1 Day in Tokyo Without Any Technology 🇯🇵

[@seerasan]

Was this challenge too easy? Could you do it... or would you give up after 1 hour? 😉📱

[@oesoy]

I think the challenge was perfect because it felt like there was a sense of adventure around every corner. So yah! Do more no-phone challenges!

[@christianknight9669]

Its kinda easy and not easy at the same time

[@AlfredoMagbual]

hmm might give it a try and find out 👀

[@princess-violet]

I regularly dont take my phone with me when I leave the house. I have custom earplugs and enjoy the silence while running my errands or getting somewhere. Not sure I would survive without my macbook though. Thats the baby I care about

[@OB1Kinobe]

depends how far you travel or... if you are going to an unfamiliar place. do more tho 👍 always fun to watch!

[@arde8879]

Love that your mother speaks German with you.

[@Drakus_VII]

Came here to say that. Wasn't expecting it and needed a moment to realize something was "off" as it's my language

[@pjforde1978]

It would have been funny if her mom wasn't German. "Hi! I installed Duolingo! Now I finally understand the lyrics to "Ich bin ein Ausländer". Ich liebe meine Katze."

[@Drakus_VII]

@@pjforde1978 hahahaha

[@hollydavid69]

I thought it was Japanese, as she's living in Japan.

[@ray13317]

So impressed that you practically didn't use any digital device (even laptop/desktop/TV), and threw yourself in the deep end to explore a new place. That really brought a lot more meaning to the challenge and made it a very exciting adventure

[@johnbecker1996]

Going to a neighborhood I don't know and just looking around is one of my favorite things to do in Tokyo. And I visited that museum a few years ago and loved it.

[@deaddrunkgamer7399]

i love walking all the sidestreets in japan, so much fun, you find so much weird stuff ^^

[@walktheearth7878]

I love how you recognized the sights and sounds around you more so when you didn't have your phone. Simple observations can be so meaningful, and help us experience the present and life as it's happening. I think you should definitely keep doing this challenge!

[@PhilInJapan]

I also live in Tokyo. Sometimes I wish other people would attempt this challenge! At times it feels like we all experience the world through our phones, or even forfeit the worldly experience because we are too attached to our phones. I have lost count at the amount of times people have bumped into me or just stopped dead in the street in-front of me because their phone was more important than the world around them. The world can be beautiful, but if you are staring at a screen, you will never notice. Phones ARE useful, but they are not everything. Amazing Edo museum! I will definitely go snd check it out! Thank Sarah!

[@deaddrunkgamer7399]

know the feel, and as a traveler when visiting japan a lot of us are so dependent on phone for navigation. Last couple of trips though i've mostly been walking around in Osaka without using google maps, and same around Shinjuku and Shibuya. Though i so quickly get lost in Shibuya, i havent been around that place that much.

[@IzzyOnTheMove]

Yes! I take the bus and ferry and walk a lot as I chose to not have a car (I live in Quebec) and I look at people and everyone is always staring at a screen. It feels eerie almost as if they aren't aware of my presence as I'm staring at them all 😆

[@stepheu8555]

That reminds me of the first time I went to Japan - back in 2007. No smartphone, no (working) cellphone and I couldn't understand any Japanese. With just a simple dictionary and a printout of the Tokyo railway map it worked rather well. And I sometimes ended up in very interesting places I had no intention of visiting - something you have to actively seek out with today's navigation aids.

[@user-vr7hi7kf6o]

I’ve watched pretty much all of your videos while learning English and getting to know more about Japan as a Japanese. I appreciate how your content is insightful and informative!

[@Bristecom]

Hah, I love how your mom's like, "What's the challenge? (I did it for over 30 years!)" 😂

[@dragonzord6615]

man this was a sick video. Something super chill about someone just walkin around tokyo without a plan.

