34 things that surprised me in Switzerland (as a Japanese person) | vlog

n the last video, I packed all my belongings into this small carry-on bag and handbag and went to Tokyo.
After 14 hours on the plane, I finally made it to Zurich, Switzerland.
In this video, I would like to introduce 32 things that surprised me, a person from Japan, who’s visited Switzerland for the first time.
You can also learn about so　me similarities and differences between Japan and Switzerland!
So, let’s get started!
-----------------------------------------
Subscribe and become a friend today: / samuraimatcha
------------------------------------------
MUSIC:
・Epidemic Sound
------------------------------------------
BE MY FRIEND:
BLOG samuraijourney.com/​
INSTAGRAM / samuraimatcha.journey
FACEBOOK / mizuno.akihito​
------------------------------------------
GET IN TOUCH:
If you’d like to talk, feel free to email me at [e-mail] I try my best to reply to things but there sadly aren't enough hours in the day to respond to everyone...

[@FranG1717]

So fun to see our tiny country through your eyes. Lots of love from Switzerland 🇨🇭🇨🇭🇨🇭.

[@nataanda2486]

Same from me

[@Zerschnetzler]

Same from me too

[@monsieurwesley]

Same from me! I live in Switzerland!

[@wildandfree5593]

Chume ou us der Schwiiz❤️🇨🇭

[@FranG1717]

@@wildandfree5593 usem schöne Bärn? Liebi Griess us Basel 😊🇨🇭

[@Elay0041]

About the eggs: Yes, that are just normal eggs colored on the outside. Because colorful is better 😁 It is a tradition to colour eggs during easter season. So it is a bit unusual to have colored eggs at christmas. But maybe they were colored to distinguish them from soft boiled eggs (with liquid core). Because colored eggs are always hard boiled (completely cooked).

[@tortue225]

That's right ! It once was an easter egg tradition that remained in use because most people find it's a good way to distinguish them from uncooked eggs in shops counters. That's something most visitors find funny...

[@haraldtoepfer233]

I think they have the typical Aromat colours haha. Btw I hate Aromat :D. @Samurai Matcha did you taste it?

[@dorothywarren1441]

It's just a brown egg surely?? That's what certain breeds of chicken lay. Thought to be tastier but in fact no different from a white egg.

[@haraldtoepfer233]

@@dorothywarren1441 i talked about the Aromat, a traditional spice which is eaten with eggs.

[@Mamilean]

That's also how you can buy them in any shop. It's good when you go hiking for example

[@sun_up]

Many people have already explained that Christmas is a family holiday here in Switzerland. On Christmas Eve (24th) you have dinner with family (whatever you define as family. If you have kids you may celebrate at the grandparents. His or her side, whichever is the more „favoured“.). It’s the day/evening Christmas presents are given. In the German part of Switzerland we often have „Fondue Chinoise“ (a simplified version of the Chinese hot pot), because it keeps the time spent on cooking at a minimum. Certainly not Turkey. Christmas Day (25th) you spend with In-Laws. Sometimes there is jealousy over who is considered family and who is considered in-laws. So not that many restaurants are open, because mostly people spend it eating at home and because restaurant staff, too, goes visit family. The other thing I want to talk about is dogs in the train at the border. Those dogs are trained to find contraband (drugs). So since you didn‘t carry any drugs they didn‘t bother you. Nobody cares if you wear a kimono/yukata and sombrero. :-) Happy traveling!

[@jean-martinvonsiebenthal2836]

While Fondue Chinoise is the most popular fare across the whole country. Here in the French speaking part some people might still prepare a fancy poultry dish. Turkey is still somewhat a thing, but nicer poultries like goose, capon, guineafowl or even quails are all making a comeback.

[@Kenionatus]

Yeah, touristy clothing is one of the least suspicious things you can wear through a border crossing. The police ar Shengen Area (mostly EU countries but also a couple more, including Switzerland) border crossings are mostly there to find smugglers (mostly drugs, but also large sums of money. While crossings into Italy I once saw their financial police with a money sniffing dog.)

[@Kalishua_Vtuber]

In my familly (french part of Switzerland), we also do fondue chinoise ☺️

[@SIC647]

I learned something new! I thought it was only in the Scandinavian countries, where I come from, that Christmas was celebrated on the evening of the 24th.

[@ohhh_wenhasfun]

As a Swiss person it was hilarious to watch the reactions to Switzerland 😂

[@overlordanimefannazarick895]

Schwöre isch so

[@lb8413]

I need say same, im happy to see it, it is funny how some little things who have allways been there for us, look sofunny or different from an japanese point of view. but i think it show really too well how is Switzerland.😋

As a Swiss person, it is really interesting to see foreigners impression about our country. I enjoyed this video. Also, I think you now have to show us how to make matcha. :)

[@Nightclaw73]

Da isch wörklich intressant mol zgseh wiä ander lander üs gsehnd

[@a.u.r.aeppli5555]

I had to google matcha. 😆

[@dominikmain390]

⁠@@Nightclaw73 Hahaha zerst mal uf Schwitzerdütsch antworte, so dass mer eus nüm verstoht😂

[@Nightclaw73]

@@dominikmain390 tja nur die schönö und richä chönd halt schwitzerdütsch i bi keis fo beidnä😑

[@estelleholderharildstad310]

The country must be heavenlyy as everybody moves in ,,5 Mio in 1979 vs 8 Mio during the pandemic

[@SwissKaktus]

As a Swiss person who has visited Japan, I can identify with many of the things that surprised you - those were the things that surprised me in Japan. However, as a person who grew up in the Alps and has won several sled races, I can not stop myself from saying this: a sled is made from wood. IF IT'S PLASTIC, IT'S NOT A SLED! They weren't originally designd to be toys either. They were used to transport hay in winter. And they were much bigger. But it was very entertaining to follow your experiences, enjoy the rest of your travels!

