Hello From Nihon
108 episodes - English - Latest episode: almost 3 years ago - ★★★★ - 6 ratings'Hello From Nihon' is hosted by Ike and Ako-chan, a husband and wife duo with a unique insight into Japanese people, food, language, anime and culture. This is the type of information we want to share with you that other Japan podcasts are lacking, or just don't know about. Ike is an American living in Japan since 2003 with a ton of crazy experiences to share, and Ako-chan spent most of her adult life living in countries like China, Germany, Australia and America, She speaks multiple languages and has a lot of praise and criticisms to share about living in Japan.
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Episodes
Tokyo Disney Resort And The New Fantasy Springs DisneySea Addition
April 26, 2021 14:00 - 42 minutes - 38.6 MBLet's talk about the Tokyo Disney resort, including Tokyo Disneyland and DisneySea. We also go over Tokyo Disney's lotto system for brand new E-ticket attractions like Beauty and the Beast dark ride and the Disney forest theater. On top of that, we discussed the new Fantasy Springs addition to DisneySea.
106: Japanese Girl Reacts To Unsolved Mysteries Tsunami Spirits Episode
October 20, 2020 12:32 - 52 minutes - 47.9 MBJust watched Unsolved Mysteries episode 4 (Tsunami Spirits), Ako and I had to talk about this and our experiences with the 3/11 earthquake and Tsunami. We cover Japanese ghost stories, spirituality, west Vs. east ideals and much more. Watch out for heavy spoilers in this one.
105: Japanese Report Says Education Level Predicts YOUR COVID19 Response
June 09, 2020 13:00 - 30 minutes - 28.2 MBAko came across a weird little Tokyo University report that claims uneducated Japanese people did not adhere to COVID19 precautions, while Japanese citizens with a 4 year university degree (or above) took the "proper" precautions. Ako and I picked it apart and gave our thoughts and opinions on the subject.
104: Yama-Chan's Response To Hana Kimura's Passing And Cyber-Bullies Interviewed
May 29, 2020 14:00 - 25 minutes - 23.7 MBI can't get Hana Kimura out of my head and I've been asking Ako all kinds of questions about it since she reads Kanji fluently and has access to the Japanese media; and their thoughts and opinions about the matter. In this episode we go over a lot of things surrounding Hana's passing and the circumstances that led to it.
Rest In Peace Hana Kimura, Terrace House Back In Tokyo 2019 - 2020
May 23, 2020 12:20 - 16 minutes - 15 MBToday is a very sad day, Kimura Hana from Terrace House passed away, she was 22 years old. Rest In Peace.
102: Streets Of Rage 4 Vs.Animal Crossing And The Low Carb Diet
May 03, 2020 14:00 - 33 minutes - 30.2 MBLong time no hear, Ako and I have been turned into farmers and the only escape is in our NIntendo switch games. I just got Streets Of Rage 4 for the switch and Ako has been playing Animal Crossing since we got here. Besides that, we go over the low carb diet and why we have gotten on it.
101: Terrace House Slams Into The COVID19 Wall!
April 18, 2020 14:15 - 37 minutes - 34.3 MBTerrace House Tokyo: 2019 - 2020 is now over for the foreseeable future. If you saw Terrace House episode 40 then you saw the last one. Make sure you watch it before you listen to this Hello From Nihon podcast episode. Ako and I also talk about the cultural significance of Setsubun, or the driving away of evil demonic Oni.
100: Terrace House And The Self-Destruction Of Kai Episode 37,38 And 39
April 14, 2020 22:47 - 43 minutes - 39.5 MBFirst off, spoilers ahead, if you haven't watched Netflix's Terrace House 'Tokyo 2019 - 2020' episodes 37, 38 and 39, then we recommend you watch those and come back for this podcast episode. All I can say is, I don't remember seeing someone make SO MANY wrong choices before. Oh yea, this is our official 100th episode for 'hello from nihon'. If you've been listening, we thank you and stay safe.
99: COVID19 Sent Ako To Animal Crossing / どうぶつの森 Can We Survive The Isolation?
April 14, 2020 14:00 - 27 minutes - 25.3 MBAko and I are now living deep in the Japanese Country side because of COVID19. There is a mountain next to our country side home and wheat fields on the other side, it's beautiful but we miss our home. Anyways, this led Ako to Animal Crossing / どうぶつの森 where she has been ever since.
