The XQ Sumimasen Podcast

After living in Japan for many years, one thing that surprised me is how my entertainment habits have changed. Before moving here, I actively looked for Japanese music, TV, and anything that helped me learn more about the country. Once Japan became everyday life, though, I found myself doing almost the opposite. In this episode, guest co-host Devin and I talked about the shows, music, games, and online content we actually enjoy after more than a decade in Japan—and how living here has changed the way we unwind. Watch the Full Episode Listen on: Spotify Apple YouTube When Everyday Life Changes Your Interests Many people assume that foreigners living in Japan spend all their free time watching anime, listening to J-pop, or following Japanese television. For us, that hasn't really been the case. Liv...

The pandemic changed every country in different ways, and living in Japan before, during, and after COVID has made those changes especially noticeable. Some shifts happened almost overnight, while others have continued gradually over the past few years. In this episode, guest co-host Devin and I looked at several ways everyday life in Japan has evolved since the pandemic and discussed which changes seem likely to remain. Watch the Full Episode Listen on: Spotify Apple YouTube Everyday Life Looks Different One of the most visible changes has been how people approach health and public spaces. Masks, staying home when sick, and paying closer attention to illness have become much more common parts of daily life than they were before. While some habits are slowly returning to normal, others have become ...

Tattoos have long carried a different meaning in Japan than they do in many Western countries. While attitudes have gradually begun to change, tattoos can still influence where you're allowed to go, how strangers react to you, and sometimes even the opportunities available to you. In this episode, guest co-host Scoey and I talked about our experiences with tattoos in Japan, how public attitudes have changed over the years, and why the conversation is more nuanced than many people realize. Watch the Full Episode Listen on: Spotify Apple YouTube A Different Cultural Perspective One of the biggest surprises for many foreigners is that tattoos in Japan have traditionally been associated with organized crime rather than personal expression. Because of that history, older generations are often more likel...

Japanese proverbs are more than old sayings. They're small pieces of cultural wisdom that continue to influence the way many people think about work, relationships, perseverance, and everyday life. In this episode, guest co-host Devin and I explored several well-known Japanese proverbs and talked about what they reveal about the values behind them. Some encourage patience and resilience, others emphasize harmony or practicality, and a few even seem to contradict one another—which is part of what makes them so interesting. Watch the Full Episode Listen on: Spotify Apple YouTube Proverbs That Reflect Japanese Values Many Japanese proverbs focus on qualities that are highly respected throughout society. Ideas such as perseverance, patience, humility, and considering the people around you appear agai...

One of the things I enjoy most about learning Japanese is realizing that familiar English words don't always carry familiar meanings. Even after you've learned hundreds of loanwords, you'll still occasionally hear one that completely changes the conversation because it means something entirely different in Japanese. In this episode, guest co-host Scoey and I continued our series on Japanese-English words by looking at more examples of wasei eigo and how these expressions have developed their own meanings over time. Watch the Full Episode Listen on: Spotify Apple YouTube Familiar Words, Unexpected Meanings One reason Japanese-English words can be confusing is that they often begin with recognizable English but gradually evolve into something uniquely Japanese. We talked about examples suc...