Archive for the ‘Interviews’ Category

J-Donuts for everyone - An exclusive interview with “C” from Jdonuts.com

On October 15, 2008 in Interviews, fun

Hi all.

I hope you have a sweet-tooth because today we will be chowing down on some creamy, tasty, sprinkle-licious Jdonuts!

Oops. I might have already started…

We’re here with “C” (for “Contamination”) from j-donuts.com, a J-blogger with a funny bone and a lot of heart. A friend of Jamaipanese, you know he must be a great guy, let’s see what makes him and his site tick.

DailyJ: Hi C. What is your site, Jdonuts, all about?

C: Japan, anything I find interesting, weird or newsworthy about Japan.

DailyJ: What projects/etc. are you working on?

www.jdonuts.com my blog about my life in Japan
jokes.jdonuts.com daily jokes and funny images.
blog.jdonuts.com recommendation’s for how to run a good blog & drive traffic to it. If it works for me, I write about it here.

DailyJ: So, what motivated you to start Jdonuts?

The isolation. Its so difficult to find interesting people to talk with, I figured if I shouted out to the rest of the world for long enough, interesting and intelligent people would flock to my blog to engage in thoughtful conversation about Japan.

DailyJ: I can relate to that. How has that worked out so far? Have you had some interesting conversations? Which ones have been your favorites?

C: Kind of, the more popular topics recently have been the more general ones:
http://www.jdonuts.com/2008/01/panasonic-to-consolidate-its-brands.html
http://www.jdonuts.com/2008/01/check-out-my-melons.html
http://www.jdonuts.com/2007/12/i-hate-one-yen-coins.html

All in all it’s been good. I haven’t had to hear anything about Brittney Spears in a long time.

DailyJ: So what posts are your favourites?

C: All of them, everything I write is gold.
http://www.jdonuts.com/2008/01/public-service-announcement.html
It was important at the time as Jamaipanese’s blog was down, so I wanted to do my part in the J-Blogger community.
http://www.jdonuts.com/2007/12/worrying-news-from-2007.html
This was my summary of the most worrying news for the previous year.
http://www.jdonuts.com/2007/12/japanese-drivers-license.html
Getting my Japanese license was a lot of effort, so I’m personally proud of this.
http://www.jdonuts.com/2007/11/fingerprinting-in-japan-blogs-eye-view.html
I was proud do be a part of the community action against fingerprinting of foreigners in Japan while sharing the link love at the same time.

DailyJ: What part of running Jdonuts do you like the best?

C: Watching my daily traffic increase from 1-2 readers a day to currently over 1000 a day, and every now and again over 3000

DailyJ: Where do you see the site going in the future?

C: Paid advertising. I’m not running it as a business, but I’d like to make some Whiskey money out of it.

DailyJ: I noticed you write a bit about blogging and traffic. What advice would you give to other J-bloggers about increasing traffic?

C: Join EntreCard & Stumble Upon for increased traffic and JapanSoc & Japanalyst for increased search engine visibility. Find other j-bloggers and link to them first, comment on their blog for a bit and THEN ask for a link back.

Good advice indeed. Thanks for the interview C! And for all of you reading, I command you to head on over to Jdonuts!

Are you still here? Ok, well there is one more thing…

DailyJ: Is there anything else you want to say?.

C: When I started this ongoing hobby/project of blogging I decided to keep my real life separate and took steps to conceal my identity. There are others in the J-Blogging community who are happy to share their personal details, and thats fine but I hope that others will continue to respect my wish for privacy.

I was always a bit of an extrovert at High School, and even now at work I am very outgoing with the hundreds of students I teach each month. But the idea of 1000’s of people on the internet knowing who I am is a little scary for me.

Sure thing C. We’ll leave you your superhero anonymity The Chemist away!

Have a great day,

DailyJ

p.s. Go to Jdonuts!

