Episode 18 – 18 Minute Update

Just a quick 18 minute update for episode 18. I really didn’t plan it that way, weird. One main topic and a bunch blabber divided into two parts. Enjoy!

Show Notes:

Episode 17 – Walking Through Asakusa

Rainy Day

I took the chance during this rainy day to walk around Asakusa and just spout random thoughts into my cell phone. Listening back, it wasn’t all that bad so I’m posting it as a podcast episode. This one feels a little more intimate and fun I think. Plus, there is all sorts of great things to listen for in the background. Enjoy!

Show Notes:

  • Another haircut at QB House
  • Looking for headphones in Asakusa
  • Eating breakfast at Denny’s (menu photo 1 / menu photo 2)
  • Comments on restaurants in general
  • Children’s book I’m reading
    • Link to Amazon.co.jp page for it
    • book.jpg
  • Coffee episode coming soon
  • Comments on various store fronts I pass by

Episode 16 – Medicine and Parks

66838065_d6eeab4a43_b 1.jpg

Is it true? Is it true? An audio episode?! Yes, I know its been a while but I pulled up my bootstraps and got myself in front of the mic for a good hour today. After editing out all the coughs and false starts, this one comes down to about 41 minutes or so. A full episode follows, complete with a brief sound scene at Mos Burger, only in Japan segment, and two big topics. Listen to my gravel-like voice in true stereo as I whisk you through the Japanese medical experience and my reflections on the park.

Show Notes:

  • Golden Week and what I’ve been doing
  • Being sick in Japan
    • This cold is kicking my ass
    • Pharmacy / medicine store experience
    • Japanese medicine
    • Japanese clinic experience
      • Armpit thermometer
    • Comments on Japanese health-care system
  • Park visit today
    • Had to get out of the house
    • Listening to Jazz while biking through Tokyo
      • Comparing Japan to New York
    • Mos Burger Sound Scene [3 mins]
    • Only in Japan: How many dogs can you take to the park??
    • Japanese park teaches me to relax and enjoy life
  • Another story about my bike
    • Proof that I’m not the only manly-man riding a mama-chari bike
  • Updates
    • Computer work
    • Yurikamome video footage
    • New episodes
  • Hi’s and Hello’s
  • Rock concert podcast ending [it takes for ever]

Episode 13 – Tokyo Calling Crossover

Picture 3.jpg

This episode is the first ever, Finding Japan <=> Tokyo Calling crossover episode. Not really sure what else to call it. I met up with Scott Lockman from Tokyo calling a few weekends back. We spent very little time getting to know each other since we had already known each other through our respective podcasts. However, we did share the common interest in technology, the future of podcasting and more.

This interview occurred in a noisy hotel front coffee shop in Tokyo. If you can stand the background noise, please listen. Enjoy!

Show notes:

  • A brief chat on the creative process and writing every day
  • Formats of podcasts / how Tokyo Calling developed
  • Why do people listen to podcasts?
  • Privacy and the Internet
  • Future of social networking

I’d like to thank Scott for taking time out of his busy day to chat. Hopefully this won’t be the last of such episodes.

Episode 11 – Bike-capades and Yaki-Soba

I should have given the cops some Yaki-imo. Confused?! Well listen in to today’s episode and get acquainted with the Yaki-imo truck vendor, the cops, and my dinner. This episode comes straight from my kitchen while I cook up one of the only dishes I know how to make here in Japan, Yaki-soba. MMmmm. ^_^

Show Notes

  • Making Yaki Soba
  • Busy as sin, so I can’t mail anything right now ^_^
  • More about GTD
  • Buying a bicycle – Mama Chari
  • Getting pulled over by the cops, on a bike
  • Bear with me while my food cooks LOUDLY – it doesn’t quite work well in audio does it?
  • Should I post the TokyoCalling duel interview clips?
  • Helmet’s “Size Matters” in Japan has two bonus tracks
  • Dark side of podcasting
    • Terrance is a patient guy
    • And I start using street lingo while explaining it, what’s with that?
  • Listen to A Year in Japan’s episode on Love Hotels
  • Yaki-imo やきいも Truck Recording – Stone Roasted Potatoes

Episode 9 – The Lo-Fi Episode

Today’s episode is very much like a one-way telephone conversation. Recording with my cellular phone, I do a quick update and introduce a few subjects very briefly, not getting into too much depth. This is more of an experiment than a proper episode. I hope it meets the approval of your ears in terms of quality. What do you think? Is this quality level too annoying? It’s super convenient for commute-casting. Also, there’s something more natural about recording into a cell phone, so strange. I’m undecided.
Show Notes:

  • Wednesday = hump day?
  • Doing the podcast on my keitai (cell phone)
  • Regular schedule in Japan has started
  • Will do an entire episode on coffee in Japan
  • Will do an entire episode on first week in a Japanese office
  • Keeping in touch with friends (Gmail / Keitai symbiosis)
  • Getting Things Done
  • Will this be a full episode? – Yes.

