I Speak Japanese

I don’t think I will be going to Tokyo for a while (still seems kinda dangerous there) I’m staying here in Osaka where it (probably) is safe ^^ But it would be awesome to have a signed helmet ^^ haha

Nice long video, you should make more like this:P
Thanks for the update guys, because in my country the media stoped reporting about Japan many weeks ago(i’m from Greece) and its nice to hear what is realy going on there. Keep smiling

P.S. Nice helmets

I definitely still want to come to Japan.
Over all I think Nihonjin are so brave and (not sure what other word to use) to be so positive through this. I’ve seen some of the commercials you guys have on tv… about believing in Japan and stuff.
Thanks for telling us what it was like then and now!
Japan is still in my prayers.

It was fun to laugh with y’all. I live pretty close to Tokyo so it’s nice to get a little comedic relief. Loved the bit on TEPCO!!!! But yeah, I don’t feel unsafe here. Just concerned for the folks up in the Tohoku region.

Great program on the 30th. It was also interesting to hear how the energy company PR show was pretty bad. I suspect somebody truly lost face on that one. You handled the situation well and didn’t American “Mediaize” the situation. No sensationalism, no disaster mongering! Of greater importance, were your observations on how the people handled the disaster. I have explained to friends who have not traveled to Japan, that the behavior was not a joke, nor acting.

Under similar situations many Americans would start yelling for the government to immediately stop the earthquakes and the tsunami! I am not kidding about that last point. We want everything fixed back to normal like before it happened. As you have probably heard we have had several tornadoes in six southern states and over 300 people were killed in two days from the storms. It is the worst death toll from a set of storms since 1974. Fortunately, people remained as calm as possible. But the destruction was nearly complete in several towns. Similar to Japan’s situation, you cannot honestly complain about your life events when you watch people lose everything, including members of their families.

I hope you are able to get back to normal and that your families are weathering the disaster as well as possible. Gombate (excuse the spelling) Mike Norman,ED.D., Minneapolis P.S. Your program was not long and you need not apologize for taking a few extra minutes to tell us an unfiltered version of life in Japan–post the early stages of the disaster. In the future, tell us about the rebuilding up North and impact on Tokyo preparing for the inevitable. Thanks, MMN

Where can I find your commercials, as mentioned in comment #2, as I do not watch TV? Mike

Oddly enough, I will be traveling to Japan in June (Sasebo and Nagasaki) with a mini-exchange High School program. After it was confirmed that the trip was still on, one good thing we found is that we will be meeting with displaced students who are currently attening the schools we will be visiting, giving them something different to look forward to, and something else to think about for at least a little bit.
I guess my daughters and I are doing our little bit to help get things back to normal.

what were the foil hats for? What do they do?

私はあなたが私を元気づけさせる貴方達を愛する

こにちわ、Kevin-san and Aaron-san!
Good onya for a very informative HHJ Episode! Very insightful as to how the Great Tohoku Disaster of 3/11 has not only effected your lives, but also Japanese society as a whole. So many parts to this ongoing tragedy in Japan, it`s hard to know where to begin. We all appreciate how you`ve tried to inject your own brand of humor in this rather serious events. The masks and tinfoil hats looks like a remix of two Mel Gibson movies, “Signs” and “Mad Max”. Love your “Black Humor” approach!

One point you made which I would like to mention is the “fear factor”, which has driven so many foreigners out of japan, especially northeastern areas, and kept foreign tourists from visiting Japan this spring.
Panic and fear of nuclear radiation prevented large numbers of people, who had planned on visiting Japan during Cherry Blossom Season, from coming. Even in the Kansai and southern areas of Japan, totally unaffected by any of the events in Kanto and Tohoku areas, saw a great lack of tourism this spring, which
devastated the Japanese tourism industry. Even in our town of Himeji, a hot spot for Cherry Blossom Viewing at Himeji Castle, there was a noticeable absence of the usual hordes of foreign visitors. I would encourage anyone who plans to visit Japan at this time, to please do so.! There maybe some places which you may want to avoid, but life goes on in a normal way for the rest of us. And on the positive side, with the number of visitors down, lines aren`t so long to get into popular venues.

Thanks for “spreading the word”, Aaron and Kevin, of what life is like for you and others in post 3/11 Japan.
It`s good to keep a clear, positive and humorous perspective on things, for sure!
Looking forward to more Great HHJ Episodes!

かんぱい!
Taro In Castle Town

Just a request/idea for a future topic for Happy Hour Japan …. if you haven’t covered this yet (and I’ve only started watching the videos, so you might have, I don’t know), I’d like to hear about the importance of silence in Japanese conversation. And Nihonjin friend of mine made mention that there are often a lot of pauses in Japanese conversations, especially when a question has been asked, and that the silence is just as important in conversation as the words.

I love your guys videos! No new ones in over a month? Come back!

to ispeakjapanese.net team,

it’s good to hear that everything’s okay with both of you, your family and the rest of you team. yes, we’ll always have japan in our thoughts and in our prayers. God bless Japan!

Glad that the 2 of you weathered the storm. WOW! What a mess, Earthquake, Tsunami and Reactor Radiation problems all at once. I always enjoy your HHJ series. I think the 1 point that may have been missing or perhaps not emphasised in this entire disaster and your clips, is the fact that there was absolutely NO LOOTING recorded!!!.. What a compliment to the integrity and ethics of the Japanese people.. I too, once lived in Seattle, watched the construction of the Space Needle, and when in Japan, Warabi is where I hang my hat. Good Luck and continued success to you both.