98: Japanese Boss Playing Dirty With Yume In Terrace House Back In Tokyo
March 13, 2020 13:19 - 42 minutes - 39.2 MBWarning, spoilers ahead. In the episode of Terrace House Back In Tokyo Niino (the boss) is pulling all the stops in order to get with Yume. You be the judge, is it assertive or is it overly aggressive. Ako and I debate his creepiness on today's hello from nihon episode.
97: 'Kimoi' Is The Japanese Word For Creepy And Grossed Out, Is Niino From Terrace House Kimoi?
March 06, 2020 14:14 - 40 minutes - 37.2 MBIn this week's episode of Netflix's Terrace House Back In Tokyo we had some crazy shenanigans going down. Niino is crazy over Yume and he is doing some pretty "Kimoi" things to get her attention. Make sure you watch the episode before you listen to this podcast, spoilers ahead.
96: Coronavirus Is Causing A Lot Of Dema (デマ) To Go Around And The Great Japanese Toilet Paper Crisis
March 01, 2020 14:02 - 21 minutes - 19.5 MBThe Coronavirus is causing a lot of problems up and down Japan. One of the issues happening in Japan is the spread of デマ (Dema). One of the side effects of the spread of Dema in Japan is the lack of toilet paper.
95: Kabe-Don Culture And The New Slimy Terrace House CEO Is Making Moves On The "Dream"
February 29, 2020 14:17 - 30 minutes - 27.7 MBToday Ako and I talk about Netflix's Terrace House episode 34 "The Incident Of The Bottled Beer". In this episode of Terrace House everybody cringed when the CEO made moves on the new member of Terrace House Hayashi Yume (Yume Is Japanese For Dream). Make sure you watch the full episode before listening to this episode of Hello From Nihon.
94: The Japanese Meaning Of "Wafu", Ghost Stories At The Ryokan And The First Coronavirus Incident In Fukuoka
February 20, 2020 13:42 - 25 minutes - 23.3 MBToday Ako and I talk about the meaning of "Wafu" in Japanese cooking, and Ako's ryokan ghost story experience. We also go over the very first case of Coronavirus in our city of Fukuoka Japan. If you are a foreigner living in Japan and you think you are coming down with the Coronavirus then call this number 0570-050-235, and the available languages are English, Mandarin, Cantonese, Korean, Portuguese, Spanish, Vietnamese and Thai
93: Dating In Japan How To Confess Your Love In Japanese And There's a New Rooster In The Terrace House
February 18, 2020 15:20 - 33 minutes - 30.5 MBIn the episode of Terrace house back in Tokyo 2020 we see a new relationship form and we get to meet the new playboy of Terrace House. We also find out his 'interesting' way to make living. On top of that, Ako and I discuss how to confess your love in Japanese.
92: Japanese Office Ladies Are Doing ASA-KATSU In Droves
February 17, 2020 14:00 - 31 minutes - 28.9 MBAko and I will be introducing more Japanese concepts and terms into our conversations to help you better understand Japanese and Japanese culture. Today we go over Asa-Katsu (朝活) and how more and more Japanese office ladies are adopting this practice.
91: Japanese Valentine's Day Turns Japanese Women Into Chocolate Dispensers Kawaii Culture
February 14, 2020 13:49 - 25 minutes - 23.4 MBDid you know on Valentine's day in Japan, women are socially obligated to give chocolate to coworkers and other men they have no interest in? Is this just another classic case of Kawaii culture in Japan? Enjoy our special 'Hello From Nihon' Valentine's Day episode.
90: Japanese People Are WAY More Open About Sex Than Americans, Here's Why
February 08, 2020 13:53 - 27 minutes - 25.3 MBAko and I breakdown our preconceived notions about each other's countries, we also talk about Japanese and American norms towards sex. On top of that, we went over our plans for our 'Hello from Nihon' YouTube channel.
89: Vivi Makes a Move In The Play Room And Emika Gets To TRULY See Herself On Terrace House
February 07, 2020 13:53 - 34 minutes - 31.7 MBMake sure you watch this episode of Terrace House (Epi 32 - I Hate You) before you listen to this podcast episode of Hello From Nihon because spoilers will be dropped. Terrace House starts off strong with a surprise announcement. On top of that, we get tears rolling down Emika's face in the beginning of the episode and at the end for completely different reasons.
