Sup-Sapporo: Dosanko Life

In this episode - Dane Fujiwara of Ei Nei, Dane joins us and talks about his music career and his experiences in Japan. He talks about his first trip to Japan and gives us some insight on how the crowds differ between the Japanese people, mainland U.S. and Hawaii. He talks about his group Ei Nei and conveys how fortunate he feels to have met them and gig with them. He talks about how he got into music, his inspirations and being mentored by local legends. I find out that Dane is the same age as me and might know a mutual friend who went to the same High School as him and also gigs around Hawaii. Of course Dane knows Shay, and we talk about how attitude opens up opportunity for work as a musician. We then get back to Japan and talk about how we first met while they were gigging here in Sapporo. We do our "This or That" segment and we get more into Japanese culture, Japanese food, things he saw while visiting Japan, etc. After the this or that segment we are about to part ways, but get side tracked by as little Corona Virus discussions. After we talk about Covid-19 for a bit, we finally end it.

In this episode - The Swede, Michael joins us from Sweden and we talk about his time here in Japan and some Japanese culture. Michael is a Swede that went to college in Japan. He has lived in Sapporo, Hokkaido and Chiba. We talk about his experiences in Japan such as Wanko Soba and his college life here. He also shares some interesting things about Sweden, such as the way the High School is structured there and the choices that they have. He talks about his "Video Game" high school, where the school basically teaches them about the video industry and teaches them skills that they will need in that field. He also drops some important information, PSA: ***Do NOT do drugs in Sweden!***. He talks about how the Japanese culture didn't really shock him and how he prepared mentally. He tells us how some small parts of the Swedish culture actually mirrors Japanese culture and his reverse culture shock. We get into our "This or That" segment and somehow end up talking about some of the Swedish festivals found here in Sapporo and his experiences with them. Then we end it.

In this episode (Ep. 23) - "Asian" Studies with Lance , we talk with Chad's college friend Lance from Kansas City. But first, I apologize for audio and technical difficulties, scheduling conflicts and time zone mistakes. Actually Jamie and I had about 45 minutes of content before Lance joined us, but the video file got corrupt while it was converting. Also, sorry to Lance for the time zone mix up. We start this week with Jamie and I talking for a few minutes before he has to go spend time with his wife for their wedding Anniversary! Congratulations! I hope your balls are intact, next time, let's not schedule anything on such an important date...LMFAO. After Jamie leaves, Lance joins Chad for the podcast. We start it with Lance giving us a little story about his short stay in Japan, then he introduces himself. We then talk a little about our College and the price of living in paradise, which leads way to some costs of living talk. He then schools me on some building regulations in D.C. and we talk a bit about the 2020 election and some politics. Lance then talks about how he made his way to college in Hawaii and his "love" for Asian cultures. He talks about the different Asian languages that he studied and his experiences living abroad in different South East Asian countries. I ask Lance about which country he enjoyed living in the most and he gives us some stories about Thailand and Malaysia. He tells us about living in a Muslim majority country and talks about some the the rules that comes with it, for example, bacon. He also talks about some progressive Muslims and the Malaysian equivalent to the Native Americans. I then ask Lance to come visit me in Sapporo and he agrees to it, as long as it's not winter. Then, we get into some talk about winter and snow. Lance then brings us back to Thailand and tells some stories about wingmanning and Thai lady boys. Which leads us to talk about acceptance of gay relationships and the differences between the current western culture, Thai culture and ancient Roman and Greek cultures. I then get into the "This and That" section of the podcast and ask Lance some questions about raw food, Cajun food and Asian food. Lance gives some great advice about Thai food and street food. I hit him with a beach or hot spring (onsen) and we end up talking about the future of our balls. He also talks about his craving for chicken has subsided after living in Indonesia and eating a lot of chicken. We then bring it back to Hawaii and he talks about living in the "red light district" of Hawaii and not knowing. We finally bring it back full circle and talk in detail about how we first met, a college party, police, death, rap, and end it.

In this episode - Da Plantation Wahine, we talk with Anayah from Hilo, Hawaii! We start with her introducing herself and a little history about her family immigrating from Hiroshima, Japan to Hawaii. Jamie and Anayah start to reminisce about Hilo and share some stories. They bring up Wailuku river (The Waters of Destruction) and shares how dangerous beautiful Hawaii can be. Anayah brings up memories of growing up on a plantation and tells an insane story about her face to face encounter with a wild boar. She basically shares country life in Hilo. After talking story, she talks about how she became interested in the Japanese (Japanese) culture and her realization that Anime and Manga was not a normal part of Hawaii culture just yet. In actuality, it was probably right in the beginning of the western culture Anime and Manga boom. Jamie and Anayah then talk about their Japanese programs here while studying Japanese. Chad randomly brings up the Grandpa stamp rally as the alcohol starts to flow. We then get into the "This or That" segment and ask her a few questions about; ramen, sashimi, fast food chains, coffee and tea, various places around Japan, BBQs and more. We sort of get into Gaijin (Foreigner) shaming, not really though. We talk about some culture shock then we get into what it's being gay in Japan. Yes, we get into some deep conversation and she shares with us the troubles for the gay community in Japan. We switch gears and tone it down with some small talk and end it!

