92 Year-Old Shares His Life In Japan Since 1960 

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I lived in Japan from 1956 to 1959 courtesy of the USAF. I married and returned to California. My wife and I returned to Japan where she visited her family. My wife passed from cancer after 55 years of marriage and at 86 years old, I still travel (non pandemic years) to Japan to visit my wife’s relatives. Love Japan.

That dude is 92?!? respect! I hope I have his vibrancy and mental acuity at his age.

lived in Japan with Richard and his wife Connie and known him for over 50 years. His wife and Richard were like grandparents to our children. Richard has not changed. He is a legend.

Wow and he still has his NZ accent! WOW, This man is a national treasure!! Please record all his history!

This guy has an amazingly sharp brain for 92. My mother died at 90 2 years ago and was essentially a vegetable the last five years of her life.

I lived in Japan 1960-1963. First near Naval Air Station Atsugi and later at American Village next to Tachikawa Air Base. I enjoyed my stay there. I'm 91 years old.

I loved this interview , Takashi. I’m 73, also a New Zealander, and fluent in Japanese because I lived in Japan and worked as a missionary from 1975 till 1997. My wife is also a Kiwi and our three children were born in Japan and raised there till we returned to NZ on Dec 1997. All 3 went to Japanese kindergarten. Elementary School, Intermediate school and High School. They are all living in NZ now but still fluent in Japanese - two of them went back to Japan after university and worked in Tokyo for several years . I knew of the Goodalls but we didn’t work near them - we were 3 years in Osaka, 8 years is Shizuoka Pref and 10 years in Wakayama. We also LOVED living in Japan and love the people, the culture and the food. I’ve been back to Japan 7 times since I came back to NZ in 1997. I became a Japanese teacher here in NZ and so did my son Andrew. Lovely interview, Takashi. My children introduced this RU-vid clip to me.

Richard is still smart as a tack at 92. Noticed how he quickly pivots his responses to stay positive. Listening to him you learn less about Japan and more about the secret to a good life, period.

I'm a New Zealander who saw this pop up and was interested in what a 92-year-old Japanese man had to say, but didn't know if I had the patience to read 30 mins of sub-titles. Imagine my surprise when he not only started speaking English, but did it in my accent.

this was so cute, Its so funny watching Takashii trying to get him to answer a deep question about japan and he just ends up talking about food 🤣

I went to university (in NZ) with Richard’s son Russell. So great to hear Richard’s story. I met Christine and Russell’s elder brother Gerald when I was at high school in NZ. My Japanese teacher Margaret Hashimoto knew the Goodalls from her time in Hokkaido. NZ is just one big village. The Goodalls are a very special family. Their story (the wider family) needs to be told. Russ, you’re the videographer. Get that doco done!

This gentleman looks incredible for 92. Good for him. Loved hearing his wisdom and life story.

16:50 i love how takashii tries to get an answer about society for 3rd time and mr. richard goodall talks about how he loves snow because of its colour :DDDD

What an amazing man, he seems like he’s 62 instead of 92❤

My Scottish grandpa came to Japan at the turn of the LAST century, married a Japanese woman, had 6 kids, then moved to Calif. I would love to hear about his experience, but he would be 148 yrs. old at this point -- this is the next best thing, thank you!!!

Well Takashi, you really cracked it with this interview, it was fantastic!! This wonderful gentleman is as bright as a button and delightful. He was full of interesting stories and observations.

Your interviews exemplify dignity and respect in journalism; you bring art to the craft. You raise the bar for RU-vid.

Takashii..... I really hope you went out and bought him some Hotate as a gift after the interview

I lived in Japan for Two years as a 14 year old in 1969 -1970 in Hayama on Sagami Bay by the Emperor's Summer Palace in Line sight of Mt Fuji on a clear Day . This was the best time of my Life growing up The people of Japan were so Gracious & Friendly.

I hear the New Zealand in his accent, but also I hear the Japanese influence on his English. It's beautiful! I loved hearing his memories as an immigrant in Japan!

