In this episode, we talk about Japanese filler words — the little sounds and words people use when they’re thinking, reacting, or keeping a conversation flowing. You hear them all the time in real Japanese, but textbooks rarely explain them properly.

We break down common fillers like etto, ano, long eeeeee sounds, and reactions like naruhodo, and explain when they’re used, what they really mean, and how they change the feeling of a conversation.

Amber explains how these fillers sound in natural speech and what feels normal (or strange), while Kade compares them to English fillers like “uh,” “um,” and “I see.”

Grab a coffee and join us for another relaxed deep dive into everyday Japanese language and culture.

In this episode, we chat about Japanese food the way people actually eat it — from everyday breakfasts and lunch sets to what dinner usually looks like at home or when eating out.

We talk about eating habits that surprise a lot of people, like why raw eggs are safe (and common!), how meals are structured, and the little restaurant details you’ll notice right away — free water, fast service, and how dining culture in Japan feels different from the West.

Amber shares his typical daily food habits while we compare it with Western food culture and talk about food life in Japan, Bentos and Natto.

Grab a coffee and join us for another relaxed deep dive into everyday Japanese language and culture.

In this episode, we dive into the colorful world of Japanese onomatopoeias — words that describe sounds, textures, and even feelings in a way English often can’t. From smooth and light to rough and heavy, these expressions are everywhere in everyday Japanese.

We break down the two main categories of onomatopoeias: feeling-based expressions and sound-based expressions, and explore how small changes — like switching か (ka) to が (ga) — can instantly make a word feel harsher, heavier, or more intense.

Amber explains how these words are actually used in real conversations, while Kade tries to guess some of the English meanings.

Grab a coffee and join us for another relaxed deep dive into everyday Japanese language and culture.