| Alex Shapiro | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Personal information | |||||||
| Born | Alex Shapiro Los Angeles, California, United States | ||||||
| Occupation(s) | Real estate agent, YouTuber, entrepreneur | ||||||
| Organisation(s) | Blackship Realty, Sekai Studios | ||||||
| Website | tokyoportfolio | ||||||
| YouTube information | |||||||
| Channel | |||||||
| Location | Tokyo, Japan | ||||||
| Years active | 2021–present | ||||||
| Genre(s) | real estate, vlog, comedy | ||||||
| Subscribers | 116 thousand[1] | ||||||
| Total views | 8.34 million[1] | ||||||
| Associated acts | Abroad In Japan, CDawgVA, Sharmeleon | ||||||
| |||||||
Last updated: 1 September 2024 | |||||||
Alex Shapiro, also known online as Tokyo Portfolio, is an American real estate agent, YouTuber, and entrepreneur based in Japan. Shapiro is the Co-founder and COO of Blackship Realty and the host of the YouTube channel Tokyo Portfolio, which showcases Tokyo's most luxurious properties.[2]
The Tokyo Portfolio YouTube channel has amassed over 8.34 million views and approximately 116,000 subscribers as of September 2024, making it the largest English-based real estate channel in Japan.[3]
Personal Life
editBorn in Los Angeles, California, Shapiro spent his entire upbringing in the United States . His interest in Japan was sparked during a high school study abroad program in 2007. He spent a year in Fukuoka, where he developed a deep appreciation for Japanese life and culture. Shapiro credits this initial experience with fostering his enduring fascination with Japan, particularly its distinct societal characteristics compared to those of the United States. He has also cited Japanese cuisine and the convenience of daily life as additional factors that drew him to the country. This early exposure later motivated him to return to Fukuoka as an exchange student at Kyushu University in 2017.[4]
After graduating from Boston University in 2014, Shapiro moved to Kirishima, Japan, where he joined the JET Program as a Coordinator for International Relations (CIR), rather than as an English teacher. In this role, Shapiro was responsible for managing the city's international relations, a task he described as challenging due to the area's limited international engagement.[5]
In March 2016, Shapiro began his career in media, working at a magazine company. Shortly after, in August 2016, he moved to Twentieth Century Fox in Tokyo, where he worked in public relations selling movies and TV shows to a Japanese audience. Upon understanding that the company was going to be bought out, Shapiro realized he wanted to switch occupations. He notes that after visiting the Nakameguro area of Tokyo, he realized that there is a niche in the real estate market helping foreigners find properties in Tokyo.[6] This realization led him to join a real estate company in 2018, where he would work for three years.
YouTube Channel
editIn February 2021, Shapiro launched the YouTube channel Tokyo Portfolio to showcase Tokyo's most luxurious properties. His first video, filmed in Setagaya, Tokyo, quickly gained traction, fueling his passion for content creation.[7] Since its inception, Tokyo Portfolio has amassed over 8 million views and nearly 120,000 subscribers.[8] The channel frequently features collaborations with prominent Japan-based YouTubers such as Abroad in Japan, CDawgVA, and Sharmeleon, where Shapiro combines his carefree and comedic presentation style with real estate expertise.[9][10][11]
Tokyo Portfolio, also known as Alex Shapiro, has been featured in numerous news outlets, including The Japan Times, Tokyo Weekender, and the Australian Broadcasting Corporation.[12][13][14]
Entrepreneurial Path
editIn October 2021, while Shapiro was working on the Tokyo Portfolio YouTube channel, he co-founded Blackship Realty with his Japanese business partner Yasuharu Matsuno.[15] Based in Hiroo, Tokyo, the company specializes in high-end real estate for expatriates in Japan’s major cities, operating both its office and website under the Tokyo Portfolio brand.[16]
References
edit- ^ a b "About Tokyo Portfolio". YouTube.
- ^ "Our Team - Blackship Realty". www.blackshiprealty.com. 2022-04-01. Retrieved 2024-09-02.
- ^ "Tokyo Portfolio's YouTube Stats and Insights - vidIQ YouTube Stats". vidiq.com. Retrieved 2024-09-02.
- ^ Unpacking Japan (2024-03-01). Tokyo Portfolio explains why Japanese housing is so cheap @TokyoPortfolio. Retrieved 2024-09-02 – via YouTube.
- ^ "Tokyo Portfolio's YouTube Stats and Insights - vidIQ YouTube Stats". vidiq.com. Retrieved 2024-09-02.
- ^ Unpacking Japan (2024-03-01). Tokyo Portfolio explains why Japanese housing is so cheap @TokyoPortfolio. Retrieved 2024-09-02 – via YouTube.
- ^ Tokyo Portfolio (2021-02-01). Inside a $1,200,000 Modern House in Tokyo | TOKYO PORTFOLIO HOME TOURS. Retrieved 2024-09-02 – via YouTube.
- ^ "Tokyo Portfolio's YouTube Stats and Insights - vidIQ YouTube Stats". vidiq.com. Retrieved 2024-09-02.
- ^ ConnorDawg (2022-07-14). Looking For a New Apartment in Tokyo. Retrieved 2024-09-02 – via YouTube.
- ^ Abroad in Japan (2020-10-24). What a $20,000/Month Japanese Apartment is Like | Tokyo Home Tour. Retrieved 2024-09-02 – via YouTube.
- ^ Sharmeleon (2023-05-22). How Expensive is Renting an APARTMENT in TOKYO, JAPAN? 🇯🇵 💰. Retrieved 2024-09-02 – via YouTube.
- ^ Michel, Patrick St (2022-07-04). "YouTube escapism offers a glimpse of Japan's luxurious life". The Japan Times. Retrieved 2024-09-02.
- ^ Shapiro, Alex (2022-08-16). "Is Now the Time to Buy Property in Tokyo?". Tokyo Weekender (in Japanese). Retrieved 2024-09-02.
- ^ "The four unique ways Tokyo approaches housing can offer lessons for Australia". ABC News. 2023-08-31. Retrieved 2024-09-02.
- ^ "About Us - Blackship Realty". www.blackshiprealty.com. Retrieved 2024-09-02.
- ^ Tokyo Portfolio (2024-04-21). I Opened a Real Estate Agency in Japan | TOKYO PORTFOLIO. Retrieved 2024-09-02 – via YouTube.