[@animejapantv644]

I was surprised you speak Japanese fluently!!!im sure you made quite an effort!and you really like japan. im so glad as a Japanese.日本語が思った以上にうまいですね！安心して下さい。日本人でも東京はGoogleがないと歩けないあせ😂

[@spacebond6400]

I love your videos! You seem so nice and authentic which makes it a real pleasure to tune in.

[@dbl0fluff]

Absolutely! Do this more often.❤

[@farrahrosee]

Great video! Definitely do this more, loved watching 😊

[@seerasan]

Thank you!

[@princess-violet]

Lets do this every month, please take us with us

[@Bristecom]

I generally try to avoid defaulting to my phone for everything so I'm used to just taking in my surroundings but I will still use it for convenience things like you said (clock functions, weather, maps, etc). As you said, I think the biggest problem for some people is the social media aspect but I've hardly ever used that anyway. Lately I rarely even play music in my car or wherever. I just don't want to feel constantly distracted, especially if I lived somewhere interesting like Japan!

[@Night_Rose_94]

I've kind of started doing this 2 weeks ago. I have had no trouble. I still have my phone on me for calls and stuff, and in the evening i'll watch some video's and i keep it at a minimum. I never had social media, so there's no problem there. I had 2 games i played a lot and decided to delete them. I don't even miss them. The main part was doomscrolling. I disabled shorts and it's going great. I read more now since i have more time, i appreciate the food i'm eating instead of ignoring it and staring at a screen. I enjoy the sceneries and sounds around me. I recommend this to everyone.

[@M4nusky]

Re-learning to live without a phone is hard but so rewarding, for about a year now I've taken the habit of leaving my phone in any other room when at home, and I got so much stuff done! So many projects got completed, started reading and playing music again. They really steal away our attention.

[@jayd4481]

Pink Puffy Power and the Zelda puzzle! Doesn't get any better than that! Your eyes tell the whole story.

[@katheriner9194]

😂 as I'm currently watching this on my phone, this is indeed a hard challenge

[@HouseGizmo]

I think doing the challenge once every two months would be better. It’s also cool in that you could explore on these days by asking locals or just plain wander around and stumble upon some amazing things that you might have otherwise missed. Cheers to you. 🎉

[@IzzyOnTheMove]

I wanna do that too. I like to think that I don't use technology so much but there are probably things we take for granted like checking the weather, bus schedules, alarms etc. Interesting!!

[@greenyonder]

Yes! Make this a regular feature of your channel. I really enjoyed this and your willingness to explore an challenge yourself, make mistakes and learn.

[@KolendoTV]

Please make more of this style of video! Even if you do use your phone, I think it's fun to see areas of Tokyo that most people either don't know about or tourists wouldn't normally explore. Also, the part where you were in the coffee shop simply observing your surroundings is sooo good for mental health, I wish more people would make that their baseline state. Being more present brings more peace!

[@theneicro]

Would love to see you do this once a month and explore a new subway station that you haven’t been to before :)

[@AaronElWhite]

This was entertaining AND inspirational. Thank you! And congratulations on an awesome day and proving to yourself you could do it.

[@功次-i4p]

It's a video where you always seem to enjoy life in Japan. Your video makes a very good impression of Japan. Stay in Japan forever. And it shows how wonderful Australians are.

[@amyp2811]

I'd love to do something like this but I rely sooo much on my phone! Like you said with checking the time and weather and even maps but in the UK you use your phone for everything! Your bank card is on your phone, for train/bus/underground tickets you use your phone and even restaurants you can order and pay on your phone.

[@kyra7416]

Yes, please, I would love to see another video like this! I used public transportation when I was a kid without a phone, but that was in a small city. You have inspired me to try it where I live now.

[@tdleitch]

I loved this challenge. Would love to see you do it again.

[@teddertotz]

Yes! Would love to see you do this again although for safety reasons, could you take the box with the phone in it and put it in a backpack maybe? Just in case for emergencies or any other uncomfortable run ins

[@goaticorn8702]

I would be SO DOWN for this to be a regular challenge vlog I'd watch religiously. But maybe keep your phone actually on you in the event that you need it but just turned off and stored away. That way you can be safe and still have fun.

