Dear NipponPulse.org viewers and supporters,
Thank you from the bottom of my heart for joining me on this incredible journey with NipponPulse.org. This website was a trial, born out of a desire to share my love for Japan in a new way after stepping away from YouTube. I decided to leave YouTube due to the unfair playing field—where people buy fake subscribers and views to manipulate the algorithm. No matter how much time, money, and effort I poured into creating honest content, it was nearly impossible to compete fairly. It was disheartening to see that integrity didn’t always win on that platform.
NipponPulse.org was my attempt to find another way to share stories and showcase the beauty of Japan. After my brain aneurysm operation, the journey even expanded to the shores of Korea, and I loved introducing many of you to this vibrant new place. There were so many more stories from Japan and Korea I wanted to share, but over time, my interest and energy began to wane. The viewership numbers remained low, and the costs of maintaining the site were high. From day one, I was upfront about this being a trial—if the site became a financial burden without enough support in views, I would have to pull the plug.
After giving it a fair run and investing money into it, I’ve decided to stop funding NipponPulse.org. YouTube already cost me thousands of dollars, and I don’t want this site to follow the same path. The subscription will soon cancel, and in time, the site will go dark. However, I’m offering one final lifeline: the annual cost of keeping the site active is just over $200 AUD. If one or more of you would like to see NipponPulse.org continue, you’re welcome to donate to the PayPal account to cover the subscription fee, and I’ll ensure the site stays active for another year.
If no one steps forward to take over the subscription, I want to sincerely thank you for your support of NipponPulse.org and my YouTube channel over the years. I had the privilege of meeting some of you and creating unforgettable memories. Despite the financial cost, these platforms pushed me to travel more than I ever would have otherwise, and for that, I’m truly grateful.
With heartfelt thanks,
Mark