Kintaro Walks Japan

March 17, 2007 on 11:56 pm | In Media | | Email This Post

This is not new, but it’s incredible nevertheless.

This Tyler guy is intense!

Watch the trailer, watch the music video, and go buy the DVD if you’re interested!

Dude walked the length of Japan and made a movie about it.

I’m gonna get it as soon as I get a job again!

I sometimes regret that I haven’t done something as spectacular in Japan yet. My biggest travel adventure has to be the month in Thailand, Cambodia, and Laos, but that was tame compared to this hike. Tame. Heck, I even used buses planes and boats…

I’m really curious though as to who tagged along the whole time to shoot the video…

This guy walked!

- Harvey

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21 Comments »

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  1. Gravatar

    This looks good, guess i’ll have to check it out.

    Comment by Jasper W — March 18, 2007 #

  2. Gravatar

    I saw it first on Yahoo videos then immediately bought the DVD, then read George Meegan’s book (George Meegan in my opinion is the only person who could make the Kintaro walk look tame in comparison). If you love Japan, or are interested in Japan, or love people who just find joy in every moment you must go to the Kintaro website and order this DVD. You will not regret it I promise.

    Comment by K — March 18, 2007 #

  3. Gravatar

    OOOOH MY GOODNESS, bless you Harvey, and K, and Jasper W, thank you for the enthusiam!

    Tyler is sitting next to me editing his next documentary “I Ran Iran”, which you can watch the trailer at http://www.iraniranthemovie.com

    ‘Cho Tanoshii’

    Hey Harvey, we’re going to Tokyo 1,2,3 of April, see you then? Email me your phone number pleease.
    I think I lost it.
    -Ayumi

    Comment by ayumi — March 18, 2007 #

  4. Gravatar

    Alan Booth did it, and wrote beautifully about it. Some crazy Kiwi copied it, and “wote” a bar story about it (McLaclan maybe). This is derivative. Completely unoriginal.

    Comment by Todd — March 18, 2007 #

  5. Gravatar

    I saw the movie on Google video. I think it was about 1 hour in length. It was great to see and I advised some friends to also watch it. Is the DVD any different from the material at Google video?

    Comment by J. — March 18, 2007 #

  6. Gravatar

    Yeah Ayumi let’s hook up in April, I’ll email ya.

    J. I didn’t know it was available on Google Video… I hope Tyler and Ayumi do! Anyway though, I encourage everyone to buy it if you like it, because it’s a totally independent film, and I’m sure the income will help Tyler make more great flicks!

    I’m sure I ran Iran will turn out great as well!

    Comment by harvey — March 18, 2007 #

  7. Gravatar

    I wonder how he managed the visa issue. 4 Months is way longer than a tourist visa.

    Comment by Tadashi — March 19, 2007 #

  8. Gravatar

    Well, he was “Golden Boy”…maybe he got an educational visa.

    Studystudystudystudystudy

    Okay, if anyone understood that joke, yay.

    Harvey, I watched it on Google Video too (it’s linked from the official website), and it was great! I really enjoyed it! I think for me what was really inspiring was how he was so unafraid to talk with random strangers and not worry about not saying things correctly. That is my biggest issue–I don’t want to sound like a n00b, even though I am a n00b, and so I don’t practice nearly as much as I need to.

    The movie was well planned and edited too. It wasn’t just a bunch of clips strung together…it told a real story that was actually quite moving.

    It’s definitely worth buying the DVD. I will do so as soon as all the other things Harvey has convinced me to buy have cleared the bank and I’ve been paid again.

    ;)

    Comment by Heather Meadows — March 19, 2007 #

  9. Gravatar

    Tadashi -> I think he has family in Japan, which would allow him to be on different visa status.

    Comment by harvey — March 19, 2007 #

  10. Gravatar

    There is no hint he has.
    He wasn’t married and the only thing that connects him to Japan are a visit in 2002, that his greatparents were missionaries there and his father was born there as well, but that shouldn’t give him a special visa status.

