Why life in Fukushima is DIFFERENT!

Why life in Miyagi is DIFFERENT!

On this episode of Japan Station, we talk about the unique cultural and geographic quirks of life in Miyagi Prefecture. 👉Topics Discussed * Where Miyagi Prefecture is located * The population of Miyagi Prefecture * Miyagi's mild weather * What izui means * What is gyūtan (牛タン) * About Sada Keishiro and the origins of gyūtan (beef tongue) * How most people in Sendai rarely if ever eat gyūtan * What is zundamochi? * About Kessennuma and its fishing industry * About shark meat in Kessennuma * About Sendai's links to JoJo's Bizarre Adventure, Jujutsu Kaisen and other anime/manga * About Ishinomori Shotaro's various museums * About "good morning socks" * And much more! 👉Subscribe to the Podcast! * Apple Podcasts: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/japan-station-a-podcast-by-japankyo-com/id1440454968 [https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/japan-station-a-podcast-by-japankyo-com/id1440454968] * Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6lDoFFt4M0HyyKaVeDyKkB [https://open.spotify.com/show/6lDoFFt4M0HyyKaVeDyKkB] 👉Support on Patreon & Ko-fi * Support for as little as $1 a month to get early access to episodes, ad free versions and occassional bonus content * Support on Patreon [https://patreon.com/japankyo] https://patreon.com/japankyo * Support via a one time donation! * Ko-fi: https://www.ko-fi.com/japankyo [https://www.ko-fi.com/japankyo] * Venmo: https://venmo.com/tonyrvega [https://venmo.com/tonyrvega] * Paypal.me: https://paypal.me/tonyrvega [https://paypal.me/tonyrvega] 👉Affiliate Links Use my Mobal affiliate link to get a 10% discount on their voice & data plan. Their voice & data plan is perfect for those who want a Japanese phone number while in Japan. Using this link gets you a discount and it provides me with a small commission which I use to fund JapanKyo. * Get 10% off of Mobal's Voice & Data plan: https://www.mobal.com/tonyjapan [https://www.mobal.com/tonyjapan] * Support by Buying a T-Shirt! Support the show by getting a t-shirt! * MechaNekoSushi.com [https://mechanekosushi.com/] 👉Links, Videos, Etc. None this time. 👉Follow on Social Media * X/Twitter: https://x.com/tonyrvega [https://x.com/tonyrvega] * Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/tonyrvega.bsky.social [https://bsky.app/profile/tonyrvega.bsky.social] * Instagram: https://instagram.com/tonyrvega [https://instagram.com/tonyrvega] * The Anime Linguist YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@theanimelinguist [https://www.youtube.com/@theanimelinguist] * Japan Station YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@japankyonews [https://www.youtube.com/@japankyonews] * Website: https://japankyo.com/ [https://japankyo.com/] * Tony R. Vega Personal X/Twitter: https://x.com/thevegatony [https://x.com/thevegatony] * Tony R. Vega Personal Website: https://tonyrvega.com/ [https://tonyrvega.com/] *

