Youtube CEO shouts out Abroad in Japan! | ALSO JAJ: Escape to Fuji is over after six amazing weeks
Added 2020-12-09 04:58:49 +0000 UTC
One of the most thrilling and nerve-racking aspects of producing videos on Youtube is you never know who’s watching. With Abroad in Japan videos often averaging at 1m views per episode this year, that’s a lot of folks out there watching on their phones, or while sipping their morning coffee over the laptop.
So when Youtube CEO, Susan Wojcicki shouted out Abroad in Japan this week, it was a pleasant surprise to know for a fleeting moment, Youtube’s most powerful executive got acquainted with the Abroad in Japan channel, specifically this year’s Tsunami documentary episode.
We can only hope she stuck around to watch Dr Jelly’s incredible comeback.
- She definitely did.
Coincidentally, that same week Youtube’s official channel with 35m subscribers even congratulated us on seeing Mount Fuji in a comment, indicating some top dogs had been following us on our Journey Across Japan as well. It was bloody amazing to see even Youtube was cheering us on!
Even CD Projekt Red, the makers of Cyberpunk 2077 got in touch a few weeks back, saying they watch Abroad in Japan and wanted to send us a copy of Cyberpunk 2077: Collector’s Edition as a thank you for the videos. (Ironically after waiting for the game for almost a decade, the day it finally arrives I’m leaving for a week to film in Kyoto. So one more painful week-long wait to go!)
Setting my usual sarcastic, cynical, grumpy persona aside for moment, it’s all rather humbling (and terrifying) to think so many folks have been tuning in to watch Joey, Natsuki and I get up to all sorts of chaotic activities these last few weeks and I suspect I underestimated how many people found solace in the series through tough lockdown situations worldwide.
With Journey Across Japan: Escape to Fuji officially over, after six action packed episodes, and thankfully - to my incredible relief - an actual view of Mount Fuji, I feel like it couldn’t have gone better.
Compared to the previous Journey Across Japan, this series felt like a walk in the park in terms of production, which I’ll get into in the Patreon exclusive episode on the series that’ll be coming out in the coming days.
But I have to say a huge thanks to all of you for supporting the series, because without Patreon this series would have been tough to pull off, given the resources required to bring the five of us together (Joey, Natsuki, Ian, Norm).
The production quality was beyond even my own expectations and the things we did and places we saw, far more impressive and surprising than I’d anticipated.
It’s for that reason I’m really keen to produce one last Journey Across Japan series in the first half of 2021, fresh off the lessons learned from this series and while Japan is still empty of tourists enabling us to film in locations easier in the absence of crowds. We’d be mad not to take advantage of this (hopefully) rare situation.
With the entire team back on board, and Natsuki joining us for the whole week this time (the only conceivable way JAJ: Escape to Fuji could have been better), I think we’ve got a chance to make something really special and round off the JAJ Trilogy, where we’ll likely put the name to rest. And the location we’ve chosen is the one we skimmed over in the original series and the place the three of us haven’t really explored; the island of Kyushu.
- More about that next month though!
As for me, I’m currently in Kyoto shooting a documentary I’ve been wanting to make for a few years which I’ll share with you guys later this week, but I just wanted to take the time out to say thank you to you all and I hope you enjoyed the series you helped create. If you’ve been holding out on it, now’s the time to binge the entire series!
JAJ: Escape to Fuji:
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLSOR9_iNzVflVY0eQlZY4V0gArxUiOMLR
Thanks guys and keep an eye out for another post here later this week.
I hope your week is going well wherever you may be this Wednesday!
