Living in Japan at 50: My Drab to Fab Summer Makeover 🇯🇵🔥 

You are Mr. Rogers for grown up children. Calmness, serenity, mindfulness. I don't have exact tools to measure it, but I feel about 92% stress free after watching your videos, they are like a little meditation and mindfulness practice. I'm so grateful to have found some really great people and content on RU-vid. Thank you for sharing your journey with us, Chani. I wish you to continue enjoying every moment of it.

Why I love the internet - I'm 35, I just recently finished therapy with a psychologist and started living my life over again, but I'm still afraid that I've already missed everything in this life. That I won't have time to experience anything, I won't have time to be anywhere. And then I came across your channel. Where you say with full confidence that at 50 you can easily move to the country you have long dreamed of, and live a quiet and peaceful life, which you have long dreamed of, to do your own thing, and just live.... Thank you so much for the inspiration!

If only people in the US were that concerned about being good neighbors. I’d feel so much more sane 😂

Being mindful of the neighbors, creating a space that although small, provides a sense of relaxation for your well-being. Taking practical steps to accommodate any negatives concerning the weather (instead of just complaining about it), all makes for a delightful personality with a lot of practicality. I'm pretty impressed.

You're an absolute legend! Beer garden, BBQ, overalls, gardening, DIY, thongs, camping, and relaxing with beer's and shopping. It proves you may take the Aussie out of Australia but you can't take the Australia out of the Aussie! Love your work mate! 😊👍🏽

I like how your videos show us the day to day of your life in Japan, Chani. It's nice to see touristy stuff sometimes, but I love most just seeing how it is to actually live in a different part of the world. And you're so relaxing to listen to. 😊 Millie is adorable and I imagine she's going to enjoy camping! Looking forward to your upcoming adventures. Xoxo Robin❤

That cat is too cute. I love that you're making the house your own.

日本の夏は湿気と暑さが厳しく、特に西日本でさらに空き家のような古い家だとなおさら暑くて大変かもしれません。しかし、お祭りや花火大会など楽しいことも盛り沢山なのが夏です。どうかチャニさんも猫ちゃんも、熱中症に気をつけてお過ごしください。

日本人でさえ日本の蒸し暑い夏は厳しく、寝苦しさで睡眠不足になりがちですので、 お互い少しでも心地よく夏を乗り切りましょう！

Hi, my son is teaching English in Japan and I was surfing to learn more about living in Japan than sow your channel. I found it really informative and down to earth now you have me as a subscriber. Thanks for all the information that you share with us and looking forward to hear more from you. Your videos are more inspiring by the way, am really proud of you 👍🇨🇦

I wish I had the peace and quiet and respectful neighbours you are/and have! I need to move to Japan. That looks a great BBQ. You had me salivating!

Hello Ms Chani!!!, RU-vid popped me up with one of your videos. I decided to watch all of them from the very beginning!, what an incredible journey you did, and I can say you are so brave!, not only for leaving Au and moving to a different country but also for opening your world and life and even more for share with us! I am happy to keep watching your content! thank you so much!

Thanks!

Thanks

I moved to Stockholm from San Francisco about 4 years ago and your videos have helped me and my husband reflect on all of the challenges we’ve overcome together. Great video and thanks for sharing your adventures.

Beef on the barbie with beer! Bravo, Chani! 👍👏🥰

I love having those natural bamboo screens for privacy on my veranda in Tokyo. Even though I’m 14 stories up (on the roof) these bamboo screens actually seem to attract tombo (dragonflies). They like to perch on top of the strands of bamboo while hunting for insects. Your side patio is really cozy now !

I am sure you feel that your house in Japan is cramped beyond comparison with Australia. In spite of such inconvenience, you have managed to spend your days in a spiritually rich way, which is very impressive. From now until the middle of July, the humid and rainy season begins. Please take your time to enjoy a cup of tea and enjoy the elegance of the rain falling on the leaves of the trees and the plants on your balcony.

You've made a lovely fresh home for yourself well done

Stubby cooler is the cutest. I’m calling it that for now on!

Your outdoor space is lovely. You have made for yourself and Millie quite a nice oasis.

I grew many veggies and herbs. When I had issues with aphids on my tomatoes, I would buy lady bugs and praying matis since they eat aphids and softer bugs. I found this a good way to protect my garden from bad insects.

That is so awesome. I am loving the transformation that is happening.

I thought it was a personal makeover based on the video title 😂. Thank you for being a considerate neighbour.