What the hell is JUNE sickness? (rokugatsubyō, 六月病) | Japan Station 217

On this episode of Japan Station, we talk about "May sickness" and "June sickness." What are these sicknesses? Are they real? Should you be concerned? ðŸ'‰Topics Discussed * What is gogatsubyÅ (äº"津病) * What is rokugatsubyÅ (六月病) * The origin of "May sickness" * Why April-June has a reputation for being a stressful time of year in Japan * Why June sickness is stupid * Why June is thought to be a particularly stressful time of year in Japan * And much more! ðŸ'‰Subscribe to the Podcast! * Apple Podcasts: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/japan-station-a-podcast-by-japankyo-com/id1440454968 [https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/japan-station-a-podcast-by-japankyo-com/id1440454968] * Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6lDoFFt4M0HyyKaVeDyKkB [https://open.spotify.com/show/6lDoFFt4M0HyyKaVeDyKkB] ðŸ'‰Support on Patreon & Ko-fi * Support for as little as $1 a month to get early access to episodes, ad free versions and occassional bonus content * Support on Patreon [https://patreon.com/japankyo] https://patreon.com/japankyo * Support via a one time donation! * Ko-fi: https://www.ko-fi.com/japankyo [https://www.ko-fi.com/japankyo] * Venmo: https://venmo.com/tonyrvega [https://venmo.com/tonyrvega] * Paypal.me: https://paypal.me/tonyrvega [https://paypal.me/tonyrvega] ðŸ'‰Affiliate Links Use my Mobal affiliate link to get a 10% discount on their voice & data plan. Their voice & data plan is perfect for those who want a Japanese phone number while in Japan. Using this link gets you a discount and it provides me with a small commission which I use to fund JapanKyo. * Get 10% off of Mobal's Voice & Data plan: https://www.mobal.com/tonyjapan [https://www.mobal.com/tonyjapan] * Support by Buying a T-Shirt! Support the show by getting a t-shirt! * MechaNekoSushi.com [https://mechanekosushi.com/] ðŸ'‰Links, Videos, Etc. None this time. ðŸ'‰Follow on Social Media * X/Twitter: https://x.com/tonyrvega [https://x.com/tonyrvega] * Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/tonyrvega.bsky.social [https://bsky.app/profile/tonyrvega.bsky.social] * Instagram: https://instagram.com/tonyrvega [https://instagram.com/tonyrvega] * The Anime Linguist YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@theanimelinguist [https://www.youtube.com/@theanimelinguist] * Japan Station YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@japankyonews [https://www.youtube.com/@japankyonews] * Website: https://japankyo.com/ [https://japankyo.com/] * Tony R. Vega Personal X/Twitter: https://x.com/thevegatony [https://x.com/thevegatony] * Tony R. Vega Personal Website: https://tonyrvega.com/ [https://tonyrvega.com/] *

Who started the Japanese soccer fan trash clean up custom?

