Just Japan Podcast

In Episode 104 of the Just Japan Podcast, host Kevin O'Shea chats with Derek Winston, the editor of the Japan travel and lifestyle website, enablejapan.com. The site covers tourist hot spots in Tokyo as well as places to shop and eat. The site includes stories, reviews and videos. Derek himself is also a very interesting person. Having recetnly retired from the United States Navy, Derek's ship was...

In Episode 103 of the Just Japan Podcast, host Kevin O'Shea talks about being a guest at a wedding in Japan. If you are living in Japan long enough, eventually you will be invited to a wedding. The rules and formalities are very different than in other countries. Kevin talks about the traditions of giving and receiving gifts, when to drink and eat, how to dress and after parties,etc. If you have a...

In Episode 102 of the Just Japan Podcast, host Kevin O'Shea chats with Orrin Heath (DancesWithCranes on YouTube), a 5th year JET (English language teacher) living in northern Kyoto Prefecture. Orrin, an American citizen, lives here in Japan with his wife who is also American. They came to Japan 5 years ago with little experience in the country and language and have since started a family. Their so...

In Episode 101 of the Just Japan Podcast, host Kevin O'Shea chats with Andrew Marston of the "Happy in Japan" YouTube channel. Andrew was on Episode 17 of the Just Japan Podcast in 2014 talking about his epic cycling adventure accross Japan. In this episode he talks about his return to Japan as well as the travel videos he has been producing for his amazing YouTube channel. They are fun, informati...

Just a quick announcement to let you know there will be no new episode of the podcast this week, but have no fear, we'll be back with a new one next week! Until then, check out the home of the podcast at justjapanstuff.com for blog posts and fun stuff about Japan. Also check out our Etsy shop: "Luck of Japan" Shownotes/blog: http://justjapanstuff.com Twitter: @jlandkev Etsy: "Luck of Japan"

100 EPISODES!!!!! Thank You Everyone! In Episode 100 - Part 2 of the Just Japan Podcast, host Kevin O'Shea shares the stories of past guests about their experiences when they first came to Japan. This celebratory episode (Part 2) features some amazing and entertaining stories from past guests as well as Kevin! What's it really like when you move to a country far away from home with a vastly differ...

100 EPISODES!!!!! Thank You Everyone! In Episode 100 of the Just Japan Podcast, host Kevin O'Shea shares the stories of past guests about their experiences when they first came to Japan. This celebratory episode features some amazing and entertaining stories from 15 past guests as well as Kevin! What's it really like when you move to a country far away from home with a vastly different culture? Fi...

In Episode 99 of the Just Japan Podcast, host Kevin O'Shea chats with returning guest Kathryn Spoor about her new Japan-related project! The JQNA podcast is a season-based podcast that tackles different issues about life in Japan, but in a non-standard manner. Kathryn doesn't have a cohost or interview people live. She has a group of people from varying backgrounds discuss some pretty different to...

In Episode 98 of the podcast, host Kevin O'Shea talks to James Winovich, the host of the ALT Insider Podcast and the person behind altinsider.com. James has been in Japan for several years and developed a resource website and podcast dedicated to helping those working in Japan as Assistant Language Teachers (ALTs). He offers a wealth of knowledge and advice geared towards making people better and...

The Just Japan Podcast has a new website! Go check it out. Make sure you bookmark it and share it on your social media: http://justjapanstuff.com/

In Episode 97 of the Just Japan Podcast, host Kevin O'Shea talks to Adam Shaw (SakanaJin on YouTube) about studying Japanese and life in Japan. Adam studied Japanese in the U.K. for a year before coming to Japan 4 years ago. Since then he has studied Japanese and is working towards his JLPT (Japan Language Proficiency Test) Level 1. They chat about the importance of learning Japanese, what type of...

In Episode 96 of the Just Japan Podcast, host Kevin O'Shea speaks with Anthony Joh about finding work in Japan. Anthony is the editor of the GaijinPot website. GaijinPot has the biggest English-language job board in Japan and is an important place to visit if looking for work in a variety of industires in Japan. GaijinPot is also known for its blog that shares information about culture and life in...

In Episode 95 of the Just Japan Podcast, host Kevin O'Shea chats with Jay Dee Archer. Jay Dee is a Canadian who has been living and working in Japan for more than 10 years. Jay Dee and his family have decided that it is time for them to make the move back to his home in Canada. Some expats choose to stay in Japan premanently, but most eventually transition back to their own countries after living...