I've been following for a while but I just wanted to say how refreshing your whole ethos is. I admire the changes you’ve made in your life and appreciate the content you're putting out. I'm in the UK and in my mid 50s and you are an inspiration. Thank you 🙏

Really loved another glimpse into what you are doing. Nice to see all the ways you are living your best life!

Another great video, the garden looks so peaceful, I'm jealous!

Your outside setup is looking lovely! You make life look refreshing! Cheers to a wonderful life!

My wife takes care of her mom's Roses. Her mum died in December 2004. She also had a little tub with basil and mint. Greetings from Germany. Cuddle Ms. Millie from my wife. 😻

I look forward to watching your videos, so refreshing and grown up!

You are great! I enjoy your videos so much, even though I don’t plan to move to Japan (I do plan to visit every year). It’s amazing what you are doing within a tight budget, and what a cozy home you have created. Thank you!

I love it when you take us along on your shopping trips. It’s so interesting seeing what they sell there and learning about what life is like on a daily basis.

I love your videos ,it’s great to see you living your best life and fulfilling you dreams

love all the little DIY things you share with us to really make those home improvements.

Just found your channel. I’m a 54 year old Australian living in Madrid, really like your vlog.

6:38 - I saw that! Poor spider :D

I like the camp stoves you got. If you are going to have an open fire you might want to get an entrenching shovel to help put your fires out. I know you have some beautiful areas around Wakayama, I can hardly wait to see where you go. Have fun!

You have become Japanese, due to the fact that you have managed to set up a vegetables & flowers garden together with a 'beer garden & Barbecue table' to boot, within a small, confined space at the back of the house! Also, you spoke about traveling/camping light with compact stove, cooking wares & utensils, etc. all designed to fit inside a small Kei camping van, still with enough room for a table and (foldable) bed. I remember lugging/pushing 2 rollable luggage pieces and sweating profusely especially at train stations in my first Japan trip in 07/1998; my Japanese friends only had a small carryon along with a tiny laptop (about the size of today's 10-in tablet) to communicate with their grad students.

Your little garden is a nice place to read and sip coffee .

I live in an apartment and this year I decided to grow flowers and some veggies. I have tomatoes, jalapenos, rosemary, and green peppers - and a ton of flowers! Petunias, zinnias, and portulaca. I love being able to look out and see all the beautiful flowers blooming!

I recognized the white and pink Vinca flowers you got :) I grew the exact same, plus the red variety from seed this year for the first time. I also grew Petunias, Calibrachoas, Delphiniums, Foxgloves, and Silver Falls, all from seeds gathered last Fall. My gardening is a bit extreme because I also sell flowers, so in all had close to 1,000 flowering plants here this Spring :) I keep the most vibrant flowers for seedstock for this Fall and my deck is chock full of colors right now 😄

I’m so happy you’re settling into your new life; it’s a big step to start a new life. I can relate to your situation as I’m living a new life. I love your garden, nice looking tomatoes. I would love to plant tomatoes but I have so many wild animals who visit my garden nightly. I live in a town that is part of the Greater Toronto area but I have skunks, raccoons, many squirrels. I would need to wrap plants in chicken wire to protect them and I hate to admit it but I don’t feel like taking on that much work at the moment….hahaha!

What a perfect home you created 💖💖💖

So relaxing and so interesting as always.

Hey Chani,I love the transformation of your garden area congrats and thanks for your stress free videos see ya friend ❤

For Millie during camping the main thing I would keep in mind if you go in the summer, is if you have to leave her in the van or not. It could get too hot for her if you’re not able to leave the van on or take her with you on whatever stop you take. It’s definitely a doable dream, just need to keep in mind what activities you want to do and the temperature outside. A gps collar may also be a good thing just in case! I also recommend a hard sided crate/carrier over a soft one. Cats often find it more secure and protective than a soft sided one. Good luck! I think it’s amazing you’ve been slowly fulfilling every dream you have

I love what you are doing in your garden..veggies have never been ny thing, but this year I have planted two peach trees, a pear and a apricot, have quite a few baby fruit on them..keep going its lovely to follow you ❤

Millie is just the sweetest❤

I love your garden Chani and it looks like Miss Millie approves as well 😻. Unfortunately, the only thing that grows in my garden is weeds 😂. I do have a Japanese tree which has been growing slowly for 18 years. It's so delicate and I love it. Good luck for the summer 🌞 and getting your dream car 🚘 🫶

Love how you're making such good use of your outdoor space. Cheers!

It´s funny seeing you preparing for Camping as I just stumbled over an anime called Laid-Back Camp. All the questions you have are literally there topic. How, when, where, what equipment. Seemingly the campsite´s they visit are real. Your house is making real progress. It becomes nicer and nicer!

