Voices in Japan

Ben and Burke discuss some of the interesting types of Japanese people that foreigners may come across while living in Japan. They only really account for about 10% of the population so are rare, but when they do appear, it leaves a memorable impression. Some of these types include The Gaijin Hunter, the Helpful Hito, The Engish Vampire, The Gaijin Gawker, and some others that we discuss in the show. Enjoy!

Thanks to our sponsors:

Bearfoot Bar
12 different types of Japanese made craft beers, both bottles and on tap. A range of whiskeys and basic cocktails also available. Tapas style menu and burgers. Friendly English and Japanese speaking staff. Open 7 days a week. Located in downtown Sapporo, walking distance from the subway station. Why not pop in for a drink if you are in town!

https://www.facebook.com/bearfootbar

The Red House Rusutsu

Located in the heart of Rusutsu Ski Resort, the restaurant features a mix of Japanese, Asian fusion, and western Style dishes, including shabu-shabu with wagyu beef and Hokkaido wagyu beef steak. Open winter and summer, 12-3pm for lunch, 5-9pm for dinner, with prices ranging from under Yen 1000 to about Yen 5000.

https://theredhouse.jp/

Rusutsu Lodges

Open all year round. Located 5 minutes walk to the main Rusutsu Ski Resort Gondola. There are Japanese, Western, and apartment style rooms with breakfast packages available. There’s a Japanese sento (public bath), two convenience stores less than a minute walk, ski room and tune up tables, free pick up available from the bus stop, plenty of free parking space, and summer BBQ packages available. Check out the website for more information and availability.

http://rusutsulodges.com


Hokkaido Guide

Established over 10 years ago, written by locals for locals and international tourists. The guide contains information on all types of businesses and locations around Hokkaido. There's information regarding all things Hokkaido such as sightseeing, nightlife, events, services, food and restaurants, entertainment, outdoor activities, and more. Currently offered in English and Thai, advertising space available. 

https://hokkaidoguide.com

Use our Buzzsprout affiliate link to start your podcast today!

Website:

https://www.voicesinjapan.com/

Follow us and check out our other content:

https://twitter.com/voicesinjapan

https://www.facebook.com/voicesinjapan/

https://www.instagram.com/voicesinjapan/

Get in touch: 

[email protected]

Support the show

How do you convince timid Japanese customers to become regulars at an international pub? Mike, the manager of Bearfoot Bar in Sapporo, joins Ben and Burke to share the trials and successes he and  the staff at the bar have had in attracting the domestic Japanese crowd, which is basically the only customer base available in the midst of the coronavirus travel restrictions. According to Mike, the bar might now have a 80% Japanese customer base! What are the expectations of Japanese customers? How has Bearfoot Bar reinvented itself in the past six months to differentiate itself from the previous pubs that have enjoyed success as international bars in the same location on the sixth block of Sapporo's famous Tunikikoji shopping arcade in the middle of town? Listen to find out now!

Sponsors:

The Red House Rusutsu

Located in the heart of Rusutsu Ski Resort, the restaurant features a mix of Japanese, Asian fusion, and western Style dishes, including shabu-shabu with wagyu beef and Hokkaido wagyu beef steak. Open winter and summer, 12-3pm for lunch, 5-9pm for dinner, with prices ranging from under Yen 1000 to about Yen 5000.

https://theredhouse.jp/

Rusutsu Lodges

Open all year round. Located 5 minutes walk to the main Rusutsu Ski Resort Gondola. There are Japanese, Western, and apartment style rooms with breakfast packages available. There’s a Japanese sento (public bath), two convenience stores less than a minute walk, ski room and tune up tables, free pick up available from the bus stop, plenty of free parking space, and summer BBQ packages available. Check out the website for more information and availability.

http://rusutsulodges.com

Hokkaido Guide

Established over 10 years ago, written by locals for locals and international tourists. The guide contains information on all types of businesses and locations around Hokkaido. There's information regarding all things Hokkaido such as sightseeing, nightlife, events, serices, food and restaurants, entertainment, outdoor activities, and more. Currently offered in English and Thai, advertising space available.

https://hokkaidoguide.com

Bearfoot Bar. 12 different types of Japanese made craft beers, both bottles and on tap. A range of whiskeys and basic cocktails also available. Tapas style menu and burgers. Friendly English and Japanese speaking staff. Open 7 days a week. Located in downtown Sapporo, walking distance from the subway station. Why not pop in for a drink if you are in town!

https://www.facebook.com/bearfootbar

Use our Buzzsprout affiliate link to start your podcast today!