[@kellyscott5675]

It’s so easy to fall into the habit of constantly looking at our phones, and this really showed the value of doing this now and again. You managed to find some really great looking places and I would definitely be interested in seeing you try this again. Hopefully without any worrying experiences next time.

[@johnyinnit]

A regular series would be awesome!

[@GameFuMaster]

the pancake place was a real find

[@vuuxyz]

Your discipline must have been super strong to have put your phone in the most secure, indestructible box you could find! 😎

[@nagasako7]

The vibe of this video was better than usual... Hmmm maybe because no social media and phone?

[@biteofdog]

This was fun to see you explore and live in the moment by not being distracted by your phone. I remember before I had a cellphone in the late 90s (when I was in high school) that I used to memorize street names and remember where all the payphones were. I also, used to print up directions from MapQuest. In high school there used to be long lines to use the payphones and I always made sure I had change on me.

[@chisol3508]

Thanks this made me realize how dependent we are to our phones! Yes, maybe have this once or twice a month and bring us along with you

[@Muffy.from-Oz]

wELL DONE SARA . It's funny that going without a phone roe a day should be such a novel experience. I do Urban Sketching and when I looked through my sketch book, most of my sketches, have someone on a smart phone somewhere in them. Sign of the times I guess. Cheers, Muffy from Oz.

[@orange_piano]

definitely interested in seeing you do this challenge more often!! You seemed to really enjoy it + I learned some new spots to visit hehe

[@MiddleAgedSwedeGoesForAWalk]

Even though I'm old enough to have lived a lot (and I do mean A LOT) longer without a smartphone than I've lived with one, I've already become way to used to it to really want to try a challenge like this. From just the basic stuff like keeping track of time (I haven't had a functioning wrist watch for over a decade) to being able to look up random information wherever or whenever. And when visiting new places, having access to maps to find the way and restaurant-reviews to at least know which restaurants to avoid is just so convenient I'm honestly not visiting social media as much as I used to, so for that part I'd be fine without a smartphone, but ever since I started my KZbin channel I've more or less become addicted to refreshing the analytics page, so I do still have some unhealthy habits related to always having internet available. To be honest, the only way I think I'd be comfortable to give up my phone for a day would be if I stayed in my apartment that entire day, where my tablet would always be within wifi-range 😆

[@deaddrunkgamer7399]

when i'm in Osaka i pretty much just use the phone if i need an translation for convinience, or if someone send me a direct msg.

[@NightDenizen]

I love the idea of doing this. For next time I'd suggest having a flip phone that doesn't have apps just for emergencies. Other things to maybe help improve the experience is an analog watch, a walkman, and maybe a pocket map? That'd be a fun way to step it down even further so you're not worried about time, being assaulted, or being without tune~

[@Ren_Brands]

Great Video as always, the Caffee with the Matcha Pancakes and the Edo Museum looked like alot of fun. Bonus points for the German during the phone call at the beginning.

[@avoidingbadlife]

Seems like such a brilliant day - thanks for sharing and the pancakes seemed SO good! 😁

[@JustMeeee2]

Love the no phone idea videos 💜

[@perdomot]

Congratulations on winning the challenge!. Too many people spend the entire day with their nose and the phone and miss out on the real world

[@AneggoctopuS]

It is so interesting to see someone's day without a phone to Tokyo. I can read Kanji so I never found myself lost even without my phone in Japan, but I can now clearly see for a Japanese fluent foreigner there are still lots of inconveniences even in Tokyo, the supposedly most international city, including the "useless tourist centre" experience. Or perhaps you kids nowadays are just too spoiled to the information world lol. Thank you for today's content, love your personal channel a lot.

