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Weird & Wonderful


Thousands of years of isolation gave Japan a distinct identity and way of life, which today manifests itself in the most unique and unexpected ways. Whether it’s a cuisine of deadly poisonous Blowfish, hotels staffed by enthusiastic Robot Dinosaurs, or a surprising and sophisticated love hotel culture, immerse yourself in Japan’s weird and wonderful cultural oddities.

Featured Content

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I Spent a Day at Japan's Worst Tourist Trap

Japan is struggling with over-tourism. But how bad is it really out there?...

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I Survived Japan's Snowiest Town Winter Road Trip

Deep in the mountains of north Japan lies the snowy hot spring village of Ginzan. It's a shame our visit isn't so relaxing....

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The Worst Thing I've Done at a Japanese School

Dr Jelly is back for a final outing in a Japanese school with a song for the ages....

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This Stunning Town in Japan Has a Big Problem

We begin our journey through Akita, a stunning region with a big problem....

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Somebody Keyed My New Japanese Car

We've travelled 1,000km in Japan's tiniest car, but it seems all is not well....

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I Tried Japan's WORST Convenience Store Food

In Japan's chilly far flung north, we face our worst two challenges yet....

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I Tried Japan's RAREST Ramen Flavour

Japan's RAREST Ramen is certainly unusual - but what does it really taste like?...

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I Tried Japan’s Tuna Sushi Challenge | 4,000 Calories

Japan's BIGGEST tuna bowl is insane value for money....

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I Stayed in Japan's Most Haunted Inn

We head to Japan’s most haunted Inn in Iwate today, don’t say I never treat Sharla....

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I Tried Japan's Cheapest Restaurant | Feat. @CDawgVA

I took Connor Dog Voice Actor Man to the cheapest restaurant in the whole of Japan. ...

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12 Ideas We Should STEAL from Japan

Japan gets a lot of things right. Here's 12 things worth stealing!...

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I RENTED a Japanese Convenience Store for a Day

I've officially lived in Japan for 10 long years! But it hasn't always gone according to plan....

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Inside Japan's Most BRUTAL Prison

As we reach Japan's most northern point we explore Abashiri prison and hear how one man escaped it, ride an incredible ice breaker ship and go fishing for lunch. ...

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I Survived 24 Hours in Japan's COLDEST Town

Japan's coldest town is in an isolated mountain range in central Hokkaido. We venture to the frozen Lake Akan in search of the town, explore an Ainu village and witness an epic rap battle in the snow. ...

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Riding Japan’s Most LUXURIOUS Steam Train FIRST Class in Hokkaido

Hokkaido is home to Japan's most luxurious and rarest steam train, the winter express. Only in operation several weeks of the year, we bag ourselves tickets as we continue our journey across Japan. ...

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I Stayed at Japan's BIGGEST Ice Village | -20°C in Hokkaido

I Stayed at Japan's BIGGEST Ice Village | -20°C in Hokkaido ...

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I Stayed in Japan's BIGGEST Hot Spring VS. Abandoned Ghost Town Feat. @CDawgVA

Kyushu is home to Japan's largest hot spring town of Beppu. @CDawgVA and I head off across the island on a road trip from ghost towns and Wagyu, to the stunning Takachio Gorge and a bizarre love hotel....

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I Tried Walking Across Tokyo in a Day

Tokyo is the world's largest city. We set off 25km across the city through markets, restaurants and neon lit streets to see if it's possible to walk across it in a day! ...

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Why I Left Japan for Christmas

This year marks the 10 Year anniversary of the Abroad in Japan channel. To celebrate we headed to London to prank 1,000 viewers....

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I'm Done.

I travelled to America for the first time in 14 years for the toughest challenge of my life. Big thanks to @ludwig for encouraging me to take part in the ChessBoxing!...

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I Tried Japan's HARDEST Race. 1,100m Mountain. 20 Obstacles.

Japan's Spartan race in the mountains of Niigata is considered one of the toughest races in Japan. 1,100m high with over 20 obstacles, I very foolishly attempted to run it....

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I Cycled 750km Across Japan in a Week | Ft. @CDawgVA

Connor and I set off on a 750km cycle across Hokkaido in our Wackiest Weekend yet, as we battle for 8 days straight from Japan's most northern point (Wakkanai) to the city of Hakodate in the south....

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I SLEPT in Britain's Most Haunted Prison Vs. Church | Feat. @CDawgVA & @The Anime Man

Having left Japan for the first time in 3 years, I'm back in the UK sleeping in Britain's most haunted Prison & Church with @CDawgVA & @The Anime Man of Trash Taste fame. Wacky Weekend UK!...