Thank you for these videos. Your journey has been very inspiring. My wife and I are seriously thinking of doing what you've done one day. Keep sharing your story. We both wish you much success.

Of all the camping gear I ever used my klamboe, a mosquito net, was the best investment ever. I even had one I could zip to the outdoor space of my van. My cats loved laying on their cooling mats inside it, as it never occurred to me cats can be stung too. Does Millie need a cooling mat? Coffee, tea maker, something to drink from and carry water in too. Electricity? Do you need an extension cord? Is Millie allowed inside restaurants? Some refused my fluffy boys. Oh my goodness, kimchi lotus root 😋

Those lettuce wraps look delicious! Love your beer garden it looks so cozy and comfortable. I love growing plants and have a small balcony garden. There's tomatoes, cucumber, swiss chard, herbs, and lots of flowers. It's so much fun and such a stress buster. I love watching your videos and look forward to your camping adventure. Millie is a cutie☺

You're such an inspiration, thank you so much for sharing your courage with all of us.

It's therapeutic to see you living your best life! I wish you the best! We were there in August of last year and it was oppressively hot, can't wait to see what DIY you come up with to deal with it!

Your beer garden is a ripper (to add another Aussie-ism to your video)! 😁

Hi Chani, I live in Tasmania and it’s freezing here at the moment so not much is growing at all. I have silver beet, cabbages and cauliflowers in my garden at the moment. During the warmer weather it will be filled with all my favourite vegetables. I love watching your videos and Millie is just gorgeous 😊

At this point I am SO INVESTED in your camping trip. Can't wait to see how it goes ❤

I have planted rasperies on my balcony and they are growing and growing with a rich harvest! Also shizo, which I can harvest daily. I love the red shizo.

Chani, a place for everything and everything in its place, nice work, great skills you have. I lived my dream in japan for 3.5 years back in the early 2000's teaching and just embracing my time in Tokyo, loved it, was in my very early forties. Now I get my fill from visits occasionally and your channel, can relate to many things having lived there. Lol, you are doing exactly what I imagine I would do in your shoes. Attention to detail, chilled out, relaxed, happy, consideration for neighbours, plants, improvisation, and a georgeous cat. Hi from NZ, thanks for the time and effort you put into your videos.

Here's another tip. Look into fire blanket. RU-vid has videos on it. Summers are hot and dry and one spark can do big time harm. Keep one in your camper and another in your home kitchen. Knock on wood, I haven't need to use them yet.

Love your beer garden and the food you’re growing 😊. I remember the summers being hot there lol. It’s surprising to me that they’re Japanese language classes in Australia. I wouldn’t have thought there were that many people interested in learning Japanese. Looking forward to you and Milly going camping 🏕️

Thank you for another interesting episode. In regards to camping in Japan, I really enjoy watching Tabi-ie RU-vid channel for his uncomplicated yet efficient approach to camping and camp cooking.

Thank you so much for the Japanese lessons. I am a slow learner and you have provided a way for me to learn at my own pace. It is so satisfying to complete each letter to memory. At my age (72) I hope it lasts. (Tee Hee) Your videos are delightful and engaging. I wish you many adventures camping. There is nothing like the great outdoors !!

Such a lovely makeover of your little garden Chani. Is there anything more Australian than a beer & a Barbie.

I love that backyard area! It seems so nice and peaceful and it's nice how it's snunken into the ground so you don't have all your neighbors seeing you outside while you're out in your yard. I don't like how my yard in the US is not private at all and there are many neighbors looking at you if you're outside in your back yard garden.

"The Chani Cooler" - A name for your new beer cooler business !

Great way to start my holiday with your video, Hiragana studies and chill on the balcony!

Nice little beer garden/ garden Chani. It's all coming together nicely. 😊Cheryl

I’m always pleased when I see a new video from you, Chani. I love your do-it-yourself lifestyle and, of course, your life in Japan. I’m also a cat person, so I love seeing Millie (sp?), too. I wonder if your beer garden space would be safe for her without having her on a leash.

Great, now I am hungry after watching the end 😅. Thanks for keeping us up to date ☺.

If you want something easy for your garden, I recommend: Chard (rainbow), Kale (so many kinds) or Collards. They can be eaten fresh or cooked and they will continue to produce all summer into winter if you just pick the big leaves as they mature. They don't take up a lot of space either.