Comments (3)

Finally some grown-up Japan content! - The Message Garrett & Ken are broadcasting about Japan and why you, J-blogger, should listen - An exclusive interview with Trans-Pacific Radio

On September 10, 2008 in Interviews, Resources, fun

 

(Here it is as promised, with apologies for lateness) 

That title is probably the longest title I have ever written (and I am notorious for long titles!), but I think it is a fitting one. Well, maybe not if you thought “grown-up content” meant something illicit. None of that here, sorry pervs.

For one, the long title is fitting as this is the longest post I have ever posted. I know several people have said “Don’t divide up the interview posts on DailyJ.” To you I say, I have listened. This interview is all in one post. To everyone else, the real reason :

This interview with Trans-Pacific Radio flows so well and really speaks so much for itself that I just can’t put it into pieces and it needs no commentary from me. Garrett and Ken answered my questions so masterfully, and left me (in awe) thinking “we could learn something from these people!”

So, dear reader, I am giving you this interview in one sitting. But I suggest you sit and read it many times. I also strongly suggest you head over to TPR, go there often, and take in some hearty Japan-related knowledge. It is there for you to study and savour.

The other reason why I think the title is fitting is that it (hopefully) encapsulates the message TPR has regarding media coverage of Japan.

J-bloggers, I know you love the wacky, weird and wonderful of Japan. The food, the entertainment, the gadgets (amongst other things…). We are a bunch of Peter Pans running our mouths about Neverland (and I guess that is ok, but…)

Today we grow up (at least a little). So sit up and pay attention because today Garret and Ken are at the podium with a message so meaty it just might put some hair on that boyish chest

Without further ado, let’s hear from Garrett:

DailyJ: What is the mission/vision of TPR? What is it all about? And what motivated you to start it?

Garrett: Basically, I listened to a fair number of podcasts - I’ve always been a radio fan (but bought my first TV just before my 28th birthday - go figure) - and I was happy to see that there was a good bit of interesting content available (NPR and Chicago Public Radio got into podcasting early and made a sizable number of their shows available in this new format.)  However, the lack of coverage of East Asia was yet again made obvious.   Here was one of the world’s most populous and wealthiest nations - Japan - in a region containing nearly half of the world’s people and a good deal of its growth in economic terms as well as terms of political influence, and it was all but ignored in the Anglophone media!
 
So, long story short, I wanted to help fill that gap.  I wanted to start a podcast, Ken was already blogging.  He turned me onto blogging and, within maybe thirty seconds, convinced me that a blog was the ideal platform from which to launch a podcast, so that’s what we did.
 
It seems odd to me now, but less than two years ago, I knew next to nothing about blogs or blogging and had an entirely erroneous impression of the blogosphere as a self-congratulatory network of shut-ins working on vanity projects.  Now I know that some of the vain self-congratulators sometimes go out as well.  Ken and I frequently meet readers and listeners to drink and chew the fat.  (I’m kidding about the vain, self-congratulating thing.)
 
Since we started in August of 2006, the number and quality of blogs focusing on the serious side of Japan have increased, which is simply awesome, in both senses of the word.
When I write, talk, or do research for TPR, I have a sort of guiding philosophy: “Japan is an actual country, just as much as any other and it is allowed to be interesting in its own right.”
 
The weird and wacky side of Japan has a place - and it is real, don’t get me wrong - but it represents only a tiny slice of the people here and an even tinier slice of what’s important.
 
In the Anglophone media, the French presidential elections will be followed for months, with insightful editorials, analyses, and more!  What does Japan, with nearly three times the population and many times the economic might get?  About as much space as the oft-maligned cat up the tree.  And when Japan is mentioned, it’s either with a focus on the weird and wacky, a string of unresearched cliches about salarymen, or with an eye toward what it means for the US military.
 
I think that’s disgraceful.  I’m not vain enough to think that TPR can do much more at the moment than be a place where those interested in Japan can discuss the issues of the day, but I think TPR, and a handful of others, is taking steps in the direction of rectifying a serious problem.

DailyJ: So, as you take those steps, where do you see the site going in the future? What will change, what will stay the same?

