The HHJ Finale?! Big Ideas on Learning Japanese.
As the title of this post suggests, this is our last episode of Happy Hour Japan..
…well, sort of.
We will be coming out with an HHJ replacement soon, but with me moving to Japan, Aaron and I quickly realized that we wouldn’t be able to continue our video blog in its current format. In other words, we will still continue contributing to ispeakjapanese.net (rest assured!), but Happy Hour Japan (in its *current* format) will be coming to an end.
What we desperately need from all of you are suggestions! What would you like to see in our next version of HHJ?? Please leave us your comments and we’ll try to take all of your suggestions into consideration as we figure out what to do next. In the meantime, be sure to check out our archive of HHJ episodes and feel free to re-live past episodes here on our site.
For our final episode (our longest ever!), we invited a few of our close friends to have one big final panel discussion about learning Japanese. We had a great time hanging out with them and really appreciate them coming on the show. They all have unique viewpoints and experiences with the Japanese language so it’s a must-see for all of you out there who are interested in (or are currently learning) Japanese.
Lastly, we want to take this opportunity to thank all of you who have been following Happy Hour Japan! Although we will continue with a new format, Aaron and I figured this would a great opportunity to extend a big thank you to all of our supporters and viewers!
So thank you & kanpai!
Kevin
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PART 2 of 2
Great HHJ Finale Episode, Kevin, Aaron and Guests!
Very insightful hearing different peoples experiences learning Japanese and living in Japan.
Sure we loyal HHJ viewers are sad to see this format end, but we are so very grateful and edified for what you have done by adding to our knowledge of the Japanese language and culture.
I know my Japanese students of English have learned a lot from HHJ, as well.
Much kudos for your great efforts, fine talents and enthusiasm!
Nice to know you will continue this work, whatever form it may take in the future.
Sure I am not alone in wishing you both the very best success, Kevin in Japan and
Aaron in Seattle.
While we will all miss the Original HHJ format, we look forward to what you guys bring us next.
See you both on the flip-side!
Kevin と Aaron, 本当に ありがとうございました! が!
Taro Starbuck
Great Season Finale! There was alot of great information, and a good group of people providing it as well! Hate to see this setup end, so the solution I provide is… Green Screen! lol well it could work
First off good luck Kevin in Japan, and can’t wait for next “season” HHJ!! Next is that i want to thank you guys for all the information you have brought me within the past 6 months I’ve known this website! The ideas you guys mentioned were really good, it gave me confidence to what I’m doing now (which was alot of what you mentioned in the video)
It’s funny how related my situation is to yours Kevin, I’m a Freshman in Highschool and I really don’t have the freedom to travel when I want to e.i. Japan, so thanks for the ideas and if you have anymore advice for that situation I’d love to hear it!
So again thanks, arigatou, goodluck, ganbate? (right that’s how it’s spelled.) and cannot wait for next time!!!
Happy Hour Japan was awesome. I enjoyed every episode guys!
Just a question, have you heard of りかいちゃん? It’s a really neat add-on for mozilla firefox where just by hovering your mouse over 日本語 (on the web) it will give you the hiragana reading and english meaning? It’s REALLY useful haha.
Great Video really cant wait to see how the new version of hhj is going to be like good luck with that and thanks for all you do. (^_^)V
@Stephen
Hey Stephen, great tip on Rikaichan! A very useful plugin indeed!
This has been awesome but I have to say, I really love when you guys show videos or shots of the various places in Japan. So I think, you could have Aaron talk about stuff and Kevin elaborate and show vidoes of him doing whatever it is Kevin talks about. Just a thought, but I am looking forward to season 2.
Right on, Creeno! It is cool when we could see glimpses of Japan and it`s people on HHJ.
Since Kevin will be in Japan, he and Aaron can work out what the topic is they want to discuss, with Kevin doing the leg work with some photos, videos, maybe interviews in Japan appropriate to that topic. Would be awesome to get more of a perspective of everyday life in Japan from Kevin`s reporting, for sure!
