The Tofugu Podcast: Japan and Japanese Language

YouTuber Loretta "Kemushichan" has been making videos about Japan and the Japanese language for over 10 years now. And because of her expertise, we asked her to write an article for us (which you can read here: https://tfg.li/2C46DcV) and invited her on the Tofugu Podcast to drop some knowledge bombs. Knowledge bombs liiiiiiike... - The secrets she used to discover hidden exchange programs and other free ways to live in or visit Japan. - The study methods she used to get her spoken Japanese sounding fluent. - The problems Japanese small businesses are having with their tourism initiatives. - And many more... Listen and learn, friends. Then hop on over to Loretta's YouTube channel for more expertise. YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/kemushichan/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/KemushiJP

Resources for learning Japanese we talk about in this episode: - Using SRS to Learn Japanese: https://tfg.li/2ila3Q1 - How to Study Japanese with Sentences: https://tfg.li/2iOtnc6 - Language Shadowing: https://tfg.li/2AMWZgW === "You can learn Japanese from anime!" You’ve probably seen promises like these floating around the Internet. Maybe you’ve secretly hoped they’re true. We’re here to tell you THEY ARE TRUE! But just because you CAN learn Japanese from anime, it doesn’t mean you SHOULD. Koichi and Michael discuss the one way you can use anime to learn Japanese. It may not necessarily be the best way to learn Japanese, but it’s a way. Like if you REALLY just have to use anime to learn Japanese, we’ll tell you how. Even if you’re not interested in anime in the slightest, you can use the principles introduced in this episode to learn Japanese faster and better than everyone else. Weeaboos and Normal-boos listen up: there’s language learning gold in these here hills (the "hills" in this case being our podcast).

There’s a clothing brand here in Portland that Koichi is a big fan of. It’s called Kiriko. What makes Kiriko special? The company makes clothing out of reclaimed Japanese fabric, some of it over 100 years old. But more important, they promote taking time to appreciate simplicity and quality. That’s why they sell more than just clothing; ceramics, coffee makers, backpacks. You could make an entire Kirko life. And that’s what we talked about with Kiriko’s founder, Katsu. We wanted to know what pieces of Japanese culture inspired him to create the Kiriko lifestyle. Listen in and you might gain a new perspective on clothing and how it affects your life.

When visiting or living in Japan, you may be worried about making mistakes: speaking informally to a superior, using chopsticks awkwardly, or bowing at the wrong degree. Things like this cause a lot of anxiety for foreigners in Japan. But we’re here to tell you about foreigner forgiveness. Basically, don’t worry so much. But on the other hand, don’t not worry enough. Some foreigners stretch this goodwill thin by taking advantage of peoples’ kindness for their own benefit. That’s not so good. So how do you know when to quit worrying about the little things while also ensuring you don’t fall into an amoral abyss of cultural and situational ambiguity? That’s a tough question that no one person can answer. That’s why there are three people on this podcast. Join us as we attempt to unpack the moral gray area of foreigner forgiveness so you can enjoy your time in Japan more. P.S. We’re definitely not talking about using your foreign-ness to get away with crime. DON’T DO CRIMES, KIDS! Or McScruff the Crime Cat will come for you.

We’ve been doing this Tofugu Podcast thing for 50 episodes now (hooray!) so we decided to celebrate by answering listener questions. We asked you for your most burning questions and you sent us a ton! We picked the 50 best and sat down to answer them all in one fantastic podcast episode. I’m sure after this, all your questions about Japan, Japanese language, and Tofugu will be answered forever. Sure, this means the end of the Tofugu Podcast, but that’s a small price to pay for unlimited knowledge, right? Just kidding. We’re never gonna stop this podcast train.

Read more about Japanese festivals here: https://tfg.li/2hb8Fij There’s nothing better than a Japanese festival. Drums, mikoshi, dancing, food. It’s a magical experience. But Japanese festivals don’t just "happen." They take a lot of hard work and equipment. And some of the best festival equipment comes from a 150 year old shop in Tokyo called Miyamoto Unosuke. This shop is one of the top suppliers of festival gear in Japan. And if you love intricately carved portable shrines inlaid with gold as much as we do, this place is for you. And for only ¥500, you can also visit the world’s only drum museum, located on the fourth floor of Miyamoto’s building (Japanese festivals have a lot of drumming, after all). To learn more about all the awesome things you can see at Miyamoto Unosuke and how to get there, take a listen to this episode of the Tofugu podcast. Next time you’re in Japan, you’ll know just how to get your festival and/or drum fix.

Read more: https://tfg.li/2A1ph47 Yokai is Japan’s category for monsters, ghosts, demons, and pretty much any spooky or fantastic creature you can think of. And there are hundreds upon hundreds of fun yokai to learn about. With Halloween on the way, Michael and Kristen discuss their eight favorite Japanese ghouls; some terrifying, some creepy, and some just plain weird. Turn down the lights, light some candles, and settle in for some unsettling Japanese ghosts and monsters.

Explore the quirky methods of learning Japanese through video game scripts and personal anecdotes. Discover how playful strategies can enhance your study experience and the importance of aligning materials with your proficiency level. Dive into the use of spaced repetition systems like Anki for vocabulary retention and the emotional rollercoaster many face when transitioning from beginner to intermediate levels. Along the way, enjoy lighthearted discussions about diverse resources and the joys of communication in language learning.

Read the article: https://tfg.li/2yrOp3K When living in or visiting Japan, there’s one simple thing you can do to make good relationships with Japanese people: omiyage. This art of gift-giving is steeped in tradition and has lots of rules to follow. Get it right and you’ll get off on the right foot with your host family and smooth over relations with co-workers. Get it wrong and… well, just don’t get it wrong. In this episode, Koichi and Michael talk about omiyage etiquette, where to buy, and 6 steps to achieving Japanese gift-giving greatness.

Read the article: https://tfg.li/2fRsA52 Memorizing Japanese vocabulary takes a lot of time and energy, and there's so much to memorize! This alone makes people give up before they even get started. But what if there was a way to alleviate this burden by making memories of Japanese words stick in your head almost instantly? You might not have to quit learning Japanese. In fact, you might just become fluent. In this episode, Koichi, Kristen, and Michael teach you how to use the keyword mnemonics method to memorize Japanese faster and keep it in your head longer. After they walk you through the steps, you'll be able to create mnemonics and memorize Japanese vocabulary like a pro. Best of all, you'll learn Japanese faster than everyone else. Listen to the podcast and thank us later.