「ずっと夢だった...世界中が日本を見習うべき...」外国人観光客に日本の印象や驚いたことを聞いてみた！#外国人インタビュー #海外の反応 #reactionvideo #japantravel

Added: 2026-06-04

[00:00:00]Minasan konnichiwa, watashiwa Kristen.

[00:00:03]Welcome to my channel. For today's reaction video, I am watching the whole world should learn from Japan. Thank you so much to this channel. De as as I could. Hajimemasho.

[00:00:14]Okay, so hi guys.

[00:00:16]Hello.

[00:00:17]Where are you from?

[00:00:19]We're from New Zealand. New Zealand, welcome to Japan. Oh, thanks. Okay, so first of all, what brought you here in Japan? Ah, well, it's a good set of big questions, huh? Well, I'm a weaver. Oh, and I'm going on a weaving textile course. Oh.

[00:00:36]>> Right. At the end of the month. So, we thought we'd come for a holiday first together, and then Michael will fly home, and I will do my weaving tour. Oh, wow. Wow, I see. And and I'd always wanted to come here because my mom came here. My mother came here when I was small boy, and came home with tales of exotic things and wonderful things to see and do, so Wow.

[00:00:58]>> wanted to come. Welcome to Japan.

[00:01:01]Okay, so how long have you been here for? 5 days? 5 days.

[00:01:05]Okay, so what's your impression of Japan so far?

[00:01:09]>> [laughter] >> Busy. Busy. Busy. We come from a a town of 600 people. Oh, really?

[00:01:15]>> [laughter] >> Yeah, yeah, yeah. So, this this is So, we found it very busy.

[00:01:20]>> A quiet neighborhood. And um we're not used to queuing for things.

[00:01:25]Yeah, yeah, that's that's the big impression. Yeah, the the queuing thing is different. Oh, yeah.

[00:01:30]>> A lot of people. I mean, it's good, and it's really orderly. Yeah, true. And and everything, but yeah, it just takes a lot of time.

[00:01:37]>> [laughter] >> And especially nowadays, actually today, May 5th is Children's Day in Japan. Have you ever heard of it? I I read about that. Oh, yeah, it's a national holiday.

[00:01:48]So, basically today we are like, you know, pray for children, like to be like, you know, successful in the future, or also uh appreciate for mother or father day today. Do you guys have a kind of like like this culture?

[00:02:04]No, we have a we have a Mother's Day and a Father's where you celebrate mom and dad on their on their special days. But not a children's >> [laughter] >> Yeah, not a children's. No, we just let them, you know, work it out.

[00:02:18]>> [laughter] >> In the Philippines, no children's day.

[00:02:22]Okay, okay. And since you came to Japan, um is there any like surprising thing?

[00:02:30]Um No.

[00:02:32]No.

[00:02:33]I think the number of little fluffy toys that people have on their bags. Okay, [laughter] like key chain or something like Yeah, yeah, yeah.

[00:02:43]It's a trend now. I can't think of what the name is.

[00:02:46]You know the name for the little fluffy animal boo-boos or something.

[00:02:50]Fluffy animal? Um >> [laughter] >> yeah, I don't know. I don't know. Like Yeah. character Just little key rings with little animals and Yeah, just little collectible things.

[00:03:00]Yeah, yeah, that's it. Everyone does that. Oh. And and like adults and children do that, which is kind of surprising for us. Oh, that's true. I think as far as I know, especially high school, high school, like you know, they always have so many key chains >> [laughter] >> with the back. Yes, yeah, and you can see it with with the young people. They have a lot of that stuff, yeah. Yeah, so that's a problem. It's different. The other thing I really love is is the the Japanese you have so much style. Style? Your clothing. Like so many beautiful clothes I've seen. Right. [laughter] Good-looking people.

[00:03:39]Oh, including me? Stylish.

[00:03:41]>> [laughter] >> Why not? Thank you.

[00:03:43]You're welcome. I could just sit and just watch what they're wearing. Just beautiful beautiful clothing.

[00:03:49]Um So many different type of style, right?

[00:03:52]>> Yeah, yeah. It's It's like everybody's given a lot of thought Mhm. to how they present themselves. Yeah.

[00:03:59]>> You know, sometimes in New Zealand we we just don't care enough. Okay. You know what I mean? Especially in a 6-hour >> [laughter] >> flight, people Yeah, yeah.

[00:04:11]And I I like how quiet everyone is. Oh.