[@Atheria444]

I went to Switzerland (Luzern and Geneva) in 1995 and it was breathtakingly beautiful. The people tended to be more formal/mannerly and very considerate. Everything was SO clean and organized! I joked that they must have vacuumed the entire country every morning. Ha!

[@idamaglia6581]

They actually do! Early in the morning, cleaning personnel clean up everything. There are even small cleaning vehicles. It's a bit odd, but when you get used to it, everywhere else starts looking unclean. (As a swiss person)

[@OsuSakuraame]

We actually do have small little vehicles that have rotating brushes underneath that drive around to clean up :D They're especially busy during carnival season when people throw around confetti. After the carneval celebration in my village, it took about an hour afterwards and everything was spotless again.

[@alexandergutfeldt1144]

Why do you think they hid the town in the myst? So the cleaning can happen without whitenesses! We also hide our mountains in the clouds to apply fresh snow in winter and wash of the dust in other seasons! Just kidding of course! I'm glad you liked it and hope you will come back some day!

[@denizirisozbey1760]

Good old times 😢

[@roli4040]

Thanks for sharing your insights. The coloured eggs are sold in the shops to distinguish the boiled eggs from fresh ones. They started to do that a few years ago. Sushi is still some kind of a hipster food, so it's pretty expensive. The same goes for those pre made and packed sandwiches. You can get it much cheaper and tastier, if you buy fresh bread and the ingredients that you like and make your own sandwiches. Toilettes are usually free in restaurants, shopping malls and a bit away from the big centers and railway stations. You can always kindly ask in any little shop, many will let you use it.

[@segare-trop-vieux3932]

I am Swiss and I live in Japan with my wife (Japanese) and our 3 daughters. In Switzerland we had a very confortable life and many holidays, but the food wasn’t that much. Here in Japan the food is amazing but the salary is very low and almost no holidays… It depends on what is the most important for you

[@Boggs11HD]

Da chasch meh als guet gnueg esse🤨

[@segare-trop-vieux3932]

@@Boggs11HD pas aussi bon qu’au Japon mec , et la nourriture n’est pas varié ( j’ai vécu 38 ans en Suisse)

[@energeticstunts993]

​@@segare-trop-vieux3932oh man. But you could be a Swiss worker in Japan if your job allows online work maybe?

[@segare-trop-vieux3932]

@@energeticstunts993 nope, I worked as a technician in pharmaceutical so no online 😉

[@Boggs11HD]

@@segare-trop-vieux3932 vellech ide romandie, chum mal uf züri brüeder ich zeig der wo mer guet cha esse

[@tookitogo]

11:53 One of the things I love most about Switzerland is how dog-friendly it is. It’s delightful to be able to take dogs basically everywhere. The only major exception is grocery stores, but since people take their dogs along, it’s super common to see dogs waiting at the door for their owners (usually tied on a leash, but sometimes without). I don’t even own a dog, but living here, seeing dogs all the time makes me smile. It makes my day when someone has a friendly dog I can pet. :D

[@HyperionCH]

I'm glad that you get a lot of positive experiences in Switzerland (and it's a pity that there were also negative experiences like the high prices). The video is also interesting for me as a Swiss to learn what is different between Japan and Switzerland. Fun fact: In the parc in Bern called "Rosengarten" (rose garden) where you made matcha, there are 100 japanese cherry trees ("Somei Yoshino" sort). That was a gift from a japanese farmer who studied in Switzerland. Of course it was not the season for blooming. But you could see them blooming around the middle or end of March from the webcam of the Rosengarten. However, the trees are not yet as old as those in Japan and therefore not yet as imposing.

[@mypenisisunbelievablysmall9350]

I love the cherry blossoms in bern!

[@africanboi4542]

Stocks are pretty unstable at the moment, but if you do the right math, you should be just fine. Bloomberg and other finance media have been recording cases of folks gaining over 250k just in a matter of weeks/couple months, so I think there are alot of wealth transfer in this downtime if you know where to look.

[@lucianoboccedi]

Such market uncertainties are the reason I don’t base my market judgements and decisions on rumours and here-says, got the best of me 2020 and had me holding worthless position in the market, I had to revamp my entire portfolio through the aid of an advisor, before I started seeing any significant results happens in my portfolio, been using the same advisor and I’ve scaled up 750k within 2 years, whether a bullish or down market, both makes for good profit, it all depends on where you’re looking.

[@evitasmith6218]

@@lucianoboccedi True, we’re only just an information away from amassing wealth, I know a lot of folks that made fortunes from the Dotcom crash as well as the 08’ crash and I’ve been looking into similar opportunities in this present market, could this coach that guides yo help?

[@lucianoboccedi]

@@evitasmith6218 Having a counselor is essential for portfolio diversification. My advisor is Eleanor Annette Eckhaus who is easily searchable and has extensive knowledge of the financial markets.

[@kaylawood9053]

Found her, I wrote her an email and scheduled a call, hopefully she responds, I plan to start 2023 on a woodnote financially.

[@kaistinakemperdahl9667]

You have lots of answers already. About the eggs: they are often coloured in supermarkets (all year round actually) to indicate that they are boiled, while natural colour indicates it’s still raw.

[@SamuraiMatcha]

I see!

[@nassegiraffe5581]

it also helps for preservation. (seals out the air)

[@lxportugal9343]

You sell boiled eggs?????😯

[@AmarthwenNarmacil]

​@@lxportugal9343 Sure, it's a great snack for example and way easier than boiling them yourself.

