Harumichi Shibasaki was nearly 70 years old when he began making YouTube art videos from his home in the Japanese countryside. Five years later, he has more than a million subscribers!
Unlike the loud antics of most top YouTubers, the grandpa has won hearts with his calm, soothing manner.
He has gained many followers around the world thanks to the English subtitles on his videos. In them, he demonstrates painting and sketching methods. Sometimes they feature his grandchildren and two cats.
"Hello. Shibasaki here. How's everyone doing?" the grey-haired teacher says in Japanese, smiling and waving.
He films everything himself, using tripods, lighting and a camera. He says being connected to the world is "like a dream".
"We didn't even have a TV at home when I was a child," he says at his village house, where birdsong fills the air. "As someone from my generation, I didn't expect there would ever be a time like this."
How to paint
Photo: AFP
His videos range from how to paint cherry blossoms to snapshots of daily life, such as cooking bamboo shoots dug up from his garden.
It was Shibasaki's son who first encouraged him to post on YouTube. It was a chance for the teacher with decades of experience to reach a new audience.
"I like teaching, I like chatting with everyone," Shibasaki says.
During the pandemic, his number of subscribers quickly grew.
In one video he showed viewers how to sketch a fluffy cat. He hoped drawing together would help people feel better while stuck at home.
A flood of comments in different languages called the video "calm and relaxing" and said Shibasaki's kind voice had left a warm feeling.
"Viewers say I have a really good voice, but I have no idea why," he laughs.
People say that they like his slow, relaxed speaking, and some people see Shibasaki as a kind of friendly uncle.
A farming family
Shibasaki loved painting from a young age. But because he was the only son of a farming family, he thought he would have to become a farmer too.
However, when he turned 18, he knew he wanted to study art. He rushed to ask his parents' permission while they were hard at work in the rice field.
"They looked back at me and said I should go to art school. I'm so grateful for that."
Shibasaki later became an art teacher. He tried to make his advice easy to understand, just like in his videos. "Painting is fun," he says. "It's interesting, and there's a sense of achievement."
He wants to paint for as long as he can. "When artists get older, their eyesight gets worse, and their hands shake," he says. "I'm going to be 75 soon, so I'll only be able to draw properly for another five years or so. But in the meantime, if I can make paintings, that's what I want to do."
Fun facts
Many kinds of paints can be used to create art. They include watercolours, acrylics and oils. Other artists like working with pencil or chalk. Sometimes charcoal can be used too.
Quick questions
- Which two things might grow in Shibasaki's garden?
- How would you describe Shibasaki's parents?
- How can people around the world understand Shibasaki's videos?
