The XQ Sumimasen Podcast

Borrowed English words are everywhere in Japan, but many of them don't mean exactly what native English speakers expect. Some have been shortened, others have developed completely new meanings, and a few can lead to some genuinely confusing conversations. In this episode, guest co-host Scoey and I continued our discussion about Japanese-English vocabulary by looking at more examples of words that surprised us after moving to Japan and the stories behind how they came to be used. Watch the Full Episode Listen on: Spotify Apple YouTube Familiar Words With Unexpected Meanings One of the first words we discussed was Hotchkiss , the Japanese word for a stapler. To someone hearing it for the first time, it sounds completely unrelated to office supplies. Like many borrowed words in Japanese, however, it...

Some of the biggest surprises about living in Japan aren't the famous landmarks or traditions that everyone talks about. They're the small, everyday experiences that slowly teach you how life here works. In this episode, guest co-host Keito and I shared some of the lesser-known things we've encountered while living in Japan, from everyday etiquette and regional differences to small cultural habits that often surprise newcomers. Watch the Full Episode Listen on: Spotify Apple YouTube Everyday Rules You Don't Expect Many of Japan's unwritten rules aren't difficult to follow once you know they exist—but discovering them usually happens through trial and error. We talked about everything from garbage disposal and noise etiquette to small language misunderstandings that can completely ...

Living in Japan quickly teaches you that recognizing an English word doesn't always mean you'll understand what someone means. Over time, many borrowed English words have developed meanings that are unique to Japanese, while others have been shortened or used in ways that surprise native English speakers. In this episode, guest co-host Scoey and I shared some of the Japanese-English expressions that confused us the most after moving to Japan, along with the stories that helped us understand what people were actually trying to say. Watch the Full Episode Listen on: Spotify Apple YouTube When English Words Develop New Meanings One of the first examples we discussed was the Japanese use of the word tension . For many native English speakers, "tension" suggests stress or nervousness. In...

Mental health is shaped by more than individual circumstances. The culture we grow up in, the expectations placed on us, and the way society responds to stress all influence how people experience and talk about mental health. In this episode, guest co-host Scoey and I discussed some of the cultural differences we've noticed while living in Japan, from workplace pressure and social expectations to the challenges surrounding mental healthcare and asking for help. Watch the Full Episode Listen on: Spotify Apple YouTube Social Expectations and Everyday Pressure One of the first topics we explored was the difference between tatemae and honne —the distinction between the public face people present and their true feelings. While these concepts exist everywhere to some degree, they can play a particul...

Choosing self-employment in Japan comes with a different set of challenges than working for a company. Beyond building a business, you're also learning how to navigate a different language, a different culture, and a different way of doing business. In this episode, I was joined by guest co-host Keito Suzuki to compare our experiences running our own businesses in Japan, from building professional relationships to adapting during the pandemic and finding opportunities along the way. Watch the Full Episode Listen on: Spotify Apple YouTube Building Trust in Japan One of the biggest lessons I've learned is that introductions matter. Trying to establish new business relationships on your own can be difficult, but being introduced by someone who already has the trust of the other person often changes the...