[@kilteddwarf]

@@lxportugal9343 good source of protein... when bulking, salad with 6 hard boiled eggs...

[@marja914]

You are such a polite, positive person. What a pleasure to meet you on KZbin!

[@PriestessOfSlaanesh]

As a swiss person who is a huge fan of japan and travels there often since 15 years (for vacation). This was super interessting. Thank you. The funny thing is that alot of things you mentioned was suprising for me in japan (but the opposite way) when i first get there in 2008. I hope you enjoyed it here! Youre welcome everytime again

[@lurien1386]

Hope you enjoyed your trip at Switzerland! (There isn't a ticket stop because the buses, trains, and trams work on a trust-based system where ticket inspectors rarely appear, but if you get checked and don't have a ticket, the punishment is very severe.)

[@pompom7x728]

It's just s fine of 100 Sfr. approx. and they are very polite. In my case, I had misunderstood smth when I bought my ticket.

[@WebmsJU]

Depend on where you are going, IC are regularely checked by controlers.

[@tookitogo]

Indeed, only local service uses spot checks. Long distance service (intercity, international, etc) normally have a conductor in every train.

[@legosonicraft]

Being Swiss, I'm both curious and pleased when travelers from other countries (mainly non-French-speaking) discover and make their impressions to compare our country to theirs. We're so small, along with Austria, that we're a peanut in this world. You're always welcome in our neighborhood.

[@MrHaibarbe]

I live near Zürich. I think one of the reasons you find Ramen, Gyoza and other "exotic" foods at Christmas markets is that they are not common at all in Switzerland. If you want a good bowl of Ramen in Zürich you pay upwards of CHF20.- per bowl. Asian / Japanese / Chinese food is generally pretty expensive here. At Christmas markets it is a cheaper (still way too expensive tho) way for many to experience these kinds of foods.

[@epli72]

Such wonderful commentary! 'Acceptable' is the perfectly neutral way to describe Swiss sushi, we appreciate that :'D Christmas is a family holiday for most Europeans, so most public events take place throughout the month of december, so it's no wonder you found even Zurich main station empty :D

[@macejetzer897]

This is so fun to watch as a Zürcher. Everything that amazes you is so normal here. So here’s some answers to your questions Christmas is only till the 24th I think cuz almost everyone is home or at church with family then so no one’s out so no events The egg was painted. That’s quite common with store bought hard boiled eggs. Most things are closed on sundays and holidays. Getting out the real tree on time for the pick up by the government is a hassle. My mom and I always throw it out the window then we transport it further so we don’t have to pick up needles everywhere. Switzerland (most places in Switzerland) is quite safe and you rarely have to worry about walking home at night. We also send our kids to school on their own once they start kindergarten here. I was at that lake (the one he hiked too) many times and it’s an amazing place to ice skate. It’s called the Statz lake and can be reached within less than an hour from celerina, pontresina or st. Moritz and in summer you can swim there. The mornings are only that dark in winter. In summer it can start to get light as early as 4:30 sometimes.

[@oneirdaathnaram1376]

So glad that you had a positive experience in my home country. After all, you are from Japan, and all Japanese people I know are extremely friendly and grateful. In you eyes, Switzerland is clean and safe ... Well, in my eyes, sorry to say, but it has changed a huge lot for the worse since the 90ies. Before 1990, it was REALLY clean and really safe. Now I see garbage everywhere.

[@redeye--2753]

I am Swiss, too and I have to admit that our country is no longer that safe and clean as it used to be. Grew up in the 70ies and 80ies, what a different time it was. Nowadays our society has become so aggressive and disrespectful, it really hurts. I now avoid certain places at certain times (night time), especially where revelers are staying. Too much intoxicated people, too much trash littering our streets.

[@a.u.r.aeppli5555]

@@redeye--2753 You cannot generalize that for the whole of Switzerland. I am Swiss and live in the country. Here you never have to lock the apartment. You could leave the car keys in your car and nobody would drive away with your car. You can also feel safe as a woman at night. You won't see any rubbish on the street with us.

[@redeye--2753]

@@a.u.r.aeppli5555 Sounds like paradise to me 😊 Of course you are right. I was pointing at the urban places in Switzerland.

[@MEMEZWHATELSE]

Switzerland is not clean and save if u compare with Singapore…

[@viciousqueen5096]

The red egg thing: if there are hardboiled eggs being sold in Switzerland, they are usually painted to clearly distinguish them from the uncooked eggs. In supermarkets you can find them in different colours. Sometimes they're painted like the one you had, sometimes they're more blue and green or even rainbow coloured.

[@morvil73]

Fun video… I travelled to Japan while I was living in Switzerland… when I first arrived I got the impression that Japan was an Asian version of Switzerland…. of course it got weirder and weirder every day ;-) Totally enjoyed my Japan trip!

[@Anesco84]

From someone that just left Japan couple of days ago, there are tons of things we could learn from Japan here in Switzerland! Love your country!

[@justaname999]

The fog! The first time I visited Switzerland, we traveled from a foggy valley up to the mountains and it was unforgettable because you just go from thick fog into the clouds and then, up above the fog, there's blue skies and sunshine and people walking around in T-shirts because of the intensity of the sun. Oh, and the 4 dollar onigiri is probably the biggest culinary disappointment one can have in Switzerland :)

[@justAcarat17]

It's was so exiting to see our country through your eyes, so thank you for taking us with you on your journey through Switzerland. Even as a native, though I have roots in east asia, I always get confused about the first and ground floor. The reason that you have to pay most toilets is mostly because at places like the train station, theres some weird people at night and the toilets get quite dirty. If I'm updated, the money helps paying the cleaning staff and maybe some renovations on the side. The unique houses are part of what we call the "Altstadt" basically an old part of the town where many houses date back to the midlle age, when every family still had their own shop and house. most swiss people I know are very intrigued in other cultures and are open to learn more about them, which is why you can find many foreign stands on markets! So again, thank you for taking us with you on your trip! I'm happy to see that your trip brought many good surprises, have a nice day!

