So Japanese ポッドキャスト

Send us a text Japan is famous for its onsen or hot spring resorts but there’s also sentou or public baths. Learn about about the difference between    sentou and onsen, the perks of super sentou and the touchy subject of tattoos and Japanese bath culture + are there yakuza friendly baths? 日本は温泉で有名ですが、実は銭湯もあります。 銭湯と温泉の違い、スーパー銭湯の楽しい特典、そして、タトゥーと日...

Send us a text Aside from offering decent pre-made meals and favourite snacks or drinks how, how convenient are Japanese convenience stores? Learn about the whole whole range of handy services offered at Japan’s thousands of Conbini! ちゃんとしたお弁当,好きなパンやお菓子などを買える以外で、日本のコンビニの便利なサービスはなんですか?  日本に数千あるコンビニで提供される便利なサービスをエピソードで知...

Send us a text Street level Japanese is back with new episodes! Starting with 10 helpful phrases to know when you next visit Japan, from super formal to street level. We’ll help you sound natural with your Japanese and not like a text book! Street Level Japaneseが新しいエピソードで帰ってきました！日本を訪れるときに知っておくと役立つ、超フォーマルからストリートレベルまでの10の便利なフレーズを紹介し...

Send us a text We’re talking Hanami! Japan’s season for appreciating cherry blossoms aka sakura. Most people are now familiar with hanami and sakura viewing festivities around Japan so we’re focusing on sharing our experiences of hanami from a native POV and a foreigner’s POV. Plus tips on navigating hanami as a tourist and how to avoid those hanami crowds!  今回は花見です！日本を代表する花、英語...

Send us a text What do you do with your old dolls? Burn them!  New years decorations? Have a bonfire !  Otakiage type rituals or ceremonies are unique spiritual events in Japan held during specific holidays or periods. あなたのいらなくなった古い人形はどうしますか？ 燃やしてしまいましょう！ 新年の飾りは？ たき火をして燃やしてもらいましょう！ お焚き上げのような儀式やセレモニーは、特定の休日や期間中...

Send us a text We’re saying good bye to an old friend whose manga and anime inspired millions of people around the globe from fellow artists to world leaders, forever cementing his place in pop culture world wide. Toriyama Akira, the manga artist famously known for the Dragon Ball series sadly passed away March 1st of this year so  this episode we’re giving thanks and little tribute to his career...

Send us a text Going through all the “weirdest” Japanese foods (or weirdest in name) we can think of! From bugs, slimy soy beans and chicken sashimi to bottled…sweat? And …bukkake udon!?!? Wait what?? Support the show https://linktr.ee/Sojapanese

Send us a text This is a 2 part episode that looks at the rise of ramen’s popularity in North America over the past decade or 2 and how big names like Momofuku’s Noodle bar influenced and inspired the evolution of the ramen scene. Ryusuke and Matt breakdown what styles of ramen are trendy, common “mistranslations” as well as cultural differences between ramen here vs ramen in Japan.  今回のエピソ...

Send us a text We all know Japan has a special love for all things cats so much so there is actually a national CAT DAY called Neko no Hi (猫の日) held every Feb. 22. This episode we’re introducing Cat Day and talking about some of the top most cat things you can encounter in Japan from Cat cafes and cat islands to iconic cat characters and cat celebrities! Celebrate all things cats in Japan with...

Send us a text This is a 2 part episode that looks at the rise of ramen’s popularity in North America over the past decade or 2 and how big names like Momofuku’s Noodle bar influenced and inspired the evolution of the ramen scene. Ryusuke and Matt breakdown what styles of ramen are trendy, common “mistranslations” as well as cultural differences between ramen here vs ramen in Japan.  今回のエピソ...

Send us a text Looking at the recently released Studio Ghibli animation and OSCAR NOMINATED film ‘The Boy and the Heron’! AKA ‘Kimitachi wa Do Ikiru ka?’ We look at the symbolism and hidden meaning behind Miyazaki’s supposedly “last film”. Did you “get it” after the first viewing? How many times have you watched the Boy and the Heron? Listen to our interpretations of the film but be warned SPOILER...

Send us a text This is the first in our Nanashi series or “No Name” episodes where we talk about whatever topics we want  (related to Japan of course!) and see where it takes us! This episode jumps from hitchhiking in Japan to cycling the Shimanami Kaido and stopping at Dogo Onsen with a bonus tale involving a weird encounter with a Japanese cult… 第一弾「ナナシ」シリーズ!!いわゆる「名前のない」エ...