Hey guys. I was watching some of your older videos just to re-cap on some of the things you talked about and I was wonder if you happened to know a site or a free software download where I can watch Japanese television? If you do then that would be awesome. Arigato!

Hey guys! I love your videos that you do, but I would like to see more of them.

I think you guys are REALLY overdue for a new video It’s been about 4 months. I miss watching your videos! You should get back into it asap ^-^

I love the sound it makes when Aaron is re-adjusting his foil hat!

Hey guys; I’ve got a few questions.

So i am about to finish my degree. Want to move to Japan. Saving money for when I leave in 12 months time and i’ll be doing a TEFL course before I leave. I’ve always wanted to live in Tokyo so for that reason I’m not going to go through JET as I know It’s highly likely I’ll not get a placement there and land in a village on the north-side of Hokkaido. I know JET has a lot of benefits but I feel that being in a place where I am happy is more important for such a long term plan. Now, I can only image how vast the teaching market is within Tokyo, that and I can further imagine how competitive that market is. From being there or hearing from other ALT’s/Language Teachers that with money, a Degree and a TEFL qualification would you say that it takes more than three months to find a job that could sponsor you for a work visa (November-Jan). I’m feel quite nervous about flying out there with my resumes and flying blind without knowledge of this; my other international friends said they found jobs quickly but they all had visa’s or were working under the books which I don’t plan on doing. It’s the visa/Sponsor part which I am worried about.

Also, If i was to gain sponsorship and a Job while i was there in Japan, would I have to leave to do paperwork in my own country? Thanks in advance.

Best Regards
Vin

i stared this july 31 2010 and ever seenc the earthquake happende in japan ive not heared from them at all.. :,(

im soo happy their alive lol

I Just finished watching all of your videos (iTunes) and I must say thank you. Thank you for showing us some of the finer points to Japanese and the Japanese people. I hope everything is working out and that a new video is on the way. It’s been months since your last video and perhaps you’re due for a new one (^_−)☆

Thanks again for helping us learn and love Japanese (´∀｀)♡

Until next time,
Kampai!（ ^_^）o自自o（^_^ ）

Hello guys, as a few guys have mentioned earlier, I’m glad you all are doing ok, or at least I hope ya’ll are, it’s been about 6 months, I hope nothing has gone wrong, or you two haven’t decided to end your happy hour japan series, I always loved Japan, but those are what really got me decided that I want to visit and hopefully move there one day, you two have become part of my family and I as well as probably everyone else, is really missing you guys, hope to get some kinda video here soon even if it is only like 5-10 mins. Hope all is well, take care Aaron and Kevin.

Hi guys, recently found your podcasts and website. It’s fabulous! Thank you. I’ve learned more in the few podcasts I’ve watched that have been so handy. I joined a Japanese company in the U.S. 7 months ago and the culture differences and manners you’ve covered have been so helpful. Keep up your great work!

Glad to see u guys are okay! I know you guys made a video about Kanji flash cards but I was wondering if you guys can make a video about certain Kanji that is important to know if one was going to japan for the first time.

Are you two still in Japan? Are you still handling this site? Is everything OK??????
Been a very long time since you posted anything here!!!!!!
Still see activity on FB…..but here….nothing!
Prayers that you are both healthy.

Hey you guys!
I really enjoy your videos and i am writing an essay on Japanese culture and this really helps!!

I hope you two come back and make more videos!
<3

11 December 2011
Wishing you both, and your families in Japan and the US, メリークリスマス ~ 明けておめでとうございます!
Hope you are well, healthy, happy and successful!
From Castle Town in Sushiland,
Taro Starbuck

Hey guys I just watched this video and thought it was really good. I’m Japanese myself (living in Taiwan) and I found this video quite interesting. Keep up the good work! Also, there is one concern I have, which is that even though I’m a full Japanese, english seems to be my stronger language (I go to an american high school). What kinds of things can I do to keep my Japanese alive, because I feel it slipping away. Thanks!

I hope everything is better.
Best of wishes.
Happy new year.
Hope you keep making videos.

Alexis,

Hey,Guys.That in your head are real helmets?They more you like silver foil to me.:)xaxa.And Kevin looks like he want to protect his hair more than his head.xaxa

hi, are you guys doing OK?
It’s been a long time…
こんにちは。私は日本人ですが、お二人のビデオの大ファンです！
新しい動画を楽しみに待ってます:)

This has nothing to do with this video, well, I guess it could, but that’s not too important. Anyway, I was hoping to ask you guys a question or two, but noticed there was no email address I could use, so I thought I’d just comment on the closest video, lol. (I’m new to this site.) Anyway, I’m a second year in college and I plan to move to Japan when I finish in a couple of years. I was hoping you could give me some useful advice. (The more you give me, the better…This will be the first time I do anything that was REALLY on my own and I don’t know anything about how to go about this process. I cam say I know a little, very little, Japanese. I am working on that though. But all I know pretty much comes from anime and J-Dramas and random things I’ve heard.) I really hope you guys see this and can get back to me somehow. Thank you!

Hey guys, I It’s been a while since you last made a HHJ video (I’m not rushing you or anything) but i miss you guys so much, whenever I watch one these videos and I always get inspired to learn even more japanese I would be the happiest person in the world if you uploaded something, even if it was just a funny 1 min. video of you guys messing around. Can’t wait, and hope you guy’s lives are back to somewhat normal now. Again, I’m a big fan, and I await patiently for more awesomeness!