To the average passerby, Connor Colquhoun looked like an unfortunate cyclist caught in torrential rain.

To the tens of thousands tuning in from around the world to his livestream, however, “CDawgVA,” as Colquhoun is known online, was a man on a mission as he rode the entire perimeter of Kyushu, from Fukuoka to Kitakyushu, with an array of streaming devices hanging off him and his bicycle.

Throughout numerous 500 meter hill inclines, technical streaming issues, bicycle accidents and McDonald’s pit stops, 19,000 of Colquhoun’s “weebs” as they are affectionately known, stayed with him for over eight hours a day via on-screen chat. They participated in banter, stream shenanigans and most of all, donated toward the Immune Deficiency Foundation (IDF) that has helped Colquhoun’s friend and fellow streamer Ironmouse with her long-term illness.

At the end of the nine-day ordeal, Colquhoun and cycling partner Chris Broad (of the Abroad in Japan YouTube channel) conquered over 950 kilometers and, together with their online communities, raised more than half a million dollars for charity.

Livestreaming is not a new concept. However, what was once seen as a niche, gaming-oriented space online is now gaining ground in mainstream social media. Instagram, YouTube and TikTok all have live broadcasting among their array of content creation tools, but Twitch (owned by Amazon) continues to reign supreme as the destination for streamers and their viewers to connect.

Twitch and other livestreaming platforms have seen massive increases in both viewership and hours broadcast by streamers since 2019. | REUTERS
Twitch and other livestreaming platforms have seen massive increases in both viewership and hours broadcast by streamers since 2019. | REUTERS

Livestreaming as a genre skyrocketed during the pandemic. Total Twitch viewership in 2020 was up 67.36% from 11 billion hours in 2019 to 18.41 billion hours. Broadcast hours also increased by 76.2%, from 431 million hours to over 761 million hours during that same time period.

“From an entertainment perspective, it’s not as condensed as a YouTube highlights video, but part of what makes it fulfilling are the human interactions,” says Colquhoun. “The chat functionality also keeps the feeling of community.”

Colquhoun’s cross-Kyushu cycling trip was not his first rodeo with streaming “IRL” (short for “in real life”). In 2022, he attempted a similar feat cycling across Hokkaido, also raising $350,000 (about ¥48 million) for IDF. Colquhoun’s other IRL feats include a four-day, cross-country RV road trip stream that was shot completely in 4K as well as a first-person perspective of his first time skiing the mountains of Rusutsu, Hokkaido.

Other prominent Japan-based IRL streamers include Kaho Shibuya, who broadcasts live from anime and gaming exhibitions, giving her community an insider’s look at an event they might not otherwise be able to attend. Ali Foster (an American who streams as “Starbitzy;” Foster chose not to give her real name out of privacy concerns) takes her viewers down the rabbit hole of barcades and local izakaya (traditional Japanese pubs). Last year, Australian variety streamer Josh Coultas, who streams under the name “JoshinJapan,” hosted the first multistream IRL cooking competition of its kind in Japan. And at the time of writing this article, Australian cycling streamer Rob Dee has cycled more than 2,200 kilometers of distance in Japan on his monthlong cycling trip and “ran out of Japan to cycle.”

Seen at her home studio, Kaho Shibuya believes streaming to viewers outside Japan helps her appreciate elements of living in Japan she would otherwise take for granted. | COURTESY OF KAHO SHIBUYA
Seen at her home studio, Kaho Shibuya believes streaming to viewers outside Japan helps her appreciate elements of living in Japan she would otherwise take for granted. | COURTESY OF KAHO SHIBUYA

Different kinds of IRL streams come with different requirements based on stream duration, type of activity, location and the streamer’s own investment into the technology and logistics. For streamers that head into the countryside, research on cell towers beforehand is critical to ensure a stable connection throughout the stream. Most agree that NTT Docomo provides the best coverage, but a method called cellular bonding is also used to combine multiple cellular data connections to support a reliable high-definition broadcast.

Streamers must be equally concerned with their own hardware. An IRL stream setup can be as simple as a smartphone and a holding device or as sophisticated as a custom IRL backpack equipped with video encoders, external batteries, a high-definition camera and more. An off-the-shelf solution from the company Unlimited IRL starts at $2,695 (about ¥360,000).

While tech and preparation is important, the core of livestreaming is to create content that entertains your viewers — in Japan, that can be as easy as stepping outside.

