Abroad in Japan: Ten years in the Land of the Rising Sun

Picked this up after watching Chris’s videos for years, and it's basically like having his sarcastic narration playing in your head while you turn the pages. It’s a chronological joyride through a decade of culture shock that manages to be both informative and incredibly cynical in the best way possible. From his early days in the JET program in Yamagata to the high-profile interviews with Ken Watanabe, the progression feels earned and authentic. I was especially gripped by the chapters on the Tohoku disaster; he handled the sensitivity of that tragedy with a grace that balanced out his usual biting British wit. While the book focuses heavily on his first few years, I think those were clearly his most formative. Not gonna lie, seeing his relationship with Natsuki and Ryotoro fleshed out on paper made me appreciate the channel even more. It’s a heartwarming, albeit sarcastic, look at what it means to actually build a life in a foreign country.

Ever wonder what it's actually like to move to a rural Japanese town without knowing a single word of the language? Chris Broad answers that question with a perfect mix of self-deprecating humor and genuine wonder. This isn't just a travelogue; it's a testament to the power of saying 'yes' to weird opportunities, like trekking across the country or meeting superstars like Hyde. The narrative transitions seamlessly from hilarious anecdotes about takoyaki being too hot to moving accounts of people rebuilding after the 2011 tsunami. I found the segments on his early struggles with the climate and the language particularly endearing. It’s rare to find a memoir that makes you laugh out loud and then immediately feel a lump in your throat. He has a way of making the landscape of Japan feel like a character itself. Absolute must-read for any Japanophile.

Japan is often romanticized to death in Western media, so it was refreshing to read such a gritty, honest, and hilarious take on living there. Broad doesn't hold back on the difficulties of the JET program or the isolation of living in a rural prefecture like Yamagata. His voice is distinct—sarcastic, dry, and yet clearly full of love for his adopted home. The stories about Natsuki are highlights for me; their friendship is one of the most wholesome things I've read in a long time. I finished the book in two sittings because the prose is just so engaging and effortless. It’s a chronological journey that captures the evolution of a person as much as the evolution of a career. Whether you’re a fan of his videos or just someone looking for a good laugh, this is a banger.

Finally got around to reading this and it's easily one of the best memoirs on the expatriate experience I've ever found. Most people who move to Japan write about the same five things, but Chris manages to make even the mundane stuff feel fresh with his wit. The way he weaves together the history of the regions he visits with his own personal disasters is brilliant. I particularly liked the section about his interview with Ken Watanabe; it felt like a real full-circle moment for his journey. The book is heartwarming without being cheesy and informative without being a textbook. It’s a chronological series of stories that perfectly encapsulates the highs and lows of the last decade. Even with the minor typos mentioned by others, the spirit of the book is 10/10. I’ll be recommending this to everyone.

After hearing so much hype on social media, I finally dove into this account of Chris’s life in Tohoku and beyond. The writing style is punchy and moves at a fast clip, perfectly capturing that fish-out-of-water feeling. I particularly enjoyed the early sections about his struggles as an English teacher because it felt so relatable to anyone who has ever felt like an outsider. However, I have to agree with some other readers regarding the lack of professional proofreading for the Japanese terms. Seeing 'danbo' instead of 'danbooru' for cardboard or some of the romanization choices felt a bit sloppy for a book published by a major house. Despite that, the stories about the stationmaster cat and the North Korean missile scare are gold. It’s an easy, entertaining read that doesn't take itself too seriously. If you want a deep academic dive into Japanese culture, look elsewhere, but for a fun memoir, this hits the spot.

This book is a masterclass in that biting British self-deprecation we’ve come to expect from the Abroad in Japan brand. Broad manages to avoid the typical 'Orientalist' tropes by focusing on the mundane, frustrating, and ultimately rewarding aspects of daily life. The anecdotes are mostly gold, though some do feel a bit cliched, like the classic love hotel foreigner struggles. I did notice a few confusing character name swaps in the middle chapters—Noriko becoming Naoko out of nowhere was a bit jarring. Still, the emotional core of the book is strong. The way he describes his friendship with Natsuki is genuinely touching. It’s a very quick read, perhaps a bit too short at 300 pages, but it covers a lot of ground. I’d recommend the audiobook version especially, as his delivery adds a whole other layer to the comedy.

The chapter on the Tohoku disaster was unexpectedly moving and provided a depth I wasn't expecting from a book that starts with jokes about squat toilets. Chris has a knack for balancing the 'wacky' side of Japan with the serious, human side of the country. I loved the chronological approach, even if the timeline gets a bit compressed toward the end. The writing is incredibly easy to follow, making it a perfect 'armchair travel' companion. My only real gripe is that he glosses over a lot of his later filmmaking process, which I was personally very curious about. To be fair, he covers the early culture shock so well that it makes up for the lighter ending. It’s an inspiring story about an ordinary guy who ended up doing something extraordinary. Definitely worth a spot on your shelf if you've ever dreamt of moving abroad.

Look, I love the YouTube channel, but this book felt strangely lopsided to me. The first 60% of the text is almost entirely dedicated to his first couple of years in Yamagata, which is fine, but it leaves the last six or seven years feeling like a rushed montage. I was really looking forward to hearing more about his adventures with Joey and Connor, or even a bit more about his relationship with Sharla, but they are barely mentioned or completely absent. It’s his story to tell, of course, but as a fan, it felt like several chapters were missing from the second half. The humor is definitely there, and his descriptions of the food are enough to make anyone book a flight immediately. Truth is, it’s a good book for beginners, but long-time viewers might find themselves wanting more depth on the recent era.

To be fair, the anecdotes are mostly gold, but as someone who speaks Japanese, the lack of proofreading was hard to ignore. Seeing 'oshiteimasu' when he clearly meant 'oshieteimasu' is a small thing, but when it happens every twenty pages, it starts to grate on you. The content itself is entertaining enough, especially the bits about the North Korean missile video and the general absurdity of the Japanese school system. However, the book feels like it’s aimed purely at people who have never been to Japan. A lot of the 'revelations' about the culture are things you'd find in any basic travel guide. I enjoyed the personal bits about his anxiety and his growth as a creator, but I think the book could have used another round of edits. A decent read, but not quite the definitive 'Japan book' I was hoping for.

Frankly, I found the narration style a bit much and the pacing was all over the place. If you aren't already a fan of his YouTube channel, I’m not sure there’s enough here to keep you hooked. The first few chapters about his teaching job drag on forever, and then suddenly we're fast-forwarding through five years of his life in a single chapter. It felt like a collection of blog posts stitched together rather than a cohesive memoir. Also, the errors in Japanese were incredibly distracting. How does a book about Japan get through editing with so many typos in the basic vocabulary? It felt a bit lazy. I appreciate the hustle he put into his career, but the book itself felt like a bit of a cash-in on his existing fame. It’s okay for a plane ride, but don’t expect a masterpiece.