Iwate Swan 14: Sports Park

[robbo1964]

I can not believe this. I lived in the same street as a JET in 1997. I worked for the Iwate Comprehensive Education Centre ... I remember the sports centre had just opened and I used to go to the new gym that had opened up there. It was tough getting there in the snow. Wow ... I wish I had known Rodger when he was still alive. It was a shock to discover he passed away.

[apocaRUFF]

This guy will be forever missed, especially by those that never got the privilege to know him past his videos. I wish I had found his channel before the unfortunate happened so I could have talked to him through a private message or at least comments.

 Even though this is one of his lesser viewed videos, this is one of my favorites out of all of the ones I've viewed so far.

[Danvie11]

I can see by the way he talks that Japan was the best place for him to be, RIP Iwate Swan

[TiramisuHappy]

It certainly seems that way. I think he really knew/felt how fortunate he was to be surrounded by everything he loved about Japanese countryside.

He comes across as a truly gentle soul in this video...

[jylogura]

(Hijonokoen) FYI this park was originally a golf course made for the occupation forces GHQ.

[ILoveGoodFellas]

damn, i need to get awaaaaaaaaaaaaaayyyyy right now, japan would be nice, but who has $2000, fml

[skylinehulmes]

looks beautiful there wish could go myself

[JesseEtzler0]

Loveee your new videos swan !!

[Reguba24]

Very cool park!

[HardyManful]

really must come and visit man, that is breath taking, dont want to sound stupid, but really feels like my heart, lol.

[NostalgicE]

Grow your beard back...

[Seebr115]

Nice video. You have quite the knack of finding the local charm of the area you live in. Some of the places you shot has that sleepy town kind of feel to it where life goes at it's own pace independent of the outside world. I wouldn't mind if you posted more of this stuff!

[pinkspiderforever]

I wonder if the golfing people are playing 'parkgolf'?  It's a strange croquet, mini golf, golf crossover I discovered in Japan.

Nice video! Lovely area!

[seansfc]

when u showed the mountains i picture dbz and the song "Dan Dan Kokoro Hikareteku"

nice video i enjoyed watching

[Juanser02]

Great video!!!

[3dwinh]

thats the kind of place i usually go to to clear my mind. nice find! nice cut as well! i usually cut for around 10 bucks as well which is pretty good.

[DinoBiteinWhite]

very beautiful, you're so lucky

[tokyozombie1]

"woo,, another white guy!"  lol that was pretty funny.

[rentaroo]

I would be having a better time if I was in Japan.

[bitchuknowbetter]

B E A Utiful

[LittlePinky82]

So cute about the hair cut guy. $10 is a really good price too. I love the country area you're at. It's so cute. I love the sports park. Looks like a great place to go on a Saturday or any day off and have some fun. How neat about the high school boy. It will be interesting to hear where he ends up. I like the ending with the pretty stream. Such a nice area you're at! :)

[xbassassinsx]

I love your videos, man! Keep it up!

[PatoZay]

woah its really beautiful ! thanks for sharing

[detheroc57]

that looks like a great place to go jogging.

[Yuenpl]

man, this is amazing! really beautiful. i guess i'd feel it's a waste to stay indoors when you have such things just outside.

btw - did you also live in this kind of more rural environment in the us?

[kunglekidd]

Man, your videos keep getting better and better. The end little montage was awesome.  Keep 'em coming Roger!!

[TokyoAro]

watch out kanyes gonna interrupt your haircut next time :D

[Tnakamura11]

I guess Kikuchi Yusei from Hanamaki Higashi wins 5 in his rookie year.

[cbsim]

looks much better without moustache

[ignoranx]

the student is Yusei Kikuchi,more promising pitcher than Daisuke Matsuzaka.

[Warriors3000]

damn good

[BubblesofAir]

@ 4:22 reminds me of the Spirited away. The tunnel that led them to the train and to the bath house. Very beautiful scene you got there swan...do they still have bath houses like that in Japan?

[rodgerswan]

sure do, have quite a few in my town actually. Of course, filming is totally off limits there haha....

[BubblesofAir]

That would be cool if you could. Aw man now I have to watch Spirited away all over again lol.

[TokyoAro]

@BubblesofAir it looks exactly like new mexico when it wants to its amazing :)

[BubblesofAir]

Hmm so I guess there's another place for me to visit on the list. I would really like to live somewhere with a scenery like this one.

[benglen]

Great clip, keep posting.

[Raylott2]

was their a football stadeum their

[mediaman5005]

Thanks for sharing Swan :-) my favorite spots were the mountain view in the clearing, the stream, and the the fountain were the water geyser was. I hope you'll be showing more of the beauty that is Iwate.

[AlmightyTaIlest]

How do tissues relate to hair cuts?

[Mutough]

Kanye West...?

"Swan, I'm gonna let you finish, but Beyonce had the best haircut of all time... UV AW THYME!"

[rodgerswan]

hahahahahaha. thumbs up for this comment :)

[BlackDreadBoy]

nice scenery

[Japanesemusicforall]

I always found the schools in Japan to be massive!

[kidzero22]

pretty cool video. what are you planning to do for thanksgiving?

[lonebun]

nice video...appreciated...keep up the great work

[ignoranx]

the sun casts its autumnal glow on you Swan,good vid,awsome countryside.

a quick digression from my ghoul friend,

wow he looks such a cute with short hair.

whats a envy. have a nice maple day.

[maple1anime]

Nice hair cut :] Really cool sites its awesome you can drive by or use ur bike around there . Really great shots to, another awesome episode thanks ;].

[lostinxlation]

$10 ? Man, that's cheap. I pay $10 for hair cut without hair wash and shaving here.

