Laid-back Japanese

Your host Ty talks about yokai in Japan, what they are, and the common ones that most people will know about. Knowing some basic yokai is really helpful for your ability to pick up references to them with your friends and in media! You can check out the NativShark lesson about them here: https://app.nativshark.com/lessons/yao-guai-japanese-monsters What yokai do you think are really interesting or...

Your host Chie talks about using chopsticks in Japan, and things you should watch out for. There's more than you think!! Do you use any cool chopsticks? (And are they the right size??) Come show us in the NativShark community: https://www.nativshark.com/community Show notes: https://laidbackjapanese.com/lbjp_shownotes/ Youtube version here: https://youtu.be/M1v1PJwk-p4 Want to learn Japanese a...

Your host Chie talks about hairstyles and how they're referred to in Japanese^^ What's your favorite hairstyle called in Japanese? Come tell us in the NativShark community: https://www.nativshark.com/community Show notes: https://laidbackjapanese.com/lbjp_shownotes/ Video version available here: https://youtu.be/LIokxWxTTpA Go check out the Japanese-only version as well! https://youtu.be/f...

Your host Chie talks about the rainy and typhoon season in Japan, and what you should do whether you live here or are just visiting. What's your go-to for staying dry during the rain? Or do you hole up and avoid going outside at all? Come tell us in the NativShark community: https://www.nativshark.com/community Show notes: https://laidbackjapanese.com/lbjp_shownotes/ YouTube version here: http...

Your host Chie talks about nerimono, or Japanese paste products, usually fish paste products. I promise they're better than they sound! LBJP is a podcast for Japanese learners aimed to provide a laid-back environment to casually learn Japanese as well as get exposed to cultural things or interesting tid-bits you might run into in your studies or while in Japan^^ Have you had some of these neri...

Your Host Chie invites Caleb and Ty to go on a journey through coffee in Japan, and all the best places to get it both the good stuff and the.... convenient stuff. What’s the best coffee in Japan? What do you get if you’re a tourist in Japan? And perhaps most importantly, what’s ベルガモット and why was Ty so wrong about what I thought it was? Youtube: https://youtu.be/ofkFpdp95xE Show notes: http...

Your hosts Niko and Chie talk about walks in Japan and how they're pretty different from the US while showing off their favorite routes. Turns out bicycling is also quite different as well!   Also available on Youtube: https://youtu.be/XvILPx5lmpk What's the best walk you've been on in Japan? Let us know in the NativShark community discord! https://www.nativshark.com/community  Show no...

Join Chie and Niko as they discuss Japanese ice cream, most available in your nearest conbini.    Not-so Laid-back Japanese: https://open.spotify.com/show/5T8pGEBOI8nABp7J2YbDOT Would you eat fish-flavored ice cream?  Let us know in the NativShark community discord! https://www.nativshark.com/community  Show notes: https://laidbackjapanese.com/lbjp_shownotes/japanese-ice-cream-...

Join Chie and Niko in their journey (confusion?) about romance cars, and as they discuss their favorite trains across Japan.  Not-so Laid-back Japanese: https://open.spotify.com/show/5T8pGEBOI8nABp7J2YbDOT What's the coolest train in Japan? Share what you think in the NativShark community discord!  https://www.nativshark.com/community  Show notes:   https://laidbackjapanese.com...

Chie and Niko talk about the wonders of bookstores in Japan, along with some off their favorite books they've found in them. Just how are US bookstores different from Japanese ones?    Not-so Laid-back Japanese: https://open.spotify.com/show/5T8pGEBOI8nABp7J2YbDOT Show notes:   https://laidbackjapanese.com/shownotes/bookstores-in-japan Questions or comments about the episode? Come d...

There are some changes coming to the Laid-back Japanese podcast, one of them being Ty stepping off the podcast. Let's go over Chie and Ty's favorite episodes and have a laid-back chat about it one last time before the new changes kick in! Join the conversation: https://discord.com/invite/ARuA8R7Qeq Get started on your Japanese journey at Nativshark: Show notes: https://www.nativshark.com/tools/usi...

We often talk about learning, but what about how to learn? Chie interviews Ty about his Japanese learning journey and they talk about advice based on his journey and on interactions with so many students in the community. How should I study kanji? What do I do when I feel demotivated? When and what should I study? Join the conversation: https://discord.com/invite/ARuA8R7Qeq Listening to this episo...

