I’ve been following Chris’ journey across Japan for a few years now. Me and my husband, who’s been watching Chris since the very first video, have done multiple binge-watching sessions and we always wait for a new video to come out. So when the book got announced, it was a no brainer that I was going to get it. Disclaimer: I do not consider myself an Abroad in Japan fan. I am aware of his content and have watched a few of his videos, but this review is written from a neutral perspective)

I also appriciated Chris talking about the disater of 2011 and shared storiea from people that was affected. It was so sad, but inspiring the strenght how the local people...What I particularly enjoyed is a new perspective on Japan. 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. Within the first few sentences of the book I was able to tell that it was very authentically Chris. One thing I love about his YouTube videos is how he is able to merge personal tales and educational facts together seamlessly and this is prevalent in the book also. There are also many descriptions of a lot of the wonderful food you can get in Japan and I also really enjoyed this aspect of the book. I also loved learning about his relationship with Natsuki and Ryotoro.

My favourite thing about the channel is Chris's dry and sarcastic sense of humour, and that definitely crosses over into this book. I could almost hear his voice as I read along. This would certainly be a good audio book.I enjoyed traveling along with his every word, his personal triumphs, and his frequent insecurities about what’s next, while waiting right there with him to find out what’s coming around the corner. Will it be good? Will it bring something unexpected? I really enjoyed this small peek into his life in Japan. The book was so well-written, the story so well-told, that I never wanted the story to end.

I gave this one 3/5 stars. For me, that’s a solidly average rating. Chris Broad’s experiences are far from average, I just did not find the book as engaging as I think it could’ve been. I have been watching Chris’ content and listening to his podcast since 2020 and genuinely enjoy what he has come out with. Pizza vending machine attracts crowds in Hiroshima". The Japan Times. 6 September 2018. Archived from the original on 29 August 2019 . Retrieved 13 September 2019. He also writes about Japanese culture, different places, people, natural disasters, and it wouldn't be Chris Broad if he didn't bring up food. He could easily start a side career as a food critic. Natsuki Aso ( 阿蘓 夏樹, Aso Natsuki ) – presenter, amateur musician and owner of a beauty salon in Yamagata, JapanIn "Abroad in Japan," Chris Broad unveils a narrative that embarks from his initial days as a language teacher in Japan to the serendipitous inception of his YouTube channel. The book is strewn with a gamut of anecdotal stories likely to resonate with, and perhaps charm, the habitual viewers of his digital content. Broad’s storytelling oscillates between immersing the reader in the quintessential Japanese milieu and dragging them through it - a dichotomy that might mirror the gamut of emotions one might traverse in foreign lands. The Winning Words". nippon.com. 1 December 2017. Archived from the original on 28 November 2020 . Retrieved 3 December 2020. I found this book really interesting with useful advice that will be of use to anyone who plans to live in or visit Japan. Chris does a great job of not sugar coating his experiences, and will highlight the positives and negatives of Japanese culture. I found the book far too easy to put down to rate it higher than 3/5. That being said, should he write another I will undoubtedly buy and read that too.