Iwate Swan 5: Toys in Kitakami

Hey gang, Iwate Swan is back for another week of adventures. This time, I ventured out to Kitakami which is the second largest city in Iwate (just behind Morioka in population, with Hanamaki in third place). My mission was to find the Toys R Us, in which there might be one or two in the whole of Iwate. Would some directions from local school girls help me or lead me in the wrong direction? Watch and find out! Next week is going to be the much anticipated house tour video where I show off my Japanese house and talk a bit about my job and my life in general. See you next time!

Music in this episode:
Iwate Swan Theme: Keterol
Toy Swan: Keterol

Category:

Travel & Events

Tags:

• iwate
• swan
• toys
• in
• kitakami
• tokyo
• teacher
• manga
• anime
• games
• puzzles
• boys
• girls
• gaijin
• japan
• japanese
• mall
• movie
• 北上
• 岩手
• gundam
• dragonball
• rain
• review
• legos
• ultraman

[guitarbrad]

HAZZAH! Did I see a Bob's Big Boy right before Toys R Us?? Why DO all Toys R Us stores smell the same? (A: Toys R Us cleaning products.)

[rodgerswan]

yup that was indeed big boy near the toys r us! I was quite shocked to see one of those here up north in japan.

[chidorioz]

Hey great show glad to see that you are back in japan keep up the amazingly awsome job.

i also have a request if you could make a vlog about american food in japan

[rodgerswan]

thanks for the feedback! as for your request, I would like to do a grocery store episode later on...so that would probably touch on some of that topic perhaps...

[AndySan]

6:01 - Cool Rei Ayanami puzzle!!

Compared to Michigan, do you think of Iwate as urban or rural as far as population and things to do there goes?

[rodgerswan]

hmm. the city i am in is the third largest in iwate, so I think it is about the same as where I was from in michigan. However, there are certainly more rural parts here. Everything is much more spread out (japan's second largest prefecture), so it appears more rural...but it still has movie theaters, shopping malls, mcdonalds, toys r us and other such urban locations. I thought things were going to be more country...not complaining though haha.

[FelineFantsy]

You looked like a very great guy, I'm so sad you'll never post again. :( R.I.P

[tonieboo0013]

I love how you're always willing to get lost in a foreign (pardon the pun) area just to find one store, or explore for the fun of it. If it were me, I'd be bumbling around with a map at all times.

I think I'm going to enjoy this series much more than the Tokyo Swan one. Iwate Swan is so much more realistic and it shows the natural side of living in Japan; I can't wait until it's my turn!

[krane121]

I don't think the girls were confused about him going to toys r us. :)

[jarockstar27]

for the two people that didnt like this video you are dicks!!!

[FASTMOVINGBROOK]

nice in IWATE?! I'll have to try going north. Tokyoites were xenophobic tward me and made me sleep on the street when i had a reservation just because I'm American they made clear to me.

[r4x2]

LOL, the yarn part had me rolling. Thanks always for these videos.

[catman063]

Wow, I just saw that Rodger passed away... I'm so sorry. RIP.

[catman063]

The "Toys R Us smell" - WOW, you're not kidding! I've brought my son to enough of those stores to know that smell - and now he's too old to bring there, so... I occasionally go by myself (yes, another grown man in a TRU, don't be embarrassed!). But the toys there are MUCH cooler.

Thanks for the series! Amazing peek into Japanese life from an American perspective.

[gaijinmegan]

I lived in Kitakami in 2008 and came along your video when searching for Kitakami after the most recent earthquake/tsunami. So great to see the city from someone elses point of view. Hopefully it withstood the earthquake and there wasn't too much damage. My prayers and thoughts are with Japan.

[BP5M]

Damn, how much I wish to have talked to you, rest in peace man.

[DaWn0FTheDead]

where do you walk? 

[Absolstice]

Damn Swan i miss you. RIP