The Inside Japan Podcast

On this episode I'm speaking with Max, who is the author of the international bestseller Time Off: A Practical Guide to Building Your Rest Ethic and Finding Success Without the Stress. He lives in Japan and works as an AI researcher particularly in the fields of music and design, and is excited about how AI will shape the future of work and enhancing human empathy and creativity. 

On this episode I'm speaking with Sam about learning Japanese. He is the Marketing Director for Coto Academy, and we talk about his language learning journey and his advice on becoming fluent faster! 

Today I’m talking with Monica, who works as the Japan country manager of Influence Map generating useful and interesting climate change reports on businesses and policy here. We talked about Nuclear Energy, how Japanese companies respond to and lobby government about climate guidance, and education about climate change and things we can do to help if we want while living in Japan. I hope you find this conversation as useful as I did.

Learn more at Influence Map: https://influencemap.org/

On this episode I'm speaking with my friend Misha, who left Japan, but came back again after starting his online coaching platform business called Carrus. We dig into burnout and hustle culture, meditation and self-improvement, and how hard it really is to get a job at big tech companies in Japan. I hope you enjoy this conversation as much as I did.

On this episode I'm doing something a bit different, and sharing some of the lessons I have learned from our most popular guests.

Timestamps (check your podcast player or the YouTube show for links):

00:00 Intro

00:29 Immerse Yourself in Japanese

02:59 Starting a School

04:01 Love and Respect Are Everything

04:52 Exploit the Talent Gap

06:55 Save Money on your Apartment

11:23 Presentation Zen

15:00 Learning Japanese is About Mindset

16:51 Don't Start a School With Your Spouse

19:10 Preparation Builds Confidence

20:53 Outro

On this episode I'm speaking with my boss at JIJ, Peter Lackner, the man behind the curtain at Jobs in Japan. We go into when Japan’s job market for foreigners will normalise, how you can stand out with a video interview especially if you’re a non-native speaker of English, and some basic rules about visas that surprisingly few foreigners are aware of. I hope you enjoy the conversation and please consider giving us a rating on iTunes if you are enjoying Inside Japan.

On this episode I spoke with Jojo, an English teacher turn photographer in Japan whose photos really inspired me in my own photography. We talk about starting out in a creative career in Japan, how inspiration can come from anywhere once you’ve decided to do creative work, and how connections turn into paying clients. I hope you enjoy this conversation.

I talked to Pablo Riveros, Director founder CEO of Tsunagaru Edutech to understand the state of technology in schools in Japan, how to help teachers to use it, and whether AI is coming for teacher’s jobs. I hope you like this conversation and if you do, please share it with a friend.

Check out: https://www.tsunagaru-edutech.com/

Check out the video podcast on YouTube:

https://youtu.be/pFxJkQizkPM

On this episode I'm speaking with Adam Kardos, Owner of English Access who created a fun interactive game that helps children to learn English. We talk about the failures of the grammar translation method, how kids actually learn languages and Adam’s audacious goal of taking rote learning out of the classroom, to free up teachers to meaningfully connect the dots with their students. 

Check out Gamerize Dictionary: https://gamerize-dictionary.com/en/

I’m back with Simon Moran to talk about why starting a school is a big mistake for most English teachers living in Japan. So many people think of this as a way to make a better long-term living as an English teacher in Japan, but it is a totally different job than teaching. Even worse, many start with their Japanese spouse dealing with the parents of their students, and it can often have a very negative effect on their relationship as well.

Video Podcast: https://youtu.be/0BGE0b5lwwI

#InsideJapan #Episode170

This is the first in a 3 part series of podcasts with Simon Moran, the owner of Modern English. He’s been in Japan for a while and on this episode we’re going to talk about the myths and misinformation about self-sponsoring your visa. Don’t get mislead by people in Facebook groups or Reddit forums who might get you in trouble with your visa renewal. I hope you learn a lot from this conversation, and come back in the future when we’ll be talking about if its possible to make a good living as a long-term teacher in Japan, and why you shouldn’t start a school.

Check out the video show on YouTube:

On this episode I'm speaking with Ryan who owns My English School in Yamagata, and has lived in the countryside of Japan for over 20 years. We talk about the JET programme, teaching at universities, starting a popular school and hiring good teachers that stick around out in the Inaka in Japan. I hope you enjoy this conversation, and if you do, please share it with a friend.

VIDEO PODCAST:

#InsideJapan #Episode167

On this episode I'm speaking with Kenn Gale, Head of School for No Borders International Schools in Nagoya where I used to live. On this episode we talk about the struggles of keeping teachers, having a real pedagogy as an English school rather than just entertainment, and what changes are coming in education. I hope you enjoy the conversation.

Video Podcast Link: https://youtu.be/LLJrGasKjBc

#InsideJapan #Episode165

On this episode I'm speaking with Hana, a friend of mine who grew up in Japan and went to international schools here before studying in Canada and working in the US. In this episode we talk about what it’s like growing up as what they call Hafu in Japan, how international school experience shaped her personality, and reverse culture shock after coming back from years overseas. I hope you’ll enjoy this conversation as much as I did.

