The Inside Japan Podcast

On this episode I'm speaking with Max, who is the author of the international bestseller Time Off: A Practical Guide to Building Your Rest Ethic and Finding Success Without the Stress. He lives in Japan and works as an AI researcher particularly in the fields of music and design, and is excited about how AI will shape the future of work and enhancing human empathy and creativity.  Find out more about him and his book at maxfrenzel.com Check out the video podcast on Spotify or our YouTube. For the best place on the internet to find your next job in Japan, go to JobsinJapan.com.

On this episode I'm speaking with Sam about learning Japanese. He is the Marketing Director for Coto Academy, and we talk about his language learning journey and his advice on becoming fluent faster!  Check out Coto Academy. Check out the video podcast on Spotify or our YouTube. For the best place on the internet to find your next job in Japan, go to JobsinJapan.com.

Check out the video podcast on Spotify or our YouTube. For the best place on the internet to find your next job in Japan, go to JobsinJapan.com. Some websites you can check out to support relief for Tohoku: 東北ライブハウス大作戦 (Tohoku Live House Daisakusen) Sapporo Klub Counter Action Miyako Klub Counter Action Blue Resistance Freaks Slang Miyako Iwate Orgs Safecast Atlantic Pacific Blue Compass Playground of Hope Photohoku Matt's Features about 3.11 Alma Mater Hobart & William Smith Japan Times Pittsburgh Post-Gazette Medium Soundcloud

Today I’m talking with Monica, who works as the Japan country manager of Influence Map generating useful and interesting climate change reports on businesses and policy here. We talked about Nuclear Energy, how Japanese companies respond to and lobby government about climate guidance, and education about climate change and things we can do to help if we want while living in Japan. I hope you find this conversation as useful as I did. Learn more at Influence Map: https://influencemap.org/ Check out the video podcast on Spotify or our YouTube. For the best place on the internet to find your next job in Japan, go to JobsinJapan.com.

On this episode I'm speaking with my friend Misha, who left Japan, but came back again after starting his online coaching platform business called Carrus. We dig into burnout and hustle culture, meditation and self-improvement, and how hard it really is to get a job at big tech companies in Japan. I hope you enjoy this conversation as much as I did. Check out https://www.carrus.io/ and Misha's Substack at https://mishayurchenko.substack.com/about Other things we mentioned: Brene Brown's book Atlas of the Heart - https://amzn.to/3putNTD Gabor Mate Lecture about Trauma and Healing: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I3WzMpjtkrs Timestamps: 00:00 Intro 01:23 Leaving Japan and Coming Back 05:05 Being Effective When Working For Yourself 09:12 Which Thinkers Helped You Avoid Burnout? 13:14 Why Do People Get Cancer? 17:39 Why Trying Too Hard Can Be a Problem 20:18 Starting Carrus 26:15 What is the Amazon Interview REALLY Like? 29:55 Is It Hard To Run A Business From Japan? 37:12 Outro Check out the video podcast on Spotify or our YouTube. For the best place on the internet to find your next job in Japan, go to JobsinJapan.com.

On this episode I'm doing something a bit different, and sharing some of the lessons I have learned from our most popular guests. Timestamps (check your podcast player or the YouTube show for links): 00:00 Intro 00:29 Immerse Yourself in Japanese 02:59 Starting a School 04:01 Love and Respect Are Everything 04:52 Exploit the Talent Gap 06:55 Save Money on your Apartment 11:23 Presentation Zen 15:00 Learning Japanese is About Mindset 16:51 Don't Start a School With Your Spouse 19:10 Preparation Builds Confidence 20:53 Outro Check out the video podcast on Spotify or our YouTube. For the best place on the internet to find your next job in Japan, go to JobsinJapan.com. #InsideJapan #Episode177

On this episode I'm speaking with my boss at JIJ, Peter Lackner, the man behind the curtain at Jobs in Japan. We go into when Japan’s job market for foreigners will normalise, how you can stand out with a video interview especially if you’re a non-native speaker of English, and some basic rules about visas that surprisingly few foreigners are aware of. I hope you enjoy the conversation and please consider giving us a rating on iTunes if you are enjoying Inside Japan. Check out the video podcast on Spotify or our YouTube. For the best place on the internet to find your next job in Japan, go to JobsinJapan.com.

