The Tofugu Podcast: Japan and Japanese Language

Get more from us at: https://tfg.li/2fEcRty This week, Michael and Koichi get the opportunity to chat with writer, translator, and interpreter, Frederik Schodt. Fred is known for working closely with the “God of Manga” himself, Osamu Tezuka, as a translator and interpreter. He is also one of the first writers to help bring manga to the western world with his landmark book, "Manga! Manga! The World of Japanese Comics." Fans of Osamu Tezuka (and manga in general) will enjoy this interview with the man who helped shape Tezuka’s voice and influence in the West. They discuss: - Fred’s roots in manga translation - What working with Osamu Tezuka is like - His thoughts on the manga translation industry - The path he took to become an interpreter - What was under Osamu Tezuka’s famous beret - The process in translating "The Osamu Tezuka Story" biography To hear more from Frederik Schodt, check out the links below: Frederik Schodt’s website: http://www.jai2.com/index.htm Twitter: https://twitter.com/fschodt *New Book!* The Osamu Tezuka Story: http://www.stonebridge.com/catalog/the-osamu-tezuka-story

Get more from us at: https://tfg.li/2fEcRty This week the whole gang comes together to discuss their personal experiences with discrimination in Japan. Join us as we try to navigate this complex issue without painting Japanese people with a “broad brush.” In this episode, we discuss: - What it means to be “accepted” by Japan - Passive & active curiosity - Why Michael stared down a foreigner - Why old Japanese ladies hate Koichi

Hosts discuss their top onsen experiences, including initial impressions, getting naked in front of others, and debunking myths. They also talk about onsen with monkeys, dangers of natural hot springs, visiting private baths, cooking in onsen, resort town facilities, and onsen experiences with a partner.

Visit our guest: http://www.altjapan.com/ This week Michael sits down with the co-founder of AltJapan, Matt Alt, to discuss the content and process of localizing ancient Japanese texts by the original yokai scholar, Toriyama Sekien, to create his new book, "Japandemonium Illustrated." They discuss the arduous process Matt and his team went through to find, translate, and annotate these Edo period texts. This is a must-listen for aspiring translators and students of Japanese. It provides a fascinating look into the process of localization and the history of Japanese publishing. To hear more from Matt and AltJapan, check out the links below: AltJapan: http://www.altjapan.com/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/Matt_Alt *New Book!* Japandemonium Illustrated: https://www.amazon.com/Japandemonium-Illustrated-Encyclopedias-Toriyama-Sekien/dp/0486800350

Visit our guest at: http://www.spoon-tamago.com/ This week, Michael has a conversation with the creator and curator of Spoon & Tamago, Johnny Strategy. As an architecture expert, Johnny gives Michael (and you) four excellent Tokyo walking tours that show off some of Japan's most stellar buildings. Johnny also touches on the Japanese design scene and what his experience was like growing up in Japan. Plus, there are a some neat anecdotes like the time Johnny ruined Studio Ghibli for everybody and the time Johnny changed the course of One Punch Man. To hear more from Johnny, check out the links below: Spoon & Tamago: http://www.spoon-tamago.com/ S&P eShop: https://shop.spoon-tamago.com/ Curated Tokyo Guides: http://www.spoon-tamago.com/tokyoguide/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/SpoonTamago

Find us at: www.tofugu.com/ This week Koichi and Michael discuss the advantages of going to Japan to learn Japanese rather than spend time and money in a classroom. They offer practical advice for making your trip to Japan an impactful learning experience and a fun, long-lasting memory. Topics include: - One (basically) free trick to get a ton of random Japanese people to talk to you, in Japanese, so you can have non-stop conversation practice while in Japan. - When to get the really cheap airplane tickets to Japan. - Getting over your fear of talking to strangers (that speak Japanese). - How being in Japan is like a "natural SRS," and how it guides you to what you need to learn next (something very difficult for teachers to do). - How to make convenience stores, police officers, and people trying to get you into their restaurant into language practice partners. - How flying to Japan, renting a hotel room, and eating three meals a day can be cheaper than taking a class. - What to do to prepare yourself for your learning vacation, so you can get the most out of your time there. Show Notes: Learning kanji and vocabulary resource (preparing for your trip to get the most out of it): https://www.wanikani.com

Get more from us at: https://tfg.li/2fEcRty This week Koichi and Michael talk to Zack Davisson, an award winning translator, writer, and Japanese folklore expert to discuss yokai. From the well known kappa to the obscure nebutori, Zack covers it all in this week's podcast! What you can take away from today's episode: - What is a yokai? - Different types of yokai - History of Japanese folklore - Different types of folklore - Japan's views on ghosts - Koichi's views on ghosts If you'd like to hear more from Zack, visit his blog: https://hyakumonogatari.com/ Zack's Twitter: https://twitter.com/ZackDavisson Zack's Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/kaidankai/ Zack's books: https://hyakumonogatari.com/book-store/

Get more from us at: https://tfg.li/2fEcRty Strap in, folks. This is a long one. We invited Jack and David from SakéOne, a local sake brewery in Oregon, to come to the Tofugu office so we could learn how to taste sake. And boy, did we taste some sake. They brought six bottles, three domestic and three imported, and drank our way to knowledge about the sake brewing process, different types of sake, and how Michael is actually a grain of rice. Here's some things you'll learn in today's episode: - How sake is made - Why sake tasting is more fun than wine tasting - Why American sake, historically, hasn't been that great (and why that's changing) - Prefectures that make the best sake - Why sake doesn't give you hangovers - The different types of sake - What foods pair well with sake - If sake is better chilled or warmed - The future of the sake business Big thanks to Jack and David from SakéOne for trekking all the way to our office and bringing so much delicious booze. We had a great time. Everybody, go check out what SakéOne has to offer: website: http://sakeone.com/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/SakeOne Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sakeoneoregon/ Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/SakeOne/

Get more from us at: https://tfg.li/2fEcRty Koichi and Michael talk with Kay from the Japan National Tourism Organization (that's the Japanese government's official travel promotion arm, btw) about 5 prefectures worth visiting. Of course, this doesn't include Tokyo, Kyoto, or Osaka. No, these are hidden gems, prefectures that you may not have known about. If you're looking for a unique and memorable Japan travel experience, you're gonna wanna listen to this one all the way through. The prefectures Kay talks about have a lot to offer, and you could spend weeks in any one of them. So before you plan your Tokyo vacation, listen to this podcast and see if you don't change your plans. Get in touch with JNTO: Facebook: www.Facebook.com/visitjapan Twitter: https://twitter.com/Visit_Japan Website: us.jnto.go.jp

Get more from us at: https://tfg.li/2fEcRty In this episode, Michael talks with Helen McCarthy, one of the top anime researchers ever. She wrote the Anime Encyclopedia and the first book on Miyazaki in English. She founded the UK’s first anime magazine, and was instrumental in growing anime fandom throughout the 90s and 2000s. Helen talks about: - Her meeting with Miyazaki. - What anime fandom was like before there was anime fandom. - How she founded and ran the first anime magazine in the UK. - The time she saw a beautiful man. - Why Makoto Shinkai is not the next Miyazaki (yet). - Where anime fandom is headed. If you’d like to hear Helen’s speak on cosplay, she’ll be at FANS Conference on March 18th at Yamanashi Gakuin University. Admission is free. Info can be found, Here in Japanese: http://bit.ly/2mu9m9L Here in English: http://bit.ly/2hoMvtG For more from Helen, check out her many books on Amazon: http://amzn.to/2mJVkl4 Helen’s website: https://helenmccarthy.wordpress.com/ Helen’s Twitter: https://twitter.com/tweetheart4711