Ohazassu Podcast

Summer. Floor sitting fatigue. Wireless Mic'ing.

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Septemberick. Upcoming interviews and plans.

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Travel to Hokkaido and discover the Ainu at Nibutani Kotan.

For a video tour and photos, please check my YouTube.

Thanks for tuning in, and see you at the next episode.

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Sacred Shrines, Light-Filled Tunnels & Tsunami Alerts and Word of the Day

In this episode, I share info and scenes from recent trips to Ise Shrine in Mie Prefecture and Echigo Yuzawa in Niigata Prefecture where the art installations really took my breath away.

There was also a huge tsunami scare this week across Japan.

As always, there's a Word of the Day at the end of the episode too.

Thanks for tuning in and don't forget to like and subscribe to support my channel. See you at the next one!

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How did Toyotomi Hideyoshi make his enemy believe that he built an entire castle overnight?!
I visited Ishigakiyama Ichiya Castle this week to find out.

Some recent news: Stumbled upon an article last week about tourist drivers in Japan and licensing. As always, there were some interesting bits of trivia that I learned.

And of course, there is the usual Word of the Day - related to the recent unpredictable weather.

Thanks for tuning in and don't forget to like and subscribe to support the channel. See you at the next one!

Website: https://www.ohazassu.com
X: https://x.com/ohazassu
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ohazassu

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External Links
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Ishigakiyama Ichiya Castle:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ishigakiyama_Ichiya_Castle

Tourist Drivers:
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20250710_07/

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Hi everyone, and welcome to Episode 91 on Ohazassu with John.

In today's episode, a quick update on a cashback experience with my new Philips toothbrush.

There are two exhibitions that I stumbled upon that I'd like to share:
1. Capcom at Nagoya City Art Museum
2. Ancient Egypt at Toyota City Museum

If you follow me on X, you'll know I went to Legoland Japan in Nagoya on the weekend. It was a surprisingly awesome day. It's a great place for families and Lego fans.

There's something about Japanese health supplements I noticed the other day... I wonder if anyone has any answers.

And as always, there's Word of the Day at the end of the episode!

Whether you're planning a trip to Japan or just curious about life here, Ohazassu is packed with useful tips, insights, and fun discoveries.

Please like, subscribe, and follow us on Instagram and X for more Japan content. Visit my website for a full list of Episodes and Word of the Day entries.

Thanks for listening, and catch you at the next one!

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Welcome to Episode 90 of Ohazassu Japan.

If you follow me on X, you'll know that I recently went back to Australia to visit and spend time with my family.

It was an interesting trip, during which I made some observations and reflected on a few things.

Doesn't it make things interesting when you live in another country long term? Some views and opinions evolve - some stay the same.

As always, there's a Word of the Day at the end the episode, which will soon be added to the dedicated page on our new website over at https://ohazassu.com/word-of-the-day/

Thanks for watching and see you at the next video or on X: https://x.com/ohazassu

Bye for now! ☺️

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Full list of episodes: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLoldb0aQndBdlSCKIZ7b-KKRbBHaZEEXA

Welcome to Episode 89!

- A porcelain coffee dripper from Origami. Beautiful design, perfect pour-over!

- Apologies: A couple of dad jokes 😅

- Exploring Odaka Ryokuchi Koen & Shonai Ryokuchi Koen on two wheels.

- Hunting down Japan’s cheapest vending machines—because every yen counts!

- Where to find free drinking water in Tokyo (stay hydrated!).

- USB charging stations to keep your devices powered.

- Why paper kanji dictionaries still matter in the digital age.

- QR codes at restaurants. Yay or Nay?

- Word of the day

Thanks for tuning in!

Tokyo's free water drinking stations: https://www.waterworks.metro.tokyo.lg.jp/kurashi/drinking_station/

📌 Follow me on X for more thoughts and polls https://x.com/Ohazassu
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ohazassu/

🔗 Website updates & Word of the Day archive coming soon!

#Ohazassu #WordOfTheDay #JapanLife #ExpatTalk #LanguageLearning

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In Episode 88 of Ohazassu, I share thoughts from a recent Japanese language learning poll I ran on X, where 72% of respondents said learning Japanese is hard. I explore why that might be—from kanji struggles to limited phonetic range—and reflect on how modern tools like AI can be both helpful and harmful to long-term retention.

I also get personal about dealing with isolation as an expat in Japan, the emotional ups and downs of maintaining friendships across distances, and how reconnecting with old friends recently gave me a powerful boost. This episode wraps with a meaningful Word of the Day: 絆 (kizuna)—the bond of friendship.

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Who hasn't paid their NHK fees??? Over $100,000 in dues uncovered!

I also gush over my favorite coffee-themed stationery gem, soak in the magic of Japan's cherry blossom season, and share how I’m tackling smartphone addiction with my daughter—all while boosting our Japanese language skills.

And don't miss the exciting updates on the Ohazassu website overhaul—it's finally happening, and I’m aiming to launch it by the end of April!

And of course, there's our regular Word of the Day segment at the end!

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/ohazassu-podcast--5905520/support.