Thank you 🦋

Your little garden space is really taking shape now. I think you're very restrained if you can come out of a hyaku-enya with only a ¥1,000 deficit! 😮 Your BBQ Wagyu smells probably drove your neighbours mad with jealousy! Oishi-sō. 😋 I love mugi-cha on a hot day but it's not easy to get locally here in Australia so I make genmai-cha and chill it. Both my cats like cat grass but only one has the gene that attracts cats to catnip. We grow nepeta (catmint) which has attractive soft grey green serrated edge foliage and small pretty bracts of lavender flowers in summer. He's a 100% indoor cat so we pick him a few sprigs and he gobbles them up like crack then rolls around all stoned... 😂😂😂

❤❤ it was delightful to watch your video. You do have a sweet voice. I think you’re brave. Thank you for sharing with us.😊

Lovely video as always❤ thank you & cheers from Switzerland😊

Amazing progress Chani! I wish I had gone to Japan when I was younger. That country is perfect for me. I deeply applaud you for your courage to go and to share your life with all of us.

You’re a gem, Chani!! 💎

Just harvested 38Kg of potatoes in Ibaraki. For Tomatoes, plant Aiko Tomatoes. Very productive.

Millie is so adorable! Love what you are doing to your garden area making it so chill. Looking forward to your camping adventures. ♥

Fantastic video Chani throughly enjoyed it ,love your outdoor space well done 💖🥬🥩⛺️🏠

If you want something other than the fake grass that is a bit nicer to sit/walk on and is extremely low maintenance, look into Moss or Clover lawns. There's a lot of low maintenance lawns that are pet friendly. In regards to camping, get yourself one of those plastic crates with a lid and use it to store kitchen ware, cookware, cutlery, tea towels and wash cloths/sponges. You can use the tub as a sink when you're done cooking. We also used to use an old gumption tub (one with a screw lid) to store our little bottle of dish soap and the steel wool. Daiso generally have a pretty good selection of travel sized bottles and getting some of these for oil, soap, shampoo, conditioner etc, is a really good idea. Also, if you can find a decent priced one, an AC converter for the car goes such a long way. You can use your car (while its running) to blow up an air mattress instead of using a foot pump, if you have one. Although you mentioned the car comes with a bed kit so you might be able to get away with just a futon or thick blanket (like a doona). There's also torches that you can recharge by winding a hand crank. Usually the crank tucks into the body of the light when not in use and you can pop it out and wind it up when you need to. They generally come with a hook so you can hang it up easily, and we didn't need to wind ours often. I'm loving these videos! がんばってをください!! (ミリーはとてもかわいいです 💚)

I like you're so Japanese with it, decked out in all the Mont Bell apparel! Love it!

These videos are truly a great start into my days❤

It is so nice to see you and Millie so happy! You did a great job on your backyard area. I hope you two will enjoy it all summer and have fun on your camping trips!

You've made a lovely outdoor space Chani and that little bbq looks great! Bet it was so nice to sit and relax after being busy preparing the space 😅

Thankyou Chani, you are truly inspirational ❤

I live your updates!!! Thanks Chani x

This has been my favourite vlog from your channel so far, Chani. Little bit of everything: creating a beer garden, a spot of gardening, shopping and cooking! With a good smattering of Millie being 'helpful' with the shopping. Really interesting to see all the scaled down camping gear - hope your car arrives soon....already looking forward to your first camping trip!

Fantastic.. it’s just a lovely little garden space. I’m so looking forward to your camping exploits 🐨🐨

Location, location, location 🎉🎉🎉

I love your outdoor space :) I, too, love gardening! I hope you get lots of fruits and veggies!

Great job my fellow Australian compatriot!

As someone moving to japan in January, who is also an avid camper, I can't wait to see your first camping experience, what equipment you found useful! Another awesome video thanks for sharing!!

Can't wait to see "Camping With Millie". (I adopted my cat from the campground that I go to. So, she is very familiar with the place)

Thank you so much for sharing, Chani! I love your little charming garden! Looking forward to your next vlog, as I always do. All the best to you.

The beer garden looks like a really relaxing space :) One thing you'll definitely need for the camping is a head torch. It's worth getting a medium quality one. The cheapies can easily break and the expensive ones are overkill. Looking forward to the next video :D

Hi Chani, just one small tip: when you bring home a plant in a pot, as you plant it in the garden it's wise to tease out the roots from the way they were in the pot. Half fill the hole with water and then add soil, tamping down all around. This way the roots will start reaching out into the surrounding soil for immediate nutrients and the plant will be off to a great start. I have followed you from the beginning with great admiration for all of your efforts. Each week I eagerly look forward to your next video which I always find rewarding to watch.

nice video as always, thank you