Garrett: TPR will keep improving at releasing podcasts and articles on a regular basis.  (At times, it feels like we’ve bitten off more than we can chew.)  We hope to keep TPR News a regular distillation of the main events making headlines in Japan and get it out there more often.  Seijigiri, our political show, and BizCast Japan, the business show, of course, keep attracting more and more listeners, so we hope to make those shows better.

Over time, I hope our “this day in history” posts will be numerous and detailed enough to cover the entire calendar, would like to more regularly write editorials and revive our Shasetsu category, and branch out into other areas of audio work.

We have a new look in mind for TPR, too.  We’re excited about that.  It’ll enable to do a lot more with the site and make it more accessible, useful, and, we hope, interesting to the steadily growing number of people who visit TPR every day.

                

(Update: From the time they answered the interview earlier this year, TPR has been really busy. Here is a breakdown of TPR’s current features)

DailyJ: Since we are talking about your different categories and content, which would you say have been your favourites? And why?

Garrett: This is a very difficult question for a few reasons.  First and foremost, we try to avoid posting anything we don’t like.  Most of our posts tend to be rather long-form for a blog and often include audio.  The time when one of us dashes off a quick post are rare.
Second, I’ll freely admit that different programs and different types of posts require different things from us.  TPR News, for example, often involves three people researching, writing, recording, and editing with one of us putting everything together as a final step.  Obviously, that’s quite a bit different from a show like Seijigiri, where Ken and I are together in a room and nothing is scripted.  Then there are the Shasetsu and Rekishi posts, which are solo efforts and tend to take longer to prepare.

Now that I’m done dodging the question, I’ll answer by telling you which posts I most enjoyed producing.
In no particular order:

Nova Employees: Their Voices, Their Stories: This was really Ken’s baby, but I enjoyed it as well.  There were a few technical hurdles to overcome, a lot of people to coordinate, and it was highly time-sensitive.  This might be the closest thing to actual journalism TPR has done.

Seijigiri #10: Ken and I clicked on this one, I just remember it going really well and being a lot of fun.

おい、いじめをやめろ！目を覚ませ、先生！(Bully, knock it off. Teacher, wake up!): This was the first long opinion piece I wrote on TPR and it got a really good response.  I’m locquacious, I like it when I can sit back and just tell a story.

Nippon Pro Baseball’s Central League (日本プロ野球のセ・リーグ): We were drinking beer, talking about baseball, and Chris sang the Swallows’ take on “Tokyo Ondo,” which means we had a valid reason to say ” kutabare Yomiuri” over and over again.  What’s not to like?  I also really like the way the musical template for the NPB on TPR shows came out.

The “Comfort Women” Resolution (HR 121) Passed: Why That’s Not Bad : There was so much stink about this issue and it was so stupid.  Sometimes it’s nice to be absolutely right and hit a nice, fat, slow one like this.

Having Tobias Harris and Adam Richards on for two editions of Seijigiri each: I’m ashamed of the audio on these, but the interviews and conversations are great.  Tobias and Adam are both great guys with great heads on their shoulders.  It’s not often you can sit down with people who are so knowledgeable and so interesting and excited about what they’re talking about.  It was a blast having those guys on.

Finally, just because it would be bad form for me to list every post on the site here, I’ll say that I look forward to every episode of BizCast Japan.  It’s the only show on TPR I’ve never been on and that’s apparently a good thing because it’s fantastic.  No one else in the world does what Alby and Ken do on that show, no one else even really tries.

I hope anyone and everyone who reads this interview, though, will stop by Trans-Pacific Radio, take a spin through the archives as well as the new stuff and find out for themselves what they like best (I hope there’s something.) 

“Hi, this is Ken, picking up where Garrett left off…”

DailyJ: What part of running TPR do you like the best?

Ken: To be honest, I enjoy prepping for shows the best. Although it depends on the topic, we sometimes spend a considerable amount of time discussing the issues, reading up on them or sending emails back and forth. That’s where I’m really able to let myself think about what I want to say, and try to find a space that hasn’t been discussed thus far.

I also like the time spent in discussion on the comment threads. It’s great to hear from other people and to get into the issues a bit more. There’s almost no point in creating the shows if there’s not going to be a follow-up discussion.