[i90024]

had a chance to read kenji miyazawa yet? his short stories are awsome and stories typically depicts hanamaki.

[rodgerswan]

funny, miyazawa will show up in the next week's episode....

[AndySan]

Awesome scenery, Rodger!

When I do go to Japan, I'm thinking about living in Okayama. What have you heard about the place?

[rodgerswan]

i actually have never been that far west in japan, so i don't really know haha.

[AndySan]

Ah. Well, I'd thought I'd ask since there's a study-abroad program at a nearby college that sends study-abroad students out there.

I've been watching the sparse videos of Okayama on YouTube, and it seems like a nice place.

[mustangrebus]

I visited Okayama several times when I was living in Japan. I stayed at a youth hostel about half an hour walk from the main station. Friendly people and nice scenerey. The view of the bridge (seto o hashi) is amazing. And you should definitely get to Kurashiki.

Good luck

[AndySan]

I'll definitely go to Kurashiki when I go to Okayama!! Thanks!

[Prezsama]

YO SWAN! XD nice Vid very beautiful scenery XD your way out there not like the city eh???? lol

[lambda5658]

Where is your beard!?

[rodgerswan]

it was on vacation. it's back.

[robzo87]

Ahhhhhh... Looks VERY REFESHING. Fall is my favorite time of the season and yes it looks amazing over here in NC. Thanks again for bringing everyone on your journeys in japan my friend. If you could do me such a favor if you don't mind me asking? Could you visit the mountains there and record great views? That would be great if yo could. Peace

[sculder1121]

The ending shots were so peaceful, and with perfect music!

[CaptainJudithSparrow]

It's so beautiful there! Here in West Texas it's just sand and prickly pear and mesquite trees, and it doesn't even get cold until later in the month. Wish I was there. :<

[dancekat]

You seem so lonely :( It would be nice if your family or girlfriend could come visit you on holidays or something?

[ohdommm]

just beautiful...

[purphanz]

damnit man!... you never trust the elephant man... NEVER

[vicepresidentfru1tly]

If I could speak Japanese I would love to live in a village like this. Looks gorgeous. I'd buy a bike and go for long rides...

[syke54]

you shoulda checked out that baseball guy. He could be famous soon if the MLB is checking this guy out. Go catch him and tell him you're Iwate Swan doing youtube videos. "I'll make you famous!"

[fuzionN]

very nice :)

[fizzywakey]

Great video, man!

Your odd distracted delivery of "i love it" around the 4:30 mark made me lol.

The ambient music at the end was perfect.

[rodgerswan]

yes, i think it was one of keterol's best works to date. really good music track he made this week.

[PannaIka]

Lucky swan is lucky for finding something this blissful.

[Woohoopanda]

I hope he does a walking episode like this when there is snow all over the place.

[rodgerswan]

oh i will do a snow episode for sure, no doubt about that!

[sakuraga0ka]

Wow.... hands down one of my favorite videos!

[gortex1us]

Very nice video! I can't wait to go to japan!!

[everlong3r]

the part with the stream reminds me of the host

[HuzkyOwnz]

i must move to japan it looks so peaceful and calm out there where i live is calm to but there a bunch of ugly faces that ruin it (thugs)

also this is your best iwate episode so far keep up the good work

[StarDr0ps]

This episode was very calming and peaceul. Your videos keep getting better and better too. :) Can't wait for next weeks!

[Vonwert35]

This is probably one of my favorite eposides from you so far. I really enjoy getting to see more of the area where you are living in.

[schultemarc]

NO!! Where is your beard :(((((

[MrMovieNight]

Great video!

[jaythestingray]

Wow that place is beautiful

[TrOyGm]

Its really nice to see this it gives me alot of hope in this world. It seem so calm and peaceful. My town is peaceful but has alot of bad faces that ruins it. I am sure its the same there as well for the most part. Just wow so wonderful there.

Shalom aleikhem.

[OsakaBomb]

Wow. This was an amazing episode. I always like these kind of episodes.

A very zen episode of Iwate Swan. Haha.

[pianist231]

damn... that's such an awesome place.

[EMPERORMIKI]

Hum ... that kid on the bike watching those dancers could be a painting.

[ThePacificCrossing]

This is one of those videos I would watch over and over before I came to Japan myself.. Thanks a lot for posting this one roger.really brought back some memories of the times when I was fighting so hard to come here... now I'm lucky enough to be here!

[Anturija]

you look better without a beard =]

[lechicken]

you're so lucky :(

[qchome]

ya,the great park found weeks after i/u arrive-happened to me too,probably happened to everybody who has lived in more then 1 country-in karlshue,germany...behind the university residences,the one w/the great slide!

[TkyoSam]

You keep it real for all us black people in Japan Swan^^

[gaijinyakuzza]

u lucky bastard!

[Sceaf1]

I would sort of like to know about any racism over there. Not in Tokyo it seems fine there for the most part. But Im more curious about it in the part that you live in. Is it mostly like, get out or are they like dogs trying to get out of a car. Saying things like how is it in America? What it like outside? I get strange questions like if I can ingest rice. Or how strong I am some wierd questions? Are they any wierder because they might not have seen any foreigners?

[klynik]

Cool. Fall is my favorite season: Cold weather, football, Thanksgiving, egg nog, etc.

[vichudoll]

Japan is so wonderful. Thanks for always sharing. ^-^

Very awesome places.

[Degenskonto]

From what Ive seen in various Jvloggers videos, there dont seem to be too many places to run or jog, would parks like that be a place where you could do that?

For some reason I think they would frown upon me runnin around lol

[starsandsea]

Where have you found haircuts less than ￥4000?? :O I guess I haven't been looking very well, haha.