About
Angela An is not just another travel vlogger. Through her YouTube channel “internationally ME,” the New Zealand-raised creator carefully constructed a brand that stands in direct opposition to the sensationalized, viral-bait content that often defines Japan in Western media. Her narrative is one of depth over spectacle, focusing on the “real raw Japan” found not in Tokyo’s neon glow but in the quiet dignity of its countryside. This carefully cultivated authority became the bedrock for a multi-faceted business, transforming a personal passion project into a tangible enterprise that now, from a new base in Los Angeles, is poised for its next evolution.
internationally ME: History and Growth
The foundation for “internationally ME” was laid long before the channel’s creation on October 20, 2015. Angela An, a Japanese-Chinese New Zealander, first visited Japan as a high school student and developed a profound connection that led her to move there after graduating from university around 2016. Her channel was born from a specific mission, articulated in a 2021 interview with Tokyo Weekender: to counteract the “wacky” perception of Japan by showcasing the “everyday things” she had come to love.
Her early content, reflected in a historical Twitter handle @NZ2JAPAN, chronicled her personal journey. However, her profile received a significant boost from her participation in the Odigo 47 Prefectures Project circa 2016. This large-scale campaign, organized by the travel website Odigo, placed her alongside the most prominent English-speaking “J-vloggers” of the era, including Kim Dao, Chris Broad of “Abroad in Japan,” Rachel and Jun, and the project’s organizer Chris Okano, who would later found the major influencer agency Tokyo Creative. This collaboration integrated her into a powerful network and solidified her legitimacy within the niche.
By April 26, 2021, when the Tokyo Weekender feature was published, the channel had grown to 248,000 subscribers. But the most significant milestone had already occurred. In August 2019, An transitioned from creator to entrepreneur, co-founding the Akita Inaka School. The most recent major development in her career is a geographical one; around 2023-2024, after years based in Tokyo, she relocated to Los Angeles, California, a move signaled by her updated Instagram bio.
internationally ME: Content and Style
The channel’s evolution mirrors An’s own journey from discoverer to expert guide. Early videos from 2015-2017 adopted a personal, direct-to-camera vlog format, with An explaining her story and motivations. Over time, the production quality sharpened dramatically. The content shifted from personal logs to polished, documentary-style travelogues, a change underscored by the crediting of professional collaborators like videographer Mari Wash in video descriptions.
The core strategy, however, has remained steadfast: a focus on “lesser-known areas of Japan” to encourage travel “off the beaten path.” Instead of Tokyo and Kyoto, her lens turns to prefectures like Tottori and Yamanashi. Her content prioritizes cultural storytelling over simple tourism. “My passion for Japan’s countryside and the people who live and work there,” she told Tokyo Weekender. “I like to tell their stories…if I go to a ramen shop, I will share my thoughts on the food but also interview the obachan [elderly woman] who works there.” This human-centric approach is the channel’s defining characteristic, building an audience that seeks authentic connection, not just a travel checklist.
How internationally ME Makes Money
Angela An has systematically translated her digital authority into a diversified set of revenue streams, anchored by a physical, brick-and-mortar business.
Her primary entrepreneurial venture is the Akita Inaka School. Co-founded in August 2019 with Sayaka, creator of the “Take me to Japan” platform, the school is the ultimate manifestation of the “internationally ME” brand. Located in the town of Kosaka, Akita Prefecture, it operates out of a former elementary school that had been shuttered since 2013, revitalizing a community building. The curriculum combines practical Japanese language lessons with deep cultural immersion through activities like farm stays, cooking with local residents, and participating in regional festivals. It is a business built entirely on the philosophy her channel has championed for years.
Beyond the school, An monetizes her expertise directly. She offers personalized, one-hour online travel consultations via Zoom, advertised through her email, [email protected], for a fee. She has also leveraged brand partnerships, such as a sponsored immersive tour experience in Minobusan with the company StayJapan.
Direct audience support has been facilitated through a Patreon page, where she offered patrons rewards like early access to videos. As of September 2024, the page is inaccessible to the public, suggesting it is either inactive or private. These ventures supplement the standard AdSense revenue generated by her 270,000 subscribers and over 31 million total views.
internationally ME's Collaborations
An is a deeply integrated member of the “J-vlogger” community. Her involvement in the Odigo 47 Prefectures Project was a foundational networking experience, creating professional ties with the niche’s most influential creators. This collaborative spirit has continued throughout her career. She has been featured in videos by other major channels like “Life Where I’m From,” collaborated with creators like DogaTV on a video in Kyoto, and, as her production quality increased, brought on professional talent like videographer Mari Wash to work on her own channel’s content. These relationships demonstrate a career built not in isolation but within a well-established network of creators focused on Japan.
internationally ME: Public Reception
A thorough review of the public record reveals no verifiable controversies, legal issues, or negative incidents associated with Angela An or the “internationally ME” brand. Her public persona is one of professionalism and focused expertise. This clean record is reinforced by disambiguation research, which confirms her distinct identity from other public figures with the same name, including a WBNS-10TV news anchor in Ohio and a marriage therapist in Los Angeles.
The most significant piece of public reception is the 2021 Tokyo Weekender profile, which positioned her as an authority on authentic Japanese travel. The feature amplified her core message, presenting her as a thoughtful creator dedicated to a more nuanced and respectful portrayal of the country, a reputation that has become her brand’s most valuable asset.
internationally ME Today
Angela An’s career represents a strong example in building a modern creator business. Starting with a clear, differentiated content strategy, she cultivated a loyal audience by delivering on a promise of authenticity. She then successfully parlayed that digital trust into tangible, real-world ventures that are a direct extension of her online identity. From a vlogger sharing her personal journey to the co-founder of a language school and an expert consultant, her trajectory has been one of deliberate, strategic growth. Now based in the global media hub of Los Angeles, Angela An has positioned “internationally ME” not just as a YouTube channel, but as a durable brand with a truly international future.