[@nadia4985]

Wonderful to watch🤩 Another amazing thing about Switzerland is that during the other three seasons there are traditional drinking water fountains all over the cities as well as countryside, kept very clean and often with flowers. I don't think I've ever had to carry or buy water, even when hiking. It's a paradise for people who like to walk, hike, swim - so many walking paths away from traffic and well-marked trails, so many pristine lakes, rivers to swim in. Hot springs and saunas (Therme) are incredible, often with spectacular mountain views. Farms have often a cashier-free stand with seasonal produce and one can pay cash or with the phone. Swiss I know are utmost wonderful, kind, authentic people I've ever met.

[@dianemitchell1161]

Japan and Switzerland are the favourite countries to visit for my husband and me because of their cleanliness and safety, and also their efficiency. You look like you were really enjoying your travels, Aki!

[@dariafrey8229]

Glad you enjoyed my home country good old switzerland 🇨🇭🥰 and currently i am visiting japan🇯🇵 i was also surprised by sushi. to me it seems soooo cheep for sushi here😅

[@LukasJampen]

Sushi is still a specialty product here. It's a lot more common nowadays but still is seen as a foreign specialty and therefore costs more. In Japan it is a completely normal food item so you can't set the price to high because nobody would buy it. Yeah most families celebrate at 24th here and the 25th is for celebrating with other parts of the family or friends. Turkey is more an American thing. I've seen very different types of food being eaten for christmas. It mostly depends on the region or family what is tradition.

[@janetatuniquerawfoods2361]

This is pricelessly hilarious. Scary sushi… haha…and all the other Japanese food you found. Plus a minimalist in a sombrero… from Switzerland… it all almost is too funny to be real. What a great life we can live. Thank you.

[@limelights_smilewdw8879]

It makes me very happy seeing people enjoy Switzerland! 😄❤️🇨🇭 Me and my family are visiting Japan soon, so as a Swiss person it was very interesting to see the other point of view. Can’t wait to visit Japan!!!

[@os-qt1hc]

Hi Aki. Many of the things that surprised you in Switzerland are normal in all European countries. You pay for public toilets everywhere. There are no events on 24 December because everyone is at home with their families. Nobody is out in the streets. Many restaurants are closed for the whole Christmas holidays, which in my country is from 24 Dec until 6 Jan. To be honest, I am surprised the guest house was even open during Christmas. I mean, who would travel (as a tourist) during Christmas apart from you? 😁 Using real trees as Christmas trees is pretty normal. Christmas dinner is one thing that is different in every country and even in individual regions. I am not sure where they eat turkey for Christmas dinner but in my country in some regions we eat sauerkraut soup and fish (carp) with potato salad, in other regions they eat other things. Trash cans in trains are a standard. With highways it is different in every country. In some countries you pay every time you enter a highway, in other countries you buy a ticket for 10 days or a month or a year. OK.. here is where I end my comment. Don't want to write anymore 🤣

[@lisak1355]

No, not all European countries charge for public bathrooms and there are plenty of countries that don't celebrate anything on December 24th and 25th, it's a completely regular day. And yes, guest houses are open 365 days a year. People travel to most European countries FOR the holidays, to visit family because they have time off, etc.

[@SamuraiMatcha]

Thank you for telling me about all of them!!! ありがとうございます！

[@os-qt1hc]

What I meant to show with my comment was that things are pretty similar in European countries and many things that surprised Aki as a Japanese person in Switzerland, were not specific to Switzerland, but they are rather widespread around Europe and they did not surprise me, as a European, a tiny bit. I am curious to see what surprised him in France, as after his experience in Switzerland, he was probably less surprised already and realised that some things were just a norm, such as having to pay for public toilets in France as well, etc.. 😁 Another thing not to be surprised by is that it is pretty difficult to find public toilets in Europe😅 In many European countries they are basically non existent. They are mostly on train/bus stations but once you are somewhere in a city centre, good luck on finding them public toilets😅 you just have to go in a cafe/restaurant and then use their toilet. Or shopping centres. Toilets in big shopping centres are usually free. But in Prague you have to pay for some reason. That made me pretty angry last time I visited🤣

[@jean-martinvonsiebenthal2836]

Paying bathrooms is a thing in high traffic train stations, motorway restaurant areas and you might find in some places paying "high tech" bathrooms with transparent walls that obscure themselves. Otherwise you'll find free ones in smaller stations and shopping centers. Sometimes standalone ones might be dispersed accross the city or near parks, but its variable, some communities won't have those but might have a policy allowing people to use those of restaurants and cafe without being a client.

[@kia9119]

And then there is Germany with literaly no fees for the highway, lol

[@Naryoril]

In Switzerland (and afaik Europe in general) Christmas is THE family holiday, like new year in Japan. That's why even restaurants is closed, just like new year in Japan (i had to resort to Combini and Matsuya there). And Turkey for Christmas is a thing of the English speaking countries. Typical Christmas food for Switzerland would be Cheese Fondue, Fondue Chinoise (similar to shabu shabu without vegetables), Fondue Bourginion (like Fondue Chinoise, but bigger meat chunks and oil instead of soup) or Raclette.

