Abroad in Japan

By: Chris Broad

Narrated by: Chris Broad

Length: 8 hrs and 8 mins

Publisher's summary

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)

It’s Chris

Absolutely loved the book. If you know Chris and the way he speaks, you’ll love it!

Excellent Backstory and Insight to Living In Japan

I’ve been a fan of AbroadInJapan since I happened across the channel in 2020, and this book is a great recap of his older videos that I had binge watched out of order. This book helped put Chris’ early days in Japan chronologically, and highlighted turning points in his life, as well as some of his significant videos that were pivotal to his career. I also really appreciated the personal aspect to this book and the way that Chris tries to show that he is above all, a humble person not so different from the rest of us. He does a great job of explaining problems he faced in his early days of living in Japan, and how he overcame them, so I imagine it would be a helpful read for anyone thinking about moving to Japan. I was an exchange student in Sendai during my college years in 2010 and went home only months before the earthquake that devastated the Tohoku region, so for me it’s really interesting to hear about how the region has changed and adapted since I had lived there. Thanks Chris for putting your experiences in writing! It’s really a good picture of how you got to where you are, and your story seems like it would be really inspiring to those who may want to join JET or other programs. I know I would have found it really encouraging to hear someone else’s story of what to expect, it would have dispelled some anxiety about the unknown for sure!

chris recalls his journey and greatest hits

the guy's sarcastic wit shines tru with every word, especially when he is imitating ryotaro

Exciting and Entertaining

I love the YouTube channel and thought I would probably like the book. Wow! I was wrong, I loved the book. Chris, you really do have the knack for reading or presenting. The way you described your adventures made me remember the videos but it was funny, exciting, and entertaining, knowing what you were going through during that time. I definitely can live vicariously through your adventures in Japan. Thank you for a glimpse into your life in Japan, your story is fascinating.

I learned some fun things about Japan

Cool story but didn't like narrator's performance. He was trying too hard to force the jokes and his voice changed at odd times.

delightful to listen to

listening to Chris narrate is what made me decide to get the autobook and it was a great choice. wonderful book! I now need to go watch some old Abroad in Japan videos.

Funny and entertaining!

I loved this book so much! It made me laugh and gave me new ideas for my next return trip to Japan.

Loved it

Loved this book by Chris. If you enjoy his youtube channel Abroad in Japan you will love this book. Or if you’re just interested in life in Japan.

Humble Origins

Loved to hear the complete story of Chris Broad’s adventures in Japan. An upstanding guy, I really resonated with his passionate approach to living his life to the fullest. Hope to have a drink with him someday.

great youtuber and great book!!!

10000% recommend this book. If you are someone who loves Japan, whether you live in japan or hope to live/vist Japan someday, Chirs has so much great knowledge to share and he shares it is the funniest and most entertaining ways.