[00:04:15]And polite. I really I like that very much.

[00:04:19]Respect is is big for you guys.

[00:04:21]>> Oh, that's Respect is very big, you know? That's a really Not enough respect in the world now. You guys do it so well.

[00:04:29]I think Yeah, politeness. I like that. I was I was brought up to be polite.

[00:04:34]And it's People are very polite here in Japan.

[00:04:38]That's so true. Well, when did you uh feel uh actually Japanese are really polite? Oh, the moment you get off the moment you get off the plane.

[00:04:48]>> [laughter] >> Yeah. I really noticed it when we the first day when we were lost. Oh, you lost? We would ask people Uh-huh. help and Oh. They were very helpful. really helpful and generous and kind.

[00:05:01]>> They wanted to give us their seats on the train.

[00:05:04]And I know we're a bit older, but you know, >> [laughter] >> we can still stand. Oh, yeah. Can I ask how old you are?

[00:05:11]I'm 63. 63?

[00:05:13]I'm 69. 69? And I can tell you guys love traveling, right? Oh, well, we used to.

[00:05:19]We used to travel a lot when we were younger, but How many country have you ever been to?

[00:05:23]Oh, you've been to a lot of I I I When I was 20 21, I went from New Zealand to England via Singapore, Nepal, India, Oh. Iran, Iraq, Afghanistan, you Afghanistan, you said? Yeah, yeah.

[00:05:41]All that but in a double-decker bus. In a double-decker bus? Yeah, yeah, an old a yeah. What? Was it like kind of tour or something? Uh no, no, it was a um 1978 and the Russians had just gone into Kabul in Afghanistan. Wow. And and the Shah had just been deposed in Iran. Mhm.

[00:06:00]And so uh we had signed up for a tour to go from Nepal to England on a double-decker bus. Which bus? The the tour was canceled because of all the wars.

[00:06:10]>> Oh yeah. So we we volunteered to take the bus back to England. Oh my goodness.

[00:06:15]>> Through through the through the war zones Wow. That's Yeah, that was going to be fun. Wow, what a wild journey.

[00:06:21]>> [laughter] >> Yeah, what a wild journey. And then Mark worked for a year Mhm. in England. Okay.

[00:06:28]Yeah. And I used to go to Bali Mhm. cuz I lived in Australia. Mhm. A surfy chick.

[00:06:34]>> [laughter] >> And then I've been to America twice. I did a big bicycle ride through America. Oh, really? On my own. You guys are so active.

[00:06:42]>> [laughter] >> So as you guys, I mean, you know, the person who a lot of traveling, Mhm.

[00:06:47]what's like, you know, big differences between other country and Japan?

[00:06:54]Cleanliness. Very clean country. Okay.

[00:06:58]Um Oh. It's an interesting question cuz it's lots of it's lots of really subtle little things. True. You know, everywhere in the world is pretty much the same. We all think about the same things are important. Mhm. Our health, fun, Mhm.

[00:07:14]good weather, good food. It's always the same. It's the subtle, the tiny differences, I think. Mhm. Uh we're not we're not that different.

[00:07:21]Okay. Oh, yeah, yeah. We are like, you know, same human beings.

[00:07:25]>> [laughter] >> I think so. Yeah, well, I think so.

[00:07:27]Yeah, I don't know if there's any massive differences, no. Right. But what do you think? Oh, what do I think? Yeah.

[00:07:32]What's the big differences with Well, okay, so actually I also love traveling.

[00:07:36]Mhm. So I've been I've been almost 30 country, I think. Oh, wow.

[00:07:40]Okay. And well, each country has a good point, right? Yeah, sure. But when I travel abroad, I realize how good Japan is.

[00:07:49]Yeah, uh-huh. Well, this is uh like safe like safe. Yes, yes, yes, yes. I think Japan is one of the most safest country.

[00:07:57]>> yes, true. Of course, you know, I I like every country. At least, you know. Yeah, [laughter] sure. But, you know, I really after I travel, I proud of Japanese people because when I meet someone who foreigner, they you know, imagine "Oh, you're Japanese, then you know, you are I think good person or something like that." So, they have a good image.

[00:08:15]>> Yes, yeah. So, I really really appreciate it. Yeah. And I think New Zealand and Japan are similar that way.

[00:08:20]>> Oh, what do you mean? When we we say we come from New Zealand, it seems like everyone likes New Zealanders. Yeah, I think uh-huh. I think people are more open to Japanese people and New Zealand people. Quite similar.