Chris
Credit: LauraDiGi (Instagram)
Comments
This is amazing, but as other have said EXTREMELY well deserved. You and your team have done an unbeliveable job with all of your vids, and you are correct in that your Journeys Across Japan have been of great comfort during these awful months of the pandemic. For a few minutes each day, we can push all of the angst aside and enjoy incredible scenery, epic production values and content, and the sarcastic but endearing British humor from a person we've never actually met, but consider a friend. Add the entertaining personalities of all your comrades in video, and what's not to like. I would be remiss if I didn't recognize the spectacular job you did, Chris, on the Fukushima Documentary. That production is literally the best documentary I have ever seen on the affect of the disaster on the region, bar none. ありがとうございます！頑張って！
2020-12-18 16:27:21 +0000 UTCThe recognition is incredible and well deserved! I can't wait for the Kyushu series! The last time we spent two weeks in Japan we flew into Fukuoka and travelled all around the island (the Kyushu OLLE Ureshino Course where we hiked in tea fields/redwoods and Saraku sand bath in Ibusuki were our fave parts) before continuing on to Miyajima, Nagoya, and out via Tokyo. Nagasaki was also a humbling moment of course. I look forward to the adventure!
Rachel Ledbetter
2020-12-15 19:01:16 +0000 UTCKeep up the great work Chris and team! So great to see you get mentioned by YouTube and others!
Jonathan Margi
2020-12-14 04:18:05 +0000 UTCSo god damn proud of you with this, and so proud of all you've achieved over the years. 😊🎉💜 And youre only going up from here! 💜🎈
Jewel - (Freyja's Konjures)
2020-12-14 02:03:10 +0000 UTCLooking forward to seeing the Kyoto documentary. Bet it looks like a different place in the absence of tourists!
Michael Taylor
2020-12-14 00:18:52 +0000 UTCAfter the JAJ trilogy, will you follow up with Journey Across the World: Escape from Japan?
2020-12-11 13:06:58 +0000 UTCI don't think you have to retire the JAJ series. You could always resurrect it in a couple of years. Been playing cyberpunk on the ps4 today. It's crashed 3 times. Lots of glitches and bugs. I think it's a great game though but will be better suited to ps5.....ps check out the new Perfect Dark trailer. Looks amazing.
Dave Morrison
2020-12-11 00:28:45 +0000 UTCYou're doing one more JAJ series and then putting the name to rest? Fine I'm good with that, but please tell me you're gonna continue to use the theme from JAJ it's too good to retire!
2020-12-10 21:33:54 +0000 UTCCongrats for how well the entire series turned out. Very much looking forward to the next instalment!
Stefan H
2020-12-10 10:56:38 +0000 UTCCongratulations on your success ! You received well deserved recognition . This year has been rough for everyone around the globe . I work as a neuro trauma ICU RN and work has been busy /rough . Your videos have brought me joy and I can’t wait to watch more content . Sending my love from Florida ! Stay safe !
2020-12-10 02:26:59 +0000 UTCCongratulations. Great job of Journey Across Japan.
bren
2020-12-10 01:47:25 +0000 UTCCongrats! Will we see you playing Cyberpunk? Maybe a stream 😋 Keep up the great work!
Marina Ribeiro
2020-12-09 20:54:00 +0000 UTCTo be honest, I kinda preferred the chaos, uncertainty, and adventure in your first journey series. However, I am equally awed by how much time and effort you put into this new series as well as your growth as an artist. It's very impressive and inspiring. Super excited to see what's next!
Eyyy J
2020-12-09 17:52:39 +0000 UTCThat’s amazing! After all the hardship you went through to film this series and so much more, this recognition is so well-deserved. Congrats!👏🏼Keep the stories coming!
Jolie
2020-12-09 16:00:02 +0000 UTCi loved watching this season! you guys are so much fun to watch. i look forward to the next one! thank you for the hard work you put in all of your videos. makes pitching in so worth it. 💗
2020-12-09 15:31:54 +0000 UTCamazeballs! it was a great series
Mr Fujisawa
2020-12-09 15:17:52 +0000 UTCKyusu? So there will be a boat involved. Schweet.....Congrats on the accolades, I am pretty sure everyone here thinks that it is about time! Bring on 2021!!!
wendy weems
2020-12-09 14:22:31 +0000 UTCCD Project Red and YouTube giving you thumbs up, that just amazing!! Congrats and keep on being you and always improving 💪 Can't wait for the doc and the final season of JAJ (and many many more things to come hopefully)!
Luis Pais
2020-12-09 13:52:17 +0000 UTCCongrats Chris. You deserve every bit of the attention. You work really hard to make beautifully filmed and interesting content.
