I'm back from Japan and not going anywhere this week—except deep into YouTube land. In this episode, I share my mission to grow the Adventures Assemble YouTube channel from just 12 subscribers to the magical 1,000 needed to unlock monetization. I'm talking content strategy, upcoming nerdy adventures, and the weird, wonderful places I’m planning to visit (both near home and far away). From Snoopy statues to Star Wars retreats, Raiders of the Lost Ark filming locations to Atlas Obscura oddities, I’m figuring out how to turn nerd travel into a sustainable, fun business—and I’m taking you along for the ride.

📝 Show Notes:
In this episode, I talk about:

• 🎯 My YouTube goals and why 1,000 subscribers is the first big milestone
• 📹 New Adventures Assemble videos: How I’m learning video storytelling and editing
• 🏠 Why I’m starting with local destinations (like the Charles M. Schulz Museum!)
• 📚 The weird travel guides I’m using for inspiration, including Atlas Obscura and World Film Locations: San Francisco
• ✈️ Upcoming confirmed adventures:
  • The Charles M. Schulz Museum (coming next episode!)
  • A Snoopy statue challenge across Sonoma County
  • The Westword Crossword Tournament (June)
  • New York Comic Con (October)
  • The Halfling Marathon in New Zealand (March 2026!)

📌 Links Mentioned:

• AdventuresAssemble.com – blog, episodes, and travel tips
• Adventures Assemble on YouTube – please subscribe!

📣 Call to Action:
Got a weird or nerdy destination I should explore? Let me know and I’ll add it to my growing list of adventures. And if you haven’t yet—subscribe to this podcast, follow the blog, and hit that YouTube subscribe button!

I’m back from Japan! In this episode, I recover (barely) from the post-Star Wars Celebration plague and take you through the final stretch of my two-week nerd adventure across Japan. I recap my day trips to Kyoto, Nara, and Kobe—including sacred deer, curry that broke the internet, and the Osaka fried food fantasy known as kushikatsu. Plus, I share my emotional visit to Hiroshima, a last-minute return to Tokyo, and why I stayed in the wrong place in Tokyo. Spoiler: I’m already dreaming of my return.

Show Notes

In this episode, you’ll hear about:

• The lingering effects of my Star Wars Celebration Cold
• Why I wish I’d spent way more time in Kyoto
• What it’s like to feed sacred deer and visit the world’s largest Buddha in Nara
• Kobe’s gorgeous but eerily empty waterfront
• My hot takes on kushikatsu, okonomiyaki, and surprise udon shop bliss
• Staying in one hotel vs. hopping cities — how my base camp strategy paid off
• A powerful day in Hiroshima, including the Peace Memorial and that famous okonomiyaki
• Visiting Miyajima Island, the floating torii gate, and local oysters
• Why I skipped Kanazawa and doubled back to Tokyo instead
• My Shibuya redemption arc, Tower Records nostalgia, and ramen round two
• Nerdy adventures ahead: Hobbiton marathon, New York Comic Con, and more

Mentioned in this episode:

• Adventures Assemble YouTube Channel – for upcoming Japan videos
• AdventuresAssemble.com – sign up for updates and nerd travel content
• Sunny in Japan and Hoang Pham (YouTube travel guides I watched before the trip)
• APA Hotels – the “mirror universe” rooms I stayed in
• Koisus Curry & Tempura – the viral Kyoto restaurant I waited an hour for
• Jikasei Mensho – my ramen MVP in Tokyo

Subscribe to Adventures Assemble
New episodes drop every Friday! Hit follow and join me as I bumble through nerdy destinations around the world—awkwardly, enthusiastically, and one convenience store egg salad at a time.

✏️ Episode Description:

In this deeply personal episode of Adventures Assemble, I check in from Osaka with a raw and real update on my first week in Japan. From the highs of epic ramen and electric baseball games to the lows of jet lag and a 102° fever, it’s been a wild ride—and not quite the one I expected.

I talk about attending Star Wars Celebration 2025, getting lost (and found) on trains, bonding with fellow fans, and navigating sickness abroad for the third Celebration in a row (yes, again). This is not the fantasy version of nerd tourism—it’s the actual adventure, bumps and all.

Whether you're planning your own trip to Japan or just want to hear what it's like to power through the chaos of a dream trip gone sideways, this one’s for you.

📌 Show Notes:

What I Cover in This Episode:

• 🇯🇵 Arriving in Japan: flight details, customs tips, and first impressions
• 🚉 My chaotic train ride to Star Wars Celebration in Chiba
• 👕 Picking up my badge and missing out on exclusive merch (again)
• 💥 First impressions of Star Wars Celebration Japan 2025
• 📉 Why I bailed on panels and went temple-hopping in Tokyo
• 🦠 Getting sick (for the third Star Wars Celebration in a row!)
• 🥢 Ramen highlights: Jikasei Mensho & ICHIRAN
• ⚾️ Japanese baseball magic: Yomiuri Giants vs. Chunichi Dragons
• 🍜 Food adventures in Osaka: takoyaki, skewers, and gyoza redemption
• 🏞️ Visiting Kobe, the herb garden, and the waterfront
• 😷 Reflections on traveling while sick and making the most of it

Tips & Takeaways:

• Use Visit Japan Web for your customs QR code before flying
• If you’re staying in Chiba: it’s nice, but be ready for long commutes
• Bring fever meds, just in case... seriously
• Ramen in Japan might spiritually realign you
• Don’t shake a sick celebrity’s hand. Just don’t.

Mentioned in This Episode:

• Star Wars Celebration 2025 at Makuhari Messe
• Jikasei Mensho (Shibuya) – mind-blowing ramen
• ICHIRAN Ramen – famous solo-booth ramen experience
• APA Hotels – consistent and budget-friendly
• Big Camera (Chiba) – your one-stop shop for... literally everything
• Yomiuri Giants vs. Chunichi Dragons – Tokyo Dome baseball!
• Dotonbori District (Osaka) – food, neon, and energy
• Kobe Herb Garden – peaceful escape with views
• Disney Ikspiari (Chiba) – not quite the Disney magic, but a change of pace

Next Episode Tease:
I head to Kyoto! Temples, geishas, nerdy surprises, and (hopefully) a fully functioning immune system.