00:00:02 John Daub: Hello everybody, welcome to Ogasawara. This is Chichijima. This is the main street of Ogasawara Village. You can see it straight ahead. At the end of the street, there's a traffic light, then the fishing pier and boat pier where the ferry comes in from Tokyo. It's pretty quiet. This is lunchtime. They do have cars and people. This isn't exactly the middle of nowhere, although it sort of is. We're 1,000 kilometers from Tokyo, but this is Tokyo—the furthest outpost town, a sub-prefecture of Tokyo.

00:00:54 John Daub: Before we go down Main Street, I'm taking you to the beach, which is absolutely stunning. You're going to be blown away. Check this out—there's a bunch of students over there in soccer jerseys. Alright, I'm taking you right now. Yesterday I did an Instagram live and stopped in my tracks, saying I can't believe I'm in Tokyo. Past those trees, it's not too high. Can you guys see the blue? There's a windsurfer coming in. You can see that tropical deep blue or emerald blue. This is called the Bonin Islands in English—maybe Bonin Blue. It's absolutely stunning. I stood here for a couple of minutes just absorbing it.

00:02:07 John Daub: We've had strong wind today, so I switched to my external Rode mic to cut down wind noise, but I apologize in advance. This is almost on the same level as Okinawa. When you leave Tokyo, you're heading southeast. Yes, you can go surfing—there's a windsurfer here. I'm just showing you a little bit of the beach before we get back to town. Look at that color. It's not emerald; it's like a white blue. The closer you get, the more beautiful it gets. It smells like the sea. This is Tokyo. The water is slightly cooler than the air temperature—almost no change. You see college students on break chilling out. In the distance, you can see the boat I came on, docked until the 5th, then it heads back to Tokyo for a day and returns the same day. It's super clean, very salty—the salt content rises with ocean temperature, constantly around 25 to 28 degrees Celsius, 80 to 82 Fahrenheit.

00:04:12 John Daub: On the 5th, I'm going out to scuba dive with dolphins. Apparently you can scuba here. I can't believe it—this is insane. Shout out to everybody on Patreon supporting this. Thank you for financing this trip where I film and bring you live streams plus main channel episodes. I started filming yesterday when I arrived. That's the main town's beach in Chichijima. Not a lot of people—I love it. Windsurfing is okay here, but other spots on the island have amazing surfing. It costs an extra 1,000 yen to check a surfboard on the ferry.

00:05:23 John Daub: The island is Chichijima— C-H-I-C-H-I-J-I-M-A, jima meaning island. Nearby Hahajima has a daily ferry connection, six times a week, a couple hours away. Day trips are tough—you're only there three hours. Limited accommodations on Hahajima; reservations needed a month in advance in high season. Ogasawara is a sub-prefecture with its own government—administrative center for the islands. Many know Iwo Jima, correctly Iwoto in Japanese (to also means island). Famous from the Clint Eastwood movie and WWII battle. Iwoto is that way, part of Ogasawara—this is the closest spot to reach it.

00:07:05 John Daub: They have a young population here—college students visiting, plus local schools. Used to be kids went to Tokyo for junior high and many didn't return, but now they do—there's a junior high here. I saw lots of kids running around. Looks very tropical, like Okinawa level. The school is around this area. Google Maps will find it. I'll show you a couple things before Main Street. Thanks for joining this epic Chichijima downtown tour.

00:08:08 John Daub: That's what Chichijima looks like. The ferry docks there—I'm right here. We'll walk down Main Street this way. I'm staying in this area two more nights, then moving to the scuba area for three, then down here a couple nights before returning. Tomorrow I'll check beaches, maybe fly the drone—but drone use is restricted. Not like Aogashima's Wild West. This is a World Heritage site, the Galapagos of the East. Animals aren't afraid of humans. That's why scuba will be awesome. There's the tourist office—they've been helpful with info, interviews, accommodation. No motorbike yet—reservations needed a month ahead. This dude's got my bike!

00:10:04 John Daub: Streets have interesting stuff like aomi kame (blue sea turtle). Kame means turtle. Amazing manhole covers—I'm into them. Street art of marine life. This is downtown Chichijima—unfiltered, and you're going to like it. There's Tane Katadon restaurant—good teishoku (set meal), recommended. Really quiet and cool. There's the park, playground—stuff for kids. Tourists are scuba diving or hiking.

