Judo Adventures Across All Japan! Part 1: Okinawa

Judo Adventures Across All Japan! Part 1: Okinawa

Four years 197 countries That’s the wild challenge I signed up for. Now, 48 countries under my belt the moment has arrived. I’m stepping onto Japanese soil the very origin of judo. Forget a quick tour, I’m hitting every corner of this incredible nation, from the beaches of Okinawa to the snowy landscapes of Hokkaido, all in the name of judo. Buckle up, because this is going to be epic. Hey, what’s up everybody, “Salut les voyageurs” “Hello everyone and welcome in Japan” So, we’ve finally arrived in Japan. 48 countries, 4 years, a lot of competition, Olympic games and everything. And here we are, Japan, Okinawa. Okinawa is very famous for the famous beach and stuff like this all around. It’s very, very beautiful, but that’s not the place where I will bring you. The goal of this series of videos that’s going to last, I believe, something between two to three months, is to try to go to practice judo in eight of the region of Japan, all the eight regions. So, starting from Okinawa all the way up to Hokkaido. I’ve been saving for that part of the trip, and so now the leftover money actually is going to be all invested in Japan. I want to make this part of the project the most exciting. It’s going to be a mix of judo, but if you’re not a judo player, don’t worry, it’s going to be also a lot of culture about every place I go, the food, the landscapes, the local cultures and everything, and it’s going to be very nice. But yeah, the main purpose is to be able to do judo in eight of the regions of Japan, which is not an easy thing. “Hello” “How are you ?” I’m doing good. For those that have been in Japan already, it can be a little bit hard sometimes to enter in high school, university or like dojos. You need to get the proper contact and everything. And I used to live in Japan a long time ago, but somehow I lost most of my contact. I still have some, but only in Tokyo. So that’s going to be the challenge. Do you think it will succeed going from south to north for something about three months with a $3,500 budget? So actually I’m arrived since a few days here already. And yesterday I’ve been going to that high school already. The thing is, for pretty much every place in Japan, what I will try to do for judo is going there first just by myself to introduce myself and try to break the ice with the university students or high school students and teachers, of course. And then the next day I’m going. Either I’m filming like I’m going to do today, half training myself and filming, or a full session. For example, when I will go, if I can go to the big, big place like Tokai, Tenri or Kodokan, I will do some filming, just the training, without me training, just filming everything. Because I know you guys like that. So right now what I’m doing is I’m going to a little chain shop restaurant called Sukiya. It’s quite cheap and you can get healthy food. Because yesterday I’ve been eating curry rice before the training and I nearly threw up twice, also nearly fainted twice. Like I’m not used to train anymore because I’m just teaching nowadays. By the way, if you’re Japanese and watching that video, please contact me on Instagram at the judo nomad and help me if you want to bring me to your dojo or even just a visit or doing something together in Japan. That would be very nice. Sukiya, here it is. I think you can eat there for something like five euro, so very good price. And later on I will go back to my room, which is actually a love hotel. Like it’s a little bit away from the city center and it’s much cheaper. It’s something like $25 a night, I think, because it used to be a love hotel. So the room is actually very big. I have a full bathtub and stuff, but all around is a thing I cannot say in that video, let’s say. Yeah, also for those that follow the project since a long time and that like to go travel for judo and stuff, let me know if you need a hotel or restaurant or those kind of advice. I note everything actually on my Google map, so I have all the addresses that you need. So let’s go to eat now and then I see you later. So it’s actually very easy, Like little tablets and you can just order on the tablets. There is English and everything, so no big deal. Thank you for your order. Welcome in my love hotel. Just a very quick tour because I need to go. And the bathtub. Look here, it’s quite funny. Like that thing is, I suppose, when people wanted to get like drinks or food without being seen. Like the guy would just give it here and keep the privacy. All right, so now let’s go to judo. I have a little bit of walk to do, so I will explain you some stuff about Okinawa and yeah. I told you earlier that it’s hard to get into dojos and stuff, but I also told you that I’ve been training yesterday. This is thanks to two people. First one, my good friend in France that also do a project in Japan, he’s called Tanguy And so it’s helping people actually. People that want to travel and do judo around Japan he is just helping to organize those things. So I will put his Instagram, feel free to contact him. And so yeah, he gave me the contact in Okinawa to another French guy that live here also. So the good thing is that he can speak Japanese. I will meet him today for the first time, he gave me the contact. And so yeah, very, very good. And we’re going to have a dinner afterwards. Tomorrow I’m leaving to Fukuoka, I’ve been making a poll on my Instagram and people voted. It was either I would just jump to another island and go by ferry and then by bus or take a flight. Thing is, it was like more than 200 euro if I wanted to do the hopping island things. The flight was only 90 euro. So yeah, I broke the rule for that time, but money wise, you know, no choice. Though, as I said, I have budget for this part of the project, but I think I can bring you in more interesting things than just the islands around. Like, for example, I want to go to the deer island, the cat island. Of course, I would like to see Fuji. So yeah, we’re in Okinawa, Naha, which is the biggest city of Okinawa. staying here a few days, just getting my first touch of judo. And I’ve been walking a little bit in the famous street nearby. This is where pretty much everything happened. You have also a nice castle behind. And yeah, in this street, you can see all the typical Japanese things. For example, I went to the Don Quixote, which is like a big, big store where you can find everything you need, but also everything you don’t need. It’s quite crazy. This one was not too big, so I didn’t enter inside. But when I will go in Tokyo, I will bring you in a huge one, you’ll see. And by the way, let me know also in the comment where and what do you want me to do in Japan? I can try to do as much as possible. Then yeah, being going to the usual stuff like here, you have to check the 7-Eleven Family Mart, those kind of things. I mean, these are things that I missed from back then when I was living in Japan. There is the market that is quite popular here. In the market, you can find the local food with obviously ramen, okonomiyaki But like more local, like specific, especially from Okinawa, you can find like that seaweed that you find only here. Yeah, there is other speciality. Maybe tonight at the dinner, we’ll have the chance to try some. If you didn’t know me, by the way, my name is Julian. Calling myself the Judo Nomad, working in collaboration with the International Judo Federation for going to 197 countries, teaching Judo for free. Everywhere, here in Japan, I will probably not teach or almost not, but in other countries I do. Though something interesting