About the Service in Japan: At my first travel I went to a phone store to get a pre-paid card for my iPhone 3S, which was still a locked phone, so they couldn't sell me something. So I asked, if there is a Internet Cafe nearby to check my emails. Since I couldn't read Japanese very well I asked to point me in the right direction. The Clerk showed me out of the Mall, went about two streets down with me showed me a staircase to an upstairs manga kissa, walked me up in the 2nd floor and explained to the clerk there my needs, since they didn't spoke english and translated the service and login procedure to me. Then he bowed, didn't accept a tip, and went back to his store about 400 meters away. This was my first day in Japan.

The story about returning the phone and returning the 3000 dollars is the type of life changing story that make these documentaries worth it all on it's own.

The longer I live in Japan, and the more of the language I learn, the more I miss my first year of blissful ignorance. This is a great documentary, a lot of wise an insightful comments....

It is really interesting to see not what Japan is like but how Japan changed the people who went there and became Japanophiles. History is filled with foreigners who went to Japan and fell in love not only with the people and the culture but with who they have become because of Japan. I grew up in Japan in the 1960’s as a teenager and saw many Americans come as teenagers. If they stayed for less than 3 years, they don’t change as much but those that stay longer fall in love and often have difficulties fitting back in with their own society.

I'm Japanese, but this is a great documentary that tells truth and the reality of Japan seen and experienced only by people who actually live there and the other perspective toward Japan felt and perceived only by people from the outside Japan. It was very interesting, and I thank to those people who honestly talked in the film how they feel in living in Japan and how they think of Japan through their keen, critical observation on Japanese culture, politics, economic, and social system. I am impressed how much those people have struggled to adjust to and try to understand a whole different environment, culture or society, but also how much they contemplate themselves and their surroundings in being in Japan, and how much they appreciate the traditional value of Japanese culture and the meanings implied behind which Japanese don't even know or realize. Now, I am studying in the US and I am grateful for being in this position because I can see my country I was born and raised in from the outside, and since I came here, I've found things about Japan that I got to feel blessed and appreciate much more but also things that I found strange, or need to be changed, both of which I could never have known if I had lived only in Japan.

I loved it! for once there's a document that shows positive AND negative aspects of Japan. Thanks for sharing, I think it will be useful to those who want to settle there!

For everybody who lived in a foreign county, the turn of events in this documentary is not surprising at all. Great documentary. I love KZfaq for this

I like that the people interviewed are honestly discussing their prejudices & stereotypes they have about japan & japanese people. Its very important to discuss these attitudes

I love documentaries when there are several perspectives, opinions etc. Other documentaries seem way too biased and I don't see how it really is. Thanks, coming from the UK!

I came across this video by accident, but I watched it all the way through. Really an amazing insight in the Japanese culture and society.

I lived in Japan for 3 years and I miss it dearly. I would like to live there again.

“It all started with ninjas.” This guy nails it!

This was excellent. This style in a series in different countries would be awesome too.

A cogent, informative, and unvarnished documentary that presents a sense of the foreigner's realism of life in Japan. Well done and thank you Petri Storlöpare your excellence.

haha! u are actually one of the makers of this doc! until now I never had a chance of thanking any doc maker! thank u, Petri! really great job!

For me my interest in Japan came when I learned how important noodles are in the Japanese culture. Ever since I dreamed of going to Japan and eating noodles.

I think this documentary is brilliant! I'm so pleased you have put it on KZfaq so I can show my friends and family. Thankyou Petri!

I choose this video to improve my English skill at the first glance,because of the english subtitle. In this video,I learned not only English phrases,but also Japanese culture.Japan is really attracted me after watching this video,it's actually a good documentary thanks a lot.

I've been to Japan the last two years, really is an amazing country. I will be going back to live/work in Hokkaido for the ski season at the end of this year, can't wait! Thanks for the upload.

I so recognise most of their points about Japan. And seeing this video now, having lived here in Kyoto for almost 2 years, made me realise how much I love this city and its people and how much I'm going to miss it. Beautifully done video.

Thank you very much for your work on this documentary. It was very informative and especially the fact that everything was told by people living in japan. Better than most documentaries in TV.

Nobody: Literally no one: The guy with the hat and the glasses: pretty girls in Japan.

I'm 12 and I love Japan and I'm learning Japanese right now at a young age

Lived for 16 years in Tokyo and I agree with the guy that said -- Japan has been good to me.

Thanks for the wonderful videos. It digs a bit deeper into the Japanese culture than most other documents I saw. Great job!

