Wanderlust Japanese Podcast

The phrase どなたですか？ is polite, but can sound rude depending on when you use it. In this episode, Mariko covers:- How to directly ask who someone is when you need to answer the door or pick up the phone-「うん」 trap — how it happens without noticing, and its damage- why saying いいえ alone sounds cold and impolite 📥 Grammar Note + Interactive Script (free):https://wanderlust-japanese.kit.co...

In this episode we go beneath "Japanese people are indirect" and "空気を読む — reading the air." 3 phrases to unlock honest communication in Japanese would make it easier for the people around you to be honest with you. One of them only works because you're not Japanese. 📥 Freeze Ready Kit — five real situations, phrases, cultural context, and shadowing practice: https://w...

Calling 110 or 119 in Japan sounds simple — until you're on the call. This episode covers what the dispatcher asks, what you say, how to find your location if you're outside, and what to do when your Japanese isn't enough. Plus one thing most expats haven't checked that matters more than any phrase. 📥 Emergency Japanese Cheat Sheet — free download: https://wanderlust-japanese.kit....

Kanji feels overwhelming — but most advice tells you to start from page one of a workbook that wasn't designed for your life. In this episode I share how Japanese people actually live with kanji, why even native speakers forget characters, and two practical methods adult expats can start today — no flashcards, no study sessions required. 📥 Free guide: wanderlust-japanese.kit.com/whysohard

The city office. The immigration office. The bank. These are the places you can't skip as a foreign resident in Japan — and where a misunderstanding costs more than just embarrassment. Three phrases that change how you walk into any official counter in Japan. Enter with purpose, ask for what you need, and confirm before you leave. 📥 Download The City Office Japanese Kit: wanderlust-japanese.k...

If you're overwhelmed by the speed or complex grammar in Japanese conversations — especially when the stakes are high — there's a communication framework in Japan specifically designed for exactly that moment. And most expats have never heard of it. It was born out of one of Japan's deadliest disasters — a moment that forced the country to rethink how language works in high-stakes situations. And...

You've been living here. You have a real life, a real background, a real personality. But your self-introduction doesn't show any of that. In this episode, I talk about why the textbook self-introduction quietly keeps you in visitor mode — and how three simple preparation tools help you introduce yourself with context, warmth, and presence. Not performance. Preparation. 📥 Free one-page guide — Be...

The hardest part of living in Japanese isn't grammar. It's losing access to your own personality. In this episode, I talk about the identity gap — the quiet feeling of being simplified in another language, why it happens, and why it's completely okay to grieve the version of yourself that feels far away right now. Your value is not your vocabulary. And the Japanese-speaking version of...

Clinic visits in Japan can quietly shake your confidence — especially when you're already unwell. In this episode, I share simple preparation strategies and two key phrases that help you stay in control of your own medical care, even when your Japanese feels shaky. 📥 Free one-page Clinic Companion cheat sheet: http://wanderlust-japanese.kit.com/clinic

If you’re an adult expat learning Japanese, the usual advice might not work for you. In this episode, I talk about why “getting out of your comfort zone” isn’t always the answer — and why expanding it from the inside is often more sustainable. We’ll look at mental health, social energy, and why small, steady steps matter more than intensity. This isn’t about becoming fluent overnight. It’s about l...

Learning Japanese as an adult expat is more than just studying with textbooks. It is an emotional journey. Today, we discuss the challenges of learning a language as an adult especially when it wasn't your first choice and how to navigate those feelings. Download a reflection to understand: "Why Japanese Feels Hard Even When You’ve Studied" https://wanderlust-japanese.kit.com/whysoha...