happened yesterday. I was just going there to train. It was hard actually for me. But very quick, the teacher liked some of the stuff I was doing. And so he asked me to teach. So I ended up teaching the first ever training. So I was very, let’s say, glad, very, I don’t have the English word, but like satisfied that my skills could be recognized. Actually, fun fact, one of the way that my skills got recognized is I was fighting on the floor with another one, by the way, very young. So it is kind of normal that I’m stronger. Also, I’m bigger than them. So I have like a lot of advantage. I was fighting with one of them and, you know, that samurai spirit, like I choked him. We both knew that a choke was on, but I didn’t know it was that much, you know, and the guy didn’t want it to tap. So just fell asleep. I saw him like this and I had to raise his leg and the coach was laughing. And so after that, he said, OK, OK, show to everyone. So that’s kind of how I got my approval in that place. So as I said, three thousand three four thousand dollars. That’s what’s left on the budget. I’m going to work very hard on those videos, giving as much content as I can. Hopefully finding sponsors and get more audience. But if you want to support me to help me, there is three way you can do the first one is to subscribe. Comment. That’s helping a lot. Second one is to give a monthly small donation. It only takes one dollar. I have like fifteen thousand followers. Just 10 percent of people do that. Project is safe. And the third one, if you don’t want to do monthly subscription thing, you can also give in my PayPal. You can find the link on my Instagram in the bio, the linktree thing. All right. Now let’s go to judo. All fare information will be displayed in English. I’m right now with Baptiste as I was saying earlier. So I’m twenty nine years old and I live in Okinawa. I’ve been living here for three years, but only on the main island. I live on a small island, like seven kilometers square just off the main island. So it’s an hour by boat. It’s a Zamami island. It’s Zamami island. And I work for basically I’m like employed by the village office. But I work for the tourism association. So it’s a national park. A lot of people come in, Japanese and people come in from the world. So they kind of needed someone that could speaking English Japanese. There’s some French people coming in as well. Yeah. so i speak French as well. Swiss army knife Very good. So you’ve been doing judo since. So I was doing when I was a kid. Like a lot of French kids. I was doing with my twin at my local clubb Vitry sur seine Just outside Paris. And then I stopped when I was a kid and then maybe like seven years, eight years again. Eight years before I started again. My twin was like continuing. So I did judo again. So I came like, yeah, started again as an adult. So it’s kind of probably the first one kind of difficult. Because all my friends have been doing it for like 20 years. And all that kind of like, yeah. And still you say you managed to have a competition in Japan and like a team event and win. Even though. Yeah, it’s a small thing. But yeah, still like not many French people can brag about winning a fight in Japan. Like officially, you know. Because of judo I was like studying Japanese. So I studied Japanese for three years in France. I was trying to look I was looking for a job basically. And it was the end of COVID. So it was kind of difficult to like find something from France. And you couldn’t come as a tourist. So it’s like struggling and like. I’ve apply to this program by the Japanese government. Where basically like they use this program with foreigners When there’s a need. So it could be a need like in tourism. It could be a need like in like a different city for example. Has the twin city partnership these kind of things So they hire this. So you have you like apply to the program. And they say where you go So I got sent to the only island with no dojo. So i was hesitant I wanted to do judo a lot. But also I was like yeah I mean maybe it’s an interesting experience anyway. So I accepted it. So I went to my island. And I tried to like yeah continue with judo. So it was kind of crazy. But I was like okay I’m gonna live on my island. But I tried to go maybe once a week to Naha’s to the main island. All right well thanks again. And well let’s go to training. Okay just filming a little bit. Because this is a school So a little bit delicate. So when you arrive. Oops when you arrive. Wherever in Japan you have to take off the shoes. And then go to the changing room. Look. All right so I’m not filming. Because I’m going to the changing room. I will show you the dojo just after. Okay so it’s possible actually that they already started. I hope not. Would be nice if you could see the beginning. With Taizo and everything. All right so let’s go upstairs. Konichiwa Konichiwa As you could see the training started with some Warmup, gymnastic Also called Taiso Then some randori Linked with Ne waza Just bring the partner to the floor And then fighting from the floor After that little break and tachi waza Alright, so now after 10 Randoris Ne Waza warm-up, let’s go for some Tachi Waza Now, you will see the Taiso, a thing I missed in the beginning. We do it in the beginning and in the end. In France, we call that sport itself. It’s like fitness in Japan. In Japan, Taiso means warm-up, like training of the judo player. Warm-up of the judo player. I’m gonna make sure. Not actually warm-up, but gymnastic workout. Alright, so let’s go for some Taiso. That guy was big. I thought it was finished We still have eight more. I’m done. I believe it’s finished Just some Taiso ! There is very specific reason why they do that [Applause] Alright, so we survived the training. Yeah, it’s not easy. So now we’re going to have some food. Only 14 percent left, so I’m going to save my battery. Because I want to show you a little bit what we’re going to eat. So we’re four people, baptiste know already, his girlfriend and one of the guys that kicked my ass today So can you explain to us what is this? [Speaking Japanese] It is a sea grappe Sea grape. [Speaking Japanese] It’s very crispy. I was looking for the word. Very crispy. Interesting. Interesting thing with that, I’m going to try without the sauce. It’s like… [Speaking Japanese] Yeah, I should have done that before. Forget about that. [Speaking Japanese] So yeah, interesting thing when you take it without the sauce I think the sauce is doing everything actually. So yeah, it’s like… I don’t know how to say that in English, but there is some kind of a yod taste. And the sauce is doing everything. So it’s very good and I believe it must be healthy. Alright, and that thing over there is… So seaweed. So seaweed also. But it’s in vinegar. So it’s going to have it in different places. This time it’s in vinegar. Alright, let’s see after. [Speaking Japanese] “Japanese speciality lol” Alright, so I’m going home now. Thank you very much. If you watched the video till here. I hope you liked it. Let me know in the comments what you want to see next. In Fukuoka and in the rest of Japan. It’s going to be a struggle. We’ll see how the videos work, but if you want to help me go to all of those places. you can just do a little donation. Either on PayPal or on Patreon, which is better. And yeah, I really hope you liked it. I’m very very excited as maybe you can see to be in Japan. And if it have to be the last country because the money is not following. I will be happy finishing with it. Though I want to keep doing the project and I believe it will work. Alright, I see you next time. In Fukuoka. Goodnight