I can't reply to some of your comments. KZfaq won't give me the option. So, it's not because I'm ignoring you, it's because I can't.

Absolutely beautiful. Such a great documentary. For anyone that may have doubts.. if possible, it's in your best interest to visit this extraordinary place at least once.

Excellent documentary! I'm Japanese and I believe it would be a good opportunity for not only foreigners but also us native Japanese to listen to their experiences and honest feelings in this video. I visited many countries around the world, used to live in Europe in 90's and experienced a lot of different things as a foreigner(minority). Some experiences there enabled me to see my homeland objectively and I appreciate it. What I felt the most about Japan through these experiences was that Japan would be a very very very unique country in both good and bad way. (so I understand that some foreigners say Japan is another planet). It's a bit too complicated to explain, but unique indeed. Now I support foreign workers and students here in Japan as a volunteer listening to their worries or simply enjoying conversations. It seems like there are few native Japanese on the comment section but I'd like many Japanese as well to watch this impressive documentary. Thank you so much for uploading. ありがとうございます。 Sending much respect🙏

I've always liked Japan and this documentary seals the deal. Japan, here I come!

Thank you so much for making this. It's great to hear the pros and cons from people who've lived there for a long time. I'm currently thinking about going to Japan for a couple months or even years. I haven't been there before, but I've always been attracted to the country and would love to experience living there. At the moment I'm living in the UK, but I'm from Germany, so I already know what it's like to live abroad, but of course there's not a big cultural difference really.

This may have been the best use of time I have ever spent on KZfaq. Great video, I learned so much about the country, and had a great overall experience. Definitely worth watching the entire thing. Enjoyed the music at the end . Great job

Amazing documentary ! It shows beautifuly the good and bad sides of Japan. Every country in the world can learn a lot from Japan. Thank you so much for the upload!

omg!! this video is so fantastic.. great knowledge and very useful for those who want to go to japan and to know about Japanese cultures..

Seems like Google is remaking the way commenting works. Right now I can't answer any comments.

This was a well-made documentary! Thank you very much for sharing it!

Thank you so much for your efforts in putting together this documentary! Very informative and pleasantly expressed!

Dear Petri Storlopare, I would like to say, thank you, to you, for taking the time, effort and energy to both upload and share this video with the youtube community. Thank You!

As a westerner currently living in Japan, this comes across as a very insightful and thought provoking piece of work, congrats.

Excellent documentary. It reflects honest opinions, for good and bad.

I love the ending song ❤️

now my wish to live at Japan is getting way stronger!!! i don't know in how long..5-6 years maybe..but i will definitely live there!

Thank you so much for your time and great work.

I am 16years old. I've lived in America for one year (California) as a foreign exchange student before. But I really didn't feel like "foreigner". The people talked to me as a US citizen. And I realized it is so different toJapan. As a Japanese I thought people from other country will be happy if we give them welcome specially. But I learned it's sometimes wrong. Some people want us to see as a "Japanese citizen" not as a foreigner. Like one guy in this video said, "Japanese people never think I am Japanese" even he can speak Japanese, he knows how to wear kimono... He said he accepted it, but I think Japan should solve this problem. And many Japanese people don't know about this problem at all like I was. I could realize because I got a chance to go to America. We all should learn about this and I want you to feel more comfortable in Japan. America is called Melting pot in the world. How amazing if Japan become like that!

Very good documentary! Love it! A must-see for all, interested in Japan.

Great. An usual way to know Japan from "our" point of view

One of most inviting and sincere documentaries ever made. Mr. Storlöpare deserves an award in one unknown category, since this film distance itself of every similar effort up to this date. Outstanding humane and heartfelt.

Very good effort and excellent way of giving the insights of different people from different countries

Thank you for making this video! It's very important for people to understand that the Japan they imagine, and the one that exists are two very different things. I learned some very good things, and I thought I knew the Japan that many didn't. It was nice to get a feel of it from similar people's eyes. This just confirmed my desire to visit and hopefully move over there some day.

To me, this is one of the most interesting, inspiring and also well made videos I have ever found on KZfaq. When I first saw this documentary, I could not help but watch it all in one go. I come back sometimes and I am very glad that this video is still there. This time I am especially wondering what all of them are doing today. There is almost some nostalgic feeling to it. I hope they are all doing well.

Thank you for uploading a nice movie! Good luck!

The concept of this documentary is very simple but i can only imagine how long it took to select the most interesting comments of all and to comprise them together. Great job, thank you.

sweet song at the end interesting documentary indeed. Thanks for uploading

Very nice thank you for this.