[00:08:33]>> countries like and small islands. Um Yeah, and people think New Zealand's a safe country.

[00:08:38]>> Yeah, I think so. Yeah. And both countries are very beautiful. True. And New Zealand has I know uh spectacular view. Yeah. In New Zealand. Just like Japan, but not so many people. We only have 3 million people in the >> [laughter] >> People say like so many sheeps. Yeah, yeah, a lot of sheep, that's right.

[00:08:56]Uh do you have a do you have sheep in your home? I used to have >> [laughter] >> pet sheep. Yeah. Is it possible like is it possible to Yeah, yeah, sure. We have a a little bit of land.

[00:09:09]And [laughter] um we had two pet sheep.

[00:09:11]Oh.

[00:09:12]We've we've had three.

[00:09:14]Three all up. Where we live, we've we've lived there for 30 years, so we've we've had three [clears throat] sheep, and now we don't have our own sheep. But we live just a farm right around us, so we let the neighbor put his sheep in our paddock. Wow. So, we have a wee paddock that might >> But they're pet sheep. Uh-huh. You can pet them and scratch them and stuff.

[00:09:34]They come running up to you. later.

[00:09:35]>> [laughter] >> Which part of New Zealand are you in?

[00:09:38]Wellington.

[00:09:39]No, no, we're south of the South Island.

[00:09:42]South Queenstown, you will you will know Queenstown.

[00:09:45]Near near Queenstown. Outside of Queenstown. Okay, do you like your hometown? Oh, yeah. Yeah. That's so cool.

[00:09:52]>> [laughter] >> Yeah, and I want to ask you what's your plan in Japan?

[00:09:57]Um, tomorrow we're going to Takayama.

[00:10:01]Takayama? Yeah. Okay.

[00:10:03]Then to Kanazawa.

[00:10:05]>> Kanazawa, yes.

[00:10:07]And then we'll probably go to Kyoto.

[00:10:10]Kyoto, yes.

[00:10:11]And then we don't know. Oh, you [laughter] don't know? Because you guys are on a tour? No, no.

[00:10:17]We don't know what we're doing after Kyoto. Okay, I got that. All we know is we have to finish in Osaka cuz that's where my tour starts.

[00:10:24]Right, okay. So, before you came to Japan, what did you know about Japan?

[00:10:32]Not not much, really. No, not a lot.

[00:10:34]Mhm. No detail. No detail, yeah. Just just an an overriding impression and which we probably got wrong anyway.

[00:10:41]Yeah, just from watching TV shows and YouTube videos and that was it, really.

[00:10:46]Right. And and lots of lots of people probably like yourself posting on YouTube really interesting things go here, see this, do that. Yeah, true.

[00:10:55]Which is great for people like us because you're telling us where the interesting things are, which is terrific. That's so cool.

[00:11:04]Do you speak Japanese? No.

[00:11:07]Do you know any Arigato gozaimasu.

[00:11:08]>> [laughter] >> Arigato gozaimasu.

[00:11:12]What don't what?

[00:11:13]Uh, that's a very lucky word.

[00:11:15]Subarashii?

[00:11:16]I I yeah, a friend of a guy said to me, just if you know the word subarashii, everybody goes, ah. Yes, it's subarashii. [laughter] Subarashii. Subarashii.

[00:11:25]Okay, today I'll tell you some useful word in Japanese. Yeah, yeah, yes, please. Okay, so, sumimasen.

[00:11:33]Sumimasen.

[00:11:33]>> Sumimasen. Sumimasen. That's Sumimasen.

[00:11:37]Actually, sumimasen has a three different sort of meaning. The one is excuse me. Uh-huh. The one is sorry. Uh-huh. And could be thank you.

[00:11:48]So, it's really really useful.

[00:11:50]>> Sumimasen. Sumimasen. Yeah. Sumimasen.

[00:11:54]Sumimasen.

[00:11:55]Yeah. I didn't know that. Okay, so last couple of question. Can I ask a couple of question? Is about you guys. Mhm. Can I ask what do you do? Mhm. Uh, I'm retired. I I don't work anymore. Mhm.

[00:12:09]What did you do? Uh, well, I've done all all sorts of things. Um, uh, I was a fencing contractor. Okay.

[00:12:16]>> Um, you know, the fences that go around sheep >> Mhm. the [clears throat] in the paddocks, in the in the fields. I used to build those.