On this episode of Japan Station, we talk about the origins of the famous custom of Japanese World Cup soccer/football fans cleaning stadiums after a match is over. Where did this custom originate? Who started it? Why do they use blue garbage bags? We talk about all that and more! 👉Topics Discussed * The history of the Japanese soccer/football fan cleaning up trash custom * Why Korean soccer fans may be the origin of the Japanese soccer fan stadium clean up custom * How Tanabe Seiyaku fans clean up trash after their team lost the Emperor's Cup on January 1st, 1981 * Japan's loss to Korea during the 1985 qualifiers for the 1986 Mexico World Cup * About Yoshizawa Koichi * How Korean soccer fans picked up their own trash after defeating Japan in 1985 * Why Japanese soccer fans use blue garbage bags to cheer at soccer games * And much more! 👉Subscribe to the Podcast! * Apple Podcasts: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/japan-station-a-podcast-by-japankyo-com/id1440454968 [https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/japan-station-a-podcast-by-japankyo-com/id1440454968] * Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6lDoFFt4M0HyyKaVeDyKkB [https://open.spotify.com/show/6lDoFFt4M0HyyKaVeDyKkB] 👉Support on Patreon & Ko-fi * Support for as little as $1 a month to get early access to episodes, ad free versions and occassional bonus content * Support on Patreon [https://patreon.com/japankyo] https://patreon.com/japankyo * Support via a one time donation! * Ko-fi: https://www.ko-fi.com/japankyo [https://www.ko-fi.com/japankyo] * Venmo: https://venmo.com/tonyrvega [https://venmo.com/tonyrvega] * Paypal.me: https://paypal.me/tonyrvega [https://paypal.me/tonyrvega] 👉Affiliate Links Use my Mobal affiliate link to get a 10% discount on their voice & data plan. Their voice & data plan is perfect for those who want a Japanese phone number while in Japan. Using this link gets you a discount and it provides me with a small commission which I use to fund JapanKyo. * Get 10% off of Mobal's Voice & Data plan: https://www.mobal.com/tonyjapan [https://www.mobal.com/tonyjapan] * Support by Buying a T-Shirt! Support the show by getting a t-shirt! * MechaNekoSushi.com [https://mechanekosushi.com/] 👉Links, Videos, Etc. Here are the sources I used for this episode: * This is the article that shares the Yoshizawa Koichi story (about Korean soccer fans picking up trash): https://www.asahi.com/articles/ASV6L3G9CV6LUQIP05YM.html [https://www.asahi.com/articles/ASV6L3G9CV6LUQIP05YM.html] * https://news.yahoo.co.jp/articles/0a9c3eeb476794e87fd854e91e730a16b9dc01a2?page=4 [https://hikinginjapan.com/] * https://news.yahoo.co.jp/expert/articles/7a641bc611b1a765b8a8646f288ec347ada073a5 [https://news.yahoo.co.jp/expert/articles/7a641bc611b1a765b8a8646f288ec347ada073a5] Here is the Japan Station episode that digs into the origins of why Japan has so few trash cans in public: * YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HOYW0P4JfqY&t=1s [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HOYW0P4JfqY&t=1s] * JapanKyo Post: https://japankyo.com/2025/06/the-real-reason-japan-doesnt-have-public-trash-cans-theyre-lying-to-you-japan-station-163/ [https://japankyo.com/2025/06/the-real-reason-japan-doesnt-have-public-trash-cans-theyre-lying-to-you-japan-station-163/] * 👉Follow on Social Media * X/Twitter: https://x.com/tonyrvega [https://x.com/tonyrvega] * Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/tonyrvega.bsky.social [https://bsky.app/profile/tonyrvega.bsky.social] * Instagram: https://instagram.com/tonyrvega [https://instagram.com/tonyrvega] * The Anime Linguist YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@theanimelinguist [https://www.youtube.com/@theanimelinguist] * Japan Station YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@japankyonews [https://www.youtube.com/@japankyonews] * Website: https://japankyo.com/ [https://japankyo.com/] * Tony R. Vega Personal X/Twitter: https://x.com/thevegatony [https://x.com/thevegatony] * Tony R. Vega Personal Website: https://tonyrvega.com/ [https://tonyrvega.com/] *