This guy is impressively quick and clear for his age. He's sharper than majority of 40-50 year olds I've met.

That gentleman had me hooked through the whole video. Over 20 minutes went by like a flash while listening to his life story! Definitely best interview so far.

My wife is from Muroran and knows of them -- only gaijin there at the time. She used to see the young Goodall walking about when she was in middle and high school. I've seen Mr. Richard Goodall, I think -- or his son (Joshua's father) at a Sapporo Protestant church. The Goodalls won't know me but I'm sure Joshua's father would recognize my wife -- best regards to them.

*its funny when he switched to japanese, he sounded exactly like an old man character from an anime*

You can tell Takashi loved talking to this man,like a little kid hearing old stories...beautiful

Mr.Richard, thank you so much for sharing your life story! I’m Japanese but living in Australia. Wow, your mind is still so sharp and I thoroughly enjoyed listening to you!!! I’m sure you must have difficulties here and there but your positive attitude towards life must have brought a lot of good things. I believe sweet person like you would attract another nice person/people… I wish health and happiness to you, your family and lovely people around you 💖　(Last but not least, thank you Takashi-san for such wonderful interview!)

This is a Typical New Zealander Fella /ow. he speaks fluent Japanese but when he speaks English he is slow and very clear so others can understand him. you can tell that he doesn't speak English too often. Japan is beautiful and clean. enjoy your life mate.

What a great story this gentleman tells. My 2nd great uncle, William Axling was also a missionary in Japan from 1920 until he and his wife were imprisoned during the war. They adopted a two year old girl orphaned from the Great Kanto Earthquake of 1923. He wrote a couple books on his experiences in Japan.

Speaking to the right person. A clear and insightful interview. 92 years old and so lucid. A life well lived.

In the 1960's, I was traveling through Japan and really needed to use the bathroom. I stopped at a business and asked to use the restroom, but they told me "トイレは従業員専用です" or - "The bathroom is for employees only." I had to go really bad, so I decided to start working at the company and have now used the restroom thousands of times. That business was called Studio Ghibli. I'm very glad I stopped there and happy to say I am still working there today. -Hayao Miyazaki

It's amazing that when you ask people back then about how they immigrated, it starts with a long story about the boat trip and all the islands they saw

About missionaries in Japan, the most well known Christian missionary from my country that came to Japan was saint Maximilian Kolbe. He came to Japan, to Nagasaki in 1930 and spent there six years. He learned Japanese. He founded in Nagasaki a Fransiscian monastery (called Mugenzai no Sono), that's still existing. To build the monastery he chose a place on the outskirts of Nagasaki, on the slopes of a mountain Hikosan (although it was said then not to be the best place for that). But thanks to this the monastery survived the atom bomb attack. And the Franciscians, after the atom bomb attack, were helping the victims. Maximilian Kolbe is known worldwide (among Catholics, but not only) also because of his heroic death in 1941 in the German death camp of Auschwitz when he volunteered to die in place of another prisoner (who had wife and children). And another Polish missionary known in Japan was friar Zeno Żebrowski, who also came to Japan in 1930 and when the war ended he was organizing orphanages and housing for homeless people in Japan, the victims of the war. He died in Tokyo in 1982. In his work he cooperated for instance with Satiko Kitahara, a Japanese woman, whose beatification process has been opened by the Pope and is still ongoing.

He reminds me of my grandfather somehow, what a treasure to listen to him. The filming angle felt like I sat in the couch opposite to that one, it really felt like a special visit at his cozy home. I love his mindset. :)

Takashi is so respectful, it’s important to hear our elders’ stories ❤

I love how this man is so positive, respectful and grateful! He didn't say anything bad even about the stuff that foreigners usually complain about in Japan. He's got a great sense of humor and a sharp mind. Still practicing kanji at this age, wow, so much diligence and respect for the culture!

