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Having produced over 100 episodes of the Abroad in Japan Podcast together with Chris since 2018, and travelled Japan more extensively than most (across 10+ trips), Pete is a Japanophile and top London Radio DJ rolled into one.

Pete's Story

@petedonaldson

Having risen to power first as a radio DJ on hugely popular radio stations XFM and Absolute Radio, Pete Donaldson’s real passion lies in Podcasting, where he can sink his teeth into topics as diverse as football, wrestling and Japan. As the co-host of one of the world’s biggest soccer podcasts “The Football Ramble”, when he’s not immersed in the world of football, he’s sneaking off to Japan to quench his thirst for Coolish ice cream. With an obsession with retro video games and electronics from the 80’s, it’s no surprise he’s been drawn to Japan over and over in the last decade, each time becoming incrementally more fluent in the Japanese language. Chris and Pete first met in London in 2017, while Chris and Natsuki were filming “Natsuki: The Movie”. As an Abroad in Japan viewer, Pete had heard they were in town, and whipped them into Absolute Radio for a spontaneous interview that went on to feature in the film. Several months later on a trip to Japan, Pete met up with Chris in Tohoku and together they went on a road trip. Three days and one speeding fine later, the two had outlined their plans for the Abroad in Japan Podcast which launched in February 2018. Since then Chris and Pete have travelled across Japan together by bicycle through Kyoto, Osaka and Kobe, frozen to death at the Sapporo Snow Festival and even been seaweed fishing at 5am on Japan’s Pacific coastline. 
 With a monthly audience of over 300,000 listeners, today the Abroad in Japan Podcast is the largest podcast on all things Japan and since 2018 the two have yet to miss a single week, such is their dedication to the cause. Be sure to drop by every Thursday to hear a news roundup of what’s going on in Japan, and to hear Chris and Pete talk about their obsessions with Family Mart Fried Chicken and Coolish respectively.
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Pete's Soundboard

Metaphors

   

I Live Here Now

   

Why!!

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I Don't Pay Attention

   

Not Enough Coolish

   

Ohayo Gozaimasu

   

Fiddlesticksy Awful

   

I'm in Akihabara

   

I Miss You

   

Betto Betto San

   

Upset Your Brain

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Arigatou COWZAIMASU

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Touch the Cockleaver

   

Argh! (Scary growl)

   

Slip it in My Mouth

   

I Beg Your Pardon

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She Licked the Wall

   

Never Kick People

   

Terrifying Laugh

   

My Fault!

   

Bastard!

   

Nani Kore!

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Have a Coolish

   

Marmaduke

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Can I eat it?

   

American National Anthem

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I Want to go to Bed Now

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Son Who Was an Envelope

   

You're the Real Monster

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Shibuya

   

Shinagawa

   

Akihabara

   

Featured Content

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Youtube

48 Hours at Japan's Biggest Snow Festival

Sapporo snow festival is one of Japan's most popular annual events, but does it live up to the hype? We spent 48 hours in the city, eating, drinking and getting serenaded by random people....

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Youtube

I Tasted Kobe Beef for the First Time | A5 Japanese Wagyu

We taste A5 Kobe Beef (A5), the highest grade of beef in Japan and have our taste buds ignited. What better way to spend our time in Kobe of Day 18 of Journey Across Japan (and send off Pete)....

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Youtube

24 Hours in Osaka | 6 Things to do in Japan's Nightlife Capital

Osaka is Japan's nightlife capital; a vibrant city home to amazing food and people. On Day 17 of Journey Across Japan we spend a night out taking in the city! Leave us a LIKE if you enjoyed joining our night out!...

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Youtube

24 Hours in Kyoto | Japan's Best Monkey Park

Kyoto Monkey Park is loved by all. We make our way through it and uncover the mysterious monster street on Day 16 of Journey Across Japan with Pete Donaldson....

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Youtube

I Got Lost in Kyoto with only a Paper Map

Kyoto is difficult to navigate with Google Maps, let alone using a paper map. On Day 15 of Journey Across Japan we get lost in Kyoto....