He climbed Japan's 100 FAMOUS mountains

On this episode of Japan Station, we're joined by the first confirmed American to climb Japan's "100 famous mountains" (hyakumēzan, 百名山): Wes Lang. We also talk about his experiences climbing Japan's tallest mountains and more. 👉Topics Discussed * About climbing Japan's hundred famous mountains (hyakumēzan, 百名山) * Animal encounters while climbing mountains in Japan * Memorable experiences while hiking in Japan * About getting lost during a winter hike in Shiga Prefecture * What to do if you get lost while hiking * About climbing the tallest mountain in each of Japan's 47 prefectures * Advice for hiking in Japan * About Wes Lang's work as a travel consultant * And much more! 👉Subscribe to the Podcast! * Apple Podcasts: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/japan-station-a-podcast-by-japankyo-com/id1440454968 [https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/japan-station-a-podcast-by-japankyo-com/id1440454968] * Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6lDoFFt4M0HyyKaVeDyKkB [https://open.spotify.com/show/6lDoFFt4M0HyyKaVeDyKkB] 👉Support on Patreon & Ko-fi * Support for as little as $1 a month to get early access to episodes, ad free versions and occassional bonus content * Support on Patreon [https://patreon.com/japankyo] https://patreon.com/japankyo * Support via a one time donation! * Ko-fi: https://www.ko-fi.com/japankyo [https://www.ko-fi.com/japankyo] * Venmo: https://venmo.com/tonyrvega [https://venmo.com/tonyrvega] * Paypal.me: https://paypal.me/tonyrvega [https://paypal.me/tonyrvega] 👉Affiliate Links Use my Mobal affiliate link to get a 10% discount on their voice & data plan. Their voice & data plan is perfect for those who want a Japanese phone number while in Japan. Using this link gets you a discount and it provides me with a small commission which I use to fund JapanKyo. * Get 10% off of Mobal's Voice & Data plan: https://www.mobal.com/tonyjapan [https://www.mobal.com/tonyjapan] * Support by Buying a T-Shirt! Support the show by getting a t-shirt! * MechaNekoSushi.com [https://mechanekosushi.com/] 👉Links, Videos, Etc. Relevant Links: * Hiking in Japan blog: https://hikinginjapan.com/ [https://hikinginjapan.com/] * Hiking in Japan YouTube: https://youtube.com/@hikinginjapan [https://youtube.com/@hikinginjapan] * Hiking and Trekking in the Japan Alps and Mount Fuji: https://www.cicerone.co.uk/hiking-and-trekking-in-the-japan-alps-and-mount-fuji [https://www.cicerone.co.uk/hiking-and-trekking-in-the-japan-alps-and-mount-fuji] 👉Follow on Social Media * X/Twitter: https://x.com/tonyrvega [https://x.com/tonyrvega] * Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/tonyrvega.bsky.social [https://bsky.app/profile/tonyrvega.bsky.social] * Instagram: https://instagram.com/tonyrvega [https://instagram.com/tonyrvega] * The Anime Linguist YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@theanimelinguist [https://www.youtube.com/@theanimelinguist] * Japan Station YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@japankyonews [https://www.youtube.com/@japankyonews] * Website: https://japankyo.com/ [https://japankyo.com/] * Tony R. Vega Personal X/Twitter: https://x.com/thevegatony [https://x.com/thevegatony] * Tony R. Vega Personal Website: https://tonyrvega.com/ [https://tonyrvega.com/] *

