80s Japan - Tokyo at Night 東京の夜 ８０年代

[haisukatto111]

時代を感じるね。

女性の髪形とか。

日本人の顔つきもなんか地震に満ちてるというか

ウキウキしてるね。

24年後、ここまで衰退するとは誰が想像しただろうか？



[dexterdexter2006]

Wow great video of the 80s. I was a kid back then wearing the ray ban glasses with my robocop figures so got good memories. I love to visit japan one day. You guys if you ever reunite should all go to japan and make a video on the locations you went in the 80 and do a comparison of today.. That would be awesome.

Would love to see more 80s videos of japan. Keep up the good work.

[kds242]

bunch of fruits with money in the 80s

[dhksrksalem]

age of bubble economy 

[Civsuccess2]

This is indeed the peak of Japanese civilization. The economy was the best at the time.  We'll never see such a prosperity in Japan ever again.

[londonbill100]

I first went to Japan a year after this was done in 1988, and have visited Japan roughly every 6 years since. Each time I notice something that was once there has gone. One of my most vivid memories of those early days in the 80's was driving in the countryside and seeing nearly new cars dumped in fields because they had no value. You bought new and just threw away the old one. It was the way the place was back then. Not now of course.

[Beikokuichi]

The 80's must have truly been an awesome time in Japan, especially as a foreigner. I'm really glad you had a camera (and an awesome one) at that time and took this!

Compared to now, people seem much happier and amiable, but also shier.

Also, your lifestyle sounds pretty nice. Going back and forth from America to Japan. Please give me a job =D

[kwonneon]

Who would think japan have lost 20yrs and fukushima back than

[kawaisounaninhu]

日本（特に東京の会社、人）が儲かりまって仕方がかった、経済が­急斜面を描くように右肩上がり。

人も企業も狂ってた時代。

10社面接受けてもすべて内定がもらえる。

ボーナスが100万なんてザラだった。

そのうちアメリカの経済を超すとも言われた。

1980年代後半はそんな時代。

が、1990年にバブル経済に終止符。

一気に不景気になり、そして2008年頃からはリーマンショック­により世界経済が大危機。

しかし、日本のGDPの成長は成長率が落ちただけで伸びている。­

[soopahsoopah]

Thanks so much for sharing this, it's a fascinating look at Japan's nightlife in the heyday of the 80's. very cool.

[TaviYamato]

omfg amazing , my country was in eastern europe under communism back then , I cant imagine that former communist countries are NOT as developed NOW as Japan was in the 70's and 80's

[PseudonymPlayer]

Shenmue!

[eskercurve]

One question ... by the time you shot this video ... were "asian style" toilets still prevalent, or did Western style toilets come into being?

[eskercurve]

To be in the 80s in Japan must've been a trip. Before the "lost decade" of the 90s, I think people don't quite appreciate the "Asian miracle" that Japan was. 30 years of hard work after WWII finally paid off and their companies were taking over the world. The Big Three carmakers in Detroit were reeling. American tech firms (except Apple and Microsoft) were retreating. Back then, as now with China, pundits were saying "better learn Japanese, cuz they'll own us soon!"

[HistoMagouri]

Great quality camera for the 80's!

Makes me want to go to the past!

[Beshkanrecords]

whats the 2nd song

[NichiBeiTrader]

@Beshkanrecords.... Intro: Looking for a New Love -Jody Watley.... 1st song: Eyes of a Stranger -Payolas.... 2nd song: Dream Team is in The House -L.A. Dream Team.... 3rd song: The Rain -Oran 'Juice' Jones....

[marine6]

great tunes !

[TheMinasigo8]

バブルってええなあ

[Bito1990]

８０年代辺りから今の東京の原型が出来たのかな？

[mocliamga]

さくらやはビックカメラになっちゃいましたねぇー。ヨドバシカメ­ラはまだありますねぇー

[jungleman68]

what would happen if japan defaulted and started all over? would they start having kids again?