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Youtube

Natsuki: The Movie (Life in Japan Documentary)

Burnt out and suffering from a mid life crisis, the eccentric Natsuki decides to take an emergency one-in-a-lifetime trip to Europe. Surprisingly, not everything goes according to plan....

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Podcast

Why Teaching English in Japan Just Got Harder...

No puking at your desk, under pain of termination!...

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Podcast

Japan’s Electric Car Boom!

Petey and Chrissy will return in a few days time sucking up all that delicious podcast electricity from the podcast electric terminals, or something....

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Podcast

Is Japan using Using AI actors to avoid Scandal?

Our (very fallible human) boys will return on Wednesday night UK time for more tales from the East!...

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Podcast

Is THIS Japan's Ugliest Place?

How proper blimmin' rude!...

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Podcast

The Foreign Youtuber Riding Japan’s Trains Without Paying

Who needs a JR pass when you're a massive d*ckhead?!...

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Podcast

Japan Strips Powerful Unification Church of Religious Status

No more el tax breako for el churcho, turns out!...

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Podcast

Why Tokyo’s Public Baths Are Disappearing Fast: 50% Lost!

And does a VPN work to save you cash? Let us know if it's helped you!...

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Podcast

Sushi Restaurant Prankster Gets 5 Year Sentence for Licking Soy Sauce!

It better have been worth it. Like proper, fancy soy sauce....

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Podcast

The WORST Time to Visit Shibuya (Tokyo) Explained!

...When Pete's there, and he's been drinking red eyes ALL NIGHT....

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Podcast

Why this Japanese Bar BANNED Foreigners, Illegally!

If I had my way, they wouldn't let me in either. Or something....

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Podcast

The Dark Side of Japan’s Entertainment Industry Exposed

With over 478 victims coming forward, the late Johnny Kitagawa's talent agency's decision to continue has been branded ill-advised at best, and a joke at worst....

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Podcast

Toxic Foreign Streamer Finally Arrested in Japan after 6 Months

He'll be doing his silly shouting...IN DA CLINK (possibly)...

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Podcast

The best airline for your Japan trip, revealed!

Pete and Chris are here, covered head to toe in Famichiki drip, doing the Abroad In Japan thing......

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Podcast

Is Japanese TV *really* that bad?

Still ridiculously jet-lagged, Pete joins the soon-to-be-ridiculously jet-lagged Chris Broad for more Japan chat!...

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Podcast

The Weirdest Hotels In Japan: revealed!

Pete saddles Sarah with literally the WORST hotel staff in the known universe for a non-Japanese speaker: DINOSAURS!...

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Podcast

Why Pro Wrestling in Japan is the best in the world!

Pete has returned from his first Japan jaunt in over three years - warning: he's quite manic....

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Podcast

The Hokkaido Police Officer Who Left His Gun in a Convenience Store

Pick up some delicious chicken, a usb lead or two, and a revolver at your local convenience!...

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Podcast

Does Chris Want To Leave Japan At Last?

Climb aboard the baseball train, team awesome! [email protected] for all your ticketing needs....

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Podcast

The Osaka Locals Who Spent $500 Treating Foreign Tourists

Just make sure you finish your onigiri first, so that the bugs don't get it. [email protected] for all your messages of support and drawings of us being thrown into fiery pits!...

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Podcast

China Bans Japanese Seafood As Fukushima Releases Water

Pete and Chris will return, filled to the gills with radioactive content shortly - in the meantime [email protected] - send in your messages or links you'd like us to look at!...

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Podcast

Hunting for Pokemon in Japan - is it actually fun?

Lids, and the people who hunt them down!...

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Podcast

Is the world’s most deadly fish worth eating?

Fugu - it's what's for dinner!...

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Podcast

The Japanese City Pressuring Pregnant Women

It's a man's world. That's why it's frequently unfettered sh*te. ...

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Podcast

Why I AVOID Eating 7-Eleven Onigiri Rice Balls

Extra value crunch! Pete and Chris are reunited in Stak studios and drink some exceedingly expensive Starbucks....