In Episode 94 of the Just Japan Podcast, host Kevin O'Shea talks about New Year's traditions in Japan. New Years is the most important holiday of the year for Japanese people. Kevin talks about some traditions such as ringing in the New Year with 108 bells, the O-Sechi meal, special money for children, New Year's cleaning, mochi, soba noodles on New Year's Eve and the first visit to the shrine on...

In Episode 93 of the Just Japan Podcast, host Kevin O'Shea chats with returning panelists Hikosaemon and Jenny Silver about living in Tokyo, Japan's largest city. Life in Tokyo is certainly different than in other parts of Japan. It's bigger, more crowded, maybe more expensive, but it's also more exciting and has more ammenities than other parts of the country. Kevin chats with two people who have...

In Episode 92 of the Just Japan Podcast there's a party! A Christmas Party! Guests Steve Miller of the Asia News Weekly Podcast, Mully of the Mully's Place Podcast and Kathryn and Russ of the Kitty Does Japan YouTube channel join the podcast for the 2nd annual Christmas Party Podcast! Learn about Christmas in Japan and Korea. How do people celebrate the occasion? What do they eat and what do they...

In Episode 91 of the Just Japan Podcast, host Kevin O'Shea speaks with returning panelists Brian Waters and Jim Mullins about being foreigners in Japan married to Japanese women. How do cutlural differences between make international marriages more challenging? What do the parents of a Japanese woman think about her marrying a foreign man? This week's guests share their tories and some of their in...

In Episode 90 of the Just Japan Podcast, host Kevin O'Shea speaks with two long term expats in Japan about teaching adults English. Returning guests Liam Carrigan and Kenny Hanna stop by to talk about the adult English language industry in Japan. How challenging is it to find jobs in this branch of the ESL market? How does it differ from teaching children? What are the advantages and disadvantages...

In Episode 89 of the Just Japan Podcast, host Kevin O'Shea chats with Andrew Higgins about Gundam. Andrew tells us about the iconic Japanese animation series. What is Gundam? How popular is it here in Japan as well as abroad? Andrew also talks about building Gundam model kits as the giant life-sized Gundam mech at the Gundam Museum in Tokyo. This week's episode also features the Just Japan Podcast...

In Episode 88 of the Just Japan Podcast, host Kevin O'Shea chats with kendama player Ryan Cabal "rysofunny" on Instagram about the traditional Japanese trick toy, the kendama. Ryan is an American living in South Korea and a kendama enthusiast. He talks about his background as a kendama player, his frequesnt trips to Japan to participate in events as well as the kendama community in Japan, Korea an...

In Episode 87 of the Just Japan Podcast, host Kevin O'Shea chats with returning guest Grace Mineta. Also known as a Texan in Tokyo on YouTube, Grace is an accomplished cartoonist, blogger and jvlogger (Japan YouTuber). Grace talks about her origins as a cartoonist, the cartoons she draws here in Japan and how she has published her work over the years. Grace talks about her web published work as we...

Episode 86 of the Just Japan Podcast is all about Halloween. Kevin talks a little bit about the evolution of the Halloween celebration in Japan and we get to hear some spooky tales by "Brother Grimm" Eric Drummond. Eric is a mentalist, performer and parapsycologist based out of Japan. Happy Halloween to all of the amazing Just Japan Podcast listeners out there! "Luck of Japan" Etsy shop: https://w...

In Episode 85 of the Just Japan Podcast, host Kevin O'Shea talks with Japan-based writer Baye McNeil. A returning guest, Baye is a Japan Times columnist and author of " Hi! My Name is Loco and I am a Racist" and "Loco in Yokohama." Baye talks about making the transition from blogger to novelist as well as self-publishing and promoting your written work. How do you get your book out there and how d...

In Episode 84 of the Just Japan Podcast, host Kevin O'Shea chats with two long-term expats living in Japan. Pee Jay and Scott join the podcast to talk about Fall in Japan. They chat about the seasonal changes, fashion, seasonal food and beverages, momiji as well as Halloween. They also answer listener questions in the "Mail Bag" portion of the show. Do Japanese people like sweets as much as Wester...

In Episode 83 of the Just Japan Podcast, host Kevin O'Shea chats with Jason from napanjapan.com about Japanese snacks. Japan is known for its amazing selection of wonderful and sometimes strange snack foods and flavors. Tomato sauce and spaghetti ice cream, sweet bean Pepsi and Eggs Benedict potato chips...all realities in Japan! No one knows more about snacks in Japan than Jason, a Canadian based...