Great interview, Takashii, your english skills have certainly flourished over the years. Richard was a fantastic storyteller, his mind is still very sharp at 92 years old. I really appreciate how much he loves Japan and his passion for enjoying life each and every day.

Takashi, I am always impressed with your skill as an interviewer. It was such a delight to hear this man's experience of working and living in Japan. I hope that you will be able to interview some of his family members in Japan. Take care and have a great weekend.

The best Takashi interview so far

I'm from NZ too. Been here 33 out of the last 35 years or so. What a guy Richard is, amazing. I have a 90s friend also who was here in the 40s as security forces after WWII. (He was 15 and lied about his age to get into the army) He loves Japan just like Richard. He is still alive in Hamilton NZ. Anyway I hope I can be as positive as him when (if) I reach 92....30 more years to go. I came to Japan at 26 years old

[00:12] 🇯🇵 Takashi, born and raised in Tokyo, interviews his New Zealand-born grandfather who moved to Japan in 1960. [01:01] 🛥 Richard Goodall, aged 27, traveled by boat to Japan from New Zealand with his family. [01:32] 🌍 Richard's journey to Japan was motivated by his desire to become a missionary after reading about it in a magazine. [05:00] 🏠 Initially, Richard's family lived in a church's apartment in Tokyo, provided by a senior missionary who returned to Ireland. [06:00] 🚃 Richard's early impression of 1960s Japan includes crowded trains and friendly locals. [09:45] 🛫 Obtaining visas for Japan involved last-minute arrangements due to the nature of their missionary work. [10:39] 🗺 Richard's mission work eventually led him to Hokkaido, where he established a church. [12:37] 👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Richard's children grew up in Japan, speaking English at home and learning Japanese through daily interactions. [15:00] 🛂 Over the years, Richard's visa status transitioned to permanent residency. [16:47] 🤝 Richard appreciates Japanese people's politeness but finds the custom of removing shoes at the door a challenge. [18:02] 🌍 Richard believes modern Japanese society is more accepting of foreigners, especially those who speak Japanese. [23:05] 💴 Richard reflects on Japan's economic changes over the decades, noting the strength of the yen and increased tourism. [25:09] 🇳🇿 Richard observes differences in work culture between Japan and New Zealand, highlighting the hard work ethic of 1960s Japanese workers.

I'm learning/studying Hebrew.... my next language is Japanese! I had a good friend who was an Episcopal Priest. He was a Missionary in Japan. He's gone now, I wish I'd thought to ask him more about his experience. Takashii San, thanks! I always enjoy your videos. ありがとう ございます

Fantastic interview! Thanks for sharing!

Grandpa still has a very good memory. His story is very detailed.

Amazing man. 92 his mind is still so sharp and healthy . Thank you so much for such lovely story .

What an incredible man. "Still practicing kanji!" We had the honour of having dinner with him last year and enjoying his quick wit and sharp mind. He has an amazing extended family too.

Such a positive view and outlook. If I ever reach his age, I hope to have the same positive attitude. He is a happy man!

Woah Takashi, I used to watch your channel when you had 10k subscribers. I recently was suggested your clips on shorts and dediced to watch your new videos again. 1.93M? I am shocked, congratulations on this achievement Takashi.

Hi Takashi, his son used to work for me, his translation and interpretation skills were amazing

Wow you can basically said Japan is his home been there for 64 years I appreciate this story

This is fantastic and a wonderful memory for Richard’s descendants. I really wish I had done this with my granddad, he’s still going strong at 98 and had a fantastic life doing geological surveys across the world,but unfortunately has great difficulty speaking now.

New Zealander here. I love how he still has that old school accent because he's lived in Japan so long.

He has the vibrato and energy of someone in their 50/60s 🫶🏼

You have upped your game, Takashii-san, as you are approaching the 2 million subscribers. Very well deserved!

This was an excellent interview. As others have noted, he is still really sharp. I first went to Japan in 1981 and lived there off and on for about 10 years until 2000. I knew missionaries who had served in Japan since the early 1950s. None in our mission agency expected them to live in Japan until the end of their lives, though. Instead, they typically retired and returned to Canada or the US. I would love to see more of these kinds of interviews. Perhaps you can interview Joshua's parents or aunts and uncles, too.

