Japan Station: Deep Dives into Japanese Culture, Language & Society

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On this episode of Japan Station , we're talking about train etiquette in Japan. We're covering a recent Japanese survey that lists the 8 most irritating things people do on trains in Japan. 👉Topics Discussed Eight things you shouldn't do on Japanese trains A survey indicating eight annoying things people do on Japanese trains How people in Japan deal with annoying things people do on Japanese tr...

On this episode of Japan Station , Kevin Tarpey joins us to talk about what it was like doing Shikoku's famous 88 Temple Pilgrimmage and why Japan is such a great place for long-distance walking. 👉Topics Discussed Why Japan is such a great place for long-distance walking About the famous Shikoku 88 temple pilgrimmage (Ohenro, お遍路) What it's like walking the 88 temple pilgrimmage How long it to...

On this episode of Japan Station , we learn about traditional Japanese indigo dyeing from Sally Hancox, one of the co-owners of AiAii Worshop & Shop on Awaji island. This is a conversation to dye for! Sorry, I couldn't help myself. 👉Topics Discussed About AiiAii Worshop & Shop About the  aizome  (indigo dyeing) process About farming and preparing indigo for dyeing Why Sally Hancox ended up farmin...

On this episode of Japan Station , we talk about scandals in Japan. My guest Dr. Igor Prusa tells about how scandals in Japan work, how they surface and how entertainers/business people/politicians who get caught in scandals try to deal with them. This is a truly SCANDALOUS episode. Sorry, couldn't resist. 👉Topics Discussed The characteristics of a Japanese scandal About the Noriko Sakai scandal...

This episode was originally released as episode 3 of the  Ichimon Japan  podcast. Today's Question On this episode of Ichimon Japan we ask: Why do Japanese train stations do that? Topics Discussed The train system in rural areas versus urban areas in Japan Trains in Kagoshima and Ishikawa What a Wanmanressha (one man trains) is Unmanned rural train stations Why Japanese train stations use cute son...

On this episode of Japan Station , we talk about the Japanese word  funiki  (雰囲気) and other words that aren't read the way they are written. 👉Topics Discussed About the Japanese word  funiki  (雰囲気) What the correct way to read/pronounce  funiki  is Whether you should read  funiki  as  fun'iki  （ふんいき) or  fuinki  (ふいんき) Why so many people pronounce funiki incorrectly About words lik...

This episode of  Japan Station  is a rebroadcast of episode two of  Ichimon Japan . On this episode of Ichimon Japan we ask: Do Japanese people have longer intestines than Westerners? Topics Discussed Whether Japanese people have longer intestines than Westerners The idea that longer intestines are a result of the Japanese people having a diet centering around rice, grains, and vegetables The inco...

On this episode of Japan Station , we talk about why there's so few trash cans in public places in Japan. Despite what many sources say the 1995 sarin gas attack in Tokyo is not the reason there are so few trash cans in public places in Japan. It's actually more complicated than that. While yes, it is true that there was a reduction in the amount of trash cans in some places in Japan--particularly...

This episode of  Japan Station  is a rebroadcast of  Ichimon Japan  episode 12. On this episode of Ichimon Japan we ask: Why are vegetables so unsulting in Japanese? On this episode we are honored to once again be joined by Kyle Broyles of the Tokyo Splosion podcast and Hard Officers YouTube channel. Topics Discussed Some funny Japanese vegetable-based insults and their (supposed) etymologies What...

On this episode of Japan Station , I break down what the Japanese term "plus alpha" (purasu arufa/プラスアルファ) means and its possible origins. 👉Topics Discussed What does "plus alpha" (purasu arufa/プラスアルファ) mean? How you use the Japanese term purasu arufa プラスアルファ The most popular etymology of the term of purasu arufa Real world examples of purasu arufa in use About what puramaize...

On this episode of Japan Station , Dr. Eric C. Rath joins us to talk all about the history of what may be Japan's most famous cuisine: SUSHI! We discuss its origins, evolution and more! 👉Topics Discussed Where sushi came from Fermented sushi The meaning of sushi Sushi's Chinese origins Shiga Prefecture's funazushi Sushi in the Edo period Sushi in Japan's post war period Sushi in modern times Abou...

On this episode of Japan Station , I talk about my upcoming walk across the island of Kyushu. This fall I will be walking roughly 500 km from Iwakuni in Yamaguchi Prefecture all the way down to Kagoshima as part of what I'm calling the Kyushu Challenge, part three of my ongoing Blind Japan Project. Listen to find out more and please consider coming on as a sponsor or supporting in any way you can!...

