00:03 John Daub: Wow, look at those colors. Emerald blue sea, beaches, buildings, trees, nature. Oh my. Aloha, my friends. How do you do? That's right, I am in Hawaii. How did I get here? I was on the plane not so long ago, and then I just landed here, and all of a sudden I'm in a completely different world filled with these beautiful lei (flower garlands). Can you believe it?

00:33 John Daub: This is paradise. I cannot believe it. Just driving here from the airport, so many things—I feel overwhelmed. My wife is trying to call me while I'm doing a live stream. This is crazy. We've already eaten breakfast. Big shout out to Brandani and Michael who might be here—I'm not allowed to show them. So if you see Michael chatting, he's really far away. So it's all good.

01:08 John Daub: The signal is going straight to the phone, right? I'm going to be here for a few days, filming an episode for the Only in Japan main channel. I found there's an incredible connection between Hawaii and Japan—more than one thing, several things. So much synergy, there'll be a lot of episodes over the next year or two, maybe more as I learn. Bradshaw Studios is in the house. Where exactly am I? I'm in Ala Moana (shopping center). This is Ala Moana Beach right there, and that's Magic Island. I'm going to take you over to the lagoon just on the top of the screen.

02:09 John Daub: It's an absolutely stunning beach. Look at the colors. There's a natural reef a couple hundred meters away that keeps the big waves out, so it's nice for kids. You can see Waikiki right there. What am I doing in Hawaii? Is this real? I have to touch the grass—YouTubers don't show the grass. Look at this—it's nature. Oh my gosh.

02:39 John Daub: Oh wait, hold on. I want to show the sign really quickly. Michael's daughter made this sign—they had it at the airport when they picked me up. Look how beautiful it is, every detail, even the way the Y lines up with the A in the reverse. Thank you, Michael. What's your daughter's name? Jordan. Good job, Jordan. Love it. This place is so beautiful.

03:11 John Daub: This place is a popular barbecue spot in Hawaii, and this is where we're doing the meetup on Tuesday at 5:30 PM to 6. It's not a set event—more casual. Come if you're around; if not, it's okay. I'd be happy to see you. I saw Kristen this morning at breakfast—that was nice. She's on her way to Japan, so I would have missed her. I'm going to take you right through the fronds of this beautiful tree. Look at the waves—what? Surfing waves.

03:53 John Daub: Toro Toro Porco is here—he says please use this towards a meal with Michael and Brandani. Thank you. I think lunch truck is on. We're going to some kichen cars (lunch wagons) or lunch trucks a little later, but we ate so much at breakfast I'm not sure. Maybe some street food right around here. All right, let's take you to that magical lagoon. Thank you for that, Toro Toro Porco. I haven't slept in two days—didn't get much on the flights, but it doesn't matter. These lei spelled L-E-I, the flower garlands you wear when you graduate or visit—they smell so good. Handmade by Brandani, Michael, and Kristen made the one I have on. It's kind of heavy—I feel like Mr. T with all those gold necklaces in the 1980s, but made of flowers.

05:26 John Daub: We're walking across here towards the Magic Lagoon in Honolulu, and this is where we do the meetup. Exact spot? Over on the left side near the parking lot. Maybe we'll put a map on Instagram, Discord, and the next YouTube live stream. Wow, this is Hawaii—the Aloha State, the 50th state. Furthest place from where I was born in the continental US.

06:24 John Daub: Oh, this is the lagoon right here. Oh my gosh, absolutely stunning. Look at the color. You ever get tired of this? Are you spoiled rotten, Brandani and Michael, with these colors? I come from dreary, gray, rainy Tokyo—how could you leave this place? Fingers crossed the pocket Wi-Fi is going strong—shout out to Brandani for getting it. Wow, look at this. Hi, June, Ed Lee, Jason, Michael, Mvitoza—I see you guys. Florida next. The lagoon is nice—is the water warm? Oh yeah, it's hot.

07:42 John Daub: Isn't that like a ski lift? We're looking at... pret checker? Oh, really? Taking you into the Hawaiian marina. Photos are having a... daking? This is what the beach looks like, which has fissures. It's burning—you guys are coming in the water. Joy over in the Philippines, I'm now going in the Pacific—if you enter the Pacific too, we're connected by water. Enjoy being in the Philippines. Oh, it's nice. This is Hawaiian water—look how clear. Unbelievable, I'm in Hawaii. Jerry's welcoming me—thank you, Jerry.

09:00 John Daub: Sour right's in here—it's not that clean really, but I can see the bottom. Do you know what it looks like in the Sumida River? Jay, have you seen the Sumida River? That's not that clean either. Oh my gosh, this feels great. What's really nice about this beach—you see right there, that's Diamond Head. Ala Moana is the dirtiest beach in Hawaii—guess what? The dirtiest beach in Hawaii is the best beach for somebody from Tokyo, Japan. Maybe not for somebody from Hawaii, but this is stunning.