DailyJ: Can you tell us a bit more about how others can contribute to TPR?

Ken: At the moment, getting into the comments thread is the easiest way to contribute. We’re always willing to have people come on our shows and offer their viewpoints or share their expertise. One thing we would like to do in the future is have more interviews and bring on more of the people who are writing about Japan in general.
 

DailyJ: Are there any new projects you are working on?

Ken: In terms of TPR, right now we’re working on a new design for everything. We’d like to have some new shows, but that’s still a few months away. I spend a good amount of time researching and writing for Japan Economy News as well.
 

DailyJ: What would you say really makes your site unique and how can readers get the most from it?

Ken: I think the site’s unique in terms of the content being put out there. It’s unfortunately rare to find much about politics or business in Japan that is not owned by corporate media. That said, there are other people writing very well about Japan and Japanese politics. Tobias Harris, MTC (Shisaku) and Jun Okumura all have insights that we wish we could have. In a sense, we might be “outsiders”, but we’re willing to talk about and deal with Japan as we feel an ordinary, analytical long-term resident of Japan would. We live here, intend to always live here, we love Japan and want to take a critical eye at what we see. I think our content reflects that. We’ve turned to audio perhaps since we both enjoy talking so much.

I would say that my favorite releases are those we haven’t done yet. I know everything will get better, and that we will have a broader view on Japan. Now, we cover politics, business, general news and Japanese baseball. We’ve been graced to have Mr Debito Arudou contribute his pieces to our site. We can only hope to continue to raise and discuss important issues and how Japan can be a world leader not only economically, but also hopefully in terms of a well-guided foreign policy.

There you have it, one of the best interviews ever to grace DailyJ. Garrett and Ken, I definitely owe you one for your time and patience. And thank you for giving all of us a window to your thoughts on Japan and media.

There is so much more for you to see and hear on Trans-Pacific Radio. So, dear readers, as you head off to there I wish you…

A great day,

DailyJ

Comments (5)

“You are spanking us so thoroughly the least you could do is give us an interview” - and intro and an apology

On September 09, 2008 in Announcements, Interviews

At year end 2007 KenYN of WhatJapanThinks held a contest for the best Japan-blogsin five categories (a friendly contest). DailyJ was paired off against Trans-Pacific Radio, ObservingJapan, JapanNewbie and others, and TPR was beating DailyJ mercilessly. So I emailed the good people over at Trans-Pacific Radio, for an interview, with this subject (which I vainly think was a clever one):

“You are spanking us so thoroughly the least you could do is give us an interview :)”

I guess it was attention grabbing enough because they responded and we sent emails back and forth.

Apology: 

But when Ken and Garrett finished the interview on January 14th I was deep into my month of guest blogging on RisingSunOfNihon and quite swamped. February saw me trying to play catch-up but to little avail. March hit me like a ton of bricks and I had some major time demands on my offline life to boot. That put DailyJ out of commission from mid-March until August.

I kick myself for not having posted their interview sooner. It really is not fair at all to Ken and Garrett. Trans-Pacific Radio is such a great website and they are doing such a great job with it.

Maybe they can forgive me. They definitely deserved better. I only hope that posting the interview now (better late, than never) makes up in part for my shortcoming.

Intro

Tomorrow will bring an interview that is NOT TO BE MISSED! We are going behind the scenes to talk to Garrett and Ken about their motives and aspirations for Trans-Pacific Radio. There is much to learn from them, including some food for thought for everyone who picks up a mic or pounds the keypad to talk about Japan.

DO NOT MISS IT (It will be all in one beefy post). So Stay Tuned!

Until then. Have a great day,

DailyJ

Comments (4)

Words Jim Breen wrote to me.

On August 15, 2008 in #The Japan-related Web Debate, Announcements, Interviews

Awhile ago I contacted Jim Breen (the dictionary guy) for the Japan-related web debate and he wrote back to me.

You can read all about it and his quote here

I was inspired by what Jim wrote because he told me that there were times he felt silly and like walking away from it all.