Website:

https://www.voicesinjapan.com/

Follow us and check out our other content:

https://twitter.com/voicesinjapan

https://www.facebook.com/voicesinjapan/

https://www.instagram.com/voicesinjapan/

Get in touch: 

[email protected]

Support the show

What are some of the benefits of being foreign when living or visiting Japan? Ben and Burke talk about some of the things that foreigners can get away with, such as not working overtime, being able to shirk Japanese social responsibilities, making rude and stupid remarks to Japanese people, having much younger or older partners, and much much more.

During the show, we talked about some things that can be found in previous episodes, so if you want to find out more about Matsusaka beef, the senpai kohai (senior-junior) relationship, or even the joke about ringworm, click the links to hear more.

Sponsors:

Bearfoot Bar. 12 different types of Japanese made craft beers, both bottles and on tap. A range of whiskeys and basic cocktails also available. Tapas style menu and burgers. Friendly English and Japanese speaking staff. Open 7 days a week. Located in downtown Sapporo, walking distance from the subway station. Why not pop in for a drink if you are in town!

https://www.facebook.com/bearfootbar

The Red House Rusutsu

Located in the heart of Rusutsu Ski Resort, the restaurant features a mix of Japanese, Asian fusion, and western Style dishes, including shabu-shabu with wagyu beef and Hokkaido wagyu beef steak. Open winter and summer, 12-3pm for lunch, 5-9pm for dinner, with prices ranging from under Yen 1000 to about Yen 5000.

https://theredhouse.jp/

Rusutsu Lodges

Open all year round. Located 5 minutes walk to the main Rusutsu Ski Resort Gondola. There are Japanese, Western, and apartment style rooms with breakfast packages available. There’s a Japanese sento (public bath), two convenience stores less than a minute walk, ski room and tune up tables, free pick up available from the bus stop, plenty of free parking space, and summer BBQ packages available. Check out the website for more information and availability.

http://rusutsulodges.com

Hokkaido Guide

Established over 10 years ago, written by locals for locals and international tourists. The guide contains information on all types of businesses and locations around Hokkaido. There's information regarding all things Hokkaido such as sightseeing, nightlife, events, serices, food and restaurants, entertainment, outdoor activities, and more. Currently offered in English and Thai, advertising space available.

https://hokkaidoguide.com

Use our Buzzsprout affiliate link to start your podcast today!

Website:

https://www.voicesinjapan.com/

Follow us and check out our other content:

https://twitter.com/voicesinjapan

https://www.facebook.com/voicesinjapan/

https://www.instagram.com/voicesinjapan/

Get in touch: 

[email protected]

Support the show

On this episode, Ben and Burke look back at things that surprised them when they arrived in Japan, as well as things that are still surprising to them today. Some of those are fashion trends, such as high school girls getting frost burn on their legs from wearing short skirts in the dead of winter and only wannabe movie stars wearing sunglasses. They also cover quite a bit on love hotels and "bosozoku" biker gangs, beauty features in Japan like having a small face or "tall" nose, out-of-date tech like DVDs and CDs still being widely enjoyed in rental stores, and much much more! A lot of jokes and laughs in this fun episode!

Thanks to our sponsors:

Rusutsu Lodges
Open all year round. Located 5 minutes walk to the main Rusutsu Ski Resort Gondola. There are Japanese, Western, and apartment style rooms with breakfast packages available. There’s a Japanese sento (public bath), two convenience stores less than a minute walk, ski room and tune up tables, free pick up available from the bus stop, plenty of free parking space, and summer BBQ packages available. Check out the website for more booking and availability.

http://rusutsulodges.com

Bearfoot Bar
12 different types of Japanese made craft beers, both bottles and on tap. A range of whiskeys and basic cocktails also available. Tapas style menu and burgers. Friendly English and Japanese speaking staff. Open 7 days a week. Located in downtown Sapporo, walking distance from the subway station. Why not pop in for a drink if you are in town!

https://www.facebook.com/bearfootbar

The Red House Rusutsu
Located in the heart of Rusutsu Ski Resort, the restaurant features a mix of Japanese, Asian fusion, and western Style dishes, including shabu-shabu with wagyu beef and Hokkaido wagyu beef steak. Open winter and summer, 12-3pm for lunch, 5-9pm for dinner, with prices ranging from under Yen 1000 to about Yen 5000.

https://theredhouse.jp/

Hokkaido Guide
Established over 10 years ago, written by locals for locals and international tourists. The guide contains information on all types of businesses and locations around Hokkaido. There's information regarding all things Hokkaido such as sightseeing, nightlife, events, services, food and restaurants, entertainment, outdoor activities, and more. Currently offered in English and Thai, advertising space available.

https://hokkaidoguide.com

Use our Buzzsprout affiliate link to start your podcast today!