Timestamps (check your podcast player or the YouTube show for links):

00:00 Intro

01:32 Experience growing up as Hafu in Japan

05:28 What are the trade-offs going to international school?

09:20 The spiritual part of Japanese culture

11:14 Cultural differences Japan > Canada > US

13:32 Code switching

19:00 Reverse Culture Shock

23:53 Sponsored Segment JobsinJapan.com

24:23 What Hana missed about Japan in the US

27:15 Do Int'l school kids integrate into Japanese society?

32:06 If not for going to Int'l school...

#InsideJapan #Episode164

I’m very fortunate to be speaking with Dennis Tesolat, who is the General Secretary of the General Union here in Japan. He’s going to tell us about some of your legal rights as a foreigner working in Japan, the university system, and some of the big legal cases that are changing Japan’s laws today. I hope you enjoy the conversation and please give Inside Japan a 5* rating on iTunes if you’re enjoying our fortnightly podcast.

Check out more about the Union in Japan at: https://generalunion.org

Video Podcast:

#InsideJapan #Episode163

On this episode I’m talking with Helene Uchida, a certified teacher who has been in Japan for over 40 years. She owns and manages Little America, a school in Fukuoka that’s been around since 1979, and has some valuable insights about what teachers NEED to do to help Japanese learners to actually improve their English.

On this episode I'm speaking with Daniel about his travel plans being cancelled at the last minute despite jumping through immigration's rules hoops. Please consider supporting foreigners affected by Japan's travel ban by signing a petition and sending a message here to let the government know what you think.

Border Rules: https://www.mofa.go.jp/ca/fna/page4e_001053.html

Petition: https://bit.ly/3mqp0l2

Tell Them Your Situation: https://www.isa.go.jp/opinion/en/?fbclid=IwAR0I--tmkcBVJAigPVzNPL2it0cZsjKNlbOzVmv4-z4ukCBm1jBqpCbiORY 

#InsideJapan #Episode161

On this episode I'm talking with Cameron Brett, managing director of Randstad professionals and technologies. If you are interested in becoming a recruiter or have recently started, this episode will have a ton of actionable info to help you understand how recruiters can make so much money, and help their clients at the same time. I hope you enjoy the conversation.

Timestamps: 00:00 Intro

01:06 How much can recruiters make?

02:42 Types of Recruiters

06:10 How has Covid affected recruitment?

09:02 What kind of person does well as a recruiter?

11:10 How do you find good talent?

12:32 LinkedIn in Japan?

14:25 Recruiter skills are entrepreneurial skills

#InsideJapan #Episode159

On this episode I'm talking with Paul Flint, the owner of Honyaku Plus, a translation company. We go into how people can get their start in translating, whether or not machine translation software is a threat to future translation jobs, and the different skills you need to be an interpreter vs a translator amongst other things. I hope you enjoy this conversation.

Video Podcast:

Timestamps:

00:00 Intro

01:01 Paul's Start in Japan

03:25 Weird translations in Japan

04:21 What is translating really like

05:56 Tough to translate

08:02 Google Translate

14:46 Tools of the Translator

18:52 Specialist language in translating

20:19 How to get your first translation job

22:56 How much do translators get paid?

25:10 Why start a translation company over freelancing?

28:39 Difference between translating and interpreting

31:23 Paul's wife's English School

37:34 Wrap Up

#InsideJapan #Episode159

In this episode I spoke with my friend Quint, a professor at Waseda university. He teaches teachers of English in Japan, and we talk about why Japanese students often dislike and abandon learning English. What do many teachers, even trained ones, get wrong when trying to motivate young learners. This is one for the passionate teachers out there, and the people who want to know that there are talented and smart people working on the problem of demotivated English language learners in this country, and that progress is being made little by little. I hope you enjoy this conversation.

We have all heard of people who stayed in Japan for 10 years teaching as an ALT, but then when they go back to their home country they struggle to find well paying work because they didn't improve their skills while they were here. Kasia tells us all about how people can succeed after Japan, build up valuable skills and find great employment outside of Japan. She's a brilliant guest and incredibly passionate about doing good work and providing value to people.

Find out more about Kasia at https://www.ikigaiconnections.com/ 

Video Podcast: https://youtu.be/fNrTNQZSaSw

0:00 Intro 

0:29 Kasia's business Ikigai Connections 

1:07 Opportunities for Bilinguals in the US 

2:09 What kinds of jobs do people get when they leave Japan? 

5:48 Japanese is MORE USEFUL than many other languages in the US

7:58 What if you can't speak Japanese at all? 

11:53 Kasia's experience in Japan 

14:18 Sponsored Segment for https://jobsinjapan.com 

14:56 About the MEXT Scholarship 

16:08 What is Ikigai? 

24:36 How can you prepare for leaving Japan (someday)? 

