Your host Ty talks about yokai in Japan, what they are, and the common ones that most people will know about. Knowing some basic yokai is really helpful for your ability to pick up references to them with your friends and in media! You can check out the NativShark lesson about them here:https://app.nativshark.com/lessons/yao-guai-japanese-monstersW…

Your host Chie talks about using chopsticks in Japan, and things you should watch out for. There's more than you think!!Do you use any cool chopsticks? (And are they the right size??)Come show us in the NativShark community:https://www.nativshark.com/communityShow notes: https://laidbackjapanese.com/lbjp_shownotes/Youtube version here: https://yout…

Your host Chie talks about hairstyles and how they're referred to in Japanese^^What's your favorite hairstyle called in Japanese?Come tell us in the NativShark community:https://www.nativshark.com/communityShow notes: https://laidbackjapanese.com/lbjp_shownotes/ Video version available here: https://youtu.be/LIokxWxTTpA Go check out the Japanese-on…

Your host Chie talks about the rainy and typhoon season in Japan, and what you should do whether you live here or are just visiting. What's your go-to for staying dry during the rain? Or do you hole up and avoid going outside at all?Come tell us in the NativShark community:https://www.nativshark.com/communityShow notes: https://laidbackjapanese.com…

Your host Chie talks about nerimono, or Japanese paste products, usually fish paste products. I promise they're better than they sound! LBJP is a podcast for Japanese learners aimed to provide a laid-back environment to casually learn Japanese as well as get exposed to cultural things or interesting tid-bits you might run into in your studies or wh…

Your Host Chie invites Caleb and Ty to go on a journey through coffee in Japan, and all the best places to get it both the good stuff and the.... convenient stuff.What’s the best coffee in Japan? What do you get if you’re a tourist in Japan? And perhaps most importantly, what’s ベルガモット and why was Ty so wrong about what I thought it was?Youtube: htt…

Your hosts Niko and Chie talk about walks in Japan and how they're pretty different from the US while showing off their favorite routes. Turns out bicycling is also quite different as well! Also available on Youtube: https://youtu.be/XvILPx5lmpk What's the best walk you've been on in Japan? Let us know in the NativShark community discord! https://w…

Join Chie and Niko as they discuss Japanese ice cream, most available in your nearest conbini. Not-so Laid-back Japanese: https://open.spotify.com/show/5T8pGEBOI8nABp7J2YbDOT Would you eat fish-flavored ice cream? Let us know in the NativShark community discord! https://www.nativshark.com/community Show notes: https://laidbackjapanese.com/lbjp_show…

Join Chie and Niko in their journey (confusion?) about romance cars, and as they discuss their favorite trains across Japan. Not-so Laid-back Japanese: https://open.spotify.com/show/5T8pGEBOI8nABp7J2YbDOT What's the coolest train in Japan? Share what you think in the NativShark community discord! https://www.nativshark.com/community Show notes: htt…

Chie and Niko talk about the wonders of bookstores in Japan, along with some off their favorite books they've found in them. Just how are US bookstores different from Japanese ones? Not-so Laid-back Japanese: https://open.spotify.com/show/5T8pGEBOI8nABp7J2YbDOT Show notes: https://laidbackjapanese.com/shownotes/bookstores-in-japan Questions or comm…

There are some changes coming to the Laid-back Japanese podcast, one of them being Ty stepping off the podcast. Let's go over Chie and Ty's favorite episodes and have a laid-back chat about it one last time before the new changes kick in!Join the conversation: https://discord.com/invite/ARuA8R7Qeq Get started on your Japanese journey at Nativshark:…

We often talk about learning, but what about how to learn? Chie interviews Ty about his Japanese learning journey and they talk about advice based on his journey and on interactions with so many students in the community. How should I study kanji? What do I do when I feel demotivated? When and what should I study? Join the conversation: https://dis…

Honorifics are a huge part of Japanese and can be the difference of you being formal or polite to someone, or accidentally being rude. Chie and Ty go over them and share their experiences with when and why to use them, and with who. Join the conversation: https://discord.com/invite/ARuA8R7Qeq Get a deeper feeling of this with natural situations and…

We've gone over the sounds common house animals might say, but how about the ones you see in zoos? Also can you guess where Ty fits in the pun this episode? It has to do with giraffes（笑）Let's talk about all these sounds and more with Chie and Ty.Join the conversation: https://discord.com/invite/ARuA8R7Qeq Never stop learning onomatopoeia with Nativ…

Chie and Ty continue their two part journey into kitchens with common tools and things to do in the kitchen, along with all the onomatopoeia associated with them. What was your favorite onomatopoeia? Come let us know in the community: https://discord.com/invite/ARuA8R7QeqLearn even more onomatopoeia in natural situations at NativShark: Show notes: …

There's a lot of cool things that tend to be in Japanese kitchens, so let's talk about them with Chie and Ty. Did you know the word that caused Ty a lot of pain for not knowing? If not, save yourself the pain when you start cooking in Japan!Join the conversation: https://discord.com/invite/ARuA8R7Qeq It's always nice to round out the kitchen langua…