Susanne Tassin
2020-12-09 13:13:10 +0000 UTCCongrats to you and your team on such a great achievement! When I went to Japan back in 2015 I also ran into a very cloudy Mt. Fuji, which was somewhat disheartening, but the overall experience in being in the surrounding area was amazing. Super happy you got to see it. Can't wait for your next journey!
Jason Gonzalez
2020-12-09 12:47:00 +0000 UTCIt only makes sense you would receive appreciation for the wonderful work you deliver, but free video games!? What a steal! Looking forward to whatever you make next! Joining this patreon is sure to have been worthwhile effort on my part, and I hope to support you for many coming years!
Bulldozer
2020-12-09 12:18:03 +0000 UTCCongratulations Chris and Team. Well deserved!! As always great content and looking forward for more JAJ series!
Cesar S.
2020-12-09 10:32:36 +0000 UTCCongratulations Chris! You deserve all the recognition in the world for your great videos, now let's hope for a blue mark on your Twitter and Instagram 🙌 Proud to call myself a supporter of the Abroad in Japan YouTube channel.
DinoKōyō
2020-12-09 09:57:51 +0000 UTCCongrats, dude!
Brock Otterbacher
2020-12-09 09:42:51 +0000 UTCCongratulations 🥳 also I‘ve been waiting for cyberpunk as well! So great for you that they’re sending you a copy!! That counts definitely as a success 🤣👍🏻
2020-12-09 08:59:21 +0000 UTCYay! Cheers and applause! And JAJ Kyushu is truly something to look forward to. I hope you're enjoying Kyoto!
Nynke de Haas
2020-12-09 08:50:40 +0000 UTClol the Cyberpunk caught me by surprise! So cool to see how the channel is getting bigger and better year after year :) Its been so quick yet sort of slow
Farah
2020-12-09 08:49:27 +0000 UTCCongratulations on all this well deserved recognition Chris and the the Abroad in Japan team! Some big wigs at YT are obviously enjoying your content, praise from Caesar indeed. Personally I’d be more excited about CD Projekt Red getting in touch than anything, can’t wait to get my grubby mitts on Cyberpunk 2077.
2020-12-09 08:17:54 +0000 UTCThis is a result of hard work and dedication. It’s uplifting and it’s inspiring and you deserve every last bit of praise. What started with moving to Japan a long time ago is now the source of wonder and admiration for so many people, thousands even soon millions, around the world.🙂 This is an adventure and I feel privileged to be part of it, here with the Abroad in Japan community. So again, thank you for sharing this with us Chris!😊
Luciano Arrieta Martins
2020-12-09 07:43:39 +0000 UTCWow, congrats on that! And thanks for the JAJ videos - they most definitely provided much needed escape in 2020. They're like a warm bath in a thousand-year-old log.
Busiris
2020-12-09 07:27:29 +0000 UTCThat's incredibly validating, congratulations from the bottom of my heart! I've come to expect quality from you of course, but some of the footage was straight out of a National Geographic documentary. Not surprised that you're a phenomenon in YT HQ! Very excited to hear about the next installment of JAJ but hope it's not the last!
2020-12-09 07:10:04 +0000 UTCThere‘s nothing I can say except congratulations and „well deserved“! What a wonderful and heartwarming post to wake up to. You have been doing so well with this channel and to see it all come to such a head, with so many people showing you the recognition you deserve is dope. I am super sad to hear that JAJ2021 will be your last one, but it surely is better to end it when it‘s still popular. Tl;dr: Well done, Chris! It‘s wonderful to see you so successful and I can‘t wait to see what you get up to next! You worked so hard and you deserve it all!
Ouranor
2020-12-09 07:06:04 +0000 UTCHappy for you, Chris. I started watching Abroad in Japan around 3-4 months ago and the educational/ entertaining nature of your videos, really helped after a stressful day.