88: Coronavirus Vs. The Japanese Government: How Will Nihon Deal With This New Threat?
February 01, 2020 13:01 - 24 minutes - 22.4 MBAko and I go over the latest Coronavirus news and how the illness is being handled here by the Japanese government. We also discuss some of the discriminatory behavior some folks are receiving just because they are Asian. On top of that, we share some personal discriminatory experiences that we dealt with when the SARS virus was an issue.
87: Hanging Out With My Japanese In-Laws, Japanese Parfaits And Blood In My Urine
January 31, 2020 13:26 - 26 minutes - 24.5 MBIn today's episode we talk about entertaining my Japanese In-Laws and Ako's unique family dynamic. We also talk about Japanese Parfaits and banana "Spirits". On top of that we discuss the pros and cons of "Gaman" (我慢).
86: Vivi Is On The Warpath At Terrace House And Kai Got a Much Needed Dose Of 'Sweet-Potato' Counseling
January 30, 2020 13:33 - 31 minutes - 28.6 MBRemember to watch episode 31 "Publicity Stunt" before you listen to this episode of Hello From Nihon because there are spoilers ahead. This week's episode of Terrace House was explosive towards the end, it seems like all the ladies of Terrace House have been duped. Ryo gets a black-eye.
85: Japan Is Reluctant To Deal With The Coronavirus And Japan's Obsession With Rainbows And Crosses
January 25, 2020 13:15 - 42 minutes - 38.8 MBJapan recently has been in good relations with China but unfortunately the new Coronavirus is threatening that relationship, in this episode Ako and I discuss how this new flu is affecting Japan health-wise and politically. We also go over Japan's obsession with Western symbols they don't understand.
84: Ten Best Prefectures To Live In Japan Based On Happiness And Livability
January 23, 2020 14:00 - 40 minutes - 36.9 MBAko and I sit down and talk about the newest survey that came out on the ten best prefectures in Japan. These prefectures were ranked based on livability and general happiness of it's inhabitants. Ako and I go over the rankings we agreed with and the ones we didn't agree with.
83: Netflix's Terrace House Episode 30 Not Guilty, Hana Can't Take a Hint And Kai Eats It On Stage
January 22, 2020 14:16 - 27 minutes - 24.9 MBFair warning, spoilers ahead. This was a very 'interesting' Terrace House episode filled with romance and cringe worthy moments. We enjoyed them and our hearts went out for some of the Terrace House members.
82: Our Experience At Tokyo Disneyland, Tokyo Disney Sea, Working For Disney And The New Beauty And The Beast Attraction
January 19, 2020 12:14 - 27 minutes - 24.8 MBIn the episode of Hello From Nihon, we go over our experiences at Tokyo Disneyland and Tokyo Disney Sea. Ako also talks about her job at Epcot's Japan pavilion as a server. I also break down why Tokyo Disney Sea is considered by many to be the best Disney theme park in the world. I also go over Oriental Land's plans to open the new exclusive Beauty and The Beast trackless attraction in Tokyo Disneyland.
81: Pepe's Mingo Manga Review a Discussion About His First Japanese Manga Comic Book
January 15, 2020 14:00 - 22 minutes - 20.9 MBImagine you leave your country, become fluent in Japan and publish your own Manga comic book in Japan, that's what Pepe did. If you don't know Pepe, he was on the reality TV show Terrace House 'Back In Tokyo'. He has since left the show to pursue his manga writer/artist career in Tokyo. Ako got her hands on his first story; and in this Hello From Nihon podcast episode we review it for you.
80: Netflix's Terrace Back In Tokyo About Love, Hana's Stubborn Heart And Japanese "Titty Bars"
January 14, 2020 14:57 - 27 minutes - 25.6 MBAko and I break down Netflix's Terrace House Back In Tokyo 2019-2020 Episode 29 'About Love'. Remember as always that this podcast episode is filled with spoilers. We talk about everything from Ryo's stone cold heart to Japanese 'Oppai Pubs'.
79: Netflix's Terrace House Epi. 27 & 28 Back In Tokyo, a Trail Of Tears, Heart Break And The Korean Hierarchy
January 12, 2020 14:14 - 37 minutes - 34 MBAko and I go over the last two episode of Terrace House back in Tokyo 2019-2020. It involves a lot of tears, broken hearts and new relationships. We also talk about our experiences with Korean culture and our cultural differences.
