Coming soon
The RisuJapan Podcast
A relaxed, cosy podcast about Japanese culture — really just a friendly conversation, one everyday topic at a time.
The first episodes are still on their way: the podcast is planned to launch in September.
The podcast
A cosy conversation about Japanese culture
The RisuJapan Podcast is a relaxed, unhurried chat about the different sides of Japanese culture. Every episode picks one familiar topic and takes its time over it, with Japanese guests describing how it actually looks and feels from the inside.
Wherever we can, episodes go out as they were recorded. A conversation that has been polished to within an inch of its life stops sounding like a conversation, and the whole point here is that it feels like one.
One topic per episode
Each conversation settles on a single familiar subject instead of hopping between them, so there is time to wander into the details.
Around an hour
Long enough to get properly into a subject, and short enough for a commute, a walk, or the washing up.
Two hosts
Risu hosts alongside her husband, who asks follow-up questions from a non-Japanese perspective whenever something could do with a little more context.
Guests in their own words
The focus is on hearing Japanese people share their own perspectives and experiences, rather than a tidy summary of them.
Nothing heavy
Topics stay light and everyday rather than political or controversial. It is meant to be a friendly chat, not a debate.
Audio and video
Episodes will be published on YouTube, Spotify and other platforms, and there will be a video version as well.
Topics
The sort of things we talk about
Subjects are chosen for being familiar and enjoyable rather than weighty, and each episode sticks to one of them. These are the kinds of conversation we have in mind.
Summer events in Japan
What the season actually brings, and how our guests remember spending it.
Trains
Everyone has a train story. These ones come from people who travel by train every day.
Japanese homes and everyday life
The small, ordinary details of living somewhere, which rarely make it into a guidebook.
Something a guest suggests
Guests are offered a choice of topics and are always welcome to propose one of their own instead.
Who it's for
For anyone curious about everyday Japan
No Japanese needed, and no background knowledge assumed. If you like hearing about a place through the people who live there, you will feel at home here.
- Anyone curious about Japanese culture and everyday life
- Japanese learners looking for a gentle listen alongside their studies
- Travellers who want a sense of ordinary life, not just the sights
- Listeners who would rather have a friendly chat than a debate
- People who enjoy hearing about a country from the people who live there
Updates
Launching late, 2026
Episodes will be published on YouTube, Spotify and other podcast platforms, with occasional video versions alongside the audio for Patreon subscribers. Watch this space for more details soon.
Guests
Would you like to join an episode?
If you are Japanese and would enjoy chatting about everyday life in Japan, we would love to hear from you.