[@chrisrichthofen2274]

Toll gemacht Sarah,great job👍

[@theannabeanlatte]

I loved this video! It would be cool to do this maybe once a month in a different area each time and at the end of the year maybe do a review of your favorite things you did.

[@praeothmint2273]

I was at that Museum this May, and I loved it. The staff were so friendly!

[@lolsson7]

*Easy* - as long as you don't have to work as I have multifactor authentication set up on the phone. During vacation I sometimes go days without touching my phone (I will be at a computer most of the time though so I don't need the phone unless I go out and need to buy things with apple pay).

[@Mannix115]

Super Videos! Jetzt hatte ich schon gedacht, man hört dich zum ersten mal deutsch sprechen! Schöne Grüße aus Deutschland.

[@whyisthisathingnow...]

Might be good to try this myself sometime too. But yeah sounds like a good idea for you to do this now and then since you enjoyed it so much :)

[@MissiBoo]

To be honest, when I go out, I only use my phone to get the time and take photos. Mind you, when I come to Japan, it will be my lifeline 😂. Loved the video Sarah, I would like to see more exploration of the quieter areas of Tokyo 🫶

[@chadthunder95]

This is quite inspiring in many ways, I always think "I wanna read more, I wanna do this and that" etc. and just putting my phone away (and laptop) just to take a day off for the sake of my brain and my eyes and detox sounds like a really good idea that I'll try out myself

[@OnlyDoniaUKnow]

iphones now have "Focus" settings where you can set your homescreen to hide certain apps at certain times. Maybe you can try this challenge again but set your homescreen to hide all of your apps except google maps

[@LetsgowithHyro]

That museum looks like a must visit for sure! Found this no phone challenge pretty cool and would be up for more vlogs like this.

[@Hiroki_Nishida100]

10:14 this is called “南京玉すだれ(Nankin Tamasudare)” you’re so lucky to meet that incredible obachan 😂👍

[@ErinF-gz2ze]

This was a great video 😊 Always a good idea to unplug and become more resilient and aware.

[@fo4urm640]

This was a great challenge, it felt like more of an adventure & you were connecting with the world more, come what may 💛

[@johnmcgill4076]

I love the idea of this challenge. Doing it once a month would be an awesome vlog. Especially if you just moved to Tokyo you could explore a new section of Tokyo each time and find sights that normally don't get put on vlogs. The Edo museum was a great site. I would like to see it myself some day.

[@celinecgwc]

Loved your video ✨, I would definitely do that! You have the aroma diffuser from Muji!!! What essential oil you like ?

[@whiterabit]

You should definitely do this more often ❤❤❤

[@bukemnbass]

いつも楽しく拝見させていただいてます。 本当に選曲が毎回素敵ですね。 これからも楽しみにしてます。

[@ufgatorbearify]

Great challenge. When i lived in Osaka we didn't even have Internet, let alone cell phones. I had to wait for American newspaper for news and sports 3 or 4 days late! This challenge made me think of another challenge you could do. A day in the Showa era. Late 80s Japan was great. Famicon, walkman, cassettesc and cds, subway maps....

[@EsotericWisdom33]

@seerasan Great video! It's a challenge I've been contemplating myself but haven't tried it yet. Thank you for recording it and sharing. Stay safe from the typhoon tomorrow!

[@seerasan]

Definitely give it a go! Got all my food for tmrw so no need to go outside ☺️ thanks!

[@EsotericWisdom33]

@@seerasan I will do, thank you! Maybe one day where I spend most of it by the beach reading and swimming 🏊‍♂️ I'm glad to hear that you're ready for tomorrow. I hope it all goes well with no damage or injuries for anyone 🙏🏻 Mata ne! 🙇🏻‍♂️

[@Don_Giovanni]

10:38 You'd think at least indoors you'd be able to escape the constant noise of cicadas. Think again. 🤣

[@klaudiusz6233]

hahaha, as a fellow German, your mom's voice and reaction was just... so German! hahahahahaha

[@ralfmoll5727]

Hi Sarah, schön zu hören, dass Du deutsch sprichst mit Deiner Mutter. Good to hear you talking German to You mom. Interesting challenge. In Tokyo navigating without phone, I would fail instantly. Viele Grüße, Ralf

[@Punkologist]

Love your videos and they helped us so much when we travelled to Japan in June. Good news is we are coming back in October! I loved Japan so much (and I love Anime and Manga) I have started Japanese language classes here in Melbourne. 2 weeks in it's quite overwhelming! Did you learn Japanese in Japan or in Australia? I imagine being in Japan and having lot's of people to practice with would help!