    Comment by Tadashi — March 19, 2007 #

  11. Gravatar

    Hey Tadashi I just checked it out on Google video, and yeah I don’t know how the visa worked out. Maybe the cops that picked him up gave him a super secret extension in exchange for some Kintaro cards :-)

    Wow that movie was freakin great! Freakin GREAT!

    I feel like such a slacker now!

    Wow. That’s talent. The Kintaro cards were such an excellent idea. I can’t believe I’m gonna meet this guy in April!

    Comment by harvey — March 19, 2007 #

  12. Gravatar

    Hey guys, you can see a video that Lonely Planet made about Tyler here.

    http://www.tylermacniven.com/

    Hey seriously though, the newscaster did not say anything about him having giant balls! The subtitle joke has gone too far!

    Comment by harvey — March 19, 2007 #

  13. Gravatar

    Many people aren’t aware that Japan offers working visas to various kinds of artists, including photographers and filmmakers. Working visas for artists are issued for either 1 or 3 years, and you don’t even need a sponsor if you can adequately convince them that you’ll make money and have enough means to support yourself properly. It probably also helps when you tell them you intend to share with the whole world the beauty of Japan’s people. ^_^ Besides a working visa, he could have gone on a cultural activities visa, which can be for 6 months or 1 year. In fact, I even know of people getting a 6 month visa for the Shikoku 88 temple pilgrimage, even though it shouldn’t take most healthy individuals half that time. Indeed, there are so many ways to get extended visas in Japan that anyone who doesn’t succeed probably isn’t trying hard enough.

    Comment by Michael — March 19, 2007 #

  14. Gravatar

    I should probably mention that cultural activities visas are for things which do not produce income, and are typically intended for things like studying tea ceremony or other traditional arts with an expert. There is flexibility, though, for people who make a compelling case for themselves. Remember Abe’s slogan, “Beautiful Japan.” Since nobody knows what that means, probably not even Abe himself, interpret it however you want when describing how your desired activity contributes to “Beautiful Japan.” ^_^

    Comment by Michael — March 19, 2007 #

  15. Gravatar

    Thanks Michael for sharing this knowledge with us.
    Maybe this could be a way of getting there for me :D

    Comment by Tadashi — March 19, 2007 #

  16. Gravatar

    You’re welcome! It helps that my wife’s uncle works in immigration. He’s been a tremendous resource for me and some of my friends, and really saved my butt when I forgot to get my spouse visa stamped for multiple entry before leaving Japan… *blush*

    Comment by Michael — March 20, 2007 #

  17. Gravatar

    Hey guys, Kintaro Walks the DVD has Japanese and English subtitles, bonus!

    Comment by harvey — March 22, 2007 #

  18. Gravatar

    Thanks Harvey this looks terrific! We’re fans of Tyler anyway since seeing how light hearted he was throughout Amazing Race while so many people got tense and snippy. Will definitely check out the dvd!! :)

    Comment by Jessica — March 24, 2007 #

  19. Gravatar

    Hey Harvey!

    Did you ever meet up with Tyler?

    I just had a little interview with him. In this post he answers the question of how he filmed KWJ:
    http://nipponster.com/dailyj_copy/2007/11/01/the-making-of-the-film-an-interview-with-kintaro-walks-japan/

    I am posting the bulk of the interview tomorrow and will be sure to link to this post too.
    Let me know if you guys met up, yeah?

    Comment by Tori — November 3, 2007 #

  20. Gravatar

    […] one of Daily J’s past interviewees, Harvey at JapanNewbie.com talks about KWJ and Ayumi replies in the the comments section. I just asked Harvey if he ever met up with them like they had talked about doing. If I find out I […]

    Pingback by Daily J » Topic » Wrestling 100 Mongolians! - an exclusive interview with Tyler from hit film Kintaro Walks Japan (and a bit of breaking news) — November 3, 2007 #

  21. Gravatar

    I did meet him! Ayumi did a post about it on her blog!

    Comment by harvey — November 4, 2007 #

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