What a kindly old gentleman. God bless em.

Thank you for this wonderful interview with the 92-year old gentleman! Greatly respect his love for Japan!

nice interview. Gramps lived in Japan so long he even looks Japanese now.

Total respect. Bring him back again, he is very positive & inspiring

I'm from NZ, so to still hear his Kiwi accent so many years later is just crazy. I spent 2 weeks in America and it took me 10 years to lose the accent. Then when I lived in Australia for 2 years I came back to NZ and I still get asked "What part of Aussie are you from?" I can't win. I have wanted to visit Japan, but I'm trying to learn Chinese first because that's my dad's side of the family and the language got lost in the family in the 40's.

Takashii-san, I loved this video the best of the many of yours that I have seen. Thanks from a sansei of 87 who never had a moment in the land of his ancestors. Good-bye from an American who loves his country of birth, but loves also the noble country and honorable people of Japan.

It's weird to think about this gentleman being in Japan and speaking Japanese for more than twice as long as Takashii has. 😂 Great interview! I can't believe how sharp he is.

we (russians) also have a tradition to take shoes off entering home. It's always kinda weird to know that some cultures have not the same tradition :D But It's actually normal, we're all are different. But we (russians) can understand japanese culture better at least in this aspect )

I love listening to elder people 😊 They’re so wise and so cozy

Reminds me of my aunt Gene , who lived to be 103. After World War II, she spent several years in Japan as her husband was in the Navy.

I lived in Japan from 1998 to 2012, and I miss living there so much. Thanks for this great interview.

Mr. Richard is wonderful Legend, I’m 63 years old, so awesome he’s been in Japan since I born. Myself, I’d been in Japan almost 30 years and it was so great to be able to living and seeing a great country, I’m from Japanese-Brazilian background. I love your interviews, very inspiring.tks.

What a vibrant gentleman! I think you should do a series of interviews with more people in their 90s in Japan, native and foreign. 👍

That jawline at 92!

I have lived in Japan at different times throughout many years. Each time I fall in love with Japan. My circumstances don't permit permanent residence in Japan but hopefully, someday this dream will come true.

どなたかと思ったら、ジョシュアのおじい様だったのですね。 ジョシュアのRU-vidは知ってるのでよく観てますが、おじいさまのお若い時の写真にジョシュアの面影を見て思わず、”よく似てるじゃない！”と独り言をつぶやいてました。 まだまだお元気なおじいさま。 これからも健やかで、ハッピーな人生をお送りください。 インタビューありがとうございました🤗

‘Lived happily ever after’ ah how much this warmed my heart. What a beautiful thing to say. I hope I can say the same at this age 🥺🤍

The 80s and 90s must have been the best years of Japan economically, right before the lost decade period (Ginza crisis). As an Indonesian, I remember the pride of having something “made in Japan” those days & all the stuffs brought when family returned from holiday. Japanese electronics, stationaries & Sanrio products are things craved by most SE Asians. My parents’ first set of TV was made in Japan and it lasted 30 good years. Cheers to Takashi & Richard for bringing that fuzzy and warm feeling that transport audience back to those years ❤

For me this was your best guest you've had so far. He was wise, sharp, and entertaining. Just great! Thanks Takashii!

Takashii, thank you for bringing us the elders!

I'm a New Zealander who lived in Hokkaido for two years and traveled all over Japan aswell, and I can confirm it is an amazing place filled with amazing people. If it wasn't for visa issues i think id still be there.

What a precious gem. He really added value in this video and Japan. Another video? Part 2 maybe?