AJ
2020-12-09 07:05:55 +0000 UTCWow!!! So crazy that youtube and the cyberpunk creators were following JAJ! Very well deserved attention :) I'm looking forward to the Cyberpunk release as well, hopefully you find some time to play it! Kyoto videos are always my favorite so I'm excited to see what you're working on as well :)
tori bees
2020-12-09 06:53:40 +0000 UTCCongrats on the shout out Chris! That's awesome. Having just watched the final episode, Escape to Mount Fuji was just so damn good. The quality of the series is unrivaled and I can't wait to see Kyushu with Natsuki there for the whole journey in the third installment! The perfect way to wrap up an iconic trilogy. Thank you for all the great content!
2020-12-09 06:52:13 +0000 UTCThanks Chris for being an inspiration to all your Patreon and YouTube subscribers. You really take things on another level with the enchanting variety in your videos. All the best to you for 2021!
2020-12-09 06:38:01 +0000 UTCExcellent mate, congrats! Looking forward to the third and final series!
Adam Armour-Florence
2020-12-09 06:24:40 +0000 UTCCongratulations Chris!! You’re my favorite YouTuber and it makes me happy that your hard work has paid off by being recognized by YouTube’s CEO herself, keep on doing your best on your videos and podcast
2020-12-09 06:22:20 +0000 UTCWatched all 6 episodes the minute they were uploaded! A fantastic 6 part series in the 2nd season of Journey Across Japan! Thank you for doing this, Chris, in a time where travel is restricted. I'm really excited that you'll be continuing JAJ for one final go and going to Kyushu with the crew! Congrats on the shoutout by the Youtube CEO, by the way. Everyone should watch that documentary! Looking forward to the Patreon episode and the eventual Kyoto Documentary, as well.
H J
2020-12-09 06:08:04 +0000 UTCFYI: Internet history. Larry Page and Sergey Brin rented the garage of Susan Wojcicki's home in Melo Park and used the work space to build the forerunner of search engine Google. Ms. Wojcicki is somewhere in the first 10 employees of Google. I am sure her work schedule keeps from increasing her online foot-print. She registered less than 1000 likes, perhaps Chris could provide a few tips. やっぱりなあ、すごいね、クリスですよ、さすが。。。
Ryori
2020-12-09 06:02:11 +0000 UTCIt was only a matter of time before the big hunchos took notice of your great channel. Congratulations! 🤔 I could have sworn you mentioned you were doing a JAJ Hokkaido edition in a previous podcast. But it seems the JAJ is being put to rest in Kyushu. I kind of feel a JAJ bonus Hokkaido edition is required to complete the full length of Japan, otherwise technically you haven't made it a Journey across Japan 😉
2020-12-09 05:54:28 +0000 UTCCongrats Chris! You deserve this! I'm super happy to be a supporter!
Tony P
2020-12-09 05:47:30 +0000 UTCWell deserved recognition! It'd be great if Pete could make it to the Kyushu trip, since I think he's mentioned Fukuoka is one of his favorite cities. 😱
2020-12-09 05:34:39 +0000 UTCDidn’t YouTube demonetize that video when it first came out? I might be thinking of a different video but I’m sure they also hide it for awhile.
Jr pence
2020-12-09 05:32:10 +0000 UTCTake a trip to Yakushima if you're going to do a series on Kyushu. It's beautiful there.
2020-12-09 05:31:19 +0000 UTCLooking forward to the next JAJ :)
2020-12-09 05:27:12 +0000 UTCAnd here I am wondering where the heck is part 5-6 BTS series are. Guess that'll have to wait then... 🤪
Niken Larasati
2020-12-09 05:24:23 +0000 UTCHoly crap, congrats.
NM
2020-12-09 05:23:36 +0000 UTCCongratulations Chris, your videos on the tsunami were nothing short of excellent glad to see you're getting recognition for them!
2020-12-09 05:21:49 +0000 UTCYa, that was an excellent episode. If the future is more YTers like you, it is bright.
Chiryou
2020-12-09 05:19:36 +0000 UTCWell it was a fantastic video so the shout out is well deserved.
2020-12-09 05:16:22 +0000 UTCThank you Chris! This is exactly the kind of content I'm proud to support. It felt good to have another regular series to look forward to each week, and JaJ couldn't have ended better. Great job all around!
Argus9 (Jonathan)
2020-12-09 05:10:40 +0000 UTC