[@kcpisonet]

I'm just at the start of the video but I'm gonna answer already, yes it's too easy for someone like me to not use my phone/s for a day... I can also cheat this challenge by traveling to somewhere remote or doing lots of choirs tiring my self to sleep. But the rest of the year I'm glued to my pc's or playstation, if I have a nintendo switch I might get glued to that too... Congratulations on beating the 24h no phone challenge and adding more adventures to your day!

[@IzzyOnTheMove]

Now I want a puzzle!!! It must be relaxing mind clearing.... !

[@arceus54321]

this was a great videoand i loved the concept. also kiyosumi shirakawa is famous for coffee/cafes so im glad you got to try some good cafes/food

[@gotakazawa408]

As a Japanese person, I found your experiment video incredibly interesting. I believe that spending a day without digital devices is a wonderful idea, and the video itself is very engaging. It’s precisely because you have advanced Japanese language skills that you’re able to embark on such adventures. I’m already looking forward to Season 2 of this series! 日本人の私からしても、とても面白い実験動画だと思いました。時にはデジタルデバイス抜きで1日を過ごすのはとても素敵だと思いますし、動画としてもとても面白いです。あなたは上級の日本語を話せるからこそ、このような冒険が可能だと思います。私は既にこのシリーズのシーズン2を楽しみにしています。

[@lilahsadventures5717]

It’s hard to see you feeling unsafe,I am glad it worked out ok just stay safe and aware. You handled that well. Great video great idea we all should be taking time off from technology. 😊

[@IanJump]

I'd actually be into this as a regular thing. Sarah gets lost in *insert random Japanese city," you'd probably find a lot of really cool stuff. However, I feel you do need a couple of rules. 1. keep your phone off but on you, for safety. 2. You should be able buy a watch, but an analog one in the spirit of the challenge. 3. For any city you visit you can buy a paper map before hand, but any planing must be done with just the paper map. Also, maybe a GPS tracker or something so a friend and keep tabs on you so if you don't check in at midnight they can find you if something has happened. Seriously, this could really be fun. I loved how you were forced to talk to people in Japanese too, excellent excuse to practice. Plus, you'll make so many friends wherever you go.

[@Guilty_Crown]

Imagine if you had all your cards digital on the phone and no physical 😂 now that would be a challenge

[@XDproductionsXD]

Not having my phone is do-able. I have often forgotten my phone at home with no time to retrieve it. My job entails being in the ocean and does not allow me to use it. The problem for me is if I lose it. Now there's a tragedy written in 5 chapters. Unrecovered only once out of a handful of times though.

[@WOOF95]

This was an interesting video!! I thought that most retail purchases were cashless in Japan. I'm glad your day went well!! 🙂

[@silverian]

I remember times when there were no cell phones and only way to use phone was to find telephone booth (like saving in Yakuza games). It usually was also reading maps when you went abroad. I remember first time when I was able to download German map to my Nokia phone and how much easier to it was walk around city when you just looked red point moving on the map.

[@jamesv6241]

Great idea, Sara! I'm going to try doing the same thing starting n

[@jonathansakura]

Your mental health will go up so much Being bored is something we lost and being in the moment when we got tech obsessed I miss the 90s 😅

[@mikeymoose7253]

Still had video games and tv taking our attention in the 90s. I don’t feel any more productive now; and love having maps and all information at my fingertips. That being said; I miss things like concerts where everyone was more involved and not filming.