Most beautiful girl in the world *at the time 😂😂😂😅

So happy to hear the full interview. Richard you are a treasure as a fellow Kiwi. I know exactly what you mean Richard you have lots of good things in NZ but I agree totally with you on the fulfillment and satisfaction side of things in Japan or some other parts. It's something I struggle with in NZ as someone who has travelled 35 countries plus. After high school/university/course making friends and having good connections is very hard in NZ. I had so many different kinds of conservations I had abroad which I couldn't have with a lot of people in NZ. While NZ has nice things I'm someone who also has a lack of satisfaction in NZ. I really enjoyed the interview thanks you Takashi and Richard for this.

Incredible mental acuity for 92. Great interview!

I thank TAKASHII ffrom JAPAN. For the excellent subtitles. Respect to the elders. 日本のTAKASHIIに感謝します。 素晴らしい字幕のおかげで。 年長者への敬意。

Every story my parents told me about their early years sounds like an adventure because everything was so different back then. In some ways they were much more free than I feel today, in other ways they weren't as free as I am today. It's so interesting and ai live hearing people talk about decades I wasn't able to experience!

Excellent video, thank you. I worked as a District Manager in Nor Cal, Nevada, Utah and Hawaii for a major Japanese auto manufacturer. I often had direct interaction with Japanese counterparts. Everything said in the video about the Japanese was what I experienced. I regret I did not go to Japan when I had the opportunity. Maybe it is not too late.

USAF IN TACHIKAWA '68-'72, THE BEST YEARS OF MY LIFE, SON HAS 'MADE IN JAPAN' KIDS TSHIRT STILL, WONDERFUL PEOPLE

wow what a great lifestory! He made it to Japan with his family with empty pockets! And here i am saving money for my first visit to Japan 😅

One of the best interviews you've done so far, love it

Wow beautiful life story!!!!!! It's crazy how they(elderly) have seen the world change soooooo much!!!! This guy is the definition of "it's not how many days are in your life, but how much life is in your days"!!!! May God keep blessing you until your last second 🫰🏻!!! Woooo hope to go to Japan and South Korea soon as a mid fluent speaker of both!! 🫰🏻

It was so much fun to watch this interview. Thank you so much. And so happy to “find” Joshua’s grandpa. I always wondered how he is like when Joshua talks about his family background, and the one who brought all the family history into Japan to start. The exchange rate NZD vs JPY are astonishing. Amazing and good humor man!

Still so clear minded and eloquent at this age! Legend indeed !

Love this guy. My Dad missed his ship in Tokyo in the 60s. He had to sleep in parked cars. Grandad made a phone call to another surgeon he trained and Father was well taken care of after that. We ❤️ Japan 🇯🇵

Thank you Takashi for this wonderful interview. A very interesting and wise granfather.❤

Fantastic, thanks for this wonderful follow up interview with Joshua's grandfather (Richard Goodall). The family story is so unique and beautiful. There is a sense of tranquility in the grandfather...and certainly passed on to the grandson.

A very nice material of both the interviewee and interviewer. Takashi is as polite as other Japanese but also warm & direct in his approach. Grandpa Richard is a very graceful gramp who looks at life in a simple and grateful way. Sometimes, sharing God’s goodness is better done this way. Leaves a warm & fuzzy feeling for the viewers 😊

This was a great interview, and I loved to hear his story. Thank you!

We've been waiting on his episode! Thank you! Could listen to his story all day...

I was riveted couldn't stop watching, was gonna take a quick glance, thought he was Japanese. Love listening to the life and stories of my elders.

I met a man on (in)the Prague metro in 23 with a bike and his friend told me he was 101 and was a professor for 60 yrs in California teaching physics

You will never get a better conversation yet alone an interview than you would with an older person .. older people are full of wisdom and knowledge and life experiences… that you would never get from a young person… far too many young adults dismiss older folk these days … little do they know they are missing out so much…

I was waiting for this interview for a long time ever since you put out a short! Amazing to hear his experiences

I visited Japan once in 2000. I have recently retired and I am very intrigued by the idea of going to live there. I am not as adventurous as when I was younger and so I have. many reservations about making such a big change in my life. And, yet, I am still drawn to the idea.