In this episode (Ep. 21) - Autumn Leaves and Anime, we take it easy, keep it nice and short and just talk about our week in review. Jamie talks about his trip to Hoheikyo to see the Hoheikyo dam, autumn/fall leaves and eat their famous curry. We also talk about seeing some Engrish around Japan and how it both amuses and disappoints us...but mostly amuses us. We then move on to Chad's week where we talk about anime and the new Kimetsu No Yaiba movie. We get into a minor discussion about some anime that we like and how we think anime translates between the Japanese and American cultures. Finally we end it with some current events in Japan. We talk about a man who traveled 100 kilometers to punch someone in the throat and some livestock theft. Then we end it!

In this episode (Ep. 20) - Pali Kaaihue, we have a very special guest who helped bridge Japan and Hawaii's culture through music, tv, festivals and more! We have none other than the man, the myth, the big kahuna, Pali Kaaihue. He has performed music across Japan and has made numerous travel shows featuring various spots in Japan via Doko Ga Tv, JapanMania, and Love Hokkaido. Please check out his website in the link above to see more of his work and learn more about him. So, we start this episode with a brief and humble introduction about who he is, what he does and his future endeavors. We then get into some music talk and he talks about what/who inspired him to get into music. We then talk about how he takes small groups on private tours and what surprises them the most in Japan. We then get into our "This or That" segment and he talks us through some Ramen and food spots, various sashimi, hot spring spots (onsen), Kikaida, and more. He then gives us some insight into video production, editing and how we can learn a lot about it from watching the Cooking Channel. Lastly, he talks about finishing up production with the Na Hoku Hanohano Awards and talks more about his experiences with it. Finally at the very end, I ask him, "What's the strangest thing that you've seen in Japan?" and he gives us his answer. (Maybe the kid friendly version) Hahaha. And we end it!

Thanks Pali for making time for us and joining us. It was great to have you on, hopefully we'll see you in Hokkaido soon! Take care mah braddah, much Mahalos!

In this episode (Ep. 19) - Amber from Dela-Where?, we get our first female guest on Dosanko Life!! She introduces herself and tells us how she ended up coming to Japan. She talks about life in America and talks us through her transition from an East Coast small town to the giant city of Tokyo. She reminisces about her honeymoon years here in Japan (her first 2 1/2 years living in Japan) and tells us some embarrassing stories about life in Tokyo. We talk about some small nuances that we encountered while living here and quickly move on to our current situation, life with the Covid-19 pandemic. Amber talks to us about life with Coronavirus in Tokyo and gives us her thoughts on the situation. She then talks to us about how she has been coping with the situation and we end up talking about yoga. She talks about getting her certification in India and talks us through some Yoga. We also talk about the mythos behind losing things in Japan, going back to where you lost it and finding it nearby or in the same place that you forgot it. In the last leg of the Podcast we talk about our take on Japanese/Japanese and Japanese/Foreigner relationships. We then do a "This or That" segment where we give Amber two choices and she has to choose one (she drops some heavy information). We some how get back into a little Coronavirus talk, we talk about some differences between International and Public Schools here in Japan, then we close it out!

In this episode (Ep. 18) - Grigor "The Bulgarian Assassin", we talk about Grigor's first time leaving the country and moving to Japan to pursue his goals of learning the language and culture. He opens up with a little story about his plane ride to Japan and his very first encounter with the Japanese culture. He also talks about how he became interested in learning Japanese in the first place (it wasn't anime) and how his pursuit in taking his Japanese skills to the greater levels has altered the course of his life. He then gives us some insight into his hometown in Bulgaria and we then start to delve into the difference between small and huge cities, such as his hometown in Bulgaria and Tokyo. Later, Grigor tells us about the process of trying to get into the Japanese program that sent him to Sapporo, Hokkaido. He gives us insight on the progress he made with his Japanese skills while studying and living here. He also tells us some college stories and shenanigans that went down while he was here with Jamie. Some good ole drunken stories in Japan. He tells us how Covid-19 has messed up his travelling plans and contemplates his next move, in terms of travel. He then talks about how Covid-19 has altered the work culture in the west and how Japan is lagging behind, in terms of an efficient work culture. Lastly, we do a 5 question "This or That" segment and wrap things up.