The Japan Judo adventure has officially begun! Join me as I arrive in beautiful Okinawa, the first stop on my journey across the birthplace of Judo. After years of dreaming, I’m finally stepping onto Japanese soil with a mission: to train, learn, and share the incredible world of Judo.

In this episode, you’ll witness my very first Judo experience in Japan – training at the Naha High School in Okinawa! Immerse yourself in the unique atmosphere of a Japanese high school dojo, meet the enthusiastic students and dedicated instructors, and see firsthand the passion for Judo in this part of the country.

From the moment I stepped onto the tatami, I was met with warmth and a shared love for the sport. Experience the training session alongside me as I learn new techniques, adapt to different styles, and connect with the local Judo community. This is just the beginning of an incredible exploration of Judo culture across Japan, from the southern islands to the northern reaches of Hokkaido.

Get ready to witness the start of an epic adventure!

0:23 Intro
4:35 Arrival in Okinawa, Naha
5:25 Cheap local food, Sukiya
6:04 My Love Hotel
12:15 Okinawa Tour
15:14 Meeting Baptiste, French expat in Japan
16:10 Arrival at Naha school and the Dojo
26:00 Judo
29:00 Invited in a local restaurant
30:05 Outro

🎥 Whether you’re a judoka, a coach, or just a fan of martial arts, this video is full of insight and inspiration.
Let me know in the comments: What surprised you the most about what she said? Or tell me who you’d love to see me talk to next!

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