The Laid-back Japanese podcast has been going for one year now! In this episode, Chie and Ty take a look back on the year and talk about the goals they set and the new ones they're setting for this year, both with Laid-back Japanese and their own lives. Thanks for enjoying our podcast and 今年もよろしくお願いします。Join the conversation: https://discord.com/inv…

Tea is pretty high on the list of things Japan is famous for, but what types are there and how do we talk about them in Japanese? How is tea in Japan different from the US? Sit back, 淹れる yourself some 煎茶, and let's talk about it with Chie and Ty. Learn natural Japanese at: https://www.nativshark.com/lbjpJoin the conversation: https://discord.com/in…

Family can be complicated no matter what language you're speaking, but fear not as Chie and Ty break down the Japanese with you and add in how to use some of these words to refer to strangers as well. Get more context with NativShark: https://www.nativshark.com/lbjpJoin the conversation: https://discord.com/invite/ARuA8R7QeqShow notes: https://www.…

When watching most Japanese media, there are some big differences in the ways that females speak Japanese vs how males do. The problem is, people don't really speak like that in real life very often. In this episode, Chie and Ty take a dive into the real differences of male and female speech, which can be hard to notice unless you're paying attenti…

Knowing which word for "I" to use can surprisingly be one of the most confusing aspects of Japanese for some learners, and Ty was no exception. Join Chie and Ty as they talk about their experience and get yourself a better grasp on which one to use when you speak Japanese as well.Stop sounding like a textbook and experience all the pronouns used na…

なぞなぞ nazonazo, or riddles, often have a lot to do with puns in Japanese. Chie and Ty take a look at some of them and Ty breaks his brain trying to guess them. Knowing one or two of these could probably impress your Japanese friends, so let's dive in.Expand your ability to make puns and solve riddles with more vocabulary by signing up with NativShar…

Chie and Ty talk about all types of things that will find their way into your mailbox in Japan whether you like it or not. This includes countless チラシ, or flyers, and other things like magnets and bills. There are also good things, like 年賀状 nengajou, (New Year's Cards) too though!Don't wait for the NativShark チラシ and sign up with this link instead …

What up again, my fellow kids. Today Chie and Ty talk about games that kids in Japan play along with some common games that stay alive even when people are in adulthood. It's pretty interesting to see middle-aged men in business suits playing some of them, honestly. Get more insight on Japanese culture and language thanks to NativShark lessons: htt…

早口言葉 hayakuchi kotoba, or tongue twisters, are fun in no matter what language they're in. Let's look at some common Japanese ones so you can practice and impress your native friends in oddly specific situations. Chie and Ty also break down the meanings and give some pronunciation tips as well. Shadowing native audio is a great way to improve speaki…

For many learners, kanji is a scary word. But it doesn't have to be! Chie and Ty talk about how they both learned kanji as a native and as a second language learner, and give advice on what is helpful and what just isn't. Get over any kanji fears with the help of NativShark: https://www.nativshark.com/lbjpShow notes: https://www.nativshark.com/tool…

One of the coolest parts about visiting Japan is checking out all the shrines and temples that you can find just everywhere. But if you're anything like Ty, sometimes you're a bit nervous that you might be being rude. Fear shrine and temple visits no longer as Chie and Ty discuss the dos and dont's!One of the easiest ways to understand shrines and …

One of the best ways to learn Japanese is doing something that keeps your motivation high. Playing video games along with going through your core studies is an excellent way to improve your Japanese while maintaining motivation. In fact, most of Ty's Japanese exposure for the first 4 years or so was through video games. Chie and Ty talk about how t…

Whether you're living or traveling in Japan, knowing how to reach the police in the case of an emergency is always important. In this episode, Chie and Ty talk about 交番, kouban, or police boxes, which are smaller police hubs that make it easy for you to find or reach the police if you need them.NativShark also has a lesson on asking people to call …

がり gari is a great word with lots of uses. It also is used in some grammar points and onomatopoeia. Get a thorough understanding of this word with Chie and Ty because we know you are 知りたがるing. Want to study more Japanese? Sign up and get extra time on your trial with this link: https://www.nativshark.com/lbjpShow notes: https://www.nativshark.com/t…

Every language has its different ways to talk about relationships, but why does Japanese have this extra word for them called ご縁 goen? What's the difference of this word and the normal word for relationships, 関係 kankei? Chie gives us her 知恵 (chie, wisdom) and Ty tries to tie his brain around this word that doesn't quite exist in English. Understand…

One thing that definitely has stayed in our minds for the past almost two years now is COVID, and more recently, the vaccine. What is some language we might see when getting the vaccine or visiting a doctor? How about common side effects? Chie and Ty talk about their experiences getting the vaccine in both Japan and the US. Learn how to describe wh…

What up, my fellow kids? In today's LBJP lesson Chie and Ty will be talking about all the hip slang you hear the cool people using nowadays. Sometimes words we use commonly are actually quite casual or slangy without us even realizing it, so come and join us as we explore these and talk about when would be the best time to use phrases like ドン引き and…