Very interesting movie. I like the way it's been filmed, gathering opinion from several people on the same topic. Truly enjoyed it!

My heart is full. I just love everything about Japan.

Very eye opening film, I'm glad I watched it.

Thanks for this great documentary! It gave me a critical and interesting insight into the Japanese culture through the eyes of 'local' foreigners

Thanks for this documentary.

Loved this!!

Amazing documentary, with a lot of nuance. Superb work.

I lived 7 years in Japan and I found the video very interesting.

Very nice video!! Thank you very much!!

This was super helpful. Covered so many opinions on a variety of topics. And I like the outro with the band!

This was a great video. I didnt even realize that I watched the entire documentary until i noticed an hour passed by lol. This was amazing insight into the culture and also a good introduction for anyone wanting to visit or move there.

What I can’t figure out is the fact that Japan’s animation and manga stories are so imaginative. It’s a mystery how such an imaginative stories are created by people living in such a rigid and conforming society.

Thank you very much for posting it, I learnt a lot, about english language and Japan as well.

Amazing video, love it

Love the song at the end.

Love Japan and its culture - thank you sharing :-)

I really enjoyed this fascinating documentary. Thanks.

Awesome documentary, thank you very much Petri! :)

Thank you for creating such an interesting documentary!!! I've always seen that Japan is a place with many wonders but also with many hidden mysteries and gaps between foreigners and the people who live in Japan. I think that this documentary bridges this gap, and explains a lot of untold things about this marvelous country. Thank you again!!! :D

I've seen this documetal more than three times. Thanks !!

Thanks for the Video Petri!

Interesting documantery! Thank you uploader for this video.

Amazing informitive documentary. I'm going to study there next year an this has given me a much better insight to what to expect.

Beautiful. This documentary makes me want to visit Japan even more. The honesty and real feedback from real people makes it more genuine. Thanks for the informational yet entertaining video. You guys captured the beauty of Japan's culture, history, scenery and daily life wonderfully without boring me. Thumbs way up!!! =)

Petri sir, really loved the way it was directed to be informative and fun. This was one of the very few really impressive videos on Japan. And if anything, shows the tons of preparation and effort it took. Like Japanese culture, this too was perfection.

great documentary love it.

Love this documentary! Really well made! Now I wanna live in Japan even more :3

Really engaging documentary with a balanced and honest insight.

I really enjoyed that. Thanks!

This doc has really got me closer towards my feelings of living there.

love the band they really can jam!!

as someone whos about to move to japan this is really inspiring

Amazing video my friend, bravo!

Thanks for sharing!

Some interesting points of view expressed by these people. It is why very few foreigners last long term in Japan.

I really enjoyed this video it gave me an insight to what Being in Japan is all about. I’ve always had a great interest in Japan and was lucky to travel to Europe with some Japanese college friends who were kind, considerate and very friendly towards me. I have only good experiences about the Japanese. I love their customs culture and Japanese hospitality. They are an awesome people and I wish I could travel and see Japan up close because I would love to be able to walk down a Japanese street and drink tea in a authentic Japanese cafe. God bless Japan 🇯🇵 greetings from New York City

This is an amazing documentary. PLEASE do more of these.

i really enjoyed this video !

As soon as i saw that intro, all i thought was "this is ganna be awesome"

This makes my ideas about living in Japan be the right one. It's making me grow more impatient to just start a new life there!

Thanks for making this video, Petri Strorlopare. I plan on working and living in Japan someday; this film definitely showed me the bigger picture of Japan and inspired me even more to there. :D Thanks a bunch.

As a student who wishes to go to japan in near future.... this was very inspiring

I love this documentary. Must have watched it 5 times so far. I love Japan.

I've been all over the world - and the best place on earth is Japan. There is no way to describe it, but this video makes a valiant effort. Thanks for this - it feels like my home. I"m back in five weeks and can hardly wait. :)

really well made ;) i enjoyed it a lot

Wow, this was so well done. Thank you for making this.

I was in Japan recently and it was everything I thought it would be. Aside from the poetic beauty, the cleanliness, the yummy food, the lights, the traditions...what really struck me was how everyone was just so nice to each other not just to foreigners. They're kind of aloof at first because of the language barrier but if you make an effort, they will go out of their way, in broken English and creative gestures, just to help you out. Japanese people are an exemplary race. Japan is a utopian example of what nations should or aspire to be. That being said, I am not surprised that they immediately came to the aid of Filipinos even though they themselves are still recovering from the disaster. They are just a selfless bunch. No boundaries, just humanity. must respect to the people of Japan.