[@jonathansakura]

@mikeymoose7253 of course but you couldn't bring the games and tv everywhere as easily as you could with a smartphone I do agree about the GPS I do love it And omgggg yah concerts

[@thepiratecove2770]

I love this video, best ever Seerasan!

[@jennikinnunen1221]

Yes for regular challenge! This is very inspiring :D

[@christianknight9669]

Actually spending a day without your phone is basically a healthy habit. It kinda washes away stress and makes you appreciate the places and people around you. So yeah I think you can do this like twice a month.

[@TadDonaghe]

I spent the first 25 or so years of my life without even the web, much less a phone. Still, I’m just as addicted to my phone as you are!! This would be a tough challenge for this old man too!

[@camidam]

Well done Sarah! I started restricting my time spent on social media on my phone, so the apps would just shut themselves after a defined time! It's not as harsh as your challenge 😅 but works great. Still checking my phone but for a much shorter time every time😊

[@cheenengthao9089]

That was really cool Seera! Would love to see you do this challenge with a friend :)

[@AlexanderSasanowitsch]

Your mum talks to you in German!? I love it! German potato from Berlin here btw

[@VerhoevenSimon]

I'd love to see you do more of these, although for the next challenge maybe set up an alternate multifactor authentication device to avoid being forced to break it.

[@Taurusus]

It was quite adorable the *visible* stress you were under for a lot of this day; I'm thinking back to my time in Tokyo, and being unable to verify the trains as required? Untenable. I'm sure as a local it's _slightly_ easier for you, but my gosh! I left my phone charging downstairs for a couple hours this evening, and I really noticed its absence while I got dinner prepared, while I took a smoke break, while I watched a movie with my wife (who is one of those "Wait where do I know her from, what's he been in, hang on what's that guy doing here?" kind of gals... :p)... and it's always a trip to take conscious stock of how ubiquitous our pocket supercomputers are in our lives.

[@xredgambit]

I think this is a fun challenge. I would personally keep my phone on and on me at the time but on silent/do not disturb mode. That way if there is some emergency you can possibly get the call or call someone. I think using the phone as a camera wouldn't really be part of it as long as you ignored everything else too.

[@trevorrenfro9858]

It's nice seeing so many neat places, especially for those of us that would never be able to go.

[@HoJSimpson]

I tried to survive without a Phone for a day last year. It's crazy how automated the reach to your pocket is once you need to know something or do anything. I mean the realization that you need one for bank transfers...My bank stopped using paper forms years ago. I think it comes down to restricting yourself to using it only for necessary stuff and do less scrolling mindlessly. Anyways great video! Grüße gehen raus an Mama aus ihrer alten Heimat :-)

[@scarlet7387]

迷って人に訊ねて、地図を見て、やっと辿り着いた景色ってそうそう忘れないと思う。景色よりもスマホの画面を見ている事ってかなり多い。凄く良い企画。

[@khardy1801]

I learnt a couple of years ago when my new mobile phone died after 6 months that it was near impossible to do my job. Everything requires 2 factor.

[@CB-sx8xh]

Please do this once a month and discover Tokyo neighbourhoods you haven't been to before

[@12soulreaver]

It's funny watching your vid made me feel like those people that say "back in my day". I've been traveling since 07 and only had maps and print outs I did before leaving for the trip. I still have my MP3 player and wired headphones, plus multiple analog watches, didn't think those things would be so important in a challenge like this lol. Very cool adventure you had and looking forward to seeing the next one.

[@jdtoledo]

This is a good concept for a video.

[@41tinman41]

I need music so the first thing I would have done was find a media player like a Discman or a Zune or something. I say do these challenges in different areas, because I love the fact that you found some shops and places that were new to you, and that you appreciated the places you went to more from looking around and really feeling your surroundings.

[@Sx-xy2zi]

Youre so adorable, love these challenges 😊