[jungleman68]

haha, back when japan mattered

[kagurazakaguy]

These videos are wonderful. Thank you very much for sharing them with us all. I live in Tokyo now but I would pay a large sum of money to be able to experience it in the late 1980's. It is hard to imagine that when you took this video in 1987 the Nikkei 225 was trading as high as 26,000 points.

[NichiBeiTrader]

@kagurazakaguy Hey, thanks for watching. Glad you enjoyed it. Japan sure isn't the same as it was then...

[catscatscatz]

@NichiBeiTrader I mean the economy is actually larger, I mean Japan might not be the world power it was, but isn't Tokyo still huge and exciting?

[prede89]

@kagurazakaguy $93,000 per square foot for a place in tokyo in 1989...crazy stuff. Wish i could have experienced it too.

[Mazryonh]

I bet the people in this video were not happy when the Lost Decade arrived. The streets must have been a lot emptier during that period.

[hfgniweuhno]

@Mazryonh

Japanese bubble economy is very empty prosperity.

Because "Great Hanshin Earthquake" came at 1995, culture of bubble economy completely collapsed.

[Mazryonh]

@hfgniweuhno Yeah, I can't find any information as to why the economy was so good in Japan in the 1980s if it was built on a bubble. But I thought the Lost Decade started in 1989.

[hfgniweuhno]

@Mazryonh

In 1993, the end of Liberal Democratic Party's government since 1955. and unprecedented cold summer has visited.

People didn't realize coming recession until then.

[Mazryonh]

@NippleOfNippon Really? What was wrong with Tokyo in the 80s?  The videos here all seem to show that Tokyo during that time was "all fun and games." They talk a lot about the Lost Decade, but I can't find vids showing how it affected ordinary Japanese citizens.

I doubt that Tokyo is growing much bigger now, what with the declining Japanese population and anti-immigration sentiment everywhere.

[michinco]

nice!!

I love Japan back in the 80's!!!

I went there when I was little, and Tokyo in the 80's were really cool!!

Long Live Japan!!

thank you for the video!

[slamdunk12345]

wow thanks, it's so interesting, and almost surreal, comparing it to Tokyo today

[catscatscatz]

@slamdunk12345 How so? What's different?

[pensarefare]

Hi. Regarding your doubts about quality, Final Cut's compressor features a file format which is ideal for youtube. It's called "youtube compression". You might wanna try that next time you convert something for you tube.

[Derp1978]

looks like Bladerunner.

[soopahsoopah]

@Derp1978 exactly what I thought too :)

[goldensolder44]

@Derp1978 Tokyo was Ridley Scott's inspiration for blade runner, fun fact

[kwonneon]

i think japan was healthy back 80's and 90's

2000's japan is totally screwed

[hfgniweuhno]

@kwonneon

I think that mass media and internet are causes of stagnation.

[prepschoolkid]

@kwonneon The 90s was Japan's "lost decade".....

[ryoubun2009]

最後の東急ハンズは池袋のサンシャイン手前だと思うんですが・・­・

新宿南口に東急ハンズができたのは９０年代後半です。

[ranasingharasc]

These Were The Best Days...

[astron1999]

なんだろう。とても不思議な感覚。

『ブレードランナー』を見たときと同じような感じです。

まるでその時代の街を散策しているような錯覚に陥りましたw



[777shades]

That Tokyu Hands store is STILL THERE!

And If you're posing next to the Colonel in Akihabara... He's still there too :)

[readordiefanatic]

at 2:21 is that where they got the name of that anime from? lol

[stoltobot]

if I had a time machine this is where I would go. Walk around Shinjuku busting a move listening to my Sony Walkman, hell yeah!

[morfes]

Awesome work dude.

[airtouch01]

In the 80's they said Japan would become the largest economy, but it didn't.. So..

[ReturnOfJackDawson]

hey thanks a lot for posting, respect your effort. but tokyo today is sooo much more :)

[stuang000]

japan is the second richest country of the world. i love japan

[MotoscuterZ]

@stuang000

Excuse me, but Japan used to be the 2nd !