Website:

https://www.voicesinjapan.com/

Follow us and check out our other content:

https://twitter.com/voicesinjapan

https://www.facebook.com/voicesinjapan/

https://www.instagram.com/voicesinjapan/

Get in touch: 

[email protected]

Support the show

Lawrie from Scotland, a Karate practioner, joins Ben and Burke on the podcast to talk about martial arts. We talk about Karate, wrestling, Judo, Brazilian Jujitsu, Japanese Jujitsu, Kendo, what got the guys into martial arts, Lawrie doing Karate as a kid in Scotland, Burke wrestling in the US, Burke meeting Royce Gracie as a college freshman, Lawrie getting back into karate in Japan, what the guys think of the belt system in martial arts, what are some differences between doing martial arts in Japan and in other countries, and much much more.

Previous guests mentioned in the show:

Damian from the episode "Working with the Yakuza" and Jenifer from the episode "Life in Kobe and the Scotland-Japan Whiskey Connection".

Thanks to our sponsors:

Bearfoot Bar
12 different types of Japanese made craft beers, both bottles and on tap. A range of whiskeys and basic cocktails also available. Tapas style menu and burgers. Friendly English and Japanese speaking staff. Open 7 days a week. Located in downtown Sapporo, walking distance from the subway station. Why not pop in for a drink if you are in town!

https://www.facebook.com/bearfootbar

Rusutsu Lodges
Open all year round. Located 5 minutes walk to the main Rusutsu Ski Resort Gondola. There are Japanese, Western, and apartment style rooms with breakfast packages available. There’s a Japanese sento (public bath), two convenience stores less than a minute walk, ski room and tune up tables, free pick up available from the bus stop, plenty of free parking space, and summer BBQ packages available. Check out the website for more booking and availability.

http://rusutsulodges.com


The Red House Rusutsu
Located in the heart of Rusutsu Ski Resort, the restaurant features a mix of Japanese, Asian fusion, and western Style dishes, including shabu-shabu with wagyu beef and Hokkaido wagyu beef steak. Open winter and summer, 12-3pm for lunch, 5-9pm for dinner, with prices ranging from under Yen 1000 to about Yen 5000.

https://theredhouse.jp/


Hokkaido Guide
Established over 10 years ago, written by locals for locals and international tourists. The guide contains information on all types of businesses and locations around Hokkaido. There's information regarding all things Hokkaido such as sightseeing, nightlife, events, services, food and restaurants, entertainment, outdoor activities, and more. Currently offered in English and Thai, advertising space available.

https://hokkaidoguide.com


Use our Buzzsprout affiliate link to start your podcast today!


Website:

https://www.voicesinjapan.com/

Follow us and check out our other content:

https://twitter.com/voicesinjapan

https://www.facebook.com/voicesinjapan/

https://www.instagram.com/voicesinjapan/

Get in touch: 

[email protected]

Support the show

Author Michael Howard joins Voices in Japan again following the release of the hysterically funny manga version of The Salaryman available at thesalarymanbook.com. The digital comic book is a collaboration between Mike and Reina (a Japanese illustrator) that highlights Mike's experiences living in Japan and working as a businessman in the Japanese corporate world. Needless to say, there is plenty of laugh-out-loud humor when cultures collide, and The Salaryman gives both foreign and Japanese readers an inside look on everything Mike had the pleasure and horror of experiencing!

For the interview, we caught Mike during a major transition in his life, where a great opportunity in publishing has him returning to live in his hometown of Chicago, but it will also allow him to frequently return to Japan. Mike opens up about his mixed feelings about no longer living in Japan, the things he will miss about the culture, and the recent efforts he has made with his Japanese in-laws to strengthen their relationship following his divorce a couple of years ago.  We of course also cover some of the great humor in The Salaryman manga as well!

