I Speak Japanese

I’ve seen more people in the states wearing masks. Maybe more people are thinking about things like that?
I am going to be on a homestay trip this summer and would love to hear more about etiquite, and also what is an appropriate type of gift to bring for the host family. Any suggestions from either you guys or people who have done homestays? I will be traveling with highschool students (we will also be visiting schools) so knowing what is good for both students and adults would be great!

I’d love to help out with information for homestays!
I did an exchange to Japan with my high school in 2006. It involved staying with a host family in Kyoto for 2 weeks and going to our host student’s school most days of the week. We also travelled to Hiroshima and Tokyo during our stay.
There are phrases I picked up on very quickly (ただいま!) while constantly be scolded by my host grandma for using the Tokyo word for thank you instead of the Kyoto dialect! It was also presumed I drank cola with everything.

Hi~~
where can you buy thoose cute masks?
I’ve been looking for them for a while but I can’t seem to find them anywhere T__T

Hi guys, I kinda stumbled on your site trying to find Japanese - learning sites the other day and I really enjoyed it greatly! I just watched a couple of your “happy hour Japan” episodes and find them very funny, interesting and an great source on information of day to day life in Japan. I am currently trying to learn Japanese and it is quite a slow process, especially with Kanji, not so much with Kana! I live in Cyprus (really small island in the Mediterranean, wouldn’t be strange if you’ve never heard of it!)and it is impossible to find Japanese lessons here, so I’m trying to learn on my own and your site is very helpfull, so thanks a lot and keep up the good work!

Hey Kevin and Aaron,

I’m Kasi and I have been watching your “Happy Hour Japan” video’s during school hours… Probably shouldn’t just I am just head over heels over them! One day (last week) I stumbled over your stuff when trying to learn some Japanese. This does help me with tid-bits here and there I try to show off to my boyfriend, but can I basically face-palm because he is Japanese, so he laughs at me when I try to somewhat talk to him, so mostly we just talk English. I think I would say the pronouncing the words. Well anyways before I go on to long, THANKS for the video’s and stuff. And please update soon? You guys are my source of entertainment during the school days.

Your Viewer,

Kasi

Enjoyed the “Masks Episode”. Living in Japan all these years I still do not wear a mask that often,
only if I am sick myself. Too self conscious I suppose. Also, wearing a mask in cold winter is
problematic when wearing glasses, mine are always fogging up. Can’t see where I am going.
Another aspect of the “flu/cold season” in Japan, at least in Kansai area, is that masks are given
out at many public buildings and some clinics, also we have the ubiquitous “disinfectant sprayer bottles”
where you can spray alcohol on your hands. Pretty handy when out and about town!
Love your Happy Hour Japan episodes!
Keep up the fine work, amigos!
Taro in Castle Town

It finally occurs to me after watching a large portion of your site’s videos today (it was a slow day at work). Aaron reminds me of Daniel Tosh.
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I have really enjoyed your videos. Keep up the good work.

An episode about home-stay would be extremely interesting! Especially on the account that I will be experiencing one in a few short weeks in Fukuoka.

I’ll be staying with the family of friends we have here in the states.

Tips would be most appreciated!

I dont want to seem TOO foolish…. Just a little is okay. domo

I actually just started trying to learn Japanese recently, and have just been checking out the free websites when I came across Happy Hour Japan, and since I have watched all the episodes from the beginning and I just love them, was almost heartbroken when I thought you two wouldn’t be on the show side by side, but of course that was fixed when I seen Aaron in the cafe. ^.^
Anyways I was trying to learn Japanese (recently decided that I’m going to have to buy your “Ninja” Japanese teaching video, because self-learning on the internet as you all have said is difficult, but….again anyways, you two have convinced me that if I really can become fluent in Japanese then I HAVE to move there, it sounds so awesome, the only fear I have is, you two haven’t discuss jobs once you get there, and I am afraid that I may get over there and can talk to people, but once I run out of money I will have no choice but to come home.

If ya’ll could do a episode about jobs over there, then it would really help alot to settle my mind, but I am currently in college doing Game and Simulation Programming to be either a game maker or tester, but I just want to make sure that I could at least get some kind of job over there to prolong my stay.

Thanks again guys, I really hope ya’ll continue to do your videos for a long time, since I came to the end of them, I have become really impatiant for the next one lol. >.<

Hey Guys,
I actually got the rare opportunity to do a “homestay” this past October. I had been travelling to Japan several times over the past years for business. In the summer I met a family who was showing around a German college student at the Meiji Jingu. They were about the age of my folks back home. We shared the afternoon together and then exchanged emails. They invited me to stay the next time I was in Japan. They live in Yokohama. It has been my experience that the best omiyage are the items from either your home country or your home city. It doesn’t have to be anything expensive, just thoughtful. The family met me at the closest train station and they took me to some of the local parks around their area. It was great to see a part of Japan that most Americans don’t get to see. They made a homemade meal of Sukiyaki complete with raw egg. Fortunately, I have had previous experience at an Onsen so the family bath was not as foreign to me. The breakfast the next day rivaled anything at a high end hotel. They treated me like one of their own. In fact, the father of the family asked that I call him Papa. They even took me to a small fishing island near by Yokohama. I got to have Maguro-don for the first time. It was oishii. I even got to see the Pacific Ocean for the first time with them. They were very curious as to where I had learned my Japanese. They were quite surprised when I told them it all came from internet sites such as yours. Thanks for all of the advice, it made for a wonderful experience. I will treasure my stay with them for years to come.

