Trying to Avoid the Generic ‘Visit Japan’ Vibe—What Would You Actually Watch?

14 comments

1. I’d love to see more local perspectives. I hate manufactured tourism and am pretty apprehensive about herd mentality in manufactured travel in Kyoto. Almost to the point where I am apprehensive about spending time there.

   Double edged sword though in that if locals highlight their perspective, “influencers” will follow and ruin it.

2. Kyoto daily lifestyle. Few years ago there was a Japanese movie and drama ‘Miyako ga Kyoto ni yattekita’ that definitely captured my heart and tried to look for things away from tourists

3. Don’t stress too much. “Abroad in Japan” approach is a good thing to learn from. Copy technique, everyone does at the start.

   You, your relationships, locations and stories are different enough. Your own voice will come through great even if you did try to copy him closely.

   Once you start your style WILL evolve. I bet even “AiJ” had early worries. You can only copy his technique. And his technique is not unique either.

   A friend runs the Japanese camper life channel “旅家”. (I used to do his pre-AI English translations).

   As he got successful a REAL copycat happened. Shot-for-shot, word-for-word exact. It was a non-spoken captioned script at the time.

   Of course he subscribed to his copycat and followed his videos for fun.

   And know what? The van, meals, locations were different (and sometimes better LOL). Slavish copying still resulted in unique product. No stress. And his English was auto-generated so it was weird.

   Forget “copying” and other blockages and get started.

   A word on translation – Even now it’s good, YouTube auto-translate fails to catch your poetry or “voice”.

4. I often use chatgpt for brainstorming ideas. Perhaps that may help you think of different ideas.

5. Kyoto, beyond urban areas, is often missing in videos.

   Whenever I mention to friends and family that I live in Kyoto, they only think of a few things that have little relevance. If there was more on areas such as northern Kyoto (beyond Ine and Amanohashidate), then that would go into territory few creators have successfully done.

6. The problem as you frame it is the problem. You don’t have a story, you have a desire to be famous, or to make money, and you’re searching for a way to manufacture interest.

   But since you’ve asked, what I’d like are more videos discouraging travel to Japan.

7. More about traditional crafts for sure. I know Rachel and Jun started a series at one point, but it petered out before it came into anything solid.

8. I would appreciate the following type of content:

   1. Local restaurants – Not the small places you need to keep secret from tourists or they will be destroyed, but actual good places that can handle some extra customers that tourists avoid. Off the beaten path type of things. And not the fake “OMG this is the most amazing thing I have ever eaten…” stuff.
   2. *Practical language*, like ordering using the proper counters. Also, “cheat codes”, like saying “okini” instead of “arigato” that make the locals appreciate you *trying* to speak Japanese.
   3. Highlighting what are currently lesser known spots, like Uji.
   4. Bolibompa familjen type stuff.
   5. Seasonal stuff.

9. True crime Japan: who stole my umbrella from the stand?

10. Would love to see more places of Kyoto (other than the main touristy areas), perhaps also other smaller cities in Japan that’s easily accessible from Osaka/ Kyoto.

11. Having lived in Kyoto City myself for over four years, I think that sometimes people seem to forget that there is also a Kyoto prefecture, with very interesting places outside of Kyoto City.

    There are vast tea fields (Wazuka)! There are sandy beaches at the ocean (Kyotango), and people drive all the way up from Kobe and Osaka to go surfing there! There are deep forests and amazing mountain trails (Ayabe)! There is an entire museum and a greater hiking trail dedicated to a demon legend that covers several municipalities (Oni trail from Fukuchiyama over Mount Oe to Miyazu)! There is a shinto shrine dedicated to the goddess Amaterasu that is older than even Ise shrine itself (Motoisekono Jinja at Amanohashidate)!

    And even within Kyoto City itself are so many spots far removed from the golden pavilion or Kiyomizudera. You could spend a year going to all the art museums in the city, big and small.

    Kyoto has so much to give, and you don’t have to necessarily wrestle your way through enormous crowds to enjoy it.

12. I caught up with one of my groomsmen for lunch in Kyoto a few weeks ago – coincidentally we were both in Japan at the same time.

    Walking down the wide modern boulevards from his hotel to the restaurant we acknowledged this was nothing like we expected Kyoto to be. He said it reminded him of Salt Lake City – beautiful, expansive, flat city ringed by beautiful mountains.

    Sure, on the surface it wasn’t *uniquely* Japan, and certainly not the Gion district and ramen-joints-in-tiny-streets that so much Kyoto influencers seem to focus on.

    I can only imagine that slightly below the surface – in a city of what, 1.7 million people? – there are myriad vibrant sub-cultures / neighbourhoods / activities / food places to be explored and shared.

13. I’m going to be a little direct and say the mixed couple / culture clash channel is pretty common on YouTube. Especially when YouTubers have married local / had a kid. I have no idea 💡 f there are non- English / Japanese versions of the genre.
    Local Kyoto – as some have suggested could be a thing.

14. This is a really interesting question, and while I can’t offer anything useful I thought I’d share a slightly tangential story.

    I have a small youtube channel that focuses on Sweden and Swedish culture, and almost every time I post something from my travels abroad it’s crickets chirping and no views.

    I’m in Japan right now and I want to make some content – but I had a really hard time thinking of what would be appealing to an audience interested in Sweden….or be interesting and unique enough to attract views in general.

    In the end, I’m making a mix of videos, like “Just How Similar Are Japan And Sweden?”, “Things That The Japanese Think Only Happen in Japan” and “How To Visit Himeji and Kobe in One Day”. E.g, some things that appeal to my audience, some topics that I think might be generally appealing, and some that answer specific questions people may have.

    The tricky part with starting a YouTube channel is (IMO) trying to balance what people are interested in and what people are searching for, with what you’re interested in yourself. If you’re too unique, then no one finds the content. If it’s too generic, it’s drowned.

    With all that said: good luck!