09:58 John Daub: What do you guys have any questions? I'm here to film one episode in particular for the main channel, got a second episode I'm working on, and some scenes for others. Hawaii was pivotal to make a couple of the documentaries—got some half-hour-long ones coming later, needed scenes from here. My friend got an ear infection from swimming there—I'm not putting my ear in, but this is amazing. I can't believe I'm in Hawaii. John just stays for 20 minutes—"I can't believe I'm in Hawaii"—makes a pretty good stream. Hey Nicholas Leysak, hope you enjoyed. See you in the next one. We're gonna take that to the food trucks, work on my gut. This is a postcard right here.

11:08 John Daub: The radio station is broadcasting right into the microphone—you're welcome. Go crash them—they'll get copyrighted music. Hey, look at pigeons—look at that white pigeon. Hey, do you guys know this pigeon in Tokyo? Ever meet a crow named Toby? They don't know much about the politics of Tokyo bird life, but look at the way they stay in the shadow of the fronds. Hawaii's Toby—Hawaiian Toby's right here.

13:01 John Daub: Hawaii is the 50th state—1959. Seems like it took an awful long time to decide that, huh? Don't you think they could have decided a little earlier? 50 stars is a nice round number. Who was the hesitant one—locals or federal government? Hawaii is as beautiful as it looks—it feels the same. Not that hot actually, because there's a trade wind right now, really nice breeze. When I got off the plane it was pretty humid—like the plane's dry, then you get moist Hawaiian air, really fresh—Pacific.

14:12 John Daub: Oh really, surf competition? Yes please. I was Instagram chatting with our friend Eric Surf6 right before the airplane, and he said I had to get surf lessons on Waikiki Beach—like six times. So I guess that's what I have to do, depends on time. Could not stay at a resort because my wife is not here—stuck at a business hotel, but it's quite nice. Look at that cruise ship out there. What's that beach over yonder? Duke's Beach? Oh, there's a competition for kids—they're better than adults, out there surfing. This is Magic Island—I live across the street at One Park.

16:11 John Daub: When I arrived, shout out to the immigration and customs officers at Honolulu Airport—two or three people said, "Oh, you're that YouTuber!" As soon as I exited, a guy holding a sign—not my name, but he knew it. "Yo, Only in Japan!" So a lot of people in Hawaii watch the show—awesome. They're out there surfing—cowabunga. Greg Brady wiped out here. Waikiki is the one far away where the sand is down there. Waikiki is so beautiful because it's got Diamond Head right there. I did bring some "You Found Me" cards, but they're in the car—if you come and find me, take an IOU and comment 5:30 Tuesday to this exact point.

18:03 John Daub: Back in the 1950s, if you got a postcard from Hawaii, it'd always have Waikiki with Diamond Head in the background. I'll probably do something from Waikiki tomorrow or the day after. Staying at a hotel not too far—maybe four minutes walking. Come to Kailua. Looks really clean to me. On Google Maps, you'll see Magic Lagoon and part of Magic Island—nice place. I can see why people get enchanted and move here. Reminds me quite a lot of Ogasawara (remote Tokyo island you reach by ferry, 24 hours out in the Pacific)—just without the buildings, with the nature. Beaches look similar, same wispy clouds, emerald blue water—bone blue almost deeper. Hawaii equal Okinawa? Sort of—both have strong local traditions. But Hawaii is a completely different experience—this is America, blows me away. My country, right in the middle of the Pacific.

21:10 John Daub: Flight was seven and a half hours—pretty good. Ordered gluten-free meal—better than what others got. Instead of rice, tofu mousse with cauliflower—amazing. ANA staff announce it loudly: "Gluten-free meal!" Everybody knows I'm a dietary freak. But when the meal came, they wished they had special ones. Advice: always get the special meal—next time try kosher or Jain meal, looked good. Usually don't eat on airplanes anyway.

23:49 John Daub: Jennifer, aloha—welcome to Hawaii with us. The wind really picked up—amazing place. Rest of the day, I've done scouting and set up for tomorrow's shoot. Tomorrow morning filming at a restaurant, then next day scouting and B-roll for the episode—good one for the main channel, hope to release in July. Alright everybody, hope you have a good day and night. I'm outta here—gonna drive up and down the main street with the radio blasting? Brandy's got one of those cars that goes up and down. Ala Moana, this area called Magic Island specifically. Surfing competition over there—pretty cool. I'll be back in another live stream later—Patreon Q&A from the hotel room tonight or tomorrow morning. Thanks, Jennifer, for the spam fund—gonna get some musubi (rice ball snack), take a picture. See everybody. Mahalo.