Ending the vlogs.

Morning rush + travel plan (Niigata)

• Woke up around 6:00 a.m. and was late.
• Had a rough taxi ride and felt sick.
• Headed to Niigata for the yearly cycling, taking the Shinkansen.
• Upgraded to Shinkansen “Grand Class”:
  • Private feel: their own space/door.
  • Very quiet thanks to improved sound insulation.

Shinkansen / cherry blossom sightseeing day

• Arrived at beautiful Sakura (cherry blossoms still blooming).
• Notable views included:
  • Castle (visible in the area, though not fully from the filming angle)
  • Mountain range in the distance
  • A scenic stop near/for Joy (mentioned as a previous stop from a couple months earlier)
• Off-the-bike/side activities:
  • Saw large castle walls and scenic architecture.
  • Continued through areas with shrines, including a Shinto shrine on a hill.
  • Climbed/visited paths with a steep, slightly jarring ascent (no major injury—just discomfort).

Group/chat moment

• Mentioned a live charity livestream, with donations and people chatting/reminiscing.
• Friends discussed camera/streaming setup and the fun of “tugging the chat.”

Break + food/small treats

• Took a break during the ride and referenced finishing the last 15,000 donuts (playful/vlog-specific).
• Someone kept offering chocolate mini eggs, joking about always having one ready.

Online safety sponsor (NordVPN)

• Warning about scam risk online:
  • Fake sites
  • Malware via downloads
  • Trackers
• Recommendation / features mentioned:
  • Use NordVPN 24/7
  • Blocks scams and fake shopping sites
  • Scans downloads for malware
  • Blocks trackers
  • Mentions extra privacy protection via IP masking
• Promotion included a link/code at the end (NordVPN URL shown in subtitles).

Tokyo area: Ginza-style sightseeing + light “dad workout”

• Went to a park near Ginza, but it was very crowded compared to other Tokyo spots.
• Light fitness fun:
  • Calisthenics described as an “ultimate dad workout” because playground areas let you sneak it in.
• Kid-related play:
  • Climbing/fitness games and spotting Mount Fuji (“there!” moment).

Next big leg: heading to Osaka

• Traveled to Osaka for an exhibition (Mars / “M” referenced).
• Also planned “fun stuff,” including:
  • A hotel feature: a massage chair (amazed that every hotel doesn’t have one)
  • Enjoying Osaka townhouses alongside larger buildings
  • Still had last/very end-of-cherry-blossom vibes

Theme-park/cable car outing

• Reached a cable car, riding up to the mountain area.
• Went on a small cute train (the kid was excited; referenced seeing it on YouTube).
• Activities included:
  • An “airplane view” / flight-style ride
  • A balloon machine where they picked a pink balloon
• Overall rating: “10 out of 10”, praised as charming versus other major theme parks being too busy.

Family day in Osaka (kids park + “lost but fun”)

• Retrieved artwork from an exhibition-related stop.
• Day focused on exploring a kids park.
• They were lost intentionally—prioritizing new areas over obvious tourist spots.
• Casual kid/snack moment:
  • “Ice” and that “you can have a beer.”
• Helped fix a child’s shoe.

Glass Beach + marine finds + small craft/toy moments

• Visited “Glass Beach”, known for:
  • Pottery shards (glassy bits)
  • A pretty shoreline
• Noted: waves might be from boats, not natural surf.
• Sorting/selection of items (suggesting they chose pieces to keep).
• Kid play with a toy/whistle (“only emergency”), lots of laughter.
• Finally did a boat ride, described as a long-awaited dream.

Fish shopping + “self-serve fish shop”

• Went to a self-serve fish shop and bought rice fish (described as common in Japan).
• Mentioned tiny cars and “Tanukisan” while walking through the shop.
• Connected the fish to the earlier Glass Beach outing (“items came together” in the narrative).

Major channel update: ending the vlogs

• Announced (with a heads-up) that they decided to end the vlogs in September.
• Reasons given:
  • Began vlogs around moving to Japan almost four years ago
  • Vlogs became too much pressure/visibility as their child (Bern) grows
  • Want Bern’s online presence to be his choice later
  • Still plan occasional photos/videos on social media, but not full vlog format
• Expressed gratitude for years of love and support, including from Japanese viewers.
• Wrapped up with continued family/kid moments (Bern drawing a bike; “successful arcading”/toy play mentioned).

Final sponsor call-back (NordVPN again)

• Reiterated:
  • Using NordVPN protects on public Wi‑Fi and prevents ISP visibility of activity
  • Includes threat protection against malware/phishing/attacks
• Promotion included a different NordVPN link/code and a free trial/promo message.

Notable locations, products, or people mentioned

Locations

• Niigata
• Sakura area
• A castle viewpoint
• Shinto shrine
• Ginza (and a nearby park)
• Osaka
• Mountain area via cable car
• A theme-park-like sky attraction
• Glass Beach
• Fish shop area (self-serve fish store)

Travel/Product

• Shinkansen Grand Class (sound-insulated, private-feeling cabin)
• Cable car
• Small train ride

Food/Treats

• Chocolate mini eggs
• “15,000 donuts” (vlog-specific joke)
• Rice fish from a self-serve shop

Sponsor/Product

• NordVPN (multiple times, including NordVPN 24/7 and threat protection)

People

• Conor, Chris, Chad, Felix
• Family members including Bern
• “M/Ven” (names appear as fragments in auto-generated subtitles)