A foreigner living in Japan. A charm of Iwate from a YouTuber.
Interview / Sharla

Sharla, YouTuber

"When I was 19, I first moved to Tokyo, but at that point I had fallen in love with Iwate. That's why I went for my 2-weeks high school exchange. So after a couple of month in Tokyo, I decided I wanna be back here in Iwate and I moved back here. And I spent 3 years here, teaching English, and working various part time jobs. And in 2010 I have to go back to Canada to finish University, so I cannot get a visa to stay in Japan. And during the time I was back in Canada, the big earthquake happened in 2011. And I was really worried about all my friends and here in Tohoku, so I quit University and I moved back to Japan as soon as possible. I was able to enter University in Chiba. I was really lucky they had a connection with my University. And I moved back here in September 2011."

"The nature is stunning. It's Absolutely beautiful here. Geibikei gorge I paddle down a boat on the gorge and that's probably one of my most amazing memories of my entire time in Japan. Ryusendo cave, drive up to Miyako is really great in the Autumn when you can see the colored leaves. It has really gorgeous handmade pottery which is really cool souvenir. And Koiwai farm, view of mountain of Iwate. It's really beautiful and there are a lot of fun things there, the food is delicious. I had just have so many beautiful pictures of Iwate in my mind out of all the places I've traveled throughout Japan in my 12 years here. Iwate is easily the most beautiful. And besides from the nature that people here are just wonderful so I have no complains. How I love everything about it."

"Most foreigners when it come to Japan, they only think Tokyo, Kyoto, Osaka. That's always the top 3 on their list and I'm always very disappointed but nobody considers Tohoku. So I think this is a really great opportunity for everyone to get to know Tohoku. I know when they come to Iwate they gonna love it here, and they're going to wonder why they didn't come earlier. So I'm very excited for the people of this area I think it's a great opportunity for everyone in the world to see how amazing it is here. I think it would be great for them to help rebuild the area as well. "

"I spent 12 years traveling all around Japan and Iwate is really the one place that I always want to come back to. It really feels like home town to me. The people here accepted me like I was their family, and I'll never forget them."

Website: YouTube Channel [Sharla in Japan]
https://www.youtube.com/user/JyuusanKaidan