In this special interview episode, Michael sits down with Riccardo Barba, a 17 year-old student from Italy who is currently studying at Toho High School. In the interview, Michael and Riccardo talk about Riccardo's life in Italy, how he became interested in Japan, what his life is like here as an exchange student, his exceptional cooking skills, and how he has even written, recorded, and produced his own song! Finally, in this week's English Tips segment, Michael (the Fox) and Jordan (the Tanuki) talk about the difference between the adjectives "tall" and "high" and how to use them.

Check out Riccardo's (Rik :D) track on Spotify:

https://open.spotify.com/track/1G6JRDhGC1m8ioO1G1lcbv?si=ad1d6418864e4252

Follow OnJapanTime on Instagram for content related to this episode, including this week's English tips, behind the scenes photos, and more!

Instagram: www.instagram.com/onjapantime

Send us a DM! We welcome your comments, questions, and suggestions, and will do our best to respond to any queries on a future episode.

On Japan Time was created by California natives Michael Larsen and Jordan Johnson at Aichi Toho University in Nagoya city. In their weekly podcast, they discuss life in Japan in a way that provides cultural insights from the perspective of long-time foreign residents. OnJapanTime also features an English tips segment for non-native English speakers.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In the first half of this episode Michael and Jordan talk about their experiences with getting visas in Japan, the odd way to pay the visa application fee, and the strangely intrusive documents you need to submit when applying for a spouse visa. Then in the second half, they talk about the different kinds of visa categories, Michael shares the rather rare visa he had when he first came to Japan, and Jordan shows how little he actually knows about religious missionaries. Finally, in this week's English Tips segment, Michael (the Fox) and Jordan (the Tanuki) talk about the different meanings of the word "beat" and how to use them.

Follow OnJapanTime on Instagram for content related to this episode, including this week's English tips, behind the scenes photos, and more!

Instagram: www.instagram.com/onjapantime

Send us a DM! We welcome your comments, questions, and suggestions, and will do our best to respond to any queries on a future episode.

On Japan Time was created by California natives Michael Larsen and Jordan Johnson at Aichi Toho University in Nagoya city. In their weekly podcast, they discuss life in Japan in a way that provides cultural insights from the perspective of long-time foreign residents. OnJapanTime also features an English tips segment for non-native English speakers.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In the first half of this episode Michael and Jordan discuss the different kinds of uniforms that you see every day in Japan, from school uniforms, to construction workers, to salary men and women. Then in the second half, they talk about the social pressures to conform, Jordan describes a moment where different cultural expectations regarding uniforms caught him off guard, and Michael quizzes Jordan on all the different words that are synonyms to the word "clothes". Finally, in this week's English Tips segment, Michael (the Fox) and Jordan (the Tanuki) talk about how to use the phrase "the more ___, the more ___."

Follow OnJapanTime on Instagram for content related to this episode, including this week's English tips, behind the scenes photos, and more!

Instagram: www.instagram.com/onjapantime

Send us a DM! We welcome your comments, questions, and suggestions, and will do our best to respond to any queries on a future episode.

On Japan Time was created by California natives Michael Larsen and Jordan Johnson at Aichi Toho University in Nagoya city. In their weekly podcast, they discuss life in Japan in a way that provides cultural insights from the perspective of long-time foreign residents. OnJapanTime also features an English tips segment for non-native English speakers.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In the first half of this episode Michael and Jordan discuss the history and traditions of clothing and fashion in Japan, with both shocked to learn about their different perspectives on the "long socks" of the late 80s to early 2000s. Then in the second half, they talk about the current fashion trends amongst their students at Aichi Toho University and provide a list of fashion/clothing DOs and DONTs for tourists visiting Japan. Finally, in this week's English Tips segment, Michael (the Fox) and Jordan (the Tanuki) talk about the word "fancy" and the different meanings it can carry, as well as the expressions it can be used in.

Follow OnJapanTime on Instagram for content related to this episode, including this week's English tips, behind the scenes photos, and more!

Instagram: www.instagram.com/onjapantime

Send us a DM! We welcome your comments, questions, and suggestions, and will do our best to respond to any queries on a future episode.

On Japan Time was created by California natives Michael Larsen and Jordan Johnson at Aichi Toho University in Nagoya city. In their weekly podcast, they discuss life in Japan in a way that provides cultural insights from the perspective of long-time foreign residents. OnJapanTime also features an English tips segment for non-native English speakers.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In the first half of this episode Michael and Jordan discuss their tanuki (racoon dog) and kitsune (fox) characters that they play in each week's English Tips segment, as well as the various other wild animals that one can encounter in Japan. Then in the second half, they talk about the various birds of Japan, and Jordan goes on a slight rant about his annual battle with a family of Swallows that seem to love him and/or his house. Finally, in this week's English Tips segment, Michael (the Fox) and Jordan (the Tanuki) talk about the words "bear" and "bare" and all their different meanings/functions.

Follow OnJapanTime on Instagram for content related to this episode, including this week's English tips, behind the scenes photos, and more!

Instagram: www.instagram.com/onjapantime

Send us a DM! We welcome your comments, questions, and suggestions, and will do our best to respond to any queries on a future episode.