[@duckipnguyen7473]

You take Matcha to Switzerland ! 👍👍👍

[@pighaver]

As a swiss person this was a really nice video to watch, you did a great job! It's very interesting to see the perspective of a japanese person of stuff im already very familiar with and most of the places you mentioned

[@Someone-wh8hi]

I am glad that you enjoyed your trip here, but I hope you'll visit again. Switzerland in Winter can be magical but it's mostly cold and wet. In summer it is so much nicer. Everythings green, warm and you can swim everywhere

[@grattiadenada7351]

Thank you, your video always help me to calm down and feel a little bit better.

[@danielleboon1543]

I’ve been overseas twice, I think it’s awesome seeing the weird flavours in familiar foods. For example, tofu burgers at McDonald’s in Japan or corn on the cob at KFC in Portugal. You’d never see those in Canada. Sushi here (central Canada) is always super expensive. There’s two reasons. First, I live near the centre of the country, so sea food needs imported and is very expensive (lots of land makes livestock more financially sustainable meat, especially beef and pork). Second, most sushi chefs are Japanese, making it a specialized skill, therefore they get paid a bit more As someone from a western country, I wouldn’t visit over the actual holidays. Most westerners will be with their family, so it’s a slow season for tourism. Public displays like parades happen earlier in the season. As a person with kids and in-laws, the days around Christmas are much too busy visiting everyone, we don’t have time to go to public events. That’ll be why all the restaurants are closed too. Asia has a lot of people who don’t cook at home much, so they’re more reliant on restaurants. Over Christmas, everyone is having big dinners with their family, so it’s usually too quiet for most restaurants to stay open. Besides, the restaurant staff usually want the day off to be with their family, and companies need to pay overtime to staff (usually 2.5x the usual wage). Swiss chocolate is up there with Belgium chocolate. They have some of the best chocolate in the world. I’m not surprised their cheese would be good too. Japan doesn’t have much immigration, but it’s pretty normal for immigrants to keep some of their own heritage, they often open restaurants with their ethnicities food. It’s a skill they have, they make it better than foreigners, and it’s easy to open a restaurant without needing to redo any university training (which is expensive and language barriers can make it difficult). Restaurants are fairly cost effective to open, making them easy. And people everywhere love trying foreign food

[@eliah.1911]

As someone who lives in Switzerland I really like your video, it's very interesting to hear about your thoughts! And yes, Zurich is expensive, but it is by far the most expensive town in Switzerland. And if you visit Switzerland again, i can really recommend the Berner Oberland for a visit - cities like Bern, Thun, Brienz and Interlaken and lots of beautiful lakes and mountains

[@a.u.r.aeppli5555]

And our Zentralschweiz. You were in Lucerne, but visit once again for example the Stanserhorn or the Mount Rigi.

[@Noinin92]

It's great to see you had a good time on your trip! :) I really love how you enjoy the small things and notice what us Europeans might be missing because we're used to it.

[@HiKasandra]

Looks like you had a great time in Switzerland! Haha ya I was surprised when I had to press the button for the door to open in Danmark too...always love the warm lights in Scandinavia! ~ Hope you have loads more fun on many trips and maybe see you sometime.

[@neresverra]

I just stumbled over this video and as a Swiss person, I really enjoyed seeing my country through your eyes. I especially loved seeing your expressions when trying something new or at least the Swiss version of it.

[@terrible2u]

Very interesting point of view from someone visiting from a very different culture. Had a few good laughs at some stuff. Cool video!

[@chidenisee]

It's amazing how similar but different places are. As a flight attendant I always say that some places just seem like a continuation of each other to me. I do want to take my son to France, Japan and The UAE.

[@sarahpena9501]

Try Spain there are many different architectural styles, all the cities and towns have different vibe over there ;)

[@audrey9561]

I don’t miss paying for the toilet in Europe. It was always so hard to find a place that would even let you use it, and then you have to pay even if you’re a customer. As someone with IBS, it was very nerve racking to have to constantly worry about not having access to a bathroom :(

[@lisak1355]

If you're at a café, paid for a drink, and want to use the bathroom, you still had to pay?!

[@audrey9561]

@@lisak1355 some places yes. It was usually 1 euro at places like malls or cafes. Kind of stupid especially since the bathroom was never clean anyway

[@eaglenoimoto]

​@@lisak1355 Where did you buy a drink and still had to pay for the toilet? Malls, yes, since you might not be a paying customer. I've lived in Europe all my life, in various countries, and travelled everywhere except Belarus and Serbia, but never had to pay for a toilet where I was a customer.

[@audrey9561]

@@eaglenoimoto one was a Starbucks near Brandenburg gate and another was a crepe shop in Nikolaiviertel in Berlin. A few bars were like this too but the fee was .25c. It seems like the places in more touristy areas will try to scam you this way, because at other restaurants it wasn’t an issue.

[@mina_en_suiza]

Actually, in Switzerland, almost all public toilets are free of charge. Zurich main station is one of the very few exceptions. Still, the free ones in Switzerland usually are cleaner and less smelly than paid ones in the neighbouring countries.

[@violaineaudrey8841]

It's such a great video Aki ! Thank you for your sharing and as a french girl I can't wait to see your next video 😊🌿🌸

[@StevenRud]

Thank you for your nice video on visiting our country and your very thoughtful views and comments. It’s nice to see people coming here and observing the differences. I hope you spent a good time here. Wishing you all the best!👍🏻👍🏻😇😇

[@surajitgoswami1871]

I was there in April 22 (went through Pontresina coming back from a town called Poschiavo near Italy) and I'm looking forward to my visit to Japan in 2024. If you had used the Swiss Railway Pass you would have found out that it works on all trains, ferries, busses, and trams! No Suica card needed. The coordination between various forms of transport amazed me when I first visited Switzerland in 1986 and it's still amazing. They used to have signs in Japanese on some trains because of Japanese tourists back in 1986. Very good video.

