Abroad in Japan is a YouTube channel and media brand created by British filmmaker Chris Broad, featuring travel, culture, food, and documentary content about Japan. It ranks among the largest foreign-run YouTube channels in Japan, with more than 3 million subscribers and over 500 million total views as reported on its official site.
The channel began in 2012, when Broad moved to Japan to work as an English teacher and started filming his experiences for a global audience. Over more than a decade, he has visited all 47 prefectures of Japan and produced more than 200 videos covering travel, cuisine, and contemporary social issues. That sustained output has made Abroad in Japan a recognizable reference point for viewers curious about daily life in the country.
The channel’s documentary work has earned institutional recognition. Broad produced a documentary on the Fukushima nuclear disaster and later revisited the 2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami recovery zone in a second film. YouTube CEO Susan Wojcicki praised that second documentary in a public post in December 2020, and a publication by the Cabinet of Japan commended Broad for capturing the sorrow of disaster victims alongside hopeful steps toward recovery. Such recognition distinguishes the channel from purely entertainment-focused Japan content.
The Abroad in Japan podcast, co-hosted with broadcaster Pete Donaldson, launched in 2018 and covers Japanese culture, current events, and cuisine in a weekly or multi-weekly format. Episodes have addressed topics ranging from regional food rankings to regulatory changes on baby names, reflecting the hosts’ interest in how Japan evolves. For listeners who want context beyond the visual travelogues, the podcast offers a conversational companion to the channel.
Broad’s 2023 memoir, Abroad in Japan: Ten Years in the Land of the Rising Sun, was published by Bantam and became a Number One Sunday Times bestseller in August 2023. The book recounts experiences including a North Korean missile incident and a week spent with a major Japanese film star, according to library catalog descriptions. Its commercial success suggests that the channel’s audience extends well beyond YouTube.Quick Bio: Chris Broad (Abroad in Japan)
Notes: Net worth is omitted because no authoritative source verifies it. The partner field is marked as unconfirmed; Japanese Wiki listing should be treated cautiously until officially acknowledged. Subscriber counts vary by date and source, ranging from 2.5 million (2024 publisher bio) to 3.2 million (2025 Japanese Wiki) .
Charity work has also formed a visible part of Broad’s public activity. In 2022, he joined fellow creator Connor Colquhoun, known as CDawgVA, for an eight-day, 750-kilometer charity cycling event across Hokkaido that raised more than $310,000** for the **Immune Deficiency Foundation**. Colquhoun’s later Cyclethon editions grew substantially, with the **2026** Cyclethon 5 raising approximately **$1.47 million for the same organization. Broad’s early participation helped establish the template for what became a recurring fundraising series.
In tone and format, Abroad in Japan differs from many expat vlogs by prioritizing polished production and structured storytelling over daily-life spontaneity. A typical episode may pair a regional travel segment with historical context or a food-focused investigation, a format closer to public television travel programming than to casual influencer content. The dry British humor Broad brings to narration has become a signature element, though viewers who prefer earnest enthusiasm may find the tone less immediately welcoming.
For prospective travelers, the channel functions as both inspiration and practical orientation. Coverage of all 47 prefectures means viewers can find region-specific material that generic Japan guides often skip, from Hokkaido’s snow country to smaller cities rarely featured in mainstream tourism media. The podcast adds current-affairs context that written guidebooks cannot match, while the book offers a long-form narrative for those who want a single, coherent account of a decade in the country.
Abroad in Japan is not an exhaustive or neutral introduction to Japan. It is one creator’s perspective, shaped by his background, humor, and interests, and viewers seeking deep coverage of topics outside travel, food, and disaster recovery will need additional sources. Within that scope, however, the channel’s combination of breadth, production quality, and institutional recognition makes it a credible starting point. The best entry may be a regional travel episode for visual orientation, followed by a documentary to see the channel’s more serious register, and the podcast for ongoing commentary on a country that continues to change.
Factual verification notes for the editor: The subscriber and view figures cited from the official site are self-reported and undated; a third-party analytics page lists 3.29 million subscribers and 611.52 million views as of the search snapshot. The 2023 book’s bestseller status is confirmed by multiple retail and library sources. Charity figures for the 2022 Hokkaido ride appear in a Wikipedia summary and should be independently verified before publication.
What is Abroad in Japan?
It is a YouTube channel and media brand created by British filmmaker Chris Broad in 2012, focused on travel, culture, food, and documentaries about Japan. The channel is one of the largest foreign-run YouTube channels in Japan, with over 3 million subscribers and more than 500 million views according to its official site.
Who is Chris Broad?
Chris Broad is a British filmmaker and former English teacher who moved to rural Yamagata prefecture in 2012. He has visited all 47 prefectures of Japan and produced over 200 videos, covering topics from regional cuisine to the Fukushima nuclear disaster and the 2011 Tōhoku earthquake recovery. His work has been featured by the BBC, NHK, and the Japan Times.
What is the Abroad in Japan podcast about?
The podcast is co-hosted by Chris Broad and broadcaster Pete Donaldson, launching in 2018 with new episodes released twice weekly. It covers Japanese culture, current events, cuisine, and travel tips, with recurring discussions on topics like regional food and changing social regulations. The show has produced over 700 episodes as of 2026.
What is Chris Broad’s book about?
Published in 2023 by Bantam, Abroad in Japan: Ten Years in the Land of the Rising Sun is a memoir charting Broad’s decade in Japan, from his arrival as an English teacher to his travels across all 47 prefectures. The book became a Number One Sunday Times bestseller in August 2023 and includes stories about a North Korean missile incident and a week spent with a major Japanese film star.
Has Abroad in Japan raised money for charity?
Yes. In 2022, Chris Broad joined Connor Colquhoun (CDawgVA) for an eight-day, 750-kilometer charity cycling event across Hokkaido that raised over $310,000 for the Immune Deficiency Foundation. Broad continued participating in subsequent Cyclethon events, which have collectively raised millions for the same organization in the years since.