Podcast Sponsors:

The Red House Rusutsu
Located in the heart of Rusutsu Ski Resort, the restaurant features a mix of Japanese, Asian fusion, and western Style dishes, including shabu-shabu with wagyu beef and Hokkaido wagyu beef steak. Open winter and summer, 12-3pm for lunch, 5-9pm for dinner, with prices ranging from under Yen 1000 to about Yen 5000.
https://theredhouse.jp/

Bearfoot Bar
12 different types of Japanese made craft beers, both bottles and on tap. A range of whiskeys and basic cocktails also available. Tapas style menu and burgers. Friendly English and Japanese speaking staff. Open 7 days a week. Located in downtown Sapporo, walking distance from the subway station. Why not pop in for a drink if you are in town!
https://www.facebook.com/bearfootbar

Rusutsu Lodges
Open all year round. Located 5 minutes walk to the main Rusutsu Ski Resort Gondola. There are Japanese, Western, and apartment style rooms with breakfast packages available. There’s a Japanese sento (public bath), two convenience stores less than a minute walk, ski room and tune up tables, free pick up available from the bus stop, plenty of free parking space, and summer BBQ packages available. Check out the website for more booking and availability.
http://rusutsulodges.com

Hokkaido Guide
Established over 10 years ago, written by locals for locals and international tourists. The guide contains information on all types of businesses and locations around Hokkaido. There's information regarding all things Hokkaido such as sightseeing, nightlife, events, serices, food and restaurants, entertainment, outdoor activities, and more. Currently offered in English and Thai, advertising space available.
https://hokkaidoguide.com

Use our Buzzsprout affiliate link to start your podcast today!

Website:

https://www.voicesinjapan.com/

Follow us and check out our other content:

https://twitter.com/voicesinjapan

https://www.facebook.com/voicesinjapan/

https://www.instagram.com/voicesinjapan/

Get in touch: 

[email protected]

Support the show

Damian "Hippy" Keyte joins Ben and Burke on the podcast. Originally trained as a Manufacturing Jeweller and designer, Damian (or Hippy, as he is known to his friends), has spent the past two and-a-half decades continuously retraining himself in a wide variety of creative trades. 

From an underwater film maker, to a carpenter and plasterer in both Japan and Australia, to having spent the last seven years at sea as a Merchant Sailor in the oil and gas industry, before finally settling down in Hokkaido, Japan to develop his own multi-discipline studio to bring all of his talents together in one place.

We have such an interesting conversation with Damian and go into much more depth about all the things mentioned above and more, so enjoy the show!

For more information about Damian's furniture business, Yoshitomo Design, check out his Facebook or Instagram pages.

https://www.instagram.com/yoshitomodesign/

https://www.facebook.com/stonesteelandwood/


Podcast Sponsors:

Bearfoot Bar
12 different types of Japanese made craft beers, both bottles and on tap. A range of whiskeys and basic cocktails also available. Tapas style menu and burgers. Friendly English and Japanese speaking staff. Open 7 days a week. Located in downtown Sapporo, walking distance from the subway station. Why not pop in for a drink if you are in town!
https://www.facebook.com/bearfootbar

Rusutsu Lodges
Open all year round. Located 5 minutes walk to the main Rusutsu Ski Resort Gondola. There are Japanese, Western, and apartment style rooms with breakfast packages available. There’s a Japanese sento (public bath), two convenience stores less than a minute walk, ski room and tune up tables, free pick up available from the bus stop, plenty of free parking space, and summer BBQ packages available. Check out the website for more booking and availability.
http://rusutsulodges.com

Hokkaido Guide
Established over 10 years ago, written by locals for locals and international tourists. The guide contains information on all types of businesses and locations around Hokkaido. There's information regarding all things Hokkaido such as sightseeing, nightlife, events, serices, food and restaurants, entertainment, outdoor activities, and more. Currently offered in English and Thai, advertising space available.
https://hokkaidoguide.com

Use our Buzzsprout affiliate link to start your podcast today!

Website:

https://www.voicesinjapan.com/

Follow us and check out our other content:

https://twitter.com/voicesinjapan

https://www.facebook.com/voicesinjapan/

https://www.instagram.com/voicesinjapan/

Get in touch: 

[email protected]

Support the show

On this episode of Voices in Japan we are joined by Jenifer, owner of Reza Wood Designs, a company that takes recycled whiskey barrels from Scotland’s great distilleries and transforms them into gifts and furniture.

Get 15% off any product available in Reza Wood Designs online shop, using the promo code: VOICESINJAPAN valid for 1 month from the broadcast date of this episode.

We have a really interesting conversation with Jenifer about living and teaching English in Kobe, Japan, why Kobe is such a great city to visit and live, going to the 1998 Nagano Winter Olymics, staying at a buddhist temple, some cultural mishaps, returning to Japan for a family trip in 2018, how she started Reza Wood Designs, Jenifer’s hometown in Scotland and it’s relationship with Yoichi in Hokkaido, the popularity of Japanese Whiskey, the Japanese drama “Massan” about the Nikka Whiskey founder and his Scottish wife, and much much more. Enjoy the show!

Sponsors:

Rusutsu Lodges

Open all year round. Located 5 minutes walk to the main Rusutsu Ski Resort Gondola in Hokkaido. There are Japanese, Western, and apartment style rooms with breakfast packages available. There’s a Japanese sento (public bath), two convenience stores less than a minute walk, ski room and tune up tables, free pick up available from the bus stop, plenty of free parking space, and summer BBQ packages available. Check out the website for bookings and availability.

http://rusutsulodges.com

Bearfoot Bar
12 different types of Japanese made craft beers, both bottles and on tap. A range of whiskeys and basic cocktails also available. Tapas style menu and burgers. Friendly English and Japanese speaking staff. Open 7 days a week. Located in downtown Sapporo, walking distance from the subway station. Why not pop in for a drink if you are in town!

https://www.facebook.com/bearfootbar

Use our Buzzsprout affiliate link to start your podcast today!

Website:

https://www.voicesinjapan.com/

Follow us and check out our other content:

https://twitter.com/voicesinjapan

https://www.facebook.com/voicesinjapan/

https://www.instagram.com/voicesinjapan/

Get in touch: 

[email protected]

Support the show

On this episode, Japanese Comedian Meshida gives Ben and Burke a lesson on the different levels of sex establishments in Japan.  Meshida quit his job at an Internet company several years ago to start honing is comedic skills in the United Kingdom, and he is now back in Japan doing stand-up comedy and producing a very funny and informative YouTube channel in English with many videos covering the whole gamut of sex-related topics in Japan.  In addition to learning about Meshida's background, the guys learn about everything from Hostess Bars to Soapland, how such establishments can play an important part in Japanese business culture, and even about the unfortunate and even quite regular reasons why some women might choose to work in the sex industry.  Enjoy the show!

Use our Buzzsprout affiliate link to start your podcast today!

Support the show

Sponsors:
Bearfoot Bar. 12 different types of Japanese made craft beers, both bottles and on tap. A range of whiskeys and basic cocktails also available. Tapas style menu and burgers. Friendly English and Japanese speaking staff. Open 7 days a week. Located in downtown Sapporo, on the 6th block of Tanukikoji shopping arcade, within walking distance from the subway station. Why not pop in for a drink if you are in town!

Website:

https://www.voicesinjapan.com/

Follow us and check out our other content:

https://twitter.com/voicesinjapan

https://www.facebook.com/voicesinjapan/

https://www.instagram.com/voicesinjapan/

Get in touch: 

[email protected]

Support the show

Ben and Burke are joined by Sapporo local Aaron, who owns and runs a car dealership called Ace Auto Japan based in Ebetsu, Hokkaido.

We talk about many things, including how he got into the car dealing business and starting his own company, Ben’s short experience of working in the Japanese car export business, Japanese car auctions, some of the awesome cars Aaron has driven, some interesting stories meeting foreign clients, such as going to Russia to generate business, car management for rich foreigners with holiday homes in Japan, Aaron’s work life, and how he balances it with his social life, Burke’s and Aaron’s racetrack exploits, drifting, boy racer life, spending time at Lake Toya, and much much more.

We recorded this episode at Bearfoot Bar in downtown Sapporo, so you will hear a bit of background noise coming from the streets. Hopefully, it’s not too distracting!

Enjoy the show!

Use our Buzzsprout affiliate link to start your podcast today!

Support the show

Website:

https://www.voicesinjapan.com/

Follow us and check out our other content:

https://twitter.com/voicesinjapan

https://www.facebook.com/voicesinjapan/

https://www.instagram.com/voicesinjapan/

Get in touch: 

[email protected]

Support the show