[@margotgrant3947]

Bravo! Courageous Travels! Love how you faithfully follow chanoyu.💫 Goodness, things look different in Zurich since I was there as a student in 1974! ... and there was no Japanese food so readily available at that time. I hope the difficulty you mention for the next episode does not dampen your zeal for adventure. ( seeing you back in Japan at the end created a vicarious sense of "home", from when I lived near Yokohama.) THANK YOU for the labor of love in creating such engaging youtube presentations. Keep sipping Matcha 😊🌸🍵

[@daniel_nightfall]

Honestly, it is so nice to see you enjoying Switzerland this much! I love living in this country!❤ immediatly subscribed! I loved the video! And you showed me how much you can enjoy this country again! You also made me re-consider if I should move back into the mountains! I used to live in Tiefencastel, that‘s just a few minutes away from Lenzerheide where you were!

[@M.DayTripper]

So happy you came in Switzerland ! I'd appreciate if I could meet you there. Maybe another time ! Thanks for your work : Your videos are always nice to watch 🙂

[@aleah7261]

I’m from Switzerland and just back from my first trip to Japan! It’s funny because I realized most of the things you did here just opposite in Japan! 😂 Oh, and Christmas events end at the 24th because we celebrate from 24th in the evening until 26th with our families and friends at home ☺️✨ Most people don’t go out then but cook and eat at home with their families. Also, it’s a public holiday on 25th and 26th. ☺️ Love your video and can’t wait to see more about your adventures in my country! It’s so much fun to watch.

[@jean-martinvonsiebenthal2836]

The people reading large books in the train were most likely university students preparing their exams. Textbooks are probably the only type of books that might look like that, and the Holidays is just before the mid-year exam session, after which the 2nd semester starts. I didn't do it often, but lots of students do take advantage of their commutes to study. Thus another thing you could add : here in Switzerland university students study the most after entering university, and not before (we do not have entrance exam per say, instead you are automatically granted admission if you have the proper high school diplama, and most of the selection is done during the 1st year).

[@benrex7775]

There are also plenty of people reading novels or some weird people like me who read big science books which have nothing to do with my field of study.

[@naitomea14]

Naaa... I mean I read Hanna Arendt while I was sitting in the train - yeah, every book. The thickest was about 1'100 pages.. And I read the whole thing in the train, I didn't read anything at home. I don't study, at all - I never studied in a university. I did a normal "Lehre" and I work normal XD But traintime means readtime for me XD And Bustime means Kanji-learntime for me (Yeah, I learn Japanese, that's why I saw an university twice in my life - for the JLPT N5 and N4 XD) I read many other books while traveling to work as well. I mean why not? It's better than scrolling through Insta or other social media, right? :P

[@benrex7775]

@@naitomea14 I just heard of someone this weekend who read 250 books last year while traveling in the train. I think she uses some ebook reader. But reading in train is definitely a good thing. No matter if you read for fun, if you read to learn something new or if you study.

[@fr05ty78]

This whole video is so nice i love how you were so curious about everything in our little country. I was also able to learn some things about Japan!

[@sibylledecarlo7108]

What a great video! So much information & beautiful scenery & Fun! Loved seeing Berne. I lived near by as a nanny as a teenager; beautiful place!! ❤ Subscribed😊

[@rusope1050]

oooh you made it! it is super weird to see familiar sights on your channel, omg! even though you only saw a fraction of the country, it seems like you had a lot of fun! re some of your questions. switzerland is generally quite safe, sadly there are still some places that are not safe and crimes happen (namely the centre of bigger towns). the toilets are not free because a) the cleaning has to be paid for and b) the owners want to deter people like homeless or drug consumers to go in there. as for the sushi at christmas, you were staying at friends' place, so maybe they made it for you ;) everyone has different dishes they usually eat for christmas and some even don't care at all. one of the most pouplar dishes is so called "fondue chinoise" by the way - hot pot :D as for the japanese food at that christmas event in lenzerheide: japanese food is very popular in switzerland, so food stalls with japanese food are very common. the udon are probably called ramen because the average swiss person has no idea what udon is, but everyone knows what ramen is ;) and lastly for the onigiri and other japanese food at the supermarket, yes it's common in bigger places, and also yes it's expensive because it is special, a bit more complex to make, and it spoils fast (raw fish). switzerland generally has a very high price niveau (but also higher salaries, mind you), but, comparably, food is very very pricey. i don't know the exact reason though. but also quality of food tends to be higher than in other european countries :D (no offence, my fellow europeans!) cheers!

[@a.u.r.aeppli5555]

I'm Swiss, and I don't know, what Ramen is. ;-9 Really. I had sushi once in my life and I didn't like it. Maybe this food is known to young Swiss people, but not to us older people (I'll be 60 this year). Let alone our parents. It's quite simply not our traditional food and that's probably why it's expensive, because we consider it a delicacy and something extraordinary if you like it. In addition to rösti, typical Swiss food is a grilled bratwurst, for example. Especially in summer people meet up at friends' houses for a barbecue.

[@bvillebikelady3651]

It looks like you had a great time, Aki!

[@professorfrog7181]

Such a polite and considerate commentary! Thank you, very enjoyable ^^ I am glad you enjoyed your stay.

[@ItzzMiraa]

I love seeing my home country from a different perspective! Good video🎉

[@AiorosSagittarius]

Fun fact: This year, I'll gave the exact opposite experience from you. As in, I am a Swiss person who for the first time will visit Japan. 😁 Already looking forward to it.