On this episode of Japan Station , we're talking about Japanese slang that traces its roots back to Edo and Meiji era street vendors. We're digging into the origins of words like  deka ,  mappo , and even the infamous  yabai . 👉Topics Discussed The etymology/origins of 10 words that trace their origins back to the Edo and Meiji Periods About the meaning and origins of  sakura  (サクラ) About the...

This episode of Japan Station is a re-broadcast of episode 52 of Ichimon Japan.   On this episode of Ichimon Japan we ask: What are gyaru? Topics Discussed What the term  gyaru /gal means/refers to About the word gyaru How the word gyaru was used in Dragonball  by Master Roshi What a  kogyaru /kogal is About the singer Namie Amuro and her role in popularizing the gyaru subculture About Ayumi Hamas...

On this episode of Japan Station , we're talking about vocabulary and phrases related to telling time during the Edo Period! This is a surprisingly deep and interesting topic no matter whether you're learning Japanese or not! 👉Topics Discussed What does  oyatsu  mean? (おやつ) What the origin of the word oyatsu is About the Edo Period time system How to tell time during Japan's Edo Period The nam...

On this episode of Japan Station , we're talking about one of Japan's most iconic foods: mochi. Learn all about the history, lore and consumption practices of this important Japanese food! 👉Topics Discussed About the history and origins of mochi What mochi is About how people eat mochi in Japan About yukimi daifuku/ice cream mochi About kagami mochi Where the word mochi might have come from About...

On this episode of Japan Station , supernatural stories, Japanese folklore, Japanese urban legends and more with Kevin O'Shea, host of the Supernatural Japan podcast. 👉Topics Discussed About the Supernatural Japan podcast About Ikuta Shrine's ghost story About the forest behind Ikuta Shrine in Kobe About exploring spooky places in Japan About the Hakkoda Mountain incident About auspicious animals...

Originally released on 3/21/2024 as pisode 80 of  Ichimon Japan . On this episode of Ichimon Japan we talk about what the best kind of English teaching in Japan is: Eikaiwa, JET Programme (ALT) or university teacher. Topics Discussed What it is like working in an eikaiwa school in Japan What the salary is for an eikaiwa teacher The good and bad about working at an eikaiwa school (private language...

On this episode of Japan Station , I dig into the history of a fascinating example of Japanese slang: gyarandu (ギャランドゥ). This is a Japanese word that means refers to the patch of hair some people have between their belly button and public area. Often called "happy trail" or "belly/stomach hair," in English, gyarandu has a really interesting history that goes back to one of Japan's most popul...

On this episode of Japan Station , I talk to photographer and journalist Michael Magers. Michael has spent over a decade documenting shokunin (artisans/crafworkers) across Japan. During that time has has had many extremely unique expriences such as ama divers, participating in Osaka's infamous Danjiri Festival, and getting tattooed by a traditional Japanese tattoo artist. He talks about those expe...

On this episode of Japan Station , I talk to Kyle Broyles of Pintology Craft Beer & Whisky in Tokyo. In this interview we talk about what it's like running a bar in Tokyo, starting a business in Tokyo, Japanese craft beer and more. 👉Topics Discussed About Pintology Craft Beer & Whisky About running a craft beer bar in Tokyo Japanese craft beer in Tokyo Growing a business in Tokyo Organic marketin...

On this episode of Japan Station , I examine the mysterious origins of the Japanese word for cat: neko. Trust me, there's a whole lot more to say about the topic than you might think! 👉Topics Discussed The etymology of  neko /cat Various theories that try to explain the origins of the Japanese word for cat Whether the Japanese word for cat traces its origins back to Chine/Chinese When cats first...

On this episode of Japan Station , we talk about the many film adaptation of the works of Haruki Murakami, Japan's most well-known and commercially successful novelist. 👉Topics Discussed Why is Haruki Murakami so popular around the world? About the many film adaptations of the books and short stories of Haruki Murakami About the relatability of Murakami's characters About  Hard Boiled Wonderland...

On this episode of Japan Station , we talk about oden, one of Japan's most popular winter foods. 👉Topics Discussed What is oden? Where to buy oden in Japan? What are the common igredients of oden? The history of oden Where the name oden came from About dengaku About regional varieties of oden Whether oden tastes good Should you try oden? What is konjac? Our favorite oden ingredients About the inf...