Creatives in Japan: Chani Japan

Written by Aarohi

Brisbane-born Chani first arrived in Japan as a teenager. She landed in Kagawa — the country’s smallest prefecture — with only a phrasebook and a host family who spoke no English.

After a long career teaching Japanese in Australia, at 49, Chani decided to return. Now based in Wakayama, she teaches English, renovates her house, and documents the slow work of making a life in regional Japan.

Where did your interest in Japan begin?

Chani (C): I first came to Japan at 17 on a homestay. I had no real knowledge of the country, and there was no internet to Google what it would be like.

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Later, I realized I had actually grown up with Japanese culture without knowing it. I watched Astro Boy as a child, and also a show on Australian TV called Monkey, which was a Japanese program dubbed into English.

My homestay was in Takamatsu, in Kagawa Prefecture. It was rural, and I’m glad I started there because no one spoke English.

It forced me to learn Japanese and really pushed me out of my comfort zone. That’s where my love of Japan began.

Did you speak any Japanese when you arrived?

C: Zero. I bought a phrasebook two weeks before I left and thought, “I’ll just read it on the plane, and I’ll be fine.”

Surprise — I wasn’t. I was saying everything with an Australian accent and didn’t understand Japanese pronunciation, so no one understood me.

I learned through complete immersion with my host family. I also took free lessons at city hall with a retired teacher, who taught me Japanese from the basics of phonics. That shaped the way I later taught Japanese.

Pronunciation matters — you can know the words, but if you don’t say them properly, people won’t know what you mean.

You later returned to Japan on a working holiday. How did that happen?

C: I had such a good experience that I didn’t want it to end. After I went back to Australia, I went straight to the Japanese embassy to ask about a working-holiday visa. Three months later, I was back in Japan.

By then, my Japanese was good enough that I found work at a chemical company in Osaka, in the HR department.

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The company had scientists coming over from different countries who didn’t speak Japanese, so I helped them settle in: organizing apartments, phones and other practical things. I was basically the bridge between the company and the people arriving from overseas.

The Great Hanshin Earthquake happened while I was living in Osaka, and it really terrified me. Transport was cut off, and at the time it looked like things would take a long time to return to normal.

That was the last time I lived in Japan when I was young. I didn’t come back to live here again until three and a bit years ago, when I was 49.

How did you keep your connection to Japan after returning to Australia?

C: I went to university and studied Japanese and psychology, then did a postgraduate master’s in teaching. I became a high-school Japanese teacher, which meant I could keep coming back to Japan every year with students.

When did you start seriously planning the move back?

C: Both my kids had grown up and moved out of the house. The school I was working at cancelled the annual Japan trip because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

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The students were devastated, and so were the teachers. I really missed Japan, and I started thinking, “Could I actually go and live there again?”

From around 2021, I began researching and saving. At first, I thought I might be able to buy an akiya (an empty home) quite cheaply, but I quickly realized the “free house in Japan” idea wasn’t realistic. I needed money not just to buy a house, but to renovate it too.

What made you start sharing your life on social media?

C: In Australia, I was teaching my second language, which required a lot of preparation. In Japan, I’m teaching my native language, so after the initial learning curve, I found myself needing another challenge.

Before moving back, I had relied heavily on social media to learn about life in Japan, buying akiya, and renovating. But I didn’t see many middle-aged women doing it alone. There were couples, and there were single men, but not many women like me.

I thought that if even one person watched and felt encouraged, that would be enough. I also wanted to document it for myself. When I’m 80, I can look back and say, “Look at me. I did that.”

How did you find your akiya?

C: I started looking almost as soon as I arrived. For about six months, I searched websites and talked to locals to understand which areas were considered safe and desirable.

The house I bought was originally out of my price range, but the agent said the owners might negotiate because it had been empty for about 10 years and hadn’t had much interest.

My parents happened to be visiting when I saw it. My dad said, “This house has good bones.” So I offered everything I had, and incredibly, they accepted.

All the money I earn from YouTube and sponsorships goes back into the house. The house is the content, and people are watching the journey.

How did Millie the cat come into your life?

C: I originally wanted to bring my cat from Australia, but my son had bonded with her and didn’t want to let her go.

So I tried to adopt a cat from a shelter in Japan, but unfortunately it wasn’t possible.

Then I met Millie at a pet shop. She had no fur on her nose, probably from stress or a skin condition, and a deformity on her chin. She kept being marked down because people buying a pedigree cat usually don’t want one with visible differences. I fell in love with her and brought her home once the house was mine.

What does an average day look like now, and how do you balance YouTube with teaching?

C: Most days, I work from around 2 p.m. to 7 p.m. or 9 p.m., though my schedule changes. Mornings are usually for editing videos.

Teaching comes first because my school sponsors my visa. When my YouTube channel became monetized, I made sure to apply for special permission to engage in content creation.

I spend around four to five hours a day editing because I’m still learning as I go. I usually film on weekends and also spend time answering comments and emails. I’m a one-woman band.

At my school, I’m the only English teacher, so I can’t just take time off whenever I want. Trips for YouTube have to be planned far in advance around school holidays. Since starting YouTube, I haven’t really had downtime, but YouTube doesn’t feel like work to me. I enjoy it.

Teaching also gives me social contact. YouTube can be lonely — it’s just me in front of the computer — so going to work and talking to people gives me balance.

What advice would you give to someone starting a creative career?

C: Listen to feedback. In my early videos, people told me the music was too loud or that they preferred hearing the sounds of Japan. At first, criticism hurt because creative work feels very personal.

But I realized they weren’t being nasty. They were watching because they cared and wanted the channel to improve. Some criticism you can ignore, but some of it is useful. Stay open to learning.

Speaking of learning, do you still study Japanese?

C: Yes. I’m a public-safety officer for the Wakayama Police Station, and the meetings involve complicated Japanese. I have to give my opinion, so I’m pushing myself to improve.

I recently took the BJT, the Business Japanese Proficiency Test, and it placed me right around N1 level. I like it because it gives you a score rather than just pass or fail, so you can measure improvement.

My construction vocabulary is excellent now because of the house renovations! The area I struggle with is policy. I watch NHK news every day and work through my business Japanese textbook when I can.

What has life in rural Japan been like for you?

C: I find regional Japan warmer and more connected. When I lived in Osaka, I had more friends from overseas, but I didn’t feel as connected to the local community.

Here, people stop and chat. I run into my students’ parents at the shop. We’re all living and working in the same place. For me, that sense of community is what I want.