On Japan Time was created by California natives Michael Larsen and Jordan Johnson at Aichi Toho University in Nagoya city. In their weekly podcast, they discuss life in Japan in a way that provides cultural insights from the perspective of long-time foreign residents. OnJapanTime also features an English tips segment for non-native English speakers.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In the first half of this episode Michael and Jordan discuss the origins, traditions, and rules of Sumo (Japan's national sport), including the dangers of sitting ringside, the oddity of seeing very smaller wrestlers going up against much larger wrestlers, and the banzuke ranking system. Then in the second half, they discuss the different kinds of seating in the sumo arenas, how audience members throw their seat cushions when a lower-ranked wrestler defeats a yokozuna, the "stables" that wrestlers live in, the famous chanko hot pot dish they eat, and how it is possible to meet the wrestlers at small/local exhibition matches. Finally, in this week's English Tips segment, Michael (the Fox) and Jordan (the Tanuki) talk about the English vocabulary that we use for signs and advertising.

Follow OnJapanTime on Instagram for content related to this episode, including this week's English tips, behind the scenes photos, and more!

Instagram: www.instagram.com/onjapantime

Send us a DM! We welcome your comments, questions, and suggestions, and will do our best to respond to any queries on a future episode.

On Japan Time was created by California natives Michael Larsen and Jordan Johnson at Aichi Toho University in Nagoya city. In their weekly podcast, they discuss life in Japan in a way that provides cultural insights from the perspective of long-time foreign residents. OnJapanTime also features an English tips segment for non-native English speakers.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In the first half of this episode Michael and Jordan discuss all things toilets, including the dreaded Japanese squat toilet, the numerous ways to refer to the restroom in Japanese, and even Number 1s and Number 2s (thankfully they don't discuss Number 3s!). Then in the second half, Michael quizzes Jordan about all the different words--formal and slang--that can be used to describe the restroom in English. Finally, in this week's English Tips segment, Michael (the Fox) and Jordan (the Tanuki) talk about the English vocabulary that we use to describe areas where people and animals live.

Follow OnJapanTime on Instagram for content related to this episode, including this week's English tips, behind the scenes photos, and more!

Instagram: www.instagram.com/onjapantime

Send us a DM! We welcome your comments, questions, and suggestions, and will do our best to respond to any queries on a future episode.

On Japan Time was created by California natives Michael Larsen and Jordan Johnson at Aichi Toho University in Nagoya city. In their weekly podcast, they discuss life in Japan in a way that provides cultural insights from the perspective of long-time foreign residents. OnJapanTime also features an English tips segment for non-native English speakers.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In the first half of this episode Michael and Jordan discuss the things you should consider when renting or buying a home, including the kind of building, whether or not it has insulation, and the safety checks you should do. Then in the second half, Michael describes the process of and fees associated with renting a home in Nagoya city, and Jordan quizzes Michael about the abandoned home ("akiya" in Japanese) problem in Japan. Finally, in this week's English Tips segment, Michael (the Fox) and Jordan (the Tanuki) talk about the English vocabulary that we use to describe the different types of buildings that humans use and live in.

Follow OnJapanTime on Instagram for content related to this episode, including this week's English tips, behind the scenes photos, and more!

Instagram: www.instagram.com/onjapantime

Send us a DM! We welcome your comments, questions, and suggestions, and will do our best to respond to any queries on a future episode.

On Japan Time was created by California natives Michael Larsen and Jordan Johnson at Aichi Toho University in Nagoya city. In their weekly podcast, they discuss life in Japan in a way that provides cultural insights from the perspective of long-time foreign residents. OnJapanTime also features an English tips segment for non-native English speakers.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In the first half of this episode Michael and Jordan discuss the difference between a clinic and a hospital in Japan, and Michael shocks Jordan with just how many "hospitals" there really are in Japan. Then in the second half, Michael shares a funny story about his experience with the Barium Swallow Test during his yearly check-up, and Jordan shares his stressful experience with the electrocardiogram during his. Finally, in this week's English Tips segment, Michael (the Fox) and Jordan (the Tanuki) talk about how and when to use "active" vs. "passive" English sentences.

Follow OnJapanTime on Instagram for content related to this episode, including this week's English tips, behind the scenes photos, and more!

Instagram: www.instagram.com/onjapantime

Send us a DM! We welcome your comments, questions, and suggestions, and will do our best to respond to any queries on a future episode.

On Japan Time was created by California natives Michael Larsen and Jordan Johnson at Aichi Toho University in Nagoya city. In their weekly podcast, they discuss life in Japan in a way that provides cultural insights from the perspective of long-time foreign residents. OnJapanTime also features an English tips segment for non-native English speakers.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Welcome to Season 2 of the OnJapanTime podcast!

In the first half of this episode Michael and Jordan talk about graduations in Japan, including how they are much more formal and rigid than in the West. Then in the second half, Jordan quizzes Michael about the the various traditions and customs related to graduation ceremonies in Europe and the US. Finally, in this week's English Tips segment, Michael (the Fox) and Jordan (the Tanuki) talk about the variety of English vocabulary related to "dog days" and the ways that they are used.

Follow OnJapanTime on Instagram for content related to this episode, including this week's English tips, behind the scenes photos, and more!

Instagram: www.instagram.com/onjapantime

Send us a DM! We welcome your comments, questions, and suggestions, and will do our best to respond to any queries on a future episode.

On Japan Time was created by California natives Michael Larsen and Jordan Johnson at Aichi Toho University in Nagoya city. In their weekly podcast, they discuss life in Japan in a way that provides cultural insights from the perspective of long-time foreign residents. OnJapanTime also features an English tips segment for non-native English speakers.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.