China is now the 2nd and hopefully it will become the 1st pretty soon !

Japan is the 3rd. The truth is that the Japanese society kind of degraded itself since the 1980s.

So is America. So go China :)

[stuang000]

@MotoscuterZ chinese goods are fake, so nobody trusts china

[MotoscuterZ]

@stuang000 They will become the number one very soon. Don't you talk such none sense little boy ! :)

[AyesThatsme]

Paradise.

[airtouch01]

@mondeost2202008 The main difference is that in '87 Japan almost at the peak of the infamous bubble.. I've always read about the Japanese bubble, but now I could actually see it..

[MotoscuterZ]

Name of the first song ? Please.

I mean the one that plays after it shows "Tokyo at Night".

[NichiBeiTrader]

@MotoscuterZ - The song is Eyes of a Stranger by The Payolas.

[mondeost2202008]

80's Japan kinda reminds me of Manila Back in the 90's. Japan looked so normal yet so modern back in the 80's. I want to go to Japan and I'm sure it won't be disappointing but it sure would be better if Japan today is still like this. You know, all the new technology and innovation of today but as normal and as foreigner-friendly back in the 80's and early 90's.

I've also noticed that most Japanese in the vids have pure black hair. I don't really like the fact that most dye their hair nowadays.

[mcsatnam]

this isnt tokyo. This is from the set of Blade Runner.

[airtouch01]

Wow that was Japan at its finest back then.. The economy, even the people looked very confident

[alberick555]

thanks for sharing, was in Tokyo first time in '95 and just as in your vid, it seemed more 'foreigner-friendly'.

Going there nowadays you're mostly getting 'hate-looks' from everybody, mainly because Japan is being swarmed by foreigners.

[jorgito21st]

awesome videos .....Keep them coming...

[Mind1973]

It's so awesome that you recorded your trip. I wanted to go to Japan so bad when I was a kid, specifically between 1986 to 1989. I ended up going 4 times years later between 2001 to 2006. Such a cool place to visit.

[Pikaqiu]

their english speaking ability still stagnant.. they need to increase it.

[darkforce2098]

great music :)

[kohtayasuda]

新宿かな？

[NichiBeiTrader]

@kohtayasuda そうです！新宿でした！

[kohtayasuda]

@NichiBeiTrader そうですか！駅前とTOKYU HANDSで、わかりました。昔の日本人はＶサインで「Peac­e!」とよく言っていて、おもしろいです。

Face bookにのせてもいいですか？？

[NichiBeiTrader]

@kohtayasuda どうぞ．Facebookにのせてもいいです．宜しくお願いしま­す．

[kohtayasuda]

@NichiBeiTrader ありがとうございます（＾＾）

[320k]

Wow, Dunkin Donuts at 3:00

They're long gone now, Krispy Kreme is taking over in force

[redfoxbennaton]

Even in 1980s japbland it was bland.

[dual85]

I thought this was really interesting what an amazing time amazing place TOKYO at night!!

[VPSantiago]

That is awesome. I've been looking for more movies about what Japan, specifically Tokyo was like in the boom years in the 80s. All that blade-runner, neuromancer, 8-bit awesomeness. That looks amazing, was there in 2007 and I couldn't recognize Shinjuku clearly from this video! Nice glasses!

[NichiBeiTrader]

@VPSantiago I'm glad you enjoyed it.

[dregsta]

thank you for feeding my curiosity

[NichiBeiTrader]

@dregsta  You're welcome!

[asymp2]

I was born too late

[ThinkFastBoom93]

@asymp2 same here D:

- ): -

[wolf52525]

Wish I could have walked around Japan with 1980s pre crazy tom cruise and the cast of top gun. Great videos, really enjoyed them. Srsly though, top gun.

