Japan Station: Deep Dives into Japanese Culture, Language & Society
Japan Station helps you understand Japanese culture, language, and society on a deeper level. Hosted by The Anime Linguist, Tony R. Vega, the show features expert interviews and deep dives into topics you won't find anywhere else—sometimes with ridiculous tangents. Each episode dives into everything from Japanese language and linguistics to history, food, travel, and pop culture. You'll also hear stories from foreigners living in Japan, giving perspective on life in the country beyond the usual guidebook tips. Whether you're learning Japanese, planning a trip, or just passionate about Japan, each episode delivers insight, humor, and useful information. Topics we explore include: ・Japanese culture and society ・The Japanese language (learning, linguistics, nuance) ・Japanese history and traditions ・Food, regional specialties, and travel tips ・Anime, manga, and pop culture ・Experiences of foreigners living in Japan ・And much more Contact: mail@japankyo.com About the host Tony R. Vega is the founder of JapanKyo.com and creator of The Anime Linguist YouTube channel. He holds an M.A. in Japanese language and linguistics from the University of Hawaii and has hosted Japanese-language content for native speakers. As a legally blind creator, Tony advocates for accessibility while offering a perspective on Japan and its language that few can match.
Episodes
This episode is a re-broadcast of episode 61 of the Ichimon Japan podcast (originally released 6/21/22).
On this episode of Ichimon Japan we ask: What is a famiresu?
Topics Discussed
- What famiresu are
- The characteristics of famiresu (family restaurants)
- About the history of famiresu in Japan
- The first famiresu in Japan (Skylark)
- Some of the most popular famiresu in Japan
- About Big Boy a...
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 i...
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 (å…月病)
- The origin of "May sickness"
- Why April-June has a reputation for being a stressful time...
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 cleanin...
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 ...
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 Yama...
On this episode of Japan Station, we're talking about food you have to eat the next time you visit Fukushima.
👉Topics Discussed
- About the Grand Van Gogh Exhibit
- About the Pokemon Astronomical Observatory
- About Koriyama Black Ramen
- What a "cream box" is
- What is Fukushima Buruburu
- The history of Fukushima Buruburu
- And much more!
Read more
On this episode of Japan Station, we're talking about Fukushima Prefecture! We're focusing on the geography, cultural quirks, language and food.
👉Topics Discussed
- About the geography of Fukushima Prefecture
- Where Fukushima is located
- About the three regions of Fukushima: Aizu, Nakadōri, Hamadōri
- About the stereotypes of the people of the three regions o...
On this episode of Japan Station, filmmaker Cuauhtemoc Velazquez joins us to talk about Apparition, his new short film about a Tokyo izakaya that gets visited by the Virgin Mary.
👉Topics Discussed
- What Apparition is about
- What inspired Cuauhtemoc Velazquez to make Apparition
- Japan's loose but respectful relationship with religion
- Abo...
On this episode of Japan Station, we're talking about how there's been an increase in the number of tourists from overseas who are dumping their suitcases in the Ikebukuro area of Tokyo. We also talk about what you can do if you need to dispose of your suitcase when visiting Japan.
👉Topics Discussed
- Foreign tourists are dumping their suitcases illegall...
This is a rebroadcast of Ichimon Japan episode 04 which originally was released on 2/12/2020.
Today's Question
On this episode of Ichimon Japan we ask: What's it like being a fake priest in Japan?
Topics Discussed
- What a nisebokushi is
- The different terminology for priests in Japanese (shinpu vs bokushi)
- The phenomenon of having foreigners dress ...
On this episode of Japan Station, we're talking about Hanamaki and Tōno, two cities in Iwate prefecture known for being great places to visit if you're a fan of the supernatural and fantastic.
👉Topics Discussed
- How to get to Hanamaki City from Tokyo Station
- How long the bullet train to Iwate from Tokyo takes
- About traveling by train from Hanamaki t...
On this episode of Japan Station, we're talking about Iwate Prefecture! We're focusing on the geography, general stats, language and food.
👉Topics Discussed
- Where Iwate Prefecture is
- About Iwate Prefecture's large size and sparse population
- About the weather of Iwate Prefecture
- About the dialects of Iwate Prefecture
- About Fukuda Pan/Fukuda Bread, i...
This ia rebroadcast of epsode 73 of Ichimon Japan originally released on 7/21/23.
On this episode of Ichimon Japan we ask: What is it like moving in Japan?
Topics Discussed
- About what it's like moving in Japan
- When people in Japan usually move
- What it costs to move in Japan
- Why people in Japan usually move in March
- Expenses associated with moving in Japan
- About rent prices in Japan
- Rent...
On this episode of Japan Station, we're joined by Jake Davies, a resident of Shimane Prefecture who has walked over 30,000 km in Japan. He talks about his experiences walking around Japan and what it's like living in Shimane, one of Japan's least populated prefecture.
👉Topics Discussed
- Why Jake Davies moved to Shimane Prefecture
- What it's like living in...
On this episode of Japan Station, travel writer Jennifer Bain joins us to talk about one of Japan's most ancient and famous pilgrimages: the Kumano Kodō (熊野古道). We also talk about Japanese convenience stores and the famous conbini socks.
👉Topics Discussed
- What the Kumano Kodō (熊野古道) is
- How to get the Kumano Kodō (熊野古道) is
- An example of a five day itiner...
On this episode of Japan Station, we're talking about the origins of the word sakura. No not that sakurai. The other sakura. The scammy kind of sakura. Also we're talking about madorā.
👉Topics Discussed
- The possible origins of the word sakura (サクラ)
- Why sakura means a fake "scammy" customer
- What a madorā is
- And mu...
On this episode of Japan Station, we're talking about the rise of Japan's $3.5 billion breakfast industry and why Japan is currently in the midst of it's 4th "breakfast boom."
👉Topics Discussed
- What a typical Japanese breakfast consists of
- The history of breakfast in Japan
- Breakfast in the Edo Period
- Breakfast in Edo vs Kansai during the Edo Period
- Japa...
On this episode of Japan Station, we're joined by Dr. Patrick W. Galbraith to talk about the current status of Akihabara and the rise of Ikebukuro as Japan's newest capital of all things anime, manga and otaku culture.
👉Topics Discussed
- Whether Akihabara is dying
- The history of Akihabara
- How Akihabara has evolved in recent years
- What locals think of Aki...
This is a re-broadcast of an episode originally released on 8/21/21.
On this episode of Ichimon Japan we ask: Is Yamaguchi cursed to have "ugly" girls? We also discuss other places in Japan known for having many beautiful/ugly women.
Topics Discussed
- The three most scenic views in Japan
- What the Sandaibijin (三大美人) is
- What places in Japan are most known for having beautiful wom...
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