But look at what he acheived… by not giving up

Comments (0)

When in Japan… an interview with JapanItUp

On February 17, 2008 in Interviews

Hi All. We’re back for our last romp with Steve from JapanItUp.com. If you are just joining us here is yesterday’s post. Today Steve is going to point us to a few of his favourite posts. And he has some Japan advice for us too.

DailyJ: Which are your favorite posts so far and why?

Steve: My favorite post is “Going to the Doctor” because it was a very affordable and different experience than seeing a doctor in the U.S. My other favorite post has to be the video of Yoshio Kojima. No matter how many times I see the video I can’t stop laughing. Japanese TV is awesome! I have no idea what they’re talking about but I’ve been more entertained by TV then I have been in years!

DailyJ: I really like your post and videos about Japanese capsule hotels. Are you planning to do any more videos like
these in the future?

Steve: I found the capsule website while looking up info about Japan and I’ve heard about them so I did some research and created a post. Those are videos from youtube users (not created by me). However I do hope to upload my own videos soon.

DailyJ: I noticed from your categories that you focus a lot of everyday living in Japan. If you had to give one piece of
advice to someone looking to live in Japan, what would it be?

Steve: While in Japan, think like a Japanese person. I haven’t spoken about this yet, but this is by far the best advice. When you’re in a new part of the world you should learn to adapt to your surroundings. Life will become easier for you. And remember, you can still be wild and crazy without disrespecting anybody or acting like a fool.

Sounds like good advice to me, but I thought it only applied to Rome

Thanks, Steve, for the interview! And thank you all for reading. Now go forth and JapanItUp!

And… Have a great day!

DailyJ

Comments (4)

How you can Japan It Up with the man behind the site - an exclusive interview with JapanItUp.com

On February 16, 2008 in Interviews

If you missed it, yesterday we had a little chat with the blogger behind JapanItUp and found out why he loves Japan. Originally I used his alias, Smoother, because that was what he had been using on his site. But he just contacted me and asked me to use his real name, Steve.

So now you know the man behind the mask

Today we’re back with Steve taking a look what makes his site special and how you can Japan It Up with him.

DailyJ: What is JapanItUp’s mission/vision?

Steve: Let’s face it, too much information can get boring. I hope to keep the site upbeat by talking about all of the crazy things I’ve experienced, how Japan is different from what I’ve ever imagined, and at the same time provide useful info while sharing all of the web sites I’ve bookmarked over the last year.

DailyJ: What makes your site unique? How can readers get the most from JapanItUp?

Steve: I think that I make it unique. I might have a similar experience that another person has had, but my experience is just that, mine, and that’s what makes it a different flavor. I also like to tell stories, so I think people will be entertained.

DailyJ: What can others do to interact with your site and contribute?

Steve: I love it when people post comments on my site, even to share some “LOL” action or even if they disagree. Also I have put up a contact and link suggestion form so now people can send me stories they’ve found, share topic ideas, or even ask me questions. Also if anybody wants to do a ‘guest post’ on my blog they should definitely let me know.

So be sure to drop by the site and Japan It Up with Steve (i.e. have some fun and maybe leave a comment). And be sure to join us tomorrow for the last part of the interview, we’ll be looking at some of his favourite posts and hearing a word of advice on living in Japan.

Have a great day!

DailyJ

Comments (1)

Why Smoother loves Japan - an interview with JapanItUp

On February 15, 2008 in Interviews

If you missed it yesterday we Japan’ed it up with blogger/interviewee Smoother and heard about why he started JapanItUp. Today we’re going to find out about how he made it to the land of sun.

DailyJ: First of all, can you tell us a little bit about yourself (for instance how you ended up in Japan)?

Smoother: I’ve always been a big fan of traveling, but most of my travel has been within the United States. In 2006 I was ready for a change and ready to move, but then I met my fiance. While she was finishing up college she asked if I wanted to visit Japan. I’m fortunate enough to only need a laptop to run my consulting business. So I instantly told her yes, and here we are.