[asianamusement]

hey, I love your video. I just went to Ikebukuro this past march 2010. Everything still looks kind of the same in Ikebukuro and much more busier though. Sunshine City mall is so complex. I would like to go back there some day. Ikebukuro is a convenient place to be in, it has a little taste of everything in Japan. I loved that city when I was there.

[NichiBeiTrader]

@asianamusement - I appreciate the comments and thanks for watching. Although I travel to Japan every year, in Feb I went back to Ikebukuro/Sunshine area for the first time in probably 15 years. And you're right, not a lot has changed!

[fagbowsa]

@NichiBeiTrader you go every year? thats so cool :D. i'm hoping to go someday. i'm only 13 though and i don't know full japanese yet. is it expensive?

[amenomiyacity]

1987年生まれた年だ･･･

[Civsuccess2]

Back then, it's not a requirement to wear expensive designer shirts and pants. Nowaday, young pp are so hip that they spend a lot of money and times to make themselves look good. Japanese girls now force themselves to go on diet to be as thin as possible.

[Civsuccess2]

This looks exactly like the Bladerunner scenes. The rain looks the same too.

[lostinxlation]

I can pretty much locate the paths that video is going through. Although building tenants got changed, it seems Tokyo hasn't changed much last 20 years.

[arudaark]

@lostinxlation 30 years my friend

[TkyoSam]

Oh god I just came!...I mean, shizzle

[japanesedancechannel]

この動画見てると涙が出てくる。この当時は5歳だったけど、ちゃ­んと記憶にあるよ。さすがに夜の歌舞伎町はないが(笑)

80年代の雰囲気は最高だな。

[NichiBeiTrader]

Commentありがとう！　僕も80年代のいい記憶にあります. とくにこの同時の日本！

[Archronos1]

Walking in the rain. At night. In Japan. In the 80's. I cannot begin to describe what i wouldn't give to have been able to trade places with you. Just awesome. Nice 80's tracks in the background, by the way.

[NichiBeiTrader]

Hey, glad you enjoyed it. It was a good time to be in Japan.

[samtron5000]

@Archronos1 Except for being the 80s, I do this all the time. Its not THAT great. Maybe it would have been better in the 80s. Too many ppl, Tokyo starts to stink rainy season around trash days. People bump into eachother with their umbrellas.

[Archronos1]

@samtron5000 Heh, i won't tell you otherwise if you say it's so, after all, you are there, and me, it's still on my "things to do before i die" list, (number 2, live and work in tokyo as a tv, screen, or game writer :P). But anyway, you saw how cool this vid is, and thats how i had always imagined Tokyo to be; friendly people, cool fashion, and for some reason the Payolas' "eyes of a stranger" in the background :).Anyway,i know reality tells a different story,but i bet you still like it, no? :)

[samtron5000]

@Archronos1 Its better than living in some shanty town in Africa, lol.

I just... Well, I dunno, for some reason, everytime I read someone saying that they "Want to go to Japan for xxx reason", I feel like they are putting conditions on this place, and will be severely disappointed when they do come here. The people are more friendly if you speak Japanese well. If I think about Japanese pop culture too much, I start to feel sick. Spend enough time here and you will know it eventually. :P

[Archronos1]

@samtron5000 Yeah, i know what you mean, Japan isn't as the media set it out to be. No place on earth is. As a part of a famous haiku goes "wherever you might go, the sky remains the sky, people remain people", meaning, no one or place is more special than the other.I'ts been my dream to go there since i was 10 or so,and since im from Serbia,a 3rd world country, i'm expecting atleast the culture shock and advancement of Tokyo to feel worlds apart compared to my lil redneck town,if nothing else.

[qiji375]

没去过日本，但是感觉八十年代的东京和现在的上海很像

[NichiBeiTrader]

Thanks for your comment. I would like to visit Shanghai. I have only been to Southern China (Guangzhou).

我想访问上海。我只去过南中国（广州）。

[japanandtheworld]

Great video! Looks almost identical to the Tokyo today. It would be interesting to watch more videos of Tokyo in the 60's or 70's.

