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Japanese – In this episode the kyodai talk about the Japanese language – speaking it, learning it and just how damn cool it is to be able to quote the latest popular anime at your online gaming crew. 相棒、ラーメン行くぜ！

Today the Kyodai are joined by a real Hokkaido expert: Ayaka Yoshikawa from adventure-hokkaido.com She’s here to share her years of expertise as a tour guide in Hokkaido and New Zealand. Will Dave-kyodai discover where to find the best onsen? Will Cazes-kyodai figure out how to make a really good website? What is the secret of delicious sea urchin? Tune in to find out! And be sure to check out https://www.adventure-hokkaido.com/ for your next trip to Hokkaido!   Intro / Outro by the fabulous Bear/Rabbit duo out of Hakodate: https://www.youtube.com/embed/qMC-bLB9adw

Cazes-kyodai gives Dave-kyodai in an impromptu grilling about his changing perspectives on life in Japan over his nine years here. What juicy morsels of experience shall be rendered from his meaty experiences? Will the kyodai figure out how to end an episode? Will the Japanese police catch up with Cazes? Yes – yes, they will…     Intro / Outro by the fabulous Bear/Rabbit duo out of Hakodate: https://www.youtube.com/embed/qMC-bLB9adw

Cazes and Dave talk about their first love of Japan – Hokkaido. The largest prefecture in Japan, this paradise of mountains, rivers and wildlife has a lot to offer. Boasting some of Japan’s most loved cities, Sapporo, Asahikawa and Hakodate; from the green pastures of Tokachi to the wilds of Daisetsuzan National Park and it’s hairy-beary denizens, Hokkaido even boasts some of Japan’s best, most natural onsen, so why is this amazing place not so well-known by visitors to Japan?   Intro / Outro by the fabulous Bear/Rabbit duo out of Hakodate: https://www.youtube.com/embed/qMC-bLB9adw

The Kyodai get just a little bit meta in discussing their podcast; Cazes has some interesting questions re what it means to be either an expat or an immigrant, and how they perceive their home countries as a result of living in Japan for many years. An un-edited trumph! [sick]   Intro / Outro by the fabulous Bear/Rabbit duo out of Hakodate: https://www.youtube.com/embed/qMC-bLB9adw

Who was the cute one in One Direction? How many axe murderers populate Saint Lucia? What’s an Akihabara for and why does it need a maid? The fabulous Arisu-idol is here to enlighten Dave-Kyodai, who it has to be said, remains marginally more out-of-touch with modern, popular Japanese culture than does Cazes-kyodai. A fun and fact-filled education for the Kyodai Brothers!  Check out Arisu's twitter and wish her good morning at https://twitter.com/_sh1opan    Intro / outro music by the wonderful Bear / Rabbit Duo from Hakodate, Hokkaido: https://youtu.be/qMC-bLB9adw

In this episode, the kyodai are joined by Clayton Duffy-Beebe, of the ‘Hello Nihon’ podcast, to talk about sports, love of Hokkaido, and share some heart-warming stories of teaching in Japan. You can listen to their podcast anywhere you can find podcasts, (well...almost) and you can check them out at https://hellonihon.podbean.com/ Intro / outro music by the wonderful Bear / Rabbit Duo from Hakodate, Hokkaido: https://youtu.be/qMC-bLB9adw  

The Festive One. Cazes and Dave are feeling jubilant and so decide to drink deep of the question of how Japan has changed them over the years. It’s more than just work culture and shoes off at the front door, please. Have a listen and check out thekyodaibrothers.com for more info! Intro / outro music by the wonderful Bear / Rabbit Duo from Hakodate, Hokkaido: https://youtu.be/qMC-bLB9adw

Fair dinkum, Koji. In this episode, the kyodai talk with broadcaster/voice-over actor/youtuber/podcaster/ lead guitarist and all-purpose celebrity Koji Asano, a Japanese expat living in Melbourne, Oz for over 20 years.    https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCZgUoG3zvG_P5wQ1ol3ptdA https://www.youtube.com/c/KozyGames https://www.fiverr.com/kojiasano      Intro / outro music by the wonderful Bear / Rabbit Duo from Hakodate, Hokkaido: https://youtu.be/qMC-bLB9adw

Kyodai Cazes and Dave catch up with former ALT Jordan Halland, and chat about life and language, with some reflections on lovebirds, getting married in Japan and other countries’ language teacher programs.   Intro / outro music by the wonderful Bear / Rabbit Duo from Hakodate, Hokkaido: https://youtu.be/qMC-bLB9adw