Honorifics are a huge part of Japanese and can be the difference of you being formal or polite to someone, or accidentally being rude. Chie and Ty go over them and share their experiences with when and why to use them, and with who. Join the conversation: https://discord.com/invite/ARuA8R7Qeq Get a deeper feeling of this with natural situations and examples: Show notes: https://www.nativshark.com/...

We've gone over the sounds common house animals might say, but how about the ones you see in zoos? Also can you guess where Ty fits in the pun this episode? It has to do with giraffes（笑） Let's talk about all these sounds and more with Chie and Ty. Join the conversation: https://discord.com/invite/ARuA8R7Qeq Never stop learning onomatopoeia with NativShark: Show notes: https://www.nativshark.com...

Chie and Ty continue their two part journey into kitchens with common tools and things to do in the kitchen, along with all the onomatopoeia associated with them. What was your favorite onomatopoeia? Come let us know in the community: https://discord.com/invite/ARuA8R7Qeq Learn even more onomatopoeia in natural situations at NativShark: Show notes: https://www.nativshark.com/tools/using-nativshark...

There's a lot of cool things that tend to be in Japanese kitchens, so let's talk about them with Chie and Ty. Did you know the word that caused Ty a lot of pain for not knowing? If not, save yourself the pain when you start cooking in Japan! Join the conversation: https://discord.com/invite/ARuA8R7Qeq It's always nice to round out the kitchen language with natural practice: https://www.nativshark....

The Laid-back Japanese podcast has been going for one year now! In this episode, Chie and Ty take a look back on the year and talk about the goals they set and the new ones they're setting for this year, both with Laid-back Japanese and their own lives. Thanks for enjoying our podcast and 今年もよろしくお願いします。 Join the conversation: https://discord.com/invite/ARuA8R7Qeq Learn Japanese and g...

Tea is pretty high on the list of things Japan is famous for, but what types are there and how do we talk about them in Japanese? How is tea in Japan different from the US? Sit back, 淹れる yourself some 煎茶, and let's talk about it with Chie and Ty. Learn natural Japanese at: https://www.nativshark.com/lbjp Join the conversation: https://discord.com/invite/ARuA8R7Qeq Show notes: https://www.nati...

Family can be complicated no matter what language you're speaking, but fear not as Chie and Ty break down the Japanese with you and add in how to use some of these words to refer to strangers as well. Get more context with NativShark: https://www.nativshark.com/lbjp Join the conversation: https://discord.com/invite/ARuA8R7Qeq Show notes: https://www.nativshark.com/tools/using-nativshark/lbjp-famil...

When watching most Japanese media, there are some big differences in the ways that females speak Japanese vs how males do. The problem is, people don't really speak like that in real life very often. In this episode, Chie and Ty take a dive into the real differences of male and female speech, which can be hard to notice unless you're paying attention. Get used to these differences with sentences p...

Knowing which word for "I" to use can surprisingly be one of the most confusing aspects of Japanese for some learners, and Ty was no exception. Join Chie and Ty as they talk about their experience and get yourself a better grasp on which one to use when you speak Japanese as well. Stop sounding like a textbook and experience all the pronouns used naturally in NativShark: Show notes: https://www.na...

なぞなぞ nazonazo, or riddles, often have a lot to do with puns in Japanese. Chie and Ty take a look at some of them and Ty breaks his brain trying to guess them. Knowing one or two of these could probably impress your Japanese friends, so let's dive in. Expand your ability to make puns and solve riddles with more vocabulary by signing up with NativShark: https://www.nativshark.com/lbjp Show notes...

Chie and Ty talk about all types of things that will find their way into your mailbox in Japan whether you like it or not. This includes countless チラシ, or flyers, and other things like magnets and bills. There are also good things, like 年賀状 nengajou, (New Year's Cards) too though! Don't wait for the NativShark チラシ and sign up with this link instead to get learning Japanese: Show notes: ht...

What up again, my fellow kids. Today Chie and Ty talk about games that kids in Japan play along with some common games that stay alive even when people are in adulthood. It's pretty interesting to see middle-aged men in business suits playing some of them, honestly. Get more insight on Japanese culture and language thanks to NativShark lessons: https://www.nativshark.com/lbjp Show notes: https://w...

早口言葉 hayakuchi kotoba, or tongue twisters, are fun in no matter what language they're in. Let's look at some common Japanese ones so you can practice and impress your native friends in oddly specific situations. Chie and Ty also break down the meanings and give some pronunciation tips as well. Shadowing native audio is a great way to improve speaking accuracy and speed, do so here: https://www...