00:11:34 John Daub: This is Papalote—they make handmade jewelry, T-shirts. Nice local stuff. Manhole cover here—two varieties on the island. This one's painted, says osui (drainage). Whale culture represented in urban art—that's why I love manhole covers. More traffic here, vending machines everywhere—a thousand km from Tokyo. At the end, vending machine paradise—maybe we'll get a drink, it's hot. JA (Japan Agriculture) shop sells rice. Ogasawara Tourism Company rents motorbikes, battery bikes—my only option. 50cc is 1,600 yen for 3 hours, about $15; 3 days $40. With motorcycle license, you can ride 125cc. Wetsuit rentals too. Long-term cheaper, but none available without reservation.

00:14:40 John Daub: Now you know—reserve ahead. Electrical assist bikes good for mountains. I'll walk, beg, hitchhike. Sharks coming up soon. That's the ferry I came on—Ogasawara Maru. Neat history plaque. Tourist office looks 1960s, like New Jersey boardwalk. Maruhi sells omiyage (souvenirs). Even accepts Suica here. Mailbox, goggles for sale. Islands were U.S. possession 1945 to 1968, returned to Japan—celebrating 50th anniversary with parades. Whale cookies—no real whale.

00:17:38 John Daub: Old gray phone booth—used to have internet socket. In 1999, I called AOL from these to get email. Phone cards at conbinis. Supermarket #2—yesterday, veggies unloaded from weekly boat sold out fast. Day after, ghost town. Boat is lifeline—brings economy. Big supermarket has more, but prices compared—5% higher. Shops close early due to low population.

00:19:53 John Daub: Tons of vending machines—Soyjoy (granola bars), Calorie Mate, drinks, ice cream, Fanta yogurt tropical, Georgia Craftsman coffee, clear Coke, Dr Pepper, Canada Dry—10 yen more than mainland, reasonable. Curry rice yesterday was good. More vending—booze like mango chuhai (chu-hi), marshmallows, sembei (rice crackers), otsumami (snacks). That's Main Street.

00:22:13 John Daub: Around the parking lot, then lunch spot. Boat came in yesterday. Digging tropical trees. Monument to Commodore Perry, who came in black ship from San Francisco to open Japan—threatened force. Stopped here at whaling town with Nathaniel Savory from Boston, who set up colony in 1830. Perry made him governor in 1853. Love the history. Ship in—turquoise Bonin Blue water. Galapagos of the East. Diving boat in—I'll be underwater day after tomorrow with two cameras, one loaned from Simon (Sony RX100 Mark V)—thanks, bringing it back in one piece, 35m down.

00:24:52 John Daub: No big spiders yet. Those aren't bananas. Commemorative rock for Perry—paid $50 for property, made Savory governor. Memorial erected 1996—he visited June 14, 1853. Island was international; 1870, Tokyo naturalized colonists. Talking to Savory descendant—family still big here. Looking back at Main Street—that's it. Italian restaurant. Heart Rock Cafe—famous for shark burger (same burger, same means shark), 500 yen or 1,100 yen set with fries/drink. Daimiki (very popular). Curry rice too. Recommended gourmet spot—shark burgers unique here. Scuba divers everywhere. Diving capital—come if certified. Diving with dolphins, maybe humpback whale.

00:30:35 John Daub: Beautiful day—finishing scripts, interviews, drone spots (rules strict—town off-limits, hire specialist). Ogasawara hashinaga uguisu (long-tailed bush warbler)—makes that doo-doo-doo sound. Restaurant disguised as house—island foods. Lunch ends 1:30—it's 1:15, five more minutes, I'm hungry. Ramen here last night good. Kagayate shop—cheap eats. Soccer team eating. Konnichiwa—people friendly, many from ferry. Meet folks on ferry—they'll help. Izakaya street behind—Bar Creon, good seafood.

00:33:16 John Daub: Soccer team passed—no drama. Other manhole cover—dolphins, coral reef—my favorite. Japanese Manhole Association calls fans "manholers"—shout it out! Cool parking lot. Izakaya with sushi, local sake—open lunch. Big menu, manga—dinner maybe. Retro ads. Izakaya till late—cool nightlife. Banana tree. Houses—population increasing, people want to live here. Steps to shrine? Good Italian—Aberghese Sato. Sophisticated compared to Aogashima, Hachijojima, Nijima—everything compact, diverse.

00:39:53 John Daub: Boat from Tokyo $230-250 economy—not cheap, but fun ride, 24-hour lounge food, restaurants. Slept like a baby. Bus sparse—prefer motorbike for freedom. Ferry lifeline. Hotel only one available—through tunnel (pedestrians only). Kenny at hotel super friendly—gave free Modelo beer, craft beers in vending machine. Left island for school, returned two years ago to help parents—first hotel on island 50 years ago, historical vibe.

00:51:32 John Daub: Thanks—heading for shark burger, maybe film episode. Lunchtime—hit like! Love bringing you tropical island. More lives, Instagram shark burger report. See you next time.