[00:12:23]And the last 15 years I fixed houses.

[00:12:27]Oh.

[00:12:28]You know, like a carpenter. Oh, yeah. And a land landscaper.

[00:12:32]>> Ah, really? So, like carpenter. Yeah, yeah. Oh, so then maybe you will like in Takayama. Actually, Takayama used to, uh, you know, well known for carpenter town. Oh, really? Really? Yes. So, is that really interesting?

[00:12:44]>> It has It has It's near the UNESCO Oh, okay. Cool. Yeah. Japanese woodwork is Yeah, yes. is awesome. Oh, man, that's that's just >> Oh, you definitely like it. Oh, yeah.

[00:12:54]Oh, thank you. Oh, no, good. What about you? What I'm a weaver. Oh, yeah, yeah.

[00:12:58]You said that.

[00:12:58]>> [laughter] >> I have my own studio and gallery.

[00:13:01]Really? Yeah. So, [clears throat] I in the main street of our town, I have two big floor looms set up. And I work there, and I have a little gallery, and people buy work off me. Wow. Do you like your what you do?

[00:13:15]Uh, >> [laughter] >> And I've done exhibitions, and been in books, and won awards, and things. Wow.

[00:13:21]Wow.

[00:13:22]>> [laughter] >> And actually, you guys looks [music] really happy.

[00:13:26]Yeah?

[00:13:27]What makes you happy?

[00:13:29]This.

[00:13:30]>> [laughter] >> Being together and doing things like this.

[00:13:34]Being healthy, going places. Yes, being healthy.

[00:13:39]Ah.

[00:13:40]>> [laughter] >> Oh, shut up.

[00:13:43]How long have you been each other?

[00:13:44]Nearly 40 years. 40 years.

[00:13:47]What's the key to be a good relationship?

[00:13:52]That's the question. Good for them.

[00:13:54]It's a big question. Um, [music] don't expect too much from each other. Okay.

[00:13:59]Let let the person be who they are.

[00:14:01]>> Yeah. And just love them for who they are. Yeah.

[00:14:04]Yeah, it's brilliant.

[00:14:08]That was so good. So, what would you advise? What advice would you give to younger self?

[00:14:17]Let's say you could back to you know, 20-ish. You did good.

[00:14:22]You did good. Younger self.

[00:14:23]>> [music] [laughter] >> My advice to my younger self. Think to the future.

[00:14:32]Um, [music] I don't know. Be more tolerant probably. Be more tolerant. And not be so [music] impatient for things to happen.

[00:14:40]Yeah, stuff things will take the time it takes. Yeah, right. Good good stuff turns up. And [music] good things always just come. They just come.

[00:14:50]And don't worry too much.

[00:14:51]Don't worry too much. Good advice. Thank you so much. Ooh, I like cooperation with my channel today. Oh, you are awesome. And I hope [music] that enjoy I really enjoyed this interview.

[00:15:03]>> Okay, bye-bye.

[00:15:04]Wait, I have a present for you today.

[00:15:06]So.

[00:15:08]So, this is today's present [music] for you guys.

[00:15:12]Actually, this is Japanese calligraphy.

[00:15:15]And this is old type of Japanese character. [music] Yep. And actually from this way and like like this. And it say thank you for [music] coming to Japan.

[00:15:24]Ah.

[00:15:26]What do you think about Japanese [music] culture, history, food, hospitality, and [music] anytime we will, you know, wait for you. Like I mean, you can always anytime come back to Japan.

[00:15:38]>> [laughter] >> So, thank you so much. Bye-bye.

[00:15:44]Thank you so much for the video. I'm a subscriber of your channel.

[00:15:50]I love this interview. The interviewer did a great job. I was so touched by this couple. They're very cute couple.

[00:15:58]They are living in New Zealand, small neighborhood, a quiet neighborhood. I love their personality. Foreign tourists like this are always welcome to come to Japan. They're so simple and yet very satisfied with their lives. I like the question of the interviewer, what is your advice to your younger self? We made mistakes. And what matters is you acknowledge the mistake, you move forward, and you become a better person.

[00:16:28]I'm not a perfect human being. What I can say to my younger self is you did great. Well, as they said, just live your life, be happy, do not worry too much, and just be grateful. Well, thank you so much to the uploader of the video. I'm a subscriber of your channel.

[00:16:45]And to all my viewers, go see you on the next video.

[00:16:49]I will see you in the next video.