Only you can know where you stand right now.
No one will give you the answers.
“Finding yourself is up to you”
In this column, I will write candidly about my journey in Vancouver.
Success or failure—I will share everything in real time.
I won’t beautify it excessively, nor will I try to look cool.
But I do want to convey the resolve that’s there.
This is not a story that follows “someone else’s correct answer.”
It is a record of one person’s journey, constantly searching for ‘my own answer.’
Do you know who you are?
Actor & Producer / Yutaro Narihara
成原佑太郎 – Yutaro Narihara -（本人提供）
Yutaro Narihara
Began his acting career at age 23 in Japan, working across film, television, theatre, and commercials. Notable credits include starring as Simon in “A 21st Century Man,” leading role as Kentaro Miyamoto in “Kawaguchi Engineering,” and regular appearances on Nippon TV’s “Himitsu no Kenmin SHOW.”
During his studies in New Zealand, he experienced international film sets and became aware of significant differences in working conditions. After relocating to Vancouver in 2024, he continued his acting career in Canada with appearances in ‘If the world goes on’ ’A 21st Century Man’ and ‘StarQuest Energy Drink’.
In September 2025, he produced his first immersive theatre production “STAND” at the Vancouver Fringe Festival 2025.
The production sold out all 6 performances (50 seats per show), providing 300 audience members with a transformative theatre experience.
The project successfully raised approximately $3,200 from 62 supporters through crowdfunding, demonstrating strong community support.
On the Verge of 30, I Couldn’t Find Answers
成原佑太郎 – Yutaro Narihara -（本人提供）
“What do you want to do in the future?”
If you can’t answer this question immediately, it might not be because you “lack goals.”
Actually, I’m one of those people who couldn’t answer when a junior colleague asked me this question.
But it wasn’t that I had no goals.
The reason I couldn’t answer, I think, was that “I didn’t know my current position.”
Looking back, that’s how I understand my past self now.
At 27, on the verge of turning 30, I started thinking, “What kind of 30s do I want to have?” Seven years had passed since I started acting in Japan, experiencing various sets—film, television, theater, commercials.
Still, having lost sight of a clear goal, my days were filled only with part-time work to earn living expenses. Before I knew it, the majority of my time wasn’t spent on acting work, but on part-time jobs.
“Casually auditioning and getting cast…”
Living with that kind of attitude, I lost sight of “Why did I want to become an actor?” and “Why do I continue acting?”—my fundamental passion and motivation.
For me, “Acting is fun, there’s that thrill of being in front of people…” was a lie.
At that time, when asked by my junior “What do you want to do from now on?”, I hastily put together a plausible answer, but it was immediately clear that it wasn’t my true intention.
That incident led to me being taught “how to find yourself” by my junior, in reverse.
成原佑太郎 – Yutaro Narihara -（本人提供）
“What do you value?”
“What do you truly want to do?”
“What can you say you genuinely love?”
As I layered these questions in my heart, I felt my blurred outline gradually taking shape again.
Around that time, I had the opportunity to regularly appear on a television program. Many of the guests I met through the show seemed to have their own axis, walking their paths without hesitation. Witnessing them, I felt pure admiration—a feeling I still clearly remember today.
“Nothing will change if I continue like this.”
“If I don’t set a big goal, I can’t move forward.
To be nominated for an Academy Award.
When I first thought about it honestly, I felt that if I was going to work overseas, I didn’t have much time left. The age limit for a Working Holiday visa was already approaching.
America had high visa barriers and wasn’t a realistic option. On the other hand, I heard that Canada was relatively easier to obtain a visa for, and many Hollywood productions were filmed there.
In February 2024, I finally flew to Vancouver.
If There’s No Place, You Have to Create It
To be honest, after coming to Vancouver, ‘a future as a full-time actor’ was harder to see than I had imagined.
This might not be just my problem. Haven’t you also faced the gap between ideal and reality?
After all, ideals are ideals—reality must be properly confirmed. So, what kind of work could I actually get after starting my activities in Vancouver?
Mostly indie films with short contract periods, or one-off, short-term commercials.
For example, even if I were cast in a drama or film.
Even if that character was a continuing role, I wouldn’t be able to perform due to my visa expiration. In other words, there’s no guarantee I could stay the following year.
Basic Working Holiday visas are for one year (varies by age/conditions). In that case, agents would realistically offer me fewer such jobs.
Also, with my English ability, I realistically can’t get native speaker roles. What’s possible are roles like Japanese characters or students learning English.
So, how many such roles are there? Probably one a year would be good.
And then, I hit another big wall.
The small size of Vancouver’s Japanese community. I felt it even when I was in Japan, but information is really hard to get. Moreover, there are relatively few people disseminating information.
Actually living here, I felt that the Japanese community involved in the film industry was only about 30 people. Furthermore, within that small community, only 2-3 people were consistently launching projects.
In other words, even if there are many people who want to “appear in productions,” if only 2-3 people are creating productions, there’s simply no place to perform.
Have you ever felt that there’s “no place” in your industry? At that time, did you choose to wait? Or did you choose to create?
I chose to create. Or rather, I was “forced to” might be more accurate. But that choice led me to the profession of “producer.”
Only You Can Find Yourself
成原佑太郎 – Yutaro Narihara -（本人提供）
I have a favorite parable.
“The Story of the Young Man Who Couldn’t Reach the Oasis”
A young man was wandering in the desert. He had nothing in his hands, and his throat was parched. Then, he met an elder. Kindly, the elder gave the young man a compass, a map, and a bit of water.
“Alright, I’ll head for the oasis!”
The young man resolved to do so, but in the end, he never reached the oasis.
Why?
Because the young man ‘didn’t know his current position.’
A compass shows you which direction to go.
A map shows you the destination.
But if you don’t know where you’re standing now, you can’t reach your destination.
The 27-year-old me was exactly that young man. The challenge in Vancouver, in other words, is the ongoing process of confirming my current position.
The visa barrier.
The language barrier.
The small size of the Japanese community.
That is my real current position. From that position, I thought about “What can I do?”—and the result was the creation of “STAND.”
That’s why I need to stop and confirm my position multiple times.
If I don’t, before I know it, I won’t even know where I am. At least, that’s how I feel.