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I Drove to Japan's Snowiest Town | Winter Road Trip Feat. @CDawgVA

Japan's Snow Monkeys are famous the world over located deep in snow territory. On this Wacky Weekend we explore sake vending machines, venture into a creepy tunnel and meet the monkeys face to face! ...

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I Tried Japan's Most INSANE Noodle Challenge | Feat. @CDawgVA

Japan's most insane noodle challenge involves eating over 100 bowls of soba noodles. But can we do it? Only one way to find out......

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I Built a Japanese RAMEN Shop in My Apartment | STUDIO Tour

I love ramen. I love cyberpunk. And I love 1980's Japan. Combine all of these and you get the brand new Abroad in Japan studio. Come and take a look inside! Feat. @CDawgVA, Natsuki and @Premier Two....

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Inside Japan's ABANDONED Theme Park | Feat. @CDawgVA

During Japan's 1980's economic bubble, hotels and amusement parks were built throughout the country. Then in the 90's it all came crashing down, leaving the country filled with abandoned places. On Wacky Weekend, Connor, Natsuki and I exp...

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Inside Japan's WORST Hotel Room | Feat. @CDawgVA

Japan's hotels are typically amongst the cleanest in the world. This one wasn't. As Connor and I head off for a Wacky Weekend around Shikoku, we confront a terrifying bridge, a village inhabited by 350 scarecrows and the worst hotel room in J...

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Inside Japan's CAPSULE Tower | 140 TINY Tokyo Apartments

The Nakagin Capsule Tower in the heart of Tokyo is iconic, featuring 140 retro tiny apartments built in the 1970's. Sadly, the future of the capsule tower isn't looking so great and this time next year it may be lost forever. Let's go inside and take...

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24 Hours in Nagasaki | 6 Things to do in Japan's Hidden City

Nagasaki is hidden away on Japan's southern coast. We explore the abandoned Gunkanjima Island, enjoy mouthwatering street food and bring back Dr Jelly one last time....

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I Explored Japan's Largest ABANDONED Island | Why 10,000 People Disappeared

Japan has over 6,000 islands. Many are losing their populations and becoming abandoned. Ikeshima island is home to an abandoned area the size of a small city. This week in Journey Across Japan we explore this genuinely jaw-dropping island once and fo...

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I Stayed OVERNIGHT at Japan's BIGGEST Theme Park

Japan's biggest theme park isn't what you expect. This week on Journey Across Japan we explore a mysterious cave, crawl through the nation's tiniest Tori gate and go full Red Dead Redemption....

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I Tried Watching Japan's WORST TV Show of All Time

Japanese TV has a reputation for wacky shows. But Zuiikin English easily tops the list as the most ridiculous. Once you've seen it, there's no going back....

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Why This Japanese Town Eats BEARS

In Japan's northern region of Aomori, the locals regularly eat bear meat. But why's it popular and how does it taste? We travel across Aomori to try 5 dishes and uncover why it has the shortest life expectancy of any prefecture in Japan. (And...

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Why I Avoid CHRISTMAS in Japan

Christmas in Japan can feel like an alternate reality, where KFC took over the world. I reveal why I usually avoid Japan during the festive season and why you shouldn't visit in late December....

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Inside Tokyo's Most Expensive Penthouse Apartment

We go inside a luxury Tokyo apartment on the rooftop of a Shibuya tower, to see how far $25,000 a month's rent can go....

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What ¥1,000 Buys You in Japan's No.1 Dollar Store

1,000 yen can go a long way in Japan's no.1 dollar store. With stunning views of Mount Fuji, the greatest car gadgets ever devised and Japan's cutest volcano, Joey and I end our odyssey through the Japanese Alps. EPISODE 6 in our blockbuster ...

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I Spent a Day in Japan's Biggest British Theme Park

Not far from Mount Fuji is Japan's biggest British theme park; a park so large it has its own working railway! This week on Journey Across Japan we visit the most iconic viewing point of Mount Fuji, wander the streets of a British theme park and ...

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I Rented an ENTIRE Japanese Capsule Hotel | $500 Room Tour

Japanese Capsule Hotels are an experience everyone needs to have. (Only once). This week we escape from a Typhoon by staying in our own capsule hotel, and find ourselves lost in the tomb of Japan's largest pyramid (yes, seriously). EPISODE 4 in o...

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Inside a PRIVATE Japanese Hot Spring Hotel Room | 1,000 Year Old Bath

Japanese Hot Springs (Onsen) can't be beat. This week we produce a Japanese commercial in a single day, walk the streets of Takayama and hop in a private bath as we continue our Journey Across Japan. EPISODE 3 in our blockbuster 6 part series!...

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I Tried Japan's WORST Food (So You Don't Have To)

Japanese cuisine boasts the most delicious food on the planet. BUT there are spectacular exceptions. Continuing our Journey Across Japan, we find the worst food in Japan, stay in a log cabin and discover an incredibly creepy location. EPISODE 2 in ou...