DailyJ: What’s the one thing you like most about Japan so far?

Smoother: Japan. That’s right, Japan! It’s pretty sweet so far. The countryside is amazing, the people are interesting, the people in big cities are trendy, the food is spectacular, public transportation rock, getting lost in a place where nobody speaks English is fun, Japan is clean, ramen, I’m surrounded by mountains and ocean, customer service is intense (even from Dell http://www.japanitup.com/dell-warranty-inspiron-170/), you can experience an affordable ‘all you can drink’, things feel very safe, things are cute, baseball games are intense instead of boring, people shout in your face and at the top of their lungs “Irrashai mase”, no tipping, many other things, basically things are very different

DailyJ: Wow! Is there anything you don’t like?

Smoother: The thing I like the least so far is that no clothes fit. I haven’t tried pants but all shirts and jackets and shoes are a no go. Sleeves just aren’t long enough, and shoes just aren’t big enough! I can order everything online and have it shipped here so it’s not that big of a deal.

Do you remember your first impressions of Japan? Ahh, the memories…

Join us again tomorrow when we’ll look at some of smoother’s favourite posts.

Until then, have a Japan it up kind of day!

DailyJ

Comments (1)

Why Japan It Up? - find out in this exclusive interview

On February 14, 2008 in Interviews

Today, after a bit of a delay, we are ready to rock it up. No? Shake it up? I guess not. Japan ItUp? That’s the one!

I proudly present to you the first part of our little chat with Smoother of JapanItUp.com.

DailyJ: What motivated you to start JapanItUp?

Smoother: At first I was writing down experiences to reflect on the past, then I thought about creating a blog to share with family and friends. Then I started thinking about how I felt before and after heading to Japan. Before coming to Japan I didn’t know what it was really like. I couldn’t find all of the info I needed all in one place and I didn’t know any Americans that have been to Japan. Japan it UP! was then launched.

I know that many of the bloggers reading have started their sites for similar reasons. I tip my hat to you J-bloggers, keep up the good (and fun) work.

Join us again here tomorrow (or subscribe via RSS) to hear the unique story of how Smoother made the Japan leap and what he loves about Japan.

And be sure to visit JapanItUp and say hello.

To all a great day!

DailyJ

Comments (5)

How Tofugu was born - an exclusive interview

On February 03, 2008 in Interviews

Hi All. Today we are back one last time with Koichi of Tofugu.com (Japan Humour Blog of the Year 2007). I first heard about Tofugu from Thomas at NihonHacks.com when he recommended them as a good possible interviewee. So, thanks to Thomas, today we get to hear the story of how the wonky Tofugu was born…

 

 

DailyJ: What motivated you to start Tofugu?

Koichi: I originally just started my other website, Koichiben (www.koichiben.com) for an independent study class in Japanese. I made a couple of posts in English, and they became surprisingly popular (though they have since been hidden or remade over on Tofugu). After a while, there was enough of a following to split off and create an English website. I did it in the name of branding, since I didn’t want to mix the English and the Japanese, and everyone called me crazy. Still, it’s worked out okay, I think.

DailyJ: What part of running the site do you like the best?

Koichi: I really enjoy responding to (some) emails. Interacting with new people is always a lot of fun. I just wish I had more time for it.

 

DailyJ: Where do you see the site going in the future?

Koichi: I have no idea. The internet is so unpredictable. I really hope to make an alternative Japanese learning book someday. I think the site will help.

 

DailyJ: Are there any projects/etc. you are working on?

 

Koichi: What? That’s secret.

 

DailyJ: What posts/content are your favourites?

 

Koichi: I kind of like everything we write, sorry about the mass of links

 

In Japan, be Humble

My Pokemanz, Let me show you

Customizable Cup Noodle:

 

The pokemanz one is a little… hmm.

Thomas was impressed with the Tofugu post “How to Win at UFO Catchers” (a good post with some good video). Maybe he might also like to add Studying Japanese with a Nintendo D as a nihonhack.

 

Lots of good stuff there on Tofugu. Wonky and wonderