Rating: 4 out of 5

I’m possibly not the target audience for this book having never seen one of the YouTube videos, but it popped up in my Kindle feed on a 99p offer and I remain somewhat fascinated by Japan so thought it would be interesting. It was.

Reading how Chris goes from being an English teacher with no Japanese language or cultural knowledge to being an integrated member of the community was engaging. His journey from outsider to someone with genuine connections felt authentic rather than romanticized. I appreciated that he doesn’t gloss over the difficulties and cultural misunderstandings along the way.

I particularly enjoyed reading about some of his YouTube adventures, especially those shining a light on the unknown aspects of Japanese life and the aftermath of the tsunami. These sections provided perspectives on Japan that go beyond the usual tourist observations. The parts about rural Japanese life and traditions were especially illuminating.

The writing style is straightforward and conversational, making it easy to follow along. While I didn’t find myself racing to pick it up at every opportunity, I was always happy to return to it. Some sections could have delved deeper into the emotional aspects of cultural adaptation, but overall the balance between personal anecdotes and cultural observations works well.

Originally posted to my Goodreads account