I think masks are a great idea! If more people wore masks in winter, maybe there wouldn’t be so many flu bugs going round. I’m glad you posted another video, I missed you guys!

Hey guys, Really enjoying all the videos yall have posted. Can’t wait for the next episode!

Im currently in the Air Force DEP, soon I will be going to basic training and then my tech. school right after. I’m really hoping that I can be stationed in Japan.

I’ve been fasinated with Japanese culture since I was a little kid. I was fasinated before I was even old enough to know they were aginst us in WW2. Its humbaling to me to notice how they treat others in a way of respect and how they are so nice and polite. We could all learn a lesson in that.

Keep up the great work guys and have fun. Your so lucky to be able to do what you do, and I hope I can experiance the Japanese culture soon.

Hi guys! Just stumbled on your great world through itunes… now, watching them in order from the beginning and started your quick course.

I am going to Japan with work in a month, and I’ve never been before. I will be working with a bunch of Japanese people, but for the most part, they all speak english, so some of the pressure is off to learn the language.

But, I have a question for you. I think I have a difficult name for the Japanese people to pronounce– Dawn. I was wondering if you had thoughts on changing it to a nickname. I found Akatsuki, but then found it was pretty tied to some anime characters. One of my friends who has been learning the language for a few years suggested Aka, because I have red hair… Are there any culture tips on nicknames? Is that common? (When I was traveling in South America for a year, the people I worked with called me Amanacer, Spanish for sunrise, because the ‘aw’ sound was tough for them too…)

Just wanted to hear your thoughts…

You guys are a lot of fun! I will be taking you with me!

Hiyas!

Great video, as usual. I’m a TESOL student and will be moving to Japan in 2012, hopefully w/ the JET Program I have a question. I love to laugh & believe humor is important to any culture. However, I have sorta dry, sarcastic humor, (thanks dad!)haha, anywho… I was wondering how “humor” is viewed in Japan, or rather how do you view the Japanese sense of humor. Thanks so much!

Much Love & Respect 2 Speekit/JA
Jessica

Hey you guys how are you. I remember having to wear that when I was working in the airport in Aruba when the swineflue broke out we had to wear the mask and gloves. To the tourists it seemed very odd but it was a safety procedure so we had to do it.
ps. you guys did start up with the traditional drinking of beer hehe laters.

Hey guys,

I watched quite a few of the videos and they were really helpful as far as what to do and experience in Japan, but it would be nice to know how you guys are able to pay for extended trips?? Also, how would you propose realistically funding a study-abroad semester??

Thanks,
Travis

Hey guys, great video! been watching all your videos today and i just wanna say you guys are great for doing this, thank you for all the time you put into it and please keep up the good work

Hey good video! Are you guys safe with all this earthquake and tsunami stuff going on

Hey guys!
I saw the terrible news, I’m worried about you, are you both O.K in a safe place? I’m sure lots of people here tought the same…
I’m sending you my best prayers, wishes and fingers crossed.
GAMBATTE!!!

Hey, are you guys safe? Really worried with everything thats going on in Japan.

Hope you guys are OK. Your families and frieds too. We’re praying for you…

London, March.15.2011
Hiya Guys are you and your kazoku ok? I am sorry about the situation in Japan, it seems that radiation has already reached Chiba City, 12 miles East of Tokyo. According to various London’s Newspapers it is just a matter of time before it expand further particularly with vapors. Meethink you are a bit further south near Nagoya…I have relatives in Tokyo, so far they are ok though it seems that there may still be after shocks (earthquake or tremblor) every 20 min or so… Wishing you all the best and hope the radiation will be contained. It is really bad of TPCO to fail to inform the PM on time, there were fined in the past for falsifying safety records..anyhoo I hope all turns out ok. I hope the Jp gov got enough iodine tablets for everyone, in finland they already run out of stock as people panicked… If you have time you may want to check this: How to minimize exposure to radioactive substances by http://www3.nhk.or.jp/daily/english/15_30.html Matane and gambare, Ludwig

Hi,

Does anybody know any of the sites that are up now to find confirmed survivors in japan? My mom is worried about a friend. I saw links for some sites a few days ago but I did not know that her friends very common Japanese name has an unusual spelling. Now that I have tried searching to find these sites I can’t find any of them! I have literally spent hours looking for these sites, with no luck.

I’m really worried about you guys and your families! I hope you’re all safe! Sending all my thoughts and well-wishes your way! がんばって! xo

hey aaron&kevin,, are u still alive from the tsunami and earthquake??

we miss u here… plsss post something new,, what ur life now in japan after the tragedy happen..

plss give us the local news…

Id be down to help out on the video about homestays. I did a year long exchange in 2008-2009 and lived with three families. Also during this time did a homestay kind of thing in Ashikaga. On a side notes your videos are awesome. Brings back quite a few memories of being back in Japan.

Was that a 5 am chime or 5 pm? It looks early!

My son wants to be in your show and his friend. They always had a dream about going to Tokyo Japan.

For some reason this vid won’t work for me. When I hit play, it does this strange flashing thing, almost like a strobe light. >.< But it’s only the video doing it. Will you guys be posting this up on your youtube account at some point? Pretty please!