Abroad in Japan

By: Chris Broad

Narrated by: Chris Broad

Brought to you by Penguin.

When Englishman Chris Broad landed in a rural village in northern Japan he wondered if he'd made a huge mistake. With no knowledge of the language and zero teaching experience, was he was about to be the most quickly fired English teacher in Japan's history?

Abroad in Japan charts a decade of living in a foreign land and the chaos and culture clash that comes with it. Packed with hilarious and fascinating stories, this book seeks out to unravel one the world's most mysterious and impenetrable cultures.

Spanning 10 years and 47 prefectures, Chris takes us from the chilling summit of Mount Fuji to the chaotic neon-lit streets of Tokyo. With blockbuster moments such as a terrifying North Korean missile incident, a Japanese national TV experience gone horribly wrong and a week spent with Japan's biggest movie star, Ken Watanabe, Abroad in Japan is an extraordinary and informative journey through the Land of the Rising Sun.

©2023 Chris Broad (P)2023 Penguin Audio

Critic reviews

From wide-eyed exchange teacher to seasoned youtuber, Chris Broad explores Japan in all its quirky glory, surviving earthquakes, North Korean missile alerts, cat cafe allergies and Love Hotel evictions. Endlessly fascinating! (Will Ferguson, author of Hokkaido Highway Blues)

Fascinating, fact-packed and very funny. Broad's wry humour, in-depth knowledge and adept storytelling make him an engaging guide to the bewildering Japanese experience. Accurately captures the excitement and dream-like disorientation of a foreigner discovering Japan. An excellent and enjoyable read for the Japan-curious. I loved it and learned a lot. (Sam Baldwin, author of For Fukui's Sake: Two years in rural Japan)

Chris Broad's wry, self-deprecating memoir carves a unique path across Japan bringing him into contact with far too many cats, heartening renewal in Tohoku, and even pizza with Ken Watanabe. This is a thoroughly contemporary book, a memoir of life in Japan that couldn't have been written at any other point in history. (Iain Maloney, author of The Only Gaijin in the Village)

Great book and Chris’ narration was amazing

I always enjoy Abroad in Japan videos especially with Chris’ narration. I didn’t expect however, how the meshing of one of my favorite YouTubers with my favorite way to read (audiobooks) would be so awesome. I finished this in about 3 days and I’m so happy I got it. Also, Chris, I’ve been subscribed since 2015 or 2016, I’m so happy for you how the channel has grown and how great the content has got. Congratulations!

Excellent

Abroad in Japan is an excellent book. Fun and informative, definitely give it a try.

Love this book!

I loved all of the stories to the end and laughed hard at the excellent narration, great set of stories to learn about japan from a foreigner’s perspective. Loved the read!

A delightful listening experience

Chris Broad paints an honest and intimate picture of his experiences and integration into Japanese culture through his decade as an English teacher and YouTuber. This is an articulate and compelling story which is part travelogue and part personal memoir, and is always entertaining yet thoughtful in its observations of the life of a young Brit in the vastly different society of Japan. Looking forward to continue following the adventures in the future.

Well done Chris.

The writing and performance informed, entertained, and helped get me through my day. If you already like his YouTube channel, then you're sure to enjoy this book.

Excellent stories from an affable man.

I loved listening to Chris recount his journey to becoming my favorite Japanese YouTuber.

An introspective look at a man’s journey

It’s quite fascinating to learn about Chris’ experience with the JET program as well as what the system is actually like. But the most interesting parts are in my opinion, the connections and bonds he makes along his way in a foreign land.

unexpected pleasure

I watched one YouTube video and bought this on impulse after I read your YouTube ad. Thoroughly enjoyed it and it will definitely influence my upcoming trip to Japan. Chris if you read audible comments you seem really down to earth and remarkable, what an incredible life.

LONG TIME LISTNER

Loved it you cheeky bastard! Watched your videos Chris and it inspired us and we lived in Japan for 7 months. Thanks for the laughs and never giving up. Keep the videos and books coming!

Abroad in Japan book review

If you’re familiar with the Abroad in Japan YouTube channel, then you know that Chris Broad goes above and beyond with every project he creates, including this book. The choice to read it himself was masterful, as his voice and cadence are perfect to capture the essence of his own story. No one could do it like him. Wonderful stories and a great overall message with plenty of wit and humor to go along with it!