The good and bad of the JET Program

This is a rebroadcast of Ichimon Japan episode 47 (originally released 07/07/21). On this episode of Ichimon Japan we ask: What was good and bad about your JET experience? Topics Discussed * What the JET Programme is * The various positions available to JET applicants * Some troubles experienced while on the JET Programme * Rural placements * Japan's shrinking population * On getting placed in Yamagata Prefecture * On the lack of privacy that comes with living in a rural place in Japan * Positive experiences while on JET * Unique tangential experiences * How seeing example of bad teaching can be helpful * On making friends while on JET * On dealing with cold weather * And much more! Listen to Ichimon Japan on [btn btnlink="https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/ichimon-japan-a-podcast-by-japankyo-com/id1492400997" btnsize="medium" bgcolor="#0568bf" txtcolor="#ffffff" btnnewt="1" nofollow="1"]Apple Podcasts[/btn] [btn btnlink="https://podcasts.google.com/?feed=aHR0cHM6Ly9pY2hpbW9uamFwYW4ubGlic3luLmNvbS9yc3M" btnsize="medium" bgcolor="#0568bf" txtcolor="#ffffff" btnnewt="1" nofollow="1"]Google Podcasts[/btn] [btn btnlink="https://www.stitcher.com/podcast/japankyocom/ichimon-japan-a-podcast-by-japankyocom" btnsize="medium" bgcolor="#0568bf" txtcolor="#ffffff" btnnewt="1" nofollow="1"]Stitcher[/btn] [btn btnlink="https://open.spotify.com/show/1ZVgnljVM8gcR1ar98eK0D" btnsize="medium" bgcolor="#0568bf" txtcolor="#ffffff" btnnewt="1" nofollow="1"]Spotify[/btn] [btn btnlink="https://www.iheart.com/podcast/263-ichimon-japan-a-podcast-by-59510504/" btnsize="medium" bgcolor="#0568bf" txtcolor="#ffffff" btnnewt="1" nofollow="1"]iHeartRadio[/btn] [btn btnlink="https://www.podbean.com/podcast-detail/mv3zr-ad2df/Ichimon-Japan-A-Podcast-by-Japankyo.com" btnsize="medium" bgcolor="#0568bf" txtcolor="#ffffff" btnnewt="1" nofollow="1"]PodBean[/btn] [btn btnlink="https://tunein.com/podcasts/Arts--Culture-Podcasts/Ichimon-Japan-A-Podcast-by-Japankyocom-p1290988/" btnsize="medium" bgcolor="#0568bf" txtcolor="#ffffff" btnnewt="1" nofollow="1"]Tunein[/btn] [btn btnlink="https://ichimonjapan.libsyn.com/rss" btnsize="medium" bgcolor="#0568bf" txtcolor="#ffffff" btnnewt="1" nofollow="1"]RSS[/btn] Support on Patreon If you enjoy Ichimon Japan and want to ensure that we're able to produce more episodes, then please consider becoming a patron on Patreon.com. You can join for just $1 a month and that comes with perks like early access to episodes, a shout-out at the beginning of a future episode, bonus content, and discounts to Kimito Designs. For $3 a month you get all that plus access to Japanese Plus Alpha, a podcast produced by me (Tony Vega) that focuses on the Japanese language and its many quirks. Whether you are studying Japanese or just enjoy learning about language and linguistics, you'll enjoy Japanese Plus Alpha. And it goes without saying that if you sign up, you'll also get my undying gratitude. Thanks in advance! * Support on Patreon [https://www.patreon.com/user?u=32280122] Sources, Links, Videos, Etc. * Support the show, get a t-shirt! * Mecha Neko Sushi [https://mechanekosushi.com/] Here's a few English language articles that I came across while preparing for this episode. * As Japan's JET Programme hits its 30s, the jury's still out [https://www.japantimes.co.jp/community/2017/05/03/issues/japans-jet-programme-hits-30s-jurys-still/] * WHAT TO DO WHEN YOU'RE PLACED IN A BAD SCHOOL: OVERCOMING HARDSHIPS AND BECOMING THE ALT YOU WANT TO BE [https://www.tofugu.com/japan/jet-program-bad-school/] * JET-setting into the Deep Countryside of Japan: My Experience [https://thetruejapan.com/jet-setting-into-the-deep-countryside-of-japan-my-experience/] Here is a link to the page containing the details about the Japanese survey mentioned in this episode. * ALTがいる授業、子どもたちには人気？ 親は……!? [https://benesse.jp/eigo/201211/20121122-4.html] Use the link below to check out the latest episode of the Japan Station podcast. * What Is Pana-Wave Laboratory? (Dr. Salvador Jimenez Murguia) | Japan Station 69 [https://japankyo.com/2021/07/about-pana-wave-laboratory-history-experience/] Support the show by picking up a t-shirt at KimitoDesigns.com. * Check out Kimito Designs [https://www.etsy.com/shop/KimitoDesigns] Japanese Vocabulary List Most episodes feature at least one or two interesting Japanese words or phrases. Here's some of the ones that came up on this episode. All information is from Jim Breen's WWWJDIC. [http://nihongo.monash.edu/cgi-bin/wwwjdic?1C] * Gaikokugoshidōjoshu * 外国語指導助手 【がいこくごしどうじょしゅ】 (n) assistant language teacher; ALT; foreign national serving as an assistant teacher of English in a Japanese classroom We Want Your Questions Is there something about Japan that confuses you? Is there something about Japanese culture that you would like to learn more about? Is there something in Japanese history that you would like us to explain? We're always looking for new questions about Japan to answer, so if you have one, please send it to ichimon@japankyo.com [ichimon@japankyo.com]. Special Thanks Opening/Closing Theme: Produced by Apol (YouTube [https://www.youtube.com/user/apolxcore], Twitter [https://twitter.com/apolxcore], Facebook [https://www.facebook.com/apolmusic], Fiverr [https://www.fiverr.com/apolxcore]) Ichimon Japan cover art: Produced by Erik R. Follow Japankyo on Social Media * Facebook (@JapanKyoNews) [https://www.facebook.com/japankyonews] * Twitter (@JapanKyoNews) [https://twitter.com/japankyonews] Full Show Notes * https:///japankyo.com/ichimonjapan [https://japankyo.com/category/podcasts/ichimonjapan/]