28:22 Connecting with people (Mindset)

#InsideJapan #Episode157

Todays episode is a really interesting podcast with Peter Galante, who cofounded innovative language learning which is the parent company of JapanesePod101. I've used Jpod101 for learning Japanese and it's fascinating to hear from the man himself what motivations and philosophies go into building a course for Japanese that works well.

To find out more about JapanesePod101 check out our link here: https://bit.ly/3j3GgLa

Video Podcast: https://youtu.be/zcZdmWtXr8A

#InsideJapan #Episode156

I'm flying home to visit my family this Christmas and got some amazing advice from Alex from Hitotoki about restrictions, how to avoid getting turned back at the border and what to do in quarantine once I'm back in Japan. So much useful info for anyone travelling to or from Japan during the pandemic.

I could have talked with Ruthie for an hour more. What a brilliant woman who has so much insider knowledge on real estate and business in Japan. She is the first western woman to get the Takken Real Estate licence in Japan and this podcast is just pure useful information from start to finish.

#InsideJapan #Episode153

Jared always wanted to build this business, where he is able to travel around Japan and help others do the same without needing to find expensive ryokan or deal with public transport. In this podcast I talk with him about kitting out vehicles with foldaway beds, cooking facilities, desks and solar panels to make a great all-in-one travel experience in Japan.

#InsideJapan #Episode153

Peter is an absolutely great guest because he knows the jobs industry inside and out. In this podcast he'll teach you everything you need to know to get paid more, get interviews with a rock solid cover letter and resume, and recognise red flags in job descriptions so you can really enjoy your life here in Japan.

Video Podcast: https://youtu.be/RWrNlFyBSYk

Bruno is an inspiring guest because he came to Japan with almost no Japanese ability, but saw an opportunity in Hokkaido to start a cafe that would become a focal point for the local community. We talk about building a business in Japan (relevant for all businesses, not just coffee), booming during the pandemic and connecting with local culture.

#InsideJapan #JapanPodcast Episode 151

Matthew Barnes is an Olympics journalist from the NBC station in Columbus Ohio, and he's here in Tokyo reporting on the Olympics. If you wanted to know what is going on behind the scenes, Covid rules for the Olympics and how the games are being run, then this podcast is going to be fascinating for you!

Video Podcast:

https://youtu.be/HfhS_ZcObH8

Episode #148 #InsideJapan

A fantastic episode with Harry Bossert all about how he came to Japan to work in the anime industry. In it he shares his amazing story and advice on what skills you need to learn to get a job in animation (and you don't have to become an artist as there are tons of different jobs and skills involved).

This week I talked with Rachel Ferguson about her amazing business Ryozan Park. She has the mission to empower working families in Japan with a school, a co-working space and share apartments that are truly focused on community and care. Rachel has a very interesting background in Japan, from starting out at Nova, to working in television, and now to being an entrepreneur. I hope you enjoy the podcast!

This is a fantastic conversation with John, a freelance journalist living and working in Tokyo. He's written for Wired Japan, Global Finance and he co-wrote Startup Guide Tokyo. What's crazy is that he started out in Japan on the JET programme like so many others, but has managed to find a way to pursue his passion of writing here.

⏱️ Timestamps ⏱️

00:00 Intro 

00:51 What kind of journalism do you do? 

03:07 How did you change from the JET program to writing? 

06:55 How did you move from writing for the UN to freelance writing? 

10:38 How is writing different in Japan from the West? 

12:03 Different types of writing work you can find in Japan (or anywhere) 

13:36 Learning about how to write properly (for specific audiences) 

17:30 The Economist Style Guide 

19:00 Writing in Japan 

25:27 LinkedIn is alive again, and how to use it to get opportunities 

29:29 Write about what you care about

What an awesome and useful interview. Tyson really knows his stuff, because he has started not only multiple English schools in Japan, but he is the first westerner to start a Japanese school in Japan too!

Video Podcast:

This is an awesome interview about how to learn Japanese so that you can speak with Japanese people, and if they close their eyes they would think you are a native Japanese speaker!

Martin is so passionate about languages and can speak many to fluency, including Japanese, Chinese, Spanish, Russian, Vietnamese and Thai. Learn how to speak Japanese fluently from this polyglot on the Inside Japan Podcast!

This episode of the podcast is all about learning Japanese while in an English only working environment.

This is why SO MANY people don't learn Japanese while they are here; it's super hard to study when your work is 100% in English. You can only say "I don't need a plastic bag" at the convenience store so many times before you've mastered it... Also take a look at this book, the 5 year diary, that Dallas mentioned in the discussion: https://amzn.to/2QSReYJ

We talk about:

- Starting with Chinese and switching to Japanese (and how much more in-demand Japanese really is outside Japan)

- Strategies for learning Japanese while working in English-only environments

- The best study habits that make getting to N1 easier and more fun!

Video Podcast:

https://youtu.be/Q-zQ3JOJjls

Want to Leave a Review?

With our new host, Charlie and now with VIDEO! This first episode is all about staying fit and healthy in Japan.