Cazes and Dave are back with their usual ruminations on living in Japan. The food is good; the weather is good. Everything’s wonderful. Then they are taken down a peg or two by Maiko-kyodai, who is here to run the rule over some of their previous explanations of Japanese words. Get ready for hanabi!   Intro / outro music by the wonderful Bear / Rabbit Duo from Hakodate, Hokkaido: https://youtu.be/qMC-bLB9adw

Délice avec Déborah The kyodai are joined this time by designer extraordinaire Déborah Marino, a French expat living in Asahikawa, Hokkaido. What brought her to Japan and how has been her experience thus far? Will Cazes and Dave get some free chocolate?        Intro / outro music by the wonderful Bear / Rabbit Duo from Hakodate, Hokkaido: https://youtu.be/qMC-bLB9adw

Cazes and Dave get a little verbose in this deep, deep dive into those interesting, hard-to-translate words that give Japanese some of its fascination. What’s your ikigai ? Is that toilet mottainai enough for you? Does watching transformers movies make you feel natuskashii ? Or do you wish you could practice irusu when a mendokusai guy from the TV company comes to your house? There’s only one place to find answers to these questions. The kyodai are feeling nori-nori in this episode. Itadakimasu !   Intro / outro music by the wonderful Bear / Rabbit Duo from Hakodate, Hokkaido: https://youtu.be/qMC-bLB9adw

Living in Japan is the greatest RPG of all – or it sure feels like that sometimes. In this episode, Cazes and Dave get into some serious paperwork. Whether buying a car, or buying a special piece of must-have equipment before you can buy a car; moving, renewing, signing or re-signing, you’re going to need to fill out a few forms. But how do the kyodai feel about Japan’s determined approach to bureaucracy, and overall, is it good or bad? Tune in to find out! But don’t forget your hanko!   Intro / outro music by the wonderful Bear / Rabbit Duo from Hakodate, Hokkaido: https://youtu.be/qMC-bLB9adw

From the green mountains to the green wood, Kylie Winger joins Cazes and Dave to discuss her experience of Japan, writing, blogging about writing and a few other hot topics. Is John Grisham’s The Firm the finest novel in the English language? Does Cazes speak French? Will there be Pokemon? Have a listen and find out!   Readingcycle.substack.com     Intro / outro music by the wonderful Bear / Rabbit Duo from Hakodate, Hokkaido: https://youtu.be/qMC-bLB9adw

So what is it actually like? In this episode Cazes and Dave get into some detail about what it’s like when you actually get to Japan: a little of what to expect, and some of what you probably are not expecting…   Intro / outro music by the wonderful Bear / Rabbit Duo from Hakodate, Hokkaido: https://youtu.be/qMC-bLB9adw

Episode 7: The Phantom Curtis At long last, he is here! In this episode, the Kyodai chat with Curtis Nicholas, pride of the garden state and fellow Hokkaido-lover. We discuss teaching, cultural distinctions in the workplace, and some epic journeys. And of course the weather. It’s still pretty snowy in central and North Hokkaido. Enjoy!     Intro / outro music by the wonderful Bear / Rabbit Duo from Hakodate, Hokkaido: https://youtu.be/qMC-bLB9adw

In this episode, Cazes and Dave wade into the shallows of ALT-ing (or Assistant Language Teacher-ing), and discuss a few key aspects of the work they are doing as said native English-speaking teachers in Hokkaido, Japan. Having a native speaker of the language you are studying close by, is always a bonus – and Maiko is on hand to correct some punctuation and nuances of the Japanese language, in a fun little role-reversal. Enjoy!   Intro / outro music by the wonderful Bear / Rabbit Duo from Hakodate, Hokkaido: https://youtu.be/qMC-bLB9adw

Well, 2020 is history and thank goodness for that. In this episode, Cazes and Dave talk about their experience of said worst year ever from their privileged perspectives living in Hokkaido, Japan. How did they pass the time? Were they locked down continually, repeatedly, not at all? Have a listen to find out!   Intro / outro music by the wonderful Bear / Rabbit Duo from Hakodate, Hokkaido: https://youtu.be/qMC-bLB9adw

In this episode, the kyodai delve into the older-than-Horyuji question: “Hey Cazes and Dave, what do you like so much about Japan?” Is it the speedy rail network or the famous jidouhanbaiki? Have a listen and find out.   Intro / outro music by the wonderful Bear / Rabbit Duo from Hakodate, Hokkaido: https://youtu.be/qMC-bLB9adw