The XQ Sumimasen Podcast

Living somewhere for a few weeks and living somewhere for more than a decade are two completely different experiences. The excitement eventually fades, routines take over, and you begin noticing the little things that make a place both rewarding and frustrating. After more than 14 years in Tokyo, I've had enough time to experience the honeymoon phase, the culture shock, the everyday routines, and the quieter realities that only reveal themselves over time. In this episode, I reflect on what I genuinely love about living in Tokyo—and the parts that still challenge me. Watch the Full Episode Listen on: Spotify Apple YouTube Everyday Life Keeps You Moving One of my favorite things about Tokyo is how naturally active daily life becomes. If somewhere is only a station or two away, I'll usually bi...

Moving to Japan changes more than your address. It changes how you communicate, how you solve problems, and sometimes even how you see yourself. After living here for more than 14 years, there are plenty of practical things I've learned, but the biggest lessons weren't about paperwork or what to pack. They were about mindset. In this episode, I talk about some of the things I genuinely wish I'd understood before making Japan my home. Watch the Full Episode Listen on: Spotify Apple YouTube Learning Japanese Starts Over When You Arrive Before moving to Japan, I thought my Japanese was in pretty good shape. I'd studied it for years and used it regularly. Then I arrived. Suddenly, even simple trips to the convenience store felt intimidating. Conversations moved faster than I expected, peo...