Well this is unique, and immensely popular. Ever wanted to learn a ton of fishing vocabulary, see some amazing seafood, or maybe learn something about Shoudoshima? Check out this Japanese YouTuber’s channel – he is a fisherman named Hamayuu and his videos regularly get more than 500,000 views. Learn about random sea creatures and eat…
Author: japannewbie
Ways to move to Japan – International Job Far
If you’re reading this you probably do not need to be convinced that Japan is a great place to spend some time. If you’re thoroughly convinced and want to move to Japan, how should you go about it? One way is to get a job that will sponsor your visa to move to Japan. Step…
Japanese Lesson from Games: Wasn’t Even Human
The Nintendo Switch is region free, and many (not all) games, including Octopath Traveler, have the full Japanese text and audio available in the U.S. release of the game. No need to import from Japan! This is an amazing resource for gamers who are learning Japanese. Here’s my latest grab! Japanese: 俺は人ではなかった Hiragana: おれはひとではなった English:…
Kisaichi in Osaka – Hike to Kurondo Pond
If you’re looking for a low-key place to get some nature in the Osaka area you might consider a visit to Kisaichi to hike up to Kurondo Pond. The hike from Kisaichi Station to Kurondo Pond is about 1.5 hours. I hiked it with a seven year old and it took about 2 hours each…
Gion Festival in Kyoto circa 2005
Summer 2005, I went to Gion Festival 祇園祭り in Kyoto. Gion is one of the largest festivals held in Kansai. It is one of the three largest and most important festivals in Japan. Normally held in July, it is a treasured annual event that completely consumes all activity in downtown Kyoto. Some Japanese phrases to…
Fishing for Koi – Tsuribori
Looking for some wholesome fun in Japan? See if you can locate a kiddy fishing place in your area — they’re called tsuribori 釣り堀 in Japanese. Not actually fishing koi — they’re goldfish. This activity is family oriented. You’ll pay a fee to be able to fish for a set amount of time and you’ll…
Clubhouse: Great tool for Japanese learners looking to improve fast
You can learn Japaense on Clubhouse! Clubhouse can be a great tool for language learners. You can find clubs where people are casually speaking your target language, and you can find rooms that are set up to actively help people learn the language. Here are some Japanese-language clubs that I have found to be entertaining…
Japanese Lesson from Games: てんやわや
The Nintendo Switch is region free, and many (not all) games, including Monster Hunter Rise, have the full Japanese text and audio available in the U.S. release of the game. No need to import from Japan! This is an amazing resource for gamers who are learning Japanese. Here’s my latest grab! Japanese: もう周辺はてんやわんや！ Hiragana: もうしゅうへんはてんやわんや！…
Japanese Lesson from Games: Pearl Before Pig
Time for another language pick up from a Nintendo Switch game! This time it’s from GNOSIA, the single-player social deduction game modeled after the popular social game Werewolf. Japanese: 豚に真珠ってことにならなきゃいいけどね Hiragana: ぶたにしんじゅうってことにならなきゃいいけどね Romaji: buta ni shinjyu tte yatsu ni naranakya ii kedo ne 豚に真珠 (buta ni shinjyu) might be one of the first Japanese proverbs…
Okonomiyaki THICC
Okonomiyaki is a staple food in Osaka. You can buy it any of the countless okonomiyaki shops, and most families have tried and true home recipes that they have used for years. The whole point of okonomiyaki is that you can put pretty much whatever you want inside. The Japanese word “okonomi” お好み means “as…