In this episode (Ep. 17) - Konishiki, we have a very special guest! A real Hawaii and Japanese legend. We get Konishiki!!!!!!! Yes, Konishiki has joined us on the podcast as our very special guest this week. We talk about Sumo life/culture and his take on some of his "toughest" matches. He gives us some insight on how tough the sport of Sumo is, both physically and mentally. We also dive a little into the political side of sumo and how it differs when compared to some mainstream sports in America. He tells us a story of an incident that never made it to the news back when he was an active wrestler. We also bring up how life in Hawaii has changed and is still changing. He brings up some truth that Hawaii needs to face. He talks about the "Aloha Spirit" 20, 30, 40 years ago and the "Aloha Spirit" now. We talk about how deep the Japanese people are intertwined with Hawaii and have some deep conversations about it. We then talk about the Mawashi (The Sumo attire they use while wrestling) and his favorite colored ones, what his family and friends thought about it, and more. He talks about how he has and is still shifting his life from a busy lifestyle, to a more relaxing lifestyle that focuses on family and close friends. We then talk about him playing music and gigging around Japan. Finally, we talk about covid-19 and how it is affecting the Sumo wrestlers now. Specifically how it is affecting them mentally. Lastly, he shows us some of his products which he designed, the Sumo Brand. Please check it out in the link above! He is working on international orders, but it's currently ONLY available in Japan if it's in stock.

In this episode (Ep. 16) - Autumn is Coming, we keep things short and simple. Chad talks about an online drinking party that he had with friends in Hawaii and getting shit faced. Jamie and Chad discuss whether or not shitting and pissing yourself while piss drunk is an excusable offense. Jamie talks about being stopped by police for riding his bicycle, his encounters with Japanese police officers and how they are everything but intimidating. Then we start to delve into Kaiten Sushi and some Japanese food again. Soon after, we start our new segment, News in Japan! News in Japan is basically a news article that we each choose and share with you guys! This week, it's Haunted Toilets and Pissing Animal Capsule Toys! After going through everything, we get into our main topic which is Autumn season in Hokkaido. We talk about food, hot springs and food being sold in vehicles.

In this episode (Ep. 14) - Sean "Da Podagee": Japan, Ireland, Macau, we have Sean as a guest. Sean is half Japanese, half Irish and we talk about his time in Japan, Ireland and Macau. First we try to remember how we all met and slowly piece it together. Eventually we get a story that is probably correct. We talk a little about his past and how it was like being half Japanese and growing up in Ireland. We also get into how he ended up in Macau and what it's like living and working there. We somehow start to talk about strange sports and Sean tries to explain Aussie rules football, Irish football and other hybrid sports to us. He also talks about what inspired him to make a bad ass video about running the length of Macau with drone shots of the city. He then talks us through playing in the 4th tier league of Macau soccer/"football". At this point we're pretty buzzed and start to diverge a little, turning this into a semi-ramblecast. During the ramblecast section we talk about if people really defecate in the middle of malls and streets in rural mainland China. At this point, It starts to get weird. We start talking about old comedy movies and comedians, Bill Burr once again gets brought up as Jamie loves "F is for Family". We then proceed to try and end the podcast which takes about 20 minutes. We also realize that Sean spent the podcast recording with his microphone backwards. Maybe he's spent too much time in a former Portuguese colony and the "Podagee" has rubbed off on him.

In this episode (Ep. 13) - Beer Garden, we talk about our week in review as usual. We talk about the 49th day death ceremony and traveling to the countryside to set Grandpa's ashes. We talk about the Japanese way of sitting and the difficulties of this way of sitting. We also talk about some Japanese food again, specifically food from the Shibetsu Grand Hotel. We somehow end up talking about breathing and hallucinating. Finally, we bring it to our main topic, which is Sapporo Beer Garden. We talk about our experiences with Beer Garden and give some tips about going to Beer Garden in Sapporo. We discuss how Beer Garden has changed for us over the years and share some stories. After talking about Beer Garden for a while, we start to feel the buzz and transition into a drunkcast/ramblecast. During the drunkcast/ramblecast section we get into our past and how a family member thought Chad was gay. Chad then remembers a high school memory where he had a gay substitute teacher that closed the doors and starts dancing in the classroom with his hand fan. Then we end it as Jamie "purposely distorts" his audio.

In this episode (Ep. 12) - Obon Week, we talk about our week as usual. Jamie talks about hanging out at Moerenuma Park during Obon week during these times of Coronavirus. We talk about the summer heat in Sapporo and realize how lucky we are that we don't have to experience 3 months of Tokyo summer. We delve into Japan's "Go To" campaign and actually using it to go to a Hot Spring Hotel. Chad talks about his change of Obon plans and his experience at the Onsen (Hot Spring) Hotel at Lake Toya. We also talk about tattoos and going into the hot spring. We then get a little buzzed and start to ramblecast about summer BBQs and drunken sparring with drunk Japanese businessmen. Finally, we somehow start talking about Japanese boy bands and Japanese music.

