The Tofugu Podcast: Japan and Japanese Language

Get more from us at: https://tfg.li/2fEcRty The JET Program recruits hundreds of new English teachers every year to live and work in Japan. You could be one of them. But before you apply, there are some things to consider. What is the salary like? What are the benefits? Do you get any support? And most importantly, what is living in Japan REALLY like? Jamal asks Michael, a former JET ALT and current President of JET Alumni Association in Portland, all these questions and more (a lot more). The JET Program isn’t for everyone, but it could be for YOU! The only way to know for sure is to get your questions answered, and this podcast will answer almost all of them (probably about 90%). The rest you can ask us on Twitter (https://twitter.com/tofugu). --- For a complete guide on the JET Program, outlining the experience from start to finish, check out Tofugu’s JET Program Guide: https://www.tofugu.com/series/jet-program/ iTunes:https://tfg.li/tofugu-podcast Google Play: https://tfg.li/tofugu-gplay

To learn more about Japanese black companies, check out our article on Tofugu: https://tfg.li/2v0V0jv --- Do you want to work in Japan? Sure, we all do. But before you take that sweet new job with the Tokyo semiconductor conglomerate, maybe you should do some research to find out if it's a... BLACK COMPANY! (dun dun dun) "Black company" is the name Japanese people give to companies that are not so great to work for. Sexual harassment, unpaid overtime, required alcohol consumption, bullying; you name and a black company does it (to you). Kanae, our current Tofugu intern, used to work at a black company in Tokyo, and she shares her experience so YOU can avoid these problems. Learn all the warning signs of Japanese black companies, which may be hard for foreigners to see (because they're entering into unfamiliar territory anyway). After listening to this podcast, you'll be able to steer clear of unhealthy work environments and straight into that sweet, sweet dream job in Japan. iTunes:https://tfg.li/tofugu-podcast Google Play: https://tfg.li/tofugu-gplay

Get more from us at: https://tfg.li/2fEcRty This week, Michael and Koichi discuss career opportunities in Japanese Studies with Shinpai Deshou blog founder, Paula Curtis. Paula is well acquainted with the academic and professional aspects of Japanese Studies and dedicates her time in assisting others to further their careers along with contributors to the blog. Discussed in the episode: - What Japanese Studies entails - Options after getting your B.A. - Resources on finding and landing a career - Integrating secondary skills into your career hunt You can hear more from Paula at: Shinapi Deshou: shinpaideshou.wordpress.com Paula's digital portfolio: prcurtis.com Paula's bilingual digital archive: http://carvingcommunity-dentouart.com/ Paula's Twitter: @paularcurtis iTunes:https://tfg.li/tofugu-podcast Google Play: https://tfg.li/tofugu-gplay

Get more from us at: https://tfg.li/2fEcRty What if you were forced to live using ONLY Japanese vending products for one whole year? Impossible, right? Maybe not. Koichi, Kanae, and Michael answer this question as they live through the scenario, step-by-step. Follow their journey from naked in Narita airport to living like royalty on the bounty of Japan’s vending services. After listening to this podcast, you’ll know every kind of Japanese vending machine there is, as well as WHY there are so many vending machines in Japan. And on your next trip, you’ll be able to enjoy the rich blessings of vending machines without the curse of butthole money (all will be explained in the podcast). iTunes:https://tfg.li/tofugu-podcast Google Play: https://tfg.li/tofugu-gplay

Get more from us at: https://tfg.li/2fEcRty For the first time ever, members of the Tofugu staff sit around and answer your Japanese language, living, and visiting questions. We answer questions like: - Are the Yakuza dangerous? - How old do you have to be to be an ALT through JET? - Should you go to a nomikai even if you don't drink alcohol? - Have we ever eaten Crayons? - Should someone live in Japan for six months or twelve? - And more? Probably? We didn't check carefully, so there are probably more questions that I didn't add to the description. iTunes:https://tfg.li/tofugu-podcast Google Play: https://tfg.li/tofugu-gplay

Get more from us at: https://tfg.li/2fEcRty Hotels are easy, comfortable, and consistent. But did you know that there are other--sometimes odd--places that you can spend the night? Michael and Koichi talk about their experiences staying in love hotels, capsule hotels, manga cafes, business hotels, ryokans, hostels, and more. Be sure to stay in one of the places if you can. They're experiences worth trying (and much cheaper than hotels usually, too)! iTunes:https://tfg.li/tofugu-podcast Google Play: https://tfg.li/tofugu-gplay

Get more from us at: https://tfg.li/2fEcRty There's a good chance that you're using a Japanese resource that's merely tricking you into thinking you're being efficient. These companies make more money, and you get a false sense of "feeling good" and "feeling like you're making progress." In actuality, you aren't learning nearly as effectively as you could be, not to mention efficiently! In this episode, Michael and Koichi argue that actual efficiency has more to do with "creating the right kind of suffering" in your Japanese studies. They also talk about which popular Japanese learning tools actually help you to be efficient, versus the ones that trick you into thinking you're being efficient. And, of course, because this episode is about efficiency, they also show why (and how) you should spend less time so you can learn more Japanese. Sounds like it doesn't make sense, but if you listen, you'll understand why this is important. By the way, we also write about learning Japanese: http://tofugu.com/japanese/ iTunes:https://tfg.li/tofugu-podcast Google Play: https://tfg.li/tofugu-gplay

Get more from us at: https://tfg.li/2fEcRty Visiting Japan and don't know what to eat? Sushi and ramen are great, but you don't want to spend your vacation eating the same things every day. That's why Michael and Kanae discuss their favorite Japanese foods (and where to find them), so you can step off the plane ready to eat. Whether you're a picky eater to the steel-stomached vacuum, this podcast has something for everyone. Oh, and if you think you've tried everything Japan has to offer, Kanae has a special list of "adventurous" foods you've definitely (probably) not tried. You'll learn: - Where to eat Japan's batter-fried goodness - What Japanese fishermen eat on the regular - Places to eat chicken buttholes - The main types of Japanese restaurants iTunes:https://tfg.li/tofugu-podcast Google Play: https://tfg.li/tofugu-gplay

Get more from us at: https://tfg.li/2fEcRty This week, Koichi and Michael chat with Kewl0210, a manga scanlator. For those who don't know, a scanlator is a person who scans, translates, and uploads manga online for free. This practice is highly controversial in the translation community and technically illegal. Michael and Koichi discuss the many facets of this practice, including: - How to learn Japanese through scanlation - Where scanlators source their manga - How they choose which manga to scanlate - Why they're faster than the pros - Bitter scanlation group rivalries For more from Kewl0210:
http://hiwamatanoboru.com/ We do not condone, endorse, or support this practice or project and do not encourage others to attempt it. iTunes:https://tfg.li/tofugu-podcast Google Play: https://tfg.li/tofugu-gplay

Get more from us at: https://tfg.li/2fEcRty The whole gang gets together this week to discuss learning Japanese in a classroom. Everyone on the show has had different experiences learning Japanese, so it's an especially interesting look into the process. If you're currently in or considering taking a Japanese class, this is an essential listen. You'll hear a range of perspectives from: - Kristen's traditional route - Koichi's mixed educational experiences - Michael's self-taught journey - Kanae's native Japanese classes