On this episode I spoke with Jojo, an English teacher turn photographer in Japan whose photos really inspired me in my own photography. We talk about starting out in a creative career in Japan, how inspiration can come from anywhere once you’ve decided to do creative work, and how connections turn into paying clients. I hope you enjoy this conversation. Check out Jojo's work at @jojo.photo.productions on Instagram. For the best place on the internet to find your next job in Japan, go to JobsinJapan.com. #InsideJapan #Episode 175

On this episode I'm speaking with Pio, who is a partner at House Tokyo, a new all-service fashion design studio in Tokyo. I love her story because it shows that no matter where you come from, if you start with a humble attitude and a willingness to learn, you can build something really awesome in Japan. I hope you enjoy this conversation. Check out https://house.tokyo and @house.tokyo on Instagram. Timestamps: 00:00 Intro 01:01 Why did you join House Tokyo? 02:07 How did House Tokyo start? 03:45 Were there any difficult regulation barriers? 05:12 What's your background and why Japan? 06:03 What's unique about Japan fashion? 07:10 What surprised you starting House? 08:34 What has gone into starting House? 09:30 Was it hard to make a factory? 10:40 How did you get the money together? 11:58 What do you attribute your success to? 13:24 How do you convince people to work with you? 14:29 What advice would you give to entrepreneurs in Japan? Check out the audio version on iTunes, Android, or Spotify. Please SUBSCRIBE on your favourite listening platform. iTunes: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-inside-japan-podcast/id983335320 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0qMWLgXvNCKvYFGho65qwn Anchor: https://anchor.fm/inside-japan-podcast This show is proudly sponsored by JobsinJapan.com! For the best place on the internet to find your next job in Japan, go to https://jobsinjapan.com. #InsideJapan #Episode174

I talked to Pablo Riveros, Director founder CEO of Tsunagaru Edutech to understand the state of technology in schools in Japan, how to help teachers to use it, and whether AI is coming for teacher’s jobs. I hope you like this conversation and if you do, please share it with a friend. Check out: https://www.tsunagaru-edutech.com/ Check out the video podcast on YouTube: https://youtu.be/pFxJkQizkPM For the best place on the internet to find your next job in Japan, go to JobsinJapan.com.

On this episode I'm speaking with Adam Kardos, Owner of English Access who created a fun interactive game that helps children to learn English. We talk about the failures of the grammar translation method, how kids actually learn languages and Adam’s audacious goal of taking rote learning out of the classroom, to free up teachers to meaningfully connect the dots with their students.  Check out Gamerize Dictionary: https://gamerize-dictionary.com/en/ For the best place on the internet to find your next job in Japan, go to JobsinJapan.com.

This is the last in our three part series with Simon Moran. If you haven’t heard the other podcasts already, we talked about the myth of self-sponsoring a visa, and why you shouldn’t start an English school, and this time we’re going to talk about whether it is possible to make a viable long term living as an English teacher in Japan. I hope you enjoy the conversation. Please give us a 5* rating on iTunes: https://apple.co/3wmo1qh Part 1 "There's no such thing as Self-Sponsoring your visa in Japan": https://youtu.be/X3Vi2hE9G08 Part 2 "Don't start an English School": https://youtu.be/0BGE0b5lwwI Mentioned in the podcast: Join ETJ: https://ltprofessionals.com/etj/ Join JALT: https://jalt.org/ Join OTJ: https://onlineteachingjapan.com/ Timestamps: 00:00 Intro 01:00 Living Wage as an English Teacher in Japan? 05:18 How Can You Avoid the Glass Ceiling? 08:04 Digital Transformation in Education in Japan 15:20 Digital WON'T Replace Teachers 17:15 Japan's English Teachers Need Modernisation 25:44 Role of English Teachers in the Future 29:34 Importance of Qualifications Check out the audio version on iTunes, Android, or Spotify. Please SUBSCRIBE on your favourite listening platform. iTunes: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-inside-japan-podcast/id983335320 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0qMWLgXvNCKvYFGho65qwn Anchor: https://anchor.fm/inside-japan-podcast This show is proudly sponsored by JobsinJapan.com! For the best place on the internet to find your next job in Japan, go to https://jobsinjapan.com. #InsideJapan #Episode171

I’m back with Simon Moran to talk about why starting a school is a big mistake for most English teachers living in Japan. So many people think of this as a way to make a better long-term living as an English teacher in Japan, but it is a totally different job than teaching. Even worse, many start with their Japanese spouse dealing with the parents of their students, and it can often have a very negative effect on their relationship as well. Video Podcast: https://youtu.be/0BGE0b5lwwI #InsideJapan #Episode170 For the best place on the internet to find your next job in Japan, go to JobsinJapan.com.