[@Francesanne_a.k.a._Tan]

Thank you for mentioning that train doors dont automatically open. My train experience so far is Japan and Korea. This will save me from freaking out for a few mins. Going there soon.

[@maureenlayden3639]

I loved this! Your Mexican hat and kimono was perfect combo for a world traveler! Can’t wait for the next part! Thank you! 💚

[@malgroszek4247]

Very interesting perspective! I am looking forward for more!

[@Mer0dy]

Welcome to my home land 🥰 greetings from Basel It's nice to see Switzerland from a Japanese perspective. I was only once in Japan and it was such a interesting experience

[@tiffanygriffin]

When I traveled to the country of Peru, I also ran into bathrooms that cost money to use, which wasn't the biggest surprise the lack of a seat on the toilet was 😮. Here in the area of the US (Indiana), I live in bathrooms, and most interstates are free to us. Rice balls cost about $3 around here and are not common to find. Can't wait to travel to Japan and hopefully some in Europe too.

[@JasminAsterios]

I just like every single Video. Simple as that. Thank you for another great one 🙇🏽‍♂️

[@mariezguitar5029]

My sister and I went to Belgium for Christmas and it was magical!! The Christmas markets were open even after the 24th. Two days in Bruges and four days in Brussels were incredible. The coffee, cheese, chocolate, beef carpaccio and so much more were sublime. The scenery and lights were magnificent and magical! Highly recommend for your next European adventure, Aki!

[@minimalist5555life]

What a wonderful video thankyou

[@noemifasol18]

Hi! I'm from Switzerland! It was so fun to see how other people see our country. I know it is an expensive country, but the life quality is perfect! Here you live safe and sound. I love Swiss (even if I'm 33%🇨🇿, 33%🇭🇷 and 33%🇨🇭). I liked the video so much! I hope you enjoyed our little country 😘👋❤️🇨🇭

[@swissbrit82]

Hello Aki I stumbled on your video from browsing KZbin, and it was a nice video from another perspective, I m glad you enjoyed your time in my beautiful country 😊 and interesting to see the differences you make with your homeland that is by way also a beautiful country and culture

[@bantip5499]

Doumo arigatou! That was really great. A very interesting comparison between the two countries and an unusual, but the more exciting journey. Most youtubers do not show the places you visited.

[@christophfurler7252]

I made a similar experience in Japan around new year. When even restaurants and shops in Tokyo were closed. 😅 I hope, you enjoyed the trip to Switzerland. Yes, Sushi or Onigiri in Switzerland are expensive and not so delicious as in Japan. Thank you for your visit :)

[@marywenzel3199]

Looked like a fantastic trip. You have a real talent for discovering Japanese food wherever you go…it seems that most of your meals in Switzerland consisted of overpriced subpar versions of what you can get at home. I wouldn’t have expected to find onigiri in a Swiss mountain town! I look forward to your adventures in France.

[@rooneyjagoboo]

You have a fabulous attitude and I’m so glad I’ve found you , I really needed a boost and a reminder of ‘ enjoy every moment’ you exude this , onto to Germany now 🤗

[@takayasweeney]

Gosh the OCD in me is LOVING this!😍😍😍 Switzerland and Japan are on our short list for travel once we’re settled into our new home here in Mexico. Can’t wait! Great post!!🧡💚💜

[@LegendaryKillStreak]

as a swiss person it was an amazing experience watching a japanese person visiting our tiny country. sadly you rarely hear the pov from a tourist. it's sad that your experience wasn't better, i hope you still had a fun time. btw not every public restroom must be payed for, it's mostly at big trainstation. at christmas days everyone pretty much eats whatever so you will often find like a family meal beeing made on christmas. Thank you for this video

[@mickfielding9372]

Because you all hate foreiners

[@sabrina_vegan_minimalist]

In Germany boiled eggs are sometimes coloured to distinguish them from the raw uncoloured eggs. Maybe it is the same reason in Switzerland.

[@jean-martinvonsiebenthal2836]

Yes its the same tradition, at least for store bought hard boiled eggs. The paint also better seals them for conservation.

[@ralphstaedler]

Nice Video !! I’m so happy that you enjoyed my country! I will travel to Japan this summer and I’m looking forward as I now I will enjoy your country as well

[@alexbaer9997]

Colored Eggs - The real reason why the eggs you find to buy in most Restaurants in Switzerland are colored is for health safety reasons. When eggs are cooked they loose their natural barrier and bacteria can enter the egg. The coloring process puts that barrier back and they edible for much longer - simple. I have a question too. How is Japanese Fondue different from the Swiss one? Liebe Grüsse aus der 🇨🇭

[@madeleineg2049]

Thank you for the video. Chrismas is a festival for the family in europe, not for lovers. Children are the ones who love chrismas the most. (I think japan has the family theme on new year. Are restaurants in japan open on new year?) Since both customers and staff are expected at their families home, shops close around midday 24th at the latest. The eggs originally only got colored for easter. But at some point the colored eggs for easter weren't sold out, but didn't go bad yet either. So there were kept on sale and did sale, even after easter. By now there are sold as "picnic eggs", rather than "easter eggs". Some people are buying them, so the stores keep selling them. About the many japanese dishes: Anything japanese is "in" in europe, so there is probably some kind of japanese food for sale on markets in most bigger city. A lot of people grew up with Anime and some foods or things showed up often in different Animes. Like sushi, onigiri, budo, kimono and other things. After a while people just got currious and wanted to try them too. And because it's "in", it's also expensive. If you compare prices of things that are everyday in both countries (like salads, eggs or so), the prices shouldn't be that different.

[@a.u.r.aeppli5555]

Thank you for this video. It was interesting for me as a Swiss person to see what you find amazing, which is completely normal for us. In return, I have now learned the reverse of what to expect in Japan.