In this episode (Ep. 11) - Corona and Health, we talk about living in Japan with Coronavirus/Covid-19. We share our experiences on trying to find and buy goods, such as a Switch Lite, exercise gear, some music gear, etc. during these hard times. After talking about life with Covid-19 and going on a small political tangent, we start to discuss how living here in Japan has sort of funnelled us into living a healthier lifestyle. We talk about how just switching from a Hawaii diet to a Japanese diet alone made us lose weight. We get into how commuting around town played a huge factor into our weight loss. Then we get start to feel a little buzz and it sort of turns into a drunkcast/ramblecast.

In this episode (Ep. 10) - Drunkcast/Ramblecast with Mike, We get drunk and talk about various topics. Actually, Mike and Chad started drinking a few hours before starting the podcast. We talk about Mike and how he ended up in Japan, Asahikawa vs Sapporo, Various English Companies and Mormons, Low level goals in life, The Rock, Tokyo Summer, Ambulances in Japan, Starting his English school, How Mike and Chad met, Getting blackout drunk, Frank Dux, Tom Cruise, Cliffhanger, Weightlifting, Steroids, Usain Bolt, Saved by the Bell, Asahikawa Recommendations, Onogi or Onoki (Mike's Wife's Family owned Michelin Star Restaurant), Making Beer, Coronavirus/Covid-19, and Things Mike doesn't like about Japan.

In this episode (Ep. 8) - RIP, We talk about our week as usual: Jamie has a BBQ and Chad goes hiking at Maruyama. We also talk about our experiences with the Japanese style funeral. The process of a funeral in Japan, basically what goes on before, during and after someone passes away. Hopefully you find their funeral style interesting. As always, feel free to leave any questions in the comment section. Thank You!!

In this episode (Ep. 7) - Japanese Language sKILLs, We talk about our week: eating at a Korean Restaurant, Netflix, delegating free time in our busy schedules. We touch on living in Japan with and without Japanese speaking skills. Basically, we share our experiences, observations and ideas about living here and how having or not having Japanese speaking skills alters our experiences and opportunities. Jamie also reiterates the fact that you will most likely end up teaching English to children. Chad is also drunk before recording via Highballs at a Yakiniku party.

In this episode (Ep. 6) - Nuances, We talk about our week and Jamie going back to the mall for the first time since the Corona Virus hit. We talk about his favorite place to eat at the food court and his encounter with a troublesome kids table with bad parenting. We talk about personal nuances that we have experienced and witnessed while living here. Also touching on some issues about working in Japan for Japanese companies. Finally, we talk about the difficulties of making friends in Japan and the possibilities of bringing on guests to the podcast!

In this episode (Ep. 5) - Happy Father's Day 2020, we tell some dad jokes that we made up and try to make each other laugh. We delve into Japanese family and work culture and give our thoughts and compare it to Hawaii and western family values. We touch on Japanese style funerals and the Japanese higher education system. Finally, we talk about our family, specifically our grandparents and share some stories that they have shared with us about life as an immigrant and life before moving to Hawaii.

In this episode (Ep. 4) - Da Sound of Music, we talk about our music interests and our week as usual. We delve into the types of music that we are interested in and our musical experiences, such as gigging. We also talk about some of our favorite artists and concerts that we have been to in Japan.

In this episode (Ep. 3) - Backstory Talk Story, we talk about our first week back at work. We touch on some of our hobbies here in Japan such as martial arts and music. We also talk about some of our favorite places to hangout in Japan and Hawaii. Finally, share a bit about growing up in our hometowns and some places to eat there.

In this episode (Ep. 2) - Origin Story, we talk about how we met, our very first encounter here in Sapporo. We also talk about some Japanese festivals that they have here and some that we've been to. Finally, we discuss the current state of Sapporo's Covid-19 situation here, especially since the State of Emergency is ending on 6/1/2020.

We are two local boys from Hawaii that randomly met in Hokkaido, Sapporo. We're here to share our experiences, opinions and more about life in Japan.

In this episode (Ep. 1), we give a quick intro and talk about food and some of the pros and cons about living in Japan. We also give our opinions on some of the Japanese culture, such as, safety, manners and what we think about other foreigners that live in Japan.

We will try to push out an episode a week, so please join us. We are also very new at doing this, so please bare with us. If you have any constructive advice, please leave them in the comments so that we can improve our podcast. Thank You!