“Japan is such a popular destination,” says Shibuya, 31. “As a native, I feel like I can showcase with confidence what Japan has to offer through IRL streaming. It’s easy for me to look things up, especially more obscure locations, and I can tell my viewers really enjoy exploring with me.”

Shibuya has taken her viewers to places in Saitama and Shizuoka prefectures, which may not be high up on most travelers’ must-see lists in comparison to metropolitan Tokyo. When streaming, she typically has her camera facing toward herself, even though Shibuya identifies as an introvert who spends most of her time at home. To her, streaming provides an opportunity to go out and explore while also spending time with her fans.

“Living here, you sometimes take things for granted,” Shibuya says. “So it’s nice when my viewers notice the little things that make the country special as it reminds me to appreciate Japan more.”

Far from the stereotype of the manic gamer, Rob Dee often treats his veiwers to sweeping shots of the Japanese countryside in streams more often suited to passive viewing. | COURTESY OF ROB DEE
Far from the stereotype of the manic gamer, Rob Dee often treats his veiwers to sweeping shots of the Japanese countryside in streams more often suited to passive viewing. | COURTESY OF ROB DEE

In contrast, Dee’s typical long-distance cycling streams feature views of sweeping landscapes of the Japanese countryside peppered with his observations.

“My streams tend to be more chill and laid back as this allows me to be consistent,” says Dee, 29. “Since going full time in August 2019, I have been streaming five to six days a week, and I haven’t yet felt burnt out. Most of my viewers will have me on their second monitor as they’re playing a game or studying or working — it’s comfortable background noise.”

For better or worse, IRL streaming in Japan creates opportunities for streamers to improvise. Dee recalls cycling through a remote town in Miyazaki Prefecture and meeting an elderly Japanese woman whose daughter was watching his stream from Tokyo. Through Dee’s camera, the daughter was able to see her mother for the first time in five years.

“You can try your best to organize your stream, but as most IRL streamers know, things don’t always go to plan,” Dee says with a laugh.

From technician to commentator, community manager to local travel guide, an IRL streamer must juggle all of these multiple roles at once. This can pose a big risk when it comes to the streamer’s safety — broadcasting their exact location can put a popular streamer at risk, especially in a country where stalking of pop idols and celebrities is not an uncommon occurrence.

In January, a viewer of Shibuya’s stream was able to identify her location from a stream. After Shibuya signed off, the viewer approached her at a train platform as she was about to depart. Shibuya subsequently called this viewer out, to which many content creators and influencers came out in support of Shibuya, condemning such predatory behavior. Shibuya says the perpetrator was very embarrassed afterward.

Kaho Shibuya says she often tries to livestream with a partner in tow to cut down on unwanted interactions from the public. | COURTESY OF KAHO SHIBUYA
Kaho Shibuya says she often tries to livestream with a partner in tow to cut down on unwanted interactions from the public. | COURTESY OF KAHO SHIBUYA

It’s an unfortunate reminder that, safe as Japan may be, certain precautions must be taken when IRL streaming.

“I try not to interact with drunk people, and I don’t go to bars,” Shibuya says. “It can be dangerous, especially for women. When I’m streaming in Tokyo, I always try to do it with someone so I’m not alone.”

Both Coultas and Foster believe that a lot of IRL streamers take for granted the world they are in, and ignore the fact that strangers on the street may not want to be filmed.

“Japanese people really like their privacy, so what I’ve learned over the past five years of streaming is to keep the camera away from other people unless they say it’s OK,” says Foster. “Japan is one of the safest countries to stream and walk around as a woman. I know that this country is not perfect, but coming from the United States and seeing all the other countries having issues, I’ve never felt more safe to walk around at 3 o’clock in the morning in this country.”

For Ali Foster, filming at bars and other nightlife spots well into the early hours of the morning is more feasible in Japan thanks to how safe she feels as a female streamer. | COURTESY OF ALI FOSTER
For Ali Foster, filming at bars and other nightlife spots well into the early hours of the morning is more feasible in Japan thanks to how safe she feels as a female streamer. | COURTESY OF ALI FOSTER

There has always been an inexplicable charm surrounding Japan, but at the end of the day, the success or failure of a channel is often linked less to which country is in the background and more to who hops in front of the camera.

“IRL streaming is not for the faint of heart,” says Colquhoun. “It takes a certain kind of individual to do it consistently if that is how you want to grow your stream.”