Send us a text 　Is it an “R” sound? Or “L” sound? Neither？ Or maybe both? There are some sounds unique to Japanese that are hard to translate but that goes both ways! This episode looks at how certain sounds are identified and pronounced between Japanese and English. 「R」の音？それとも「L」の音？どっちでもない？それとも両方？日本語には翻訳が難しい独特の音がいくつかありますが、それは両方の意味で...

Send us a text Diving Deeper into Studio Ghibli: Discover how Studio Ghibli got its unique name, learn about its visionary founders, and explore the influential figures who have shaped its enchanting stories and unforgettable animation. スタジオジブリの深層に迫ります：スタジオジブリのそのユニークな名前はどこから来てどのように決まったのか、他人とは違う素晴らしいセンスの創設者たちを探りながら、魅力...

Send us a text Step back into the golden era of Japanese video gaming. This episode spotlights the transformative 80s and 90s, highlighting how legendary consoles like Super Nintendo, PlayStation, and Sega Saturn shaped today's gaming world. Discover the enduring legacy of these innovative decades in a journey filled with nostalgia and groundbreaking revelations. 日本のビデオゲームの黄金時代...

Send us a text Step back into the golden era of Japanese video gaming. This episode spotlights the transformative 80s and 90s, highlighting how legendary consoles like Super Nintendo, PlayStation, and Sega Saturn shaped today's gaming world. Discover the enduring legacy of these innovative decades in a journey filled with nostalgia and groundbreaking revelations. 日本のビデオゲームの黄金時代...

Send us a text We share common phrases to help you befriend Japanese people outside Japan.  海外の日本人と仲良くなるために役立つ一般的なフレーズを紹介します。 Support the show https://linktr.ee/Sojapanese

Send us a text Ever wondered how Christmas in Japan differs from the West? In this episode, I'll take you through the streets of my childhood during the holiday season in Japan – a world of dazzling lights, unique customs, and, yes, Colonel Sanders in a Santa hat! Get ready for an enchanting ride through a Christmas experience like no other, full of personal stories and cultural wonders. 日本...

Send us a text On this episode of the So Japanese podcast, we explore Bosozoku (Japanese Biker Gangs) culture.  What they do, who they are and Ryusuke shares a story about encountering Yakuza. 今回のSo Japanese podcastのエピソードは”暴走族”です。彼らはどおいった活動をしているのか？どんな人がいるのか？リュウスケがそちらの方と出会った時の話など、是非最後までお楽しみ下さい!! Support the show https://...

Send us a text Many Japanglish words are false friends. We share more examples of words that might confuse you if you didn’t listen to this episode.  日本で使われている多くののジャパングリッシュは同音異義語のように使われていることが多いいです。このエピソードでは、どうしても混乱しがちなジャパングリッシュの単語をみなさんと共有します。是非最後までお楽しみ下さい!! Support the show https://linktr.ee/So...

Send us a text Join Ryusuke for a unique exploration of Japan. Get essential travel tips and cultural insights to enhance your Japanese adventure. リュウスケと一緒に日本を探ってみましょう。日本での滞在をもっと楽しくするための旅行のポイントや、日本の文化などをサラッとおさらいしましょう！是非最後までお楽しみ下さい!! Support the show https://linktr.ee/Sojapanese

Send us a text Matt found himself at an Umeboshi farm, home to one of the most traditional pickles in Japan. We'll explore how he landed this job and his experiences working alongside local Japanese people in the countryside. Additionally, Matt faced a health emergency during his stay; we'll uncover how he managed this challenge. マットは日本滞在中に日本の伝統的な漬物のひとつ、梅干し農場...

Send us a text We all know how important onomatopoeias are to the Japanese language. We share some more interesting ones to help you sound more fluent.  オノマトペが日本語にとっていかに重要なのかは誰もが知っています！みなさんが少しでも日本語をスムーズに話せるように面白いオノマトペをいくつか紹介していきます！是非最後までお楽しみ下さい!! Support the show https://linktr.ee/Sojapanese

Send us a text In this episode, we talk about some surprising and not so surprising Japanese inventions and innovations.  Support the show https://linktr.ee/Sojapanese

Send us a text We continue to share common abbreviations and contracted words as we believe this really helps with becoming fluent.  日本語が流暢になる為にとても役立つ一般的な略語や、短縮された単語などを皆さんと共有していきたいと思います。 Support the show https://linktr.ee/Sojapanese