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Inside an ABANDONED Japanese Love Hotel

Love hotels are big business in Japan. But not all stay open forever. As we begin our Journey Across Japan from Tokyo to Mount Fuji, we get lost in a quarry, stumble across an abandoned love hotel and taste Fish & Chip Pringles. EPISODE 1 in our bloc...

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What a $20,000/Month Japanese Apartment is Like | Tokyo Home Tour

We go inside a $20,000 per month Japanese apartment in the heart of Harajuku, Tokyo. But how good can it really be? Let's take a tour!...

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Why Google Translate FAILS at Japanese

Translating between Japanese and English can go horribly wrong. We explore HOW and WHY, as well as the most common mistake made by all new Japanese learners....

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Why I DON'T Watch JAPANESE TV

Japanese TV is beloved the world over. But is it really as good as people think it is? I recount my three most awkward experiences on Japanese Television and reveal my reasons for why I avoid watching it....

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What NO-ONE Tells You About Japan

What do I dislike about Japan the most? Why do strangers here always randomly ask your age? Who's in my basement? And how did a Giant Hornet once lead me to almost crash my car? The answers to all these questions and more, lie within....

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When English in Japan Goes HORRIBLY Wrong

Engrish. Japanglish. Whatever you want to call it, when Japanese-English marketing goes wrong, the results are spectacular. But WHY is English used so frequently in Japan and how bad can it really get?...

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Japan's 10 Most Nightmarish Creations Revealed

Japan's mascots are a masterclass in creativity and horror. And some are a lot more frightening than others. In this video we uncover 10 of the scariest creations found across the country....

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What Owning a Love Hotel in Japan is Like

Love hotels are big business in Japan, worth an estimated $40bn to the economy. For the first time ever we take a look behind the scenes of a love hotel and meet the charismatic owner who's built his world around the business....

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What Does Japanese Raw Horse Sashimi Taste Like?

How does Japanese horse meat taste? This week we visit Japan's largest volcano (Mount Aso), a real life Smurf Land, see Japan's billion dollar mascot and try horse meat sashimi, all in one place: Kumamoto....

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Japan's Most Expensive Tuna | $3.1Million Catch

In January 2019 a single tuna was sold for a staggering $3.1m. The week before I set off for my 2,000km cycle across Japan, we set off to north Honshu, where all of Japan's most prized tuna is sourced, to watch them get caught firsthand....

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I Ate Japan's Deadliest Dish | Poisonous Blowfish (Fugu)

Blowfish (Fugu) isn't a delicacy to be taken lightly, given that the poison within the fish can cause paralysis. Ryotaro and I travelled to Yamaguchi - Japan's home of Fugu - to see the dish being prepared and to taste it for the first time....

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My Weirdest Experience Travelling in Japan

Travelling Japan certainly has its weird moments. On Day 13 of our Journey Across Japan I reflect on the trip so far and answer questions sent in by you guys....

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British Guy Attempts American Accent for a Day

Cycling through rural Japan attempting to sound American for a day takes its toll on Day 9 of Journey Across Japan....

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We Made a Japanese Commercial in 24 Hours

Japanese commercials are often far from usual. We were tasked to produce one in under a day; here's how we got on during day eight of our journey across Japan. ...

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Eating a Mountain of Crispy Japanese Fried Chicken

Crispy Karaage Fried Chicken is one of Japan's greatest dishes and on Day 4 of our trip across Japan, I'm challenged to eat a mountain of the stuff....

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Japanese Sake Vending Machines Are Amazing

Sake Vending Machines are the ultimate reward for Day Three of our journey, as I face my toughest challenge yet....

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We Ate the World's Largest Dumpling | Tokyo

5.5 pounds of Gyoza dumpling. Two people foolish enough to try it. To Tokyo!...

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21 Strangest Movie Translations in Japanese

Western movies adapted for Japanese audiences often end up sounding like completely movies altogether. Here's 21 examples! ...

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Being Rudely Awoken by a North Korean Missile

North Korea fired a missile and woke up half of north Japan. I then complain about being woken up for about 3 minutes, as the wailing siren goes on and on....

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Inside Japan's Robot Dinosaur Hotel

Japan's robot hotel: The Henna Hotel or "strange" hotel is causing a stir at the moment with lots of media coverage. We go and see if it lives up to the hype....

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Staying at a Tokyo Capsule Hotel

Capsule hotels in Japan are dream come true for budget travellers - particularly in upmarket Ginza in Tokyo....

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Japanese Idol Girls Ruined by Marmite & Liqourice

Head to head with Japanese Idols girls in a battle to the almost death, things get a bit unpleasant. Thanks to Kissbee Samurai Girls for taking part in the mayhem....

