Money and banking in Japan: The cash is big, the banks are very rigid, and everything we thought we knew about (consumer) banking had to be relearned in Japan, which does it in a completely different way. Transcript K: So, lately I’ve been thinking about banking and bill paying, which we kind off talked...
The treatment of disability and disabled people differs a lot between Japan and the US. In the US, more lip service is given to accommodation. In Japan, other forms of support are more readily available. Broadly, with numerous exceptions. Transcript K: So, lately I’ve been thinking about disability in the U.S. versus disability in...
Japan has hundreds of festivals, some famous, and some less so. We tried to talk about those, but only got to a few because we also talk about other entertainment and digress a lot. Transcript K: So, lately I’ve been thinking about festivals and holidays in Japan, and I think that’s because we’re coming...
Gun violence is prevalent in the United States but not in Japan. It’s a difference that is palpable to those who have lived in both cultures and goes far beyond the statistics. Content Note: Discussion of gun violence, domestic violence, and other violence, including personal experiences with it. Transcript K: So, today’s episode is...
Japan and the United States have very different ideas about pain management, health care, and how people ought to feel. Both of us having medical issues means we’ve had a lot of experience with both systems, and we compare the two from our perspectives. Transcript K: So, lately I’ve been thinking a lot about...
Japanese and United States cultures differ greatly in the amount of touch considered acceptable between strangers, among family, and in general. We talk about our experiences as Americans being touched a lot less in Japan. Content Note: Discussion of non-consensual touching Transcript K: So, lately I’ve been thinking about the difference in between touching...
Beauty may be in the eye of the beholder, but that eye is shaped to find particular things beautiful. We talk about attraction, how it’s shaped, how it differs by place, upbringing, and how it’s tied into sex. Content note: Medical procedures and sex are discussed in some detail. Transcript K: So, lately I’ve...
Talk about security and insecurity, both valid and not. How it plays out for different people, different issues, and different times. Transcript K: So, lately I’ve been thinking about feeling secure versus feeling insecure. C: Like turning on two-factor identification for everything? Because I’ve had to do that for work, so that’s on my...
We talk about money, cash, credit, employment (and what’s considered a “real” job), and other money-related topics as they happen in Japan and the US. Transcript K: So, lately I’ve been thinking about money. C: Yeah? K: Yeah. C: Like money? K: (laughs) I was actually thinking of the song “money changes everything.” C:...
Japanese furniture, flooring, and other things starting with F. Big question of the episode: Can you replace pleather with transparent tape? Transcript K: So, lately I’ve been thinking about furniture in Japan. C: That is not what tabling the discussion means. K: (laughs) Okay, I don’t know if that one’s funny or a surprise....