Japanese grandpa turns accidental YouTube star with ‘warm and peaceful’ art tutorials

Jul 06, 2022 | News On Japan

Jul 06, 2022 (South China Morning Post) - Harumichi Shibasaki was nearly 70 when he began making YouTube art tutorials from his quiet home in the Japanese countryside. Five years on, he has 1.4 million subscribers.

Unlike the attention-grabbing antics of most top YouTubers, the grandfather has won hearts with his calm, soothing manner, which fans say makes them feel “warm and peaceful”.

He has also built a global following thanks to the English subtitles on his videos demonstrating painting and sketch techniques, which sometimes feature his grandchildren and two cats.

His videos range from how to paint cherry blossoms to snapshots of daily life, such as cooking bamboo shoots dug up from his garden.

Takaichi Gets 5 Hours Sleep for 'First Time in a While'

Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi has drawn criticism over a social media post describing five hours of sleep as a rare luxury, as the extended Diet session prepares to begin Upper House debate on a controversial bill to establish secondary capitals outside Tokyo.

Japan Introduces Stricter Penalties for Drunk Driving

Japan began applying a new numerical alcohol threshold for dangerous driving offenses on July 21, introducing a clearer standard for cases involving impaired driving that could lead to fatal accidents.

Mount Fuji Filmed From a Helicopter

Breathtaking 4K footage filmed from a helicopter offers a sweeping aerial view of Mount Fuji and its majestic surrounding landscape.

Japan Scrambles for Oil

A covert network of shuttle tankers is carrying crude through the increasingly dangerous Strait of Hormuz as renewed fighting between the United States and Iran disrupts shipping and raises concerns over how Japan will secure the oil it needs.

Russia Calls Japan-Ukraine Drone Cooperation a Clear Hostile Act

Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Andrey Rudenko has criticized moves by Japanese and Ukrainian companies to cooperate on drone technology, warning that such ties would be regarded by Moscow as a "clear hostile act."

MEDIA CHANNELS

MORE Entertainment NEWS

Tokyo’s Broadway: The Forgotten Cinema District

A black-and-white photograph taken in 1955 has revealed how Tokyo's Kinshicho district once resembled a sprawling movie set, with theaters, restaurants and drinking establishments packed into an entertainment quarter that drew crowds from across the city's eastern neighborhoods.

Fandom Takes Japan By Storm

Japan’s booming "oshi-katsu" culture, in which fans devote themselves to supporting favorite celebrities, athletes, characters and other interests, has grown into an estimated 3.8 trillion yen market, but some enthusiasts are taking multiple jobs, restricting meals and falling deeply into debt to sustain their spending.