Perhaps Aaron and Kevin could use a big screen PC/iMac monitor and SKYPE (split screen/high speed internet connection), for example have the camera showing Kevin talking to Aaron in Seattle, catch up on the local weather, seasons, whatever and discuss the topic in question. Kanpaii, optional, but doable?
Will certainly miss that “opening ritual” from “Season One” .
Kevin would have a camera on him and his monitor, talking with Kevin. Aaron would also need a camera on him as he talked to Kevin from his monitor. Then brake away to introduce guests, interviews, show videos, photos, etc. Just two buddies communicating over the internet as many of us do, from Japan to friends abroad.
Aaron could also, possibly line up an interview for a few minutes on the Seattle end to add to and complete an episode.
Certainly more labor intensive than “HHJ Season One” , someone would have to do the end production, editing, etc. Seems either Kevin or Aaron would have to send their part of the interview/report to the other side of The Pond to be made into a final production.
Much more complicated than “HHJ First Season”, not sure how doable this idea is.
Perhaps more simply alternating episodes, Kevin do one episode in Japan, Aaron do another one in Seattle?
Each one commenting on the other`s episode, perhaps supplementing and building on the same topic?
What`s the new format going to be called, anyway? “Happy Hour Japan II”? Maybe your fans would like to submit names for your new program, should you need input on that, Aaron and Kevin.
Another idea would be to put photos, videos, interviews and viewers comments on some social networking site like FaceBook. Let people check in and see what`s happening and give feed back whenever they can.
がんばって ね！
May The Sushi Force Be With You!
Taro
If you are into Anime, a J-drama you might like is Densha Otoko 電車男 It’s about an otaku that falls in love with a woman on a train and protects her from a drunken man, the show progresses from there, it’s nicely done. When I get discouraged I slow down or stop my studies and just watch anime, once I feel better I get back to studying.
great season finale can’t wait to hear about and see Kevin’s adventures in Japan.
listening to the NHK radio now, very good listening resource!
thank you.
Kevin and Aaron, Thank you so much for your vision. You have assisted me in my TESOL endorsment classes so much. I am a monolinguist that is so intersted in learning a new language. I appreciate the sessions on speaking the language. I have saved several sessions to my computer. I would love to see videos of actual places in Japan with others learners of Japanese/English. I too liked the idea of updates from the other side of the “pond”.
Best to you all,
hi kevin and aaron
i`m a newcomer（インドネシア人）….i`ve been lived in japan for 1 years…and still in japan (nagano) but i`m still had diffculties in speaking with my co_worker, sometimes i dont understand what they whant me to do..but i think i can learn alot from this website..thank u…hope your program will be more better…..頑張って ねえ。。。
wow, really cool. Very helpful, especially the web addresses. also, the tip to watch modern dramas and whatnot.
Very nice video and cool! Waiting for the next release…
This was great for a ’seaon end.’ I loved the insight from various learners, and the resources they gave to get more exposure. I watch many different types of anime (not big in the giant robots myself) so I know there is more ‘real’ life in them, but haven’t seen any regular shows that were not US releases- I’ll have to look for them now.
New format - I’d like to see more on culture, actual video/pictures, and if possible things about the different areas. I enjoyed the little you’ve shown in the past and it helped prepare me for my first trip to Japan. I hope to go back soon!
As far as getting Japanese music on iTunes, in the past, yes, you had to make a Japanese iTunes account, but in recent years, you can find a lot of main stream Japanese music on the regular American iTunes store. Unfortunately, it isn’t that easy to find unless you know the artists name because iTunes doesn’t have any special JPop or JRock genre sections.
Great video! If you go to mysoju.com they have japanese, korean, chinese, taiwanese, etc. dramas and movies for free on it. I watch it lots and there is no viewing limit and its free! ^_^