This is the first in a 3 part series of podcasts with Simon Moran, the owner of Modern English. He’s been in Japan for a while and on this episode we’re going to talk about the myths and misinformation about self-sponsoring your visa. Don’t get mislead by people in Facebook groups or Reddit forums who might get you in trouble with your visa renewal. I hope you learn a lot from this conversation, and come back in the future when we’ll be talking about if its possible to make a good living as a long-term teacher in Japan, and why you shouldn’t start a school. Check out the video show on YouTube: https://youtu.be/X3Vi2hE9G08 For the best place on the internet to find your next job in Japan, go to JobsinJapan.com. #InsideJapan #Episode169

On this episode I'm speaking with Ryan who owns My English School in Yamagata, and has lived in the countryside of Japan for over 20 years. We talk about the JET programme, teaching at universities, starting a popular school and hiring good teachers that stick around out in the Inaka in Japan. I hope you enjoy this conversation, and if you do, please share it with a friend. VIDEO PODCAST: https://youtu.be/x9GeinkQTWw #InsideJapan #Episode168 For the best place on the internet to find your next job in Japan, go to JobsinJapan.com.

#InsideJapan #Episode167 Check out the video podcast on YouTube. On this episode I'm speaking with Kristel who landed her dream job as a video games media director here in Japan. We talk about having a passion for the work you are in, what it takes to get into the games industry in Japan, as well as what it is actually like day to day. I hope you enjoy this conversation as much as I did. For the best place on the internet to find your next job in Japan, go to JobsinJapan.com.

On this episode I'm speaking with Kenn Gale, Head of School for No Borders International Schools in Nagoya where I used to live. On this episode we talk about the struggles of keeping teachers, having a real pedagogy as an English school rather than just entertainment, and what changes are coming in education. I hope you enjoy the conversation. Video Podcast Link: https://youtu.be/LLJrGasKjBc For the best place on the internet to find your next job in Japan, go to JobsinJapan.com.

#InsideJapan #Episode165 On this episode I'm speaking with Hana, a friend of mine who grew up in Japan and went to international schools here before studying in Canada and working in the US. In this episode we talk about what it’s like growing up as what they call Hafu in Japan, how international school experience shaped her personality, and reverse culture shock after coming back from years overseas. I hope you’ll enjoy this conversation as much as I did. Timestamps (check your podcast player or the YouTube show for links): 00:00 Intro 01:32 Experience growing up as Hafu in Japan 05:28 What are the trade-offs going to international school? 09:20 The spiritual part of Japanese culture 11:14 Cultural differences Japan > Canada > US 13:32 Code switching 19:00 Reverse Culture Shock 23:53 Sponsored Segment JobsinJapan.com 24:23 What Hana missed about Japan in the US 27:15 Do Int'l school kids integrate into Japanese society? 32:06 If not for going to Int'l school... For the best place on the internet to find your next job in Japan, go to JobsinJapan.com.

#InsideJapan #Episode164 I’m very fortunate to be speaking with Dennis Tesolat, who is the General Secretary of the General Union here in Japan. He’s going to tell us about some of your legal rights as a foreigner working in Japan, the university system, and some of the big legal cases that are changing Japan’s laws today. I hope you enjoy the conversation and please give Inside Japan a 5* rating on iTunes if you’re enjoying our fortnightly podcast. Check out more about the Union in Japan at: https://generalunion.org Video Podcast: https://youtu.be/0DOC7ltmHjw Timestamps (check your podcast player or the YouTube show for links): 00:00 Intro  01:11 Is it worth joining a union?  03:05 My former employer won’t send me paperwork!  05:16 What to do when employers break the law  07:36 When do unions step in?  12:25 What’s wrong with the university job system in Japan?  16:07 Sponsored segment by JobsinJapan.com 16:36 The Union’s legal battles  19:56 Are bigger companies easier to negotiate with?  25:40 English teacher’s wages going down over time  27:51 Boards of Education in Japan  30:47 Bankruptcy of Nova  34:25 More info and Outro This show is proudly sponsored by JobsinJapan.com! For the best place on the internet to find your next job in Japan, go to JobsinJapan.com.

#InsideJapan #Episode163 On this episode I’m talking with Helene Uchida, a certified teacher who has been in Japan for over 40 years. She owns and manages Little America, a school in Fukuoka that’s been around since 1979, and has some valuable insights about what teachers NEED to do to help Japanese learners to actually improve their English. Find out more about Helene’s work at https://www.littleamerica-es.com/ Timestamps: 00:00 Intro 00:57 In Japan for 40 years, why? 01:51 Difference between teaching in US and Japan 03:15 How much has Japan changed in 40 years? 05:06 What’s missing in the public education system in Japan? 09:37 How to make your classroom work better 11:16 How has Judo informed your teaching? 16:00 Helene’s school origin story 17:01 Sponsored segment https://jobsinjapan.com 17:30 How to grow a new English school 18:59 Speaking Japanese in the English classroom 20:11 Helene’s teacher organisation 24:09 Montessori Method 26:08 Experiential English learning is KEY 30:05 What has to happen in Japan going forward 32:21 Outro For the best place on the internet to find your next job in Japan, go to JobsinJapan.com.