TAISEI KIKUTA
Just a Japanese Person in a Japanese Village
About
A Brief Backstory...
Hi there, my name is Taisei! I’m 100% Japanese, but nobody believes me when I say that. I was born in Thailand, lived in Indonesia for 10 years, and in Japan for only 6+ years. I also just came back from living in the UK for 3 years! Like I said, nobody believes me when I say I’m fully Japanese.
In the UK, I was a student of Loughborough University (look it up) where I graduated with a degree in Sport & Exercise Science. The work I’m most proud of is my final year dissertation on “Forest Bathing” or “森林浴” which is actually a Japanese concept where you meditate and spend time in nature to help lower stress levels, both physiological and psychological!
Now I’m back home in Japan, but still feel like I’m away from home… I live in a super rural village called Nozawaonsen, famous for its ski resort and onsens (as the name suggests)! I’m currently working as a management assistant in the hospitality industry, making use of my education and language skills.
Places I've Visited...
Throughout the 20+ years that I’ve been on this Earth, I’ve had the privelege to visit many countries and islands around the world, so much to the point where I know more international locations than local Japanese prefectures, which is very embarassing.
From everyone’s favourite metropolitan cities, to the most unusual, isolated and unknown islands, I’ve been to more places than I can count! In my early days I travelled more of South East Asia, and during my university days I ventured across the UK and through Western Europe.
And through all this travelling I’ve managed to also make many international friends (both human and animal) who I still keep in touch even if we’re hundreds of miles away! I still have so many places to visit, but where to next?…
What I'm Up To...
Since I was a young boy, I’ve always loved creating things on a computer. That passion was further expanded when I first discovered YouTube and started experimenting with making my own videos.
After many failed attempts, I finally made a “proper” YouTube channel where I share Japanese travel, culture, language and now insights from a Japanese village. This is the first channel which has actually gained some traction, giving me the idea that Japan is a big topic many people are interested in, and I should keep this up.
Now, I have expanded my media side hustle to not just YouTube, but also Instagram and an email newsletter. You can check out my works below! I have many plans, but the main one is to make content which is visually pleasing and professional in quality. I also want to make use of my university research in the forest therapy field and share insights about it.
My Hobies & Specialities
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Video Production
From pre-production to post-production, I enjoy every step of the extensive video making process. And my video editing software of choice is Adobe Premiere Pro.
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Web & Graphic Design
I have always had an eye for design and aesthetics, not just for physical but also digital design. I use the Adobe Suite and Canva for graphic design, and WordPress for creating websites like this one!
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Writing
Although my English writing skills were quite poor during school, I have grown to enjoy writing my thoughts in an entertaining way through starting my YouTube channel and email newsletter!
YouTube
Channel Trailer
Recent Videos
Email Newsletter
Recent Issues
