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Abroad in Japan

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Abroad in Japan

By: Chris Broad
Narrated by: Chris Broad
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About this listen

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 Asia Travel Writing & Commentary Funny Witty Feel-Good Heartfelt Inspiring Thought-Provoking
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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)

What listeners say about Abroad in Japan

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Amazing Narration by Chris

Such an interesting story and Chris did an amazing job at narrating the book
Couldn't stop listening!

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Awesome listen

Interesting, well told story kept me hooked the whole time. It's definitely worth a listen.

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Incredible journey

this was a wonderful listen, it really immersed me into his experiences and allowed for deeper understanding. Chris Broad narrates his stories with his classic delivery.

overall a great listen

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Hilarious, heart-warming and inspiring 🇯🇵

I thoroughly enjoyed this book! I laughed, cried and learnt a tonne. I hadn't heard of Abroad in Japan before I spotted this book in the New Releases, but let's just say I'm now subscribed.

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An absolutely brilliant read

I am so glad that Chris narrated his book, I don't think anyone else could have done it justice.

It's not often I say this, but this is one book I could listen to again.

Chris told his story in animated humorous style and I thoroughly enjoyed it.

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Absolute fantastic listen.

i really loved the book. hearing about all the crazy, fascinating, heartfelt and interesting things Chris has done and been through since living in Japan was a delight. Having rhe the book read by Chris as well was definitely a great choice. His personality and witt came across perfectly. I honestly wish it was longer. As a long time subscriber to the abroad in japen channel this is a great listen/read for long time fans and brand new people looking for a good book.

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Learning a bit about Japan and having fun doing it

I loved this book and Chris’s narration. It was heartfelt, respectful and really funny. I have never watched Chris’s YouTube channel. The audio book was a gift from my kids who follow Chris, but it didn’t matter. He is an excellent storyteller and he narrates in a way that makes you feel like you were right there with him. I didn’t need to know the YouTube channel, this is a great story all on its own. Thanks for taking me with you around Japan Chris!

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Enjoyed book in general

I really enjoyed the first years of the story while Chris was a teacher and all the awkward stories. After that it feels a bit like a YouTubers journey, which Chris is now.

I recommend the book :)

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A must!

Great insight into the elusive and sometimes secretive culture of Japan. Candid, funny and timely.

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Moving

An incredibly charming listen. Chris takes you an insightful journey off the golden route; exploring the whirlwind of the Japanese country side to the chaos of the metropolitan city. I felt moved by his honesty and ability to express how his experiences impacted him, despite what he described was embarrassing at the time.
A wonderful read I know i'll be reaching for again and again.

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