In Japan, basically everybody knows their blood type. And they'll even assign certain personality traits to having certain blood types. What's the difference of Japan and America regarding blood type? Is it similar to horoscopes? Join Chie and Ty as we explore this topic (and also side track and rant about the food we've been making recently). Get …

One thing you'll find yourself dealing with if you're in Japan during the summer is 梅雨 tsuyu, or the rainy season. Just what is this season and what should we keep an eye out for if we're over here during it? Chie and Ty talk about some tips and language useful for this wonderful (but sometimes dangerous) season. Fear no weather reports in Japanese…

One thing that should not be ignored when learning Japanese is formality levels. That being said, do not fear! Getting a full understanding of these will come naturally with time... and with getting a foundation with Chie and Ty in this episode. Master all the formality levels with help of formality markers on every sentence by signing up with Nati…

Bakeries, or パン屋さん pannyasan, are a wonderful experience that you should not miss out on when you come to Japan. What wonders are they filled with? How are they different from other places like America? Chie and Ty explore this and talk about some Japanese you might run into while enjoying one. Get an extra week to the start of your Japanese studie…

Chie and Ty fix the issue of not having an episode about relaxing in Japanese despite the podcast being called Laid-back Japanese. Let's relax extra today and explore this language... but not too much because we'll also talk about how to say we couldn't relax as well. Need to calm down with your Japanese studies? Keep up your progression and get ri…

One thing a learner of Japanese can never look too much at is onomatopoeia, so Chie and Ty bring you another episode of just that. Let's sit back, relax, and talk about Japanese onomatopoeia for fluffy things and then check out some language we can say when talking about hard things as well.Master using onomatopoeia naturally (and get yourself extr…

Let's talk trash. Not that kind of trash talk, I mean Japan's sometimes confusing trash system. The amount of rules can be a bit overwhelming if it's your first time in Japan, so come relax with Chie and Ty as they attempt to dispel the confusion about this topic. Learn other cultural and general rule differences at: https://www.nativshark.com/lbjp…

There's a lot to talk about in regards to Japanese pronunciation. What is the Japanese R and N sound? What's pitch accent? Should I worry about it? Whether you're new to Japanese or have been studying for a few years, it's usually not a bad idea to go over this topic every now and then and keep in it the back of our minds as we continue to progress…

しっかり shikkari is a highly useful and common word that isn't always the easiest to translate into English at times. Why isn't is easy to bring into English? How can I use it and sound like a native when speaking Japanese? Come relax with Chie and Ty and get a nice しっかり understanding of the word しっかり. Don't forget to しっかり continue your studies and ge…

一生 isshou and 二度と nidoto are great when talking about once in a lifetime opportunities and things you'll never do again. How exactly can we use both of these naturally? What are some points to be careful about? Chie and Ty break it down and talk about their own once in a lifetime chances as well. Share your once in a lifetime chances in our communi…

～ばいい and ～ばよかった are a great way to say "should" in Japanese. Chie and Ty explore this N3 grammar point and Ty talks a bit about his experience with the N1 using this language as well. Want to learn Japanese? NativSharkに登録すればいいよ。(You should sign up for NativShark): https://www.nativshark.com/lbjpShow notes here: https://www.nativshark.com/tools/usin…

We covered counters and owning pets in part one, but there's so much more to talk about. Here in part two, Chie and Ty talk about commands you can give your pets along with our oh so beloved Japanese onomatopoeia related to pets, and how we can use them elsewhere as well.Get used to onomatopoeia from the start with NativShark: https://www.nativshar…

Pets are always a great topic to get to know people with, so what is some useful Japanese we can use when talking about them? Japanese counters are definitely on the list, along with some language for what pets you want to own or have owned before. Sign up for NativShark and don't be afraid to practice speaking Japanese to your dog: https://www.nat…

Pizza is tasty no matter where you go, but in Japan it's probably very different from what you're expecting. Come relax with Chie and Ty and let's talk about how it's different and share some delicious stories while we're at it.Struggle through no food orders in Japan by learning with NativShark: https://www.nativshark.com/lbjpShow notes: https://w…

A great way to express something is spite of the fact of something else is to use くせに kuse ni. It's similar to のに but also different in a few key ways. Join Chie and Ty as they explore this further, and ask us questions in the community discord at https://www.nativshark.com/community. Build the habit of studying Japanese that's actually used by peo…

One experience to not miss out on when in Japan is going to カラオケ karaoke. But what is some useful language for going to カラオケ? Chie and Ty explore this listener-requested topic and talk about some times they went to カラオケ as well. Practice your reading abilities with NativShark so you can make sure to keep up with the Japanese lyrics on screen: https…

It seems like Chie and Ty are taking a look at the grammar pointっぽい. っぽい ppoi is an extremely useful grammar point and we think it being in the JLPT N2 category is quite unfair for something so useful. So let's kick back, relax, and learn just how useful this really is.日本語勉強したいっぽいですね！ (It seems like you want to study Japanese^^): https://www.nativs…