[109mytiger]

Nasukashii! Kabukicho is still full of people and night lights  even now.

[tukkidesu]

Thanks for the video.I glad to that watch video. Thank you.

[MotoscuterZ]

I was born in the 90's and I always dreamed to go to Japan. But I'm kind of scared since it changed so much into bad, it won't be very interesting going there. Anyway what song is that ? With the rain.

[NichiBeiTrader]

If you have an interest in Japan you should still try to visit - it really hasn't changed all that much in the last 20 years. the song is "the rain" by Oran 'Juice' Jones.

[madmax7272jj]

I was 15 in 1987. I had never been to shinjuku until 19. but this video bring me back to 80s. Lights and builidings are beautiful. Especially I am suprised to see Tokyu hands in ikebukuro. I didnt think we had it in 1987... wow...thankyou. I will back here to watch sometimes.

[ytcomposer]

^_^ You have no idea how much I needed this. I have always had this nostalgic feeling every time I think of Japan, even as a child before I went there or understood the culture. I was about 6 in 1987, so I always wanted to know what it felt like if I were a kid in an Asian country. I totally saw myself there in the Tōkyō crowd in this vid. I wish I had Japanese buddies as a kid, but I have made up for that since then. ^_^ Anyway, the songs, sounds, and sights made my night. Thanks for sharing!

[NichiBeiTrader]

really glad you enjoyed it

[aziz1981]

Thanks for the video really like it and the music u put.

[darkalligator]

thanks for the video, i really enjoyed all your videos.

[NichiBeiTrader]

Good to hear.  Thanks for taking the time to watch and comment.

[Usagi1pyon]

Thanks for sharing these great videos. Was wondering if you kept in touch with the guys in the vids? thx again for posting. (^_^)

[NichiBeiTrader]

I see one of them every year at a Christmas party. The other I haven't seen more than a few times in the last 15 years.

Thanks for watching.

[marinourawa]

とても面白いですね

この頃から池袋のハンズあったんだ

[NichiBeiTrader]

Comment ありがとう！

[pweener]

The memories tug at my heart... Touched down in Japan myself, in '85. Different place then. Seemed like anything was possible -the air was just 'cracklin' with energy. I was 20, girls were beautiful, & everyone was feeling rich.

Loved the sights and sounds you've captured of the '80's Tokyo milieu. "Salarymen" heading to Kabukicho to drink on the company's expense account; the white pants guys used to wear!; Hands in Ikebukuro -MAN! Where have those years gone?...

Thanks a ton. Keep 'em coming.

[NichiBeiTrader]

Ahh, another 'old school' Japan hand. Not many of us around, let alone on YouTube. Your description sums the era up perfectly. What a great and promising time it was to be in Japan! Thanks for watching.

[joydivisionfanboy]

Wow omg it's like Bladerunner.

[NichiBeiTrader]

Cool huh?! Your screen name reminds me that I should look into using Joy Division or New Order for my 80s vids...

[joydivisionfanboy]

I recommend Interzone by Joy Division for it's punkiness, I think the other songs are possibly too sad to use. You can probably find a lot more suitable New Order songs though. :)

[Civsuccess2]

@joydivisionfanboy

Even the rain and the umbrella looks to same (probably need a little neon light touches)

[Robin303]

That McDonalds in Ikebukuro haven't changed that much.

Cool music by the way, what was the last track may I ask?

[NichiBeiTrader]

Whisper to a Scream by Icicle Works - a classic 80s tune. Hopefully the copyright police won't flag this or any more of my other videos!

[blackjin23]

japan in the 80s yes

[NichiBeiTrader]

Yes indeed!

[mumu8952]

very wonderful.

[NichiBeiTrader]

Thank you!

[ALVARO34]

Better than any documenary, just the real deal!!!!!!!!

[NichiBeiTrader]

Thanks for watching.

[Indyshooter]

Night, neon lights and rain... i love it :D

[NichiBeiTrader]

Thanks!