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Japanese Sushi Kit Kats Taste Test

Sushi Kit Kats are here...and they're weird....

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The Village in Japan Where they Believe Jesus Died

We visit a town in north Japan where the locals genuinely believe Jesus visited and was ultimately laid to rest....

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Monster Ramen Challenge | Akihabara, Tokyo

MEGA PORK RAMEN: On a trip to Akihabara in Tokyo, we went head to head to see who could finish a ridiculous mountain of ramen first....

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Japan's Greatest Store | Don Quijote

In Don Quijote you can find almost anything - especially bizarrely branded goods....

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Inside a Japanese Love Hotel

Love Hotels are big business in Japan. Let's go and check them out....

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Crazy ENGRISH | Japanese-English Marketing

Engrish. Japanglish. Whatever you call it, Japanese-English marketing is full of crazy and absurd surprises. Let's go downtown and see what we can find. (( *WARNING* May include some sarcasm ))...

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McDonald's Chocolate Fries Review | Japan Exclusive

McDonald's Japan recently released an exclusive item to Japan - chocolate fries. Let's go and see if they're any good. Also I forgot to mention they cost ¥330....

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4 Reasons Japanese-English Marketing is Amazing | Engrish

Japanese-English marketing is one of Japan's undervalued treasures. Discover a language that's superior to standard English and how it's exploited to sell products and services within Japan....

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4 Unusual Must Try Japanese Foods

This video was a tie up with Yamada Suisan. Japan has some of the finest food on earth. Here are 4 unusual popular foods you need to try when you're in Japan....

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TOKYO'S CRAZIEST BAR | Kagaya Bar

Brace yourself for Tokyo's craziest bar - Bar Kagaya. A crazy frog, an amazing rendition of Star Wars and a man who stops at nothing to entertain. Prepare to discard logic....

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LOVE Hotels in Japan: 5 You Should Know

Japanese Love Hotels are big business in Japan and the concept seems bizarre to many western folks. So let's check them out! ...

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Japan's First Drink on the Moon

Next year one of Japan's finest products, Pocari Sweat, blasts off to the moon along with the dreams of thousands of children. Let's learn about this bizarre and random event....

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Japanese Table Smashing Arcade Game | Cho Chabudai Gaeshi

Japanese Table Flipping Game! Arcade game: Japanese stress relieve relief; involving a Japanese expression, an awesome arcade game and an abundance of tables....

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Robot Restaurant, Shinjuku, Tokyo

On a recent trip to Shinjuku, Tokyo we went to the infamous "Robot Restaurant" (ロボットレストラン). This video offers you a glimpse of the craziness within. 東京に旅行に行ったときにロボットレストランに行きました�...

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Tokyo's Harajuku district loses the greatest store ever

A fax machine special! Chris and Pete tackle voice overs, Japanese rockstars, karaoke bars and the sad demise of Condomania!...

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School bully insurance is a thing in Japan...

Chris gets super annoyed about digital rights algorithms, and we learn about a new kind of insurance…...

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Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson...in Japan?

Chris and Pete talk all things Rugby World Cup as the fans don’t exactly cover themselves in glory. ...

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Japan's best mascot

Pete and Chris begin the show with a hijacking, go on to talk about Mascots, and then the Olympics. A mixed bag! ...

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Why Japan's $1bn mascot is banned from The Olympics…

Chris updates the world on his favourite dough-bothering vending machine, and we find out about Kumamoto’s favourite son. Or daughter. ...

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A real life Tokyo horror story…

On the one year anniversary of Natsuki the movie, Pete and Chris talk all things vending machines – and we find out what happened to the one that made pizzas… ...

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The strangest conversation you can have in Japan!

Pete and Chris are back, googling things they probably shouldn't. ...

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Japanese billionaire risks life for art

Pete and Chris get a little spaced out as the former pleads for the chance to perform a bicycle kit in zero gravity. ...

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How not to rob a Japanese convenience store

True crime being such a hot podcast topic, Chris and Pete delight listeners with one of the most underwhelming robberies in recent memory. ...

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Japan's most ridiculous festival - explained

Chris and Pete are back, in the loosest sense of the word to talk all things festivals, soy sauce and wrestling. A mixed bag, then. Next week: the Korea vs Japan special and everything will be back to normal. Well, as normal as they get. ...

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Buying friends in Japan - a good idea?

In this episode, Harry Potter fawns over a top London radio DJ, K-pop gets a bit of love and Chris tells us what he'd have in a food-based care package. Spoiler: it's loads of crisps....

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Absurd Japanese Manager Attempts to Rob Own Store

Pete and Chris are back rating their favourite Kit-Kat flavours and taking a look at this week's news. Warning: contains Tab Clear....