommend it to everybody who loves Japan or wants to learn teeny bits about living in Japan. Dare I say, if you are uneasy with the typical cheeky Brit dry sense of humor, please watch one or two of Chris' videos first. The storyteller's style will not be for everyone, despite Chris being a good storyteller.
Reading about Japan has always engaged me. That said, I give this book an 8.8 out of 10. Any issues I encountered with it didn't at all impact my enjoyment of it. Chris can undoubtedly walk with his head held high for his book debut. Abroad in Japan is as realistic a depiction of a Brit in modern Japan as you are likely to come across.
~END OF THE ARTICLE~
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