[soupboy123]

oh man, they weren't instinctively sticking to one side of the escalator to keep a passing lane open back then yet!!

Love these videos, keep em coming!

[NichiBeiTrader]

Thanks. I'll see what else I can dig up.

[gothhydran]

I love your old 80s videos of Japan!! Great choice of music by the way!! (especially the Payolas)

I see you guys in shorts, t-shirts, and tank tops; Wasn't the rain cold?

[NichiBeiTrader]

It was a warm Summer rain.

I'm glad you liked the music. I try to pick stuff I listened to and that was also indicative of the 80s.

[SlickWilly440]

At 6:24, that sign said Massage/Peeking マッサージ /　のぞき....LOL

[NichiBeiTrader]

Ahhh, you noticed! ;-) My buddy wanted to get a massage, but was afraid we'd leave him there, so he chickened out!

[saiyouken]

awesome!! The peak of the bubble days. I wish Japanese would get that confidence back again.

[NichiBeiTrader]

Thanks Ken.

Yes, those were the bubble days. But of course, with that confidence came a lot of arrogance, especially amongst the Japanese businessmen. Every bubble seems to produce that unfortunate duality.

[ilya150]

I hope the future is as great as the past..... I would've loved growing up during the 80s-90s

[NichiBeiTrader]

Growing up in the 80s was great, in my opinion.

[NichiBeiTrader]

Glad you liked it.

[MicknFumi]

Think that was the Tokyu hotel Shibuya at the end there (right side of top of escalator). I stayed there a couple of nights last year : )

[NichiBeiTrader]

Hmmm, I'm not sure we made it to Shibuya that night, but I could be wrong. Anybody else recognize it?

Thanks for watching!

[ericsurf6]

Cool, love seeing the retro footage! I've got some late 80's footage of Japan I should post as well. Wonder if anybody would watch it though?

[NichiBeiTrader]

Absolutely post it, Eric. Your subscribers would love to see it. But based on your surf-juggling video of years ago, I don't think you've changed (aged?!) as much as most of us since that time! *shakes head with envy*

[ElevenColors]

Can't believe Alta used to be monochrome.

3:00 Whoah. DUNKIN' donuts?

3:21 If that's the McD I think it is, just down the street from the lingerie shop in Shinjuku, it too shut down a couple years ago.

Hmm. Wonder if mum can dig up any of my pics from 1986?

[Senoska]

I would pay money to see pictures of you in 1986, James.

[NichiBeiTrader]

Dude, I wanna see those 1986 photos. Break 'em out!

What, is that Dunkin Donuts no longer there? I do remember them being everywhere back then.

[ElevenColors]

Thank Dunkin Donuts is now a shoe store, if I recognize the location correctly.

Dunkin' Donuts pulled the plug in Japan in 1998. It's all Mister Donut now.

1986 photos might be around home in the US somewhere. Should have done more digging while I was there.

[ElevenColors]

For uploading to YouTube I've had great success with WMV9 1280x720. Yes, you're using a Mac, but YouTube does seem to like WMV.

[NichiBeiTrader]

I will test this and crimsonmai's suggestions and see how it turns out.

[betamaxdc]

no way! i live right there...crazy to see it that long ago! amazing

[NichiBeiTrader]

So you're in Shinjuku? or Ikebukuro?

[betamaxdc]

shinkuju man! i see studio alta (giant tv screen) every day on the way to the station! crazy because it actually has changed, but is still full of lights!!

[NichiBeiTrader]

Nice! Hard to believe it was black and white, huh?!!

And I used to go to that Kinokuniya down the street to get my English language reading fix back in the day.

[crimsonmai]

Make sure to compress the vid in 1280x720 resolution and use H.264 format. When you initially upload it the quality will look like crap, because Youtube takes 20-30min or so to process the file. After its done though the HD option will become available if you use those settings.

[gabi326jjk]

waw, it was so different yet so the same back in the 80's, I wish i could have seen it back then haha

[NichiBeiTrader]

Thanks for watching!