Episode 7 – Humility

Take a stroll with me as I take a walk through a park near where I live and talk a bit about lessons in humility. I have a random conversation with a stranger and share some sounds of Tokyo as I walk home. A short episode coming in at 20 mins and little more personal than the rest before. Highly edited due to wind noise however so please bear with me. Hope you enjoy! Mata!

Show Notes:

  • Unwinding in the park
  • Getting a haircut in Japan
    • QB House – 1,000 円 haircut
    • Had to fix my own hair, ha!
  • Working in Ariake
    • The Dream Bridge (picture below)
    • Building numbers in Tokyo – why they exist
  • Humbleness, humility, and humanity
    • Still learning about myself
    • Placement tests
  • Random conversation with fellow park-walker
  • Answering Matt’s question on the JR Rail Pass
  • Random sounds and babble for the last 5 minutes on my way home
    • I must have a nice ass
    • National health insurance
    • Japanesepod101.com
    • It’s Friday night!

The Dream Bridge

The Dream Bridge in Ariake

Episode 6 – The Wet Episode

Special guests, raw chicken, bicycle skills and more. Get it all in this episode. Tonight Alex (my trackmate, roommate, and friend) takes a seat at the mic with me for a dualing discussion on the finer points of Japan. As we dry off from the monsoon that seemed to appear from out of nowhere earlier today. Today’s episode comes in around 30 minutes long and I even cut out the part about commuting around the city to post on another rainy day. Enjoy!

Show notes and references:

  • Intro – Never again will I buy a cheap Chinese umbrella
  • Update
    • Moved to Sumida-ku
    • Hanami last weekend
    • Meiji-jingu video is up
    • Bicycle Sidewalk – check it out
    • Alien registration complete!
  • Foreign Exchange
  • Japanese Bicycle Skeeels
  • Eating Raw Chicken
    • Japan is famous for three types of chickens, Alex explains
    • 生 -> usually means raw
    • 刺 -> but this does too apparently, so watch out!
  • Things You Will Only See in Japan
    • Cute vs. Cool
    • Buta-kun
  • Outro and Thanks

Episode 4 – Hello from Tokyo Tower!

First day back with Internet means instant episode for you all, better late than never. I recorded this episode earlier in the week, Tuesday evening to be exact just before my trackmate Alex arrived in Japan. The next few days were spent trouncing around Tokyo looking for basics like bedding, soap, and food. Enjoy this pre-move in episode ne! ^_^

Show Notes

  • Long day (late post, will be in the process of moving)
  • View from the Tokyo Prince Hotel
  • Jisa-boke and how I get over it
  • Tokyo Tower / Eiffel Tower
  • Moving and dragging my belongs through the streets of Tokyo
  • Using GTD and Vitalist
  • Cool friends help the Tokyo-transition
  • Only in Japan – Egg on pizza is truly incredible (http://www.flickr.com/photos/heavylift/434951327/)
  • Small World – Strange people confluences
  • Terrance’s Matsuri Post on KobeBeef
  • Upcoming Video Posts

Episode 3 – Kerpow!!

Dr. Pepper CanToday’s episode is brought to you by this Dr. Pepper Can and the Pepper Chix (http://www.drpp.jp). Woah!

This episode covers a little bit about the website and how to subscribe to the audio versions of this podcast, my trials and tribulations at an Internet cafe in Kamata trying to get some connectivity, Japanese Jehovah Witnesses, the best damn spicy cheeseburger I’ve ever had, a crazy motorcycle helmet, and more.

Also, I divulge a little bit of my Japanese study plan which seems to be working out. Remembering the Kanji, James Heisig, I couldn’t remember the name of this book during the episode.

Don’t know who Oruchuban Ebichu is? Lest your curiosity kill you, find out in this episode.

And of course, a quick roundup of some of the best Japanese living podcasts around. Herro Flom Japan, Kobe Beef Show, Tokyo Calling, and A Year in Japan. Check these out.