[@sheilayhui4991]

Love your humor. Just visited Japan and going to Switzerland this fall. How fitting. Keep it up!

[@Minijessilalala]

I don’t know if you remember me requesting a matcha making video when you had around 10k subscribers. I had exactly the problem you highlighted in the video with matcha! I thought it was just me but maybe it’s the water here in Sydney Australia. I had given up on making matcha already as I couldn’t get it to foam that way. Now that I know it happens because of water quality, I may start again and not feel so discouraged!

[@lillysthoughts4402]

Yeahhh I’m sure as a Japanese person, Japanese food unless from an authentic restaurant, won’t hold up to standard😅it’s an unfortunate truth, but since it isn’t a common food in Europe it’s mostly overpriced and pretty okay-ish haha. I guess the „Ramen“ place at the Christmas market was there because these types of markets typically have a big variety of food like Mexican, Japanese, Swiss of course, Spanish, etc. basically from all over the world :) at the Christmas market in my town in Germany we have Peruvian filled potato every year! Anyways I’m glad you seemed to have fun :)

[@Tavosmother]

Your videos are fenomenal and they keep getting better!!!

[@Auraliiix_]

This video was very intresting to watch! I like to see other people's views from my country, its also funny that some people are new to this whole stuff but then you just like grew up with this whole stuff around you

[@CistudeSuisse]

For n°2, it was because back then in Western countries, the black seaweed wasn't appealing to the people. So a sushi restaurant in California had the idea of hiding the seaweed insise of the sushi. Thus the name "Californian rolls".

[@evawood7074]

❤ from Switzerland

[@SamuraiMatcha]

Thank you for watching!

[@terriestapley5475]

First time to your channel and it’s really FUN!! I subscribed-TY

[@Ingrid0410]

Loved this vlog👍👍looks like you had so much fun💜

[@keahnig164]

03:48 This isn't even the longest bus, many Swiss cities use double-articulated buses

[@dalennia6803]

Ah yes: Public toilets are expensive here in Switzerland. And we love Sushi! It's very interesting to hear about your Switzerland trip and to see my hometown Zurich in this Video.

[@tookitogo]

I’m an American who has lived in Zurich over half my life (including being native-level fluent in Züridütsch and standard German). Sushi is one of the culinary disappointments of living here: yes, there is sushi everywhere. Unfortunately, most of it is really disappointing. Some (like Yooji’s) can’t even consistently cook rice properly. Others don’t season the rice correctly. But above all, there is no variety in the fish: salmon, tuna, and shrimp is all that most sushi places have. Coming from Maryland,a wealthy US state that takes seafood seriously, where _excellent_ sushi is available, there are so many types of sushi I miss. The only place in Zurich that has a decent selection is Samurai (Altstetten), and their quality is excellent. But it doesn’t have the selection I am used to from my favorite places in Maryland, one of which has fish flown in from Tokyo twice a week. The other major culinary disappointments in Zurich for me are Mexican and Korean. What’s available here doesn’t even come close in quality or selection to what I am used to. Most “Mexican” here is Tex-Mex (which is decidedly different), but even the ones that aren’t are either of disappointing quality (like the place at Escher Wyss), or have focused on inventing their own versions of things, without providing any traditional versions (like La Taqueria, which is great quality, but has few classic recipes). Korean here is reasonably decent quality, but the price is ridiculous (even for Zurich!) and they don’t carry any of my favorite Korean dishes. To be fair, what I LOVE in Zurich is the Thai food. The best places here serve food that is exactly like what you get in Thailand. (Thai food in USA is largely… ugh.)

[@monkeydriver400]

I like your video a lot. Thank you for all the positive compliments you made about our Switzerland. It is nice to see, that you approach everything with a positive attitude. Sadly, that's rare. Our world needs more of that kind of attitude. I wish you a lot of joy in your future adventures!

[@RedMapleCanada]

Loved that thick fog, how beautiful! Great video! Greetings from Vancouver! 👍

[@kwiztas]

What about the altitude(air pressure) changing how the matcha foams?

[@berzerk428]

as a swiss person whose favorite food of all time is sushi, I find myself eating sushi way less than I would like to here in Switzerland. The prices are so freakishly high and out of proportion that everytime I eat it, I feel like I am overpaying for it So my jaw dropped when I heard that in japan you pay only a third of what we pay here for comparable sushi. one of many reasons for me to want to visit your beautiful country :)

[@tookitogo]

What disappoints me about sushi here in Zurich is the quality and variety (or rather, the general lack of both). Most sushi places here just aren’t that good, with improperly cooked rice, squeezed too firmly, and with only tuna, salmon, and shrimp (sometimes octopus) as the seafood options. None of my favorite sushi seafood choices (yellowtail, surf clam, scallop) are available at any of the sushi chains. (In fact, only Samurai in Altstetten has them. It’s where I go when I want good sushi. They have a decent selection and the quality is excellent.) The sushi stand in the Viadukt, while also having only a limited selection, is of excellent quality too.

[@danschweri]

Awesome - thank you so much! I am Swiss and found it enlightening to hear about your perspective. Can't wait to visit beautiful Japan later this year!!

[@danschweri]

btw, I drink my Green Tea with filtered water to soften it up. Yes, much better!

[@speedymccool9853]

I live in Zurich, near the Main Train Station and I'm going to visit Japan for the first time for 4 weeks this Autumn. I am so excited to experience this the other way around! Great video, loved your perspective!

[@barbaraseiler9750]

the hack for using a toilet without paying at a big station is: go in a train standing there, just be careful to check the time it will leave. greetings from Switzerland, its interesting to get your impressions :-)