Geeks and Gaijins

Its Japanese History for Gaijins. Ever wanted to learn about the history of Japan, but history books too boring?  Well lets learn about Japan together!! This week we have every high-school student's nightmare. It's poetry! But not just Haikus and Shakespeare, what if your entire social and work life was defined by how good you were at poetry? Well that's Heian Japan,have a listen just in case you end up time travelling, so you know your plum blossom from your snow...  

Also the Tale of Genji, the world's first novel, we look at how weird a book from a thousand years ago is. Turns out, VERY! 

Dr Denecke's wonderful article on poetry! : https://www.jstor.org/stable/25066837?Search=yes&resultItemClick=true&searchText=heian&searchText=poetry&searchUri=%2Faction%2FdoBasicSearch%3FQuery%3Dheian%2B%2Bpoetry&ab_segments=0%2Fbasic_SYC-5152%2Fcontrol&refreqid=search%3A9a29051cfa8a5d06fe912f2ac2bda04d&socuuid=c2554ffc-bfa5-424f-9ac4-c6e1586ed00f&socplat=twitter

Would you like to hear us talk about Japan some more? Find our podcast here:

Music for series can be found here: 

https://imslp.org/wiki/Special:ReverseLookup/507871

Spring has sprung, which means it's time for Japan to become it's most anime-est! Across the country, cherry blossoms - aka Sakura - are blooming, painting the country pink. Sadly for Japan, there will be no sakura viewing parties this year, due to concerns regarding you-know-what. This will not stop Jon from explaining what exactly a "Sakura Viewing Party" is to us foreigners, however. Score!

Snack break this weeks features something that may or may not be an actual ice cream, and Jon gets revenge on Tom by forcing him to not only wrestle with the English and Japanese languages, but German and French as well, as the Geeks and Gaijins podcast plays a game of "Guess that Loanword!". Such villainy!

Would you like to hear us talk about Japan some more? Find our podcast here:

Spotify: https://tinyurl.com/G-GSpot 

Itunes: https://tinyurl.com/Ge-Gaitune 

Twitter: https://twitter.com/GGaijins 

Facebook: https://tinyurl.com/y5kk5key

Its Japanese History for Gaijins. Ever wanted to learn about the history of Japan, but history books too boring?  Well lets learn about Japan together!! This week we're looking at the downfall of one of Japan's greatest clans! As well as the rise of a government so peculiar it could only be Japanese. Want Emperor monks, the Evil Councillor of the Left and FINALLY SAMURAI. 

Would you like to hear us talk about Japan some more? Find our podcast here:

Music for series can be found here: 

https://imslp.org/wiki/Special:ReverseLookup/507871

The world's still sick, but Japan apparently missed the memo. Only now have the government started taking precautions to help shelter their population from Covid 19, with a revolutionary new iniative: handing out two face masks to each family. That's right, two masks. Per family.

Genius.

Once again, Jon takes us on a journey through Japan's mask culture as it slowly adapts to the new pandemic. We've got reusuable masks, we've got DIY Masks, we've got mask spray, but the one thing we definitely don't have is Corona Virus...

At least, as far as we can tell, Japan's not really testing people. Yay!

Also in this podcast: Japanese Memes, Pucca Snacks, and a Tom's First Impressions of the Spring Season of Anime. Find out what shows you should be looking forward to to help you get through the quarantine. You probably have the time. 

Would you like to hear us talk about Japan some more? Find our podcast here:

Spotify: https://tinyurl.com/G-GSpot 

Itunes: https://tinyurl.com/Ge-Gaitune 

Twitter: https://twitter.com/GGaijins 

Facebook: https://tinyurl.com/y5kk5key

Its Japanese History for Gaijins. Ever wanted to learn about the history of Japan, but history books too boring?  Well lets learn about Japan together!! This week we're looking at the lack of tranquillity in the era of peace and tranquillity! Two families are rising, two legendary families, with members who get awesome nicknames! The son of the God of War meets the Kanto region and catching Pokemon! What more could you want? 

Would you like to hear us talk about Japan some more? Find our podcast here:

Music for series can be found here: 

https://imslp.org/wiki/Special:ReverseLookup/507871

Much ado about not much, really

Corona Virus has everyone locked indoors across the globe, and as such we're all a little short on news to discuss. The beginning of the episode features a short update on Japan's ongoing response to Covid-19, for you to enjoy or skip at your leisure. 

Fortunately, the guys are not without any news for this podcast, thanks in part to a surprise mini-direct from Nintendo. As such, this episode will heavily feature Tom ranting and wildly speculating about Super Smash Bros. Fighter Pass 2, whilst Jon reluctantly attempts to follow along and keep the conversation accessible for you, dear listener. 

Strap yourselves into whatever furniture has temporarily become your home, this will be a wild one. 

Would you like to hear us talk about Japan some more? Find our podcast here:

Spotify: https://tinyurl.com/G-GSpot 

Itunes: https://tinyurl.com/Ge-Gaitune 

Twitter: https://twitter.com/GGaijins 

Facebook: https://tinyurl.com/y5kk5key

Its Japanese History for Gaijins. Ever wanted to learn about the history of Japan, but history books too boring?  Well lets learn about Japan together in a lighthearted and fun way! This is episode 8, and we're continuing the Heian Era (HIan era, who knows? Not ME!)  This time its magic and monks, with warrior women, and astrology, it's time that you found out if your bad luck is because your being stepped on by a god! 

Would you like to hear us talk about Japan some more? Find our podcast here:

Music for series can be found here: 

https://imslp.org/wiki/Special:ReverseLookup/507871

Jon continues his new series all by himself! Its Japanese History for Gaijins. Ever wanted to learn about the history of Japan, but history books too boring? Always thought samurai weren't your style? Well lets learn about Japan together in a lighthearted and fun way! This is episode 7, and we're entering the Heian Period, the period of Peace and Tranquillity, so what better to talk about than civil wars, murderous plots, and the Emperor who can be polity termed a serial killer in the making. All this and more on Japanese History for Gaijins!

Article link for Ronald P Toby on J-Store : https://www.jstor.org/stable/2384764?seq=1 

Welcome to... whatever this is.

More and more people might be staying indoors due to Covid 19, but that's no concern for Jon! This week marks the launch of the latest release in the Animal Crossing Franchise: New Horizons, and he couldn't be happier. Truly there is nothing he enjoys more than escaping from reality for a few hours of indulging in his greatest fantasies: paying off a mortgage, maintaining a tidy garden, and having a handful of friends he talks to every day. 

Also in this episode, the boys discuss the Japanese festival of Higan, and the recent auctioning of a unique Nintendo Playstation prototype. There is also much rambling and British nonsense along the way.

We apologise in advance. 

Would you like to hear us talk about Japan some more? Find our podcast here:

Spotify: https://tinyurl.com/G-GSpot 

Itunes: https://tinyurl.com/Ge-Gaitune 

Twitter: https://twitter.com/GGaijins 

Facebook: https://tinyurl.com/y5kk5key