78: Japan, Iran, The Lebanese Ninja And The Case Of The Vanishing Foreign Students
January 08, 2020 14:00 - 21 minutes - 20 MBAko and I cover some of the foreign ninjutsu that takes place here in Japan from corrupt CEOs of large Japanese automobile industries to apartment hopping university students. On top of that we start this episode with talk about Iran and Japan's recent dealings, and how the assassination of Qasim Soleimani will effect future discussions.
Hello From Nihon 2020 New Year's Special - Creepy Sea Cucumbers, Nintendo Switch Ring Fit And Rats
January 07, 2020 14:00 - 31 minutes - 29.3 MBLong time no see, this is our first podcast for 2020, Happy New year. In this episode we go over why we've been absent for three weeks. We also talk about Japan's wide variety of creepy sea creatures on display and Nintendo's Ring Fit.
Hello From Nihon Christmas Special - How Japanese People Adopted The Christmas Tradition
December 18, 2019 13:09 - 28 minutes - 25.6 MBLearn how Ako and I celebrate Christmas in Japan, also learn how Ako used to celebrate Christmas with Ninja Santa. We also go over how Kentucky Fried Chicken (KFC) brought Christmas to Japan complete with strawberry shortcake.
75: Netflix's Terrace House Has Gone Mad With Foreigners - Is This The Future Of Japan?
December 17, 2019 14:00 - 25 minutes - 23.6 MBAko and I break down Episode 26 of Netflix's Terrace House Back In Tokyo. In this episode is filled with everything, including new boys and girls. Things are getting exciting again, also we said good bye to Pepe.
74: Ruka Takes Revenge On Broccoli Pasta In Netflix's Terrace House Back In Tokyo
December 11, 2019 14:00 - 35 minutes - 32.9 MBThis episode of Terrace house was a real tearjerker for many reasons. Ako and I break down this episode of Terrace House and all the reasons why we loved it so much, also quite a few members left us in this episode. Make sure you watch Episode 25 of Terrace house before you listen to this podcast if you care about spoilers.
73: Japan's Great Casino Dilemma And The Future Of Illegal Gambling In Japan
December 10, 2019 14:00 - 34 minutes - 31.3 MBAko and I go over gambling in Japan and the future of Japan's great Casino venture, where will they build it and will it hurt or promote the local community.
72: Japan's Insane Work Sick Culture And Reasons To Wear Masks In Japan
December 09, 2019 23:06 - 22 minutes - 20.2 MBToday Ako and I talked about Japan's obsession with wearing masks in public and we also talked about why Japanese people go to work even if they are deathly ill. On top of that we go over our own experiences working for corporate Japan and our run-ins with Japanese culture.
71: Japanese People Care About Too MANY Zodiac Signs And Systems
December 04, 2019 00:59 - 23 minutes - 21.9 MBToday Ako was a bit mad and we went over what angered her and then we ended up talking about the three different zodiac systems that Japanese people really care about.
70: The Kinds Of Japanese Food That Would NOT Be Popular In The US Vs. The Ones That Would
November 27, 2019 13:02 - 24 minutes - 22.3 MBI know, the things we like is subjective, but there are Japanese foods I KNOW westerners would like and there are Japanese dishes I KNOW westerners would hate. In this episode we talk about our Japanese cuisine likes and dislikes.
69: Emika On The War Path - Netflix's Terrace House Episode 24 'Pink Rose' Review
November 26, 2019 14:00 - 28 minutes - 25.8 MBAko and I where surprised with Emika and the path she took to get revenge on Hana. This week's episode of Netflix's Terrace House was on fire! Remember as always, spoilers ahead. This week's Terrace House Episode is called 'Pink Rose'.
68: One Dollar a Night Japanese Hotel With a 'Strange Catch'
November 25, 2019 14:00 - 32 minutes - 30.2 MBLast night I stayed in the famous one-dollar-a-night Japanese hotel, if you haven't heard about this unique ryokan located in southern Japan. The Asahi Ryokan hotel is famous not because of the extremely cheap nightly cost for a downtown location but rather, because of why this hotel incurs such a cheap nightly cost.
67: There Is a Lot Japanese Women Are NOT Allowed To In The Work Place
November 21, 2019 12:00 - 27 minutes - 24.9 MBAfter twitter revealed how oppressive Japanese companies can be to it's female Japanese employees, Ako and I sit down to go over several ways women are discriminated against in Japanese culture both inside and outside of the office. Did you know in many Japanese companies women are expected to come to the office 40 minutes earlier in the morning so that they can prepare tea for their male counterparts? There are many forms of power harassment in Japan, we will go over a few of them for you.
66: Popular Japanese Actress Thrown In Jail For Having MDMA/ECSTASY/Molly In Her Apartment
November 20, 2019 14:00 - 33 minutes - 30.3 MBIf you thought the US was strict when it comes to drug enforcement then you need to check out what Japan does to it's celebrities who take illegal substances. Poor Erika Sawajiri was arrested on Saturday 11/9/19 for possession of MDMA. She was a very popular and young Japanese actress who starred in many Japanese movies and TV shows. She 'had' a role in the upcoming NHK historical drama, she was to play the wife of famed Shogun Nobunaga.
65: Review Of Emika's Breakdown In Terrace House Epi. 23 And Hana's "Victory"
November 19, 2019 14:00 - 26 minutes - 24 MBAko and I just got done watching Netflix's Terrace house 'Back in Tokyo' Episode 23. I have mixed feeling on how Hana treated Emika towards the end of the episode, I also wonder how much alcohol had a hand in her cruelty. I think Ryo finally made his choice in who he will pursue, and poor Ruka is once again left out in the cold. Just another day in Tokyo, Japan.
64: What Queer Eye In Japan Got Right And What They Did Wrong
November 16, 2019 13:00 - 37 minutes - 34.7 MBAko and I recently saw all four episodes of Netflix's Queer Eye In Japan and we loved it. However, Queer Eye In Japan messed up on certain cultural things but they played it off as if nothing happened. In today's episode we break down all of the Japanese cultural situations they encountered and the Japanese people they helped a long the way.
63: Women Not Allowed To Wear Glasses In Japan And Japan's RAKUGO Comedy Scene
November 13, 2019 23:15 - 18 minutes - 17.1 MBRecently a Japanese company's mandate of not allowing women to wear glasses in the work place is making the rounds on Japan twitter. We discuss how Ako experienced this first hand. On top of that we talk about our experiences with Kabuki, Rakugo (Comedy) and Japanese puppet theater.
62: Netflix's Terrace House Episode 22 Hana is Betrayed and Ruka is Left Out In The Cold Again
November 13, 2019 01:09 - 30 minutes - 28.2 MBThis is by far my favorite episode of Terrace House Back In Tokyo to date, simply because things are moving so fast for so many of the characters all at once. You got heart break, betrayal, dreams fulfilled and new chapters starting, everything you want in a new episode of Terrace House. Emika is creating problems and Haruka is leaving love on the wayside.
61: Japan's Hairspray Musical Remake Makes No Sense Whatsoever
November 09, 2019 14:00 - 28 minutes - 26 MBAko and her parents love musicals, they absolutely love them. Unfortunately, a Japanese production company has set out to remake the musical 'Hairspray' with a full on Japanese ensemble cast which doesn't make any sense. Hairspray is about racial integration and the civil rights movement of the late 50s. How in the world will this make sense if the whole cast is Japanese.
60: Netflix's Terrace House Episode 21 Too Shy Girl Review
November 08, 2019 14:00 - 25 minutes - 23.1 MBThis week Ako and I get into it with Terrace House's episode 21 'Too Shy Girl'. In this episode all of the ladies of the house name who they are romantically interested in. On top of that, we get to see Hana work her pro-wrestling game. Make sure you watch it before you listen to this episode.
59: Breaking Down The Appeal Of Japanese Kyabakura Bars And Why We Don't Have Them In The West
November 02, 2019 11:45 - 21 minutes - 20 MBWe briefly touched upon Japanese Kyabakura lounge bars in the last 'Hello from Nihon' episode, and this one, we go a little bit more in depth to find out why Japanese men and women are willing to pay so much for the company of the opposite sex without the need for physical intimacy.
58: What Japan Does With Shamed Celebrities, Career Annihilation And Ghosting
October 31, 2019 13:20 - 32 minutes - 29.4 MBIn this episode we go over what the Japanese media does when a celebrity or a talent is publicly disgraced or accused of misbehaving. In a recent case, famed comedian and celebrity Tokui Yoshimi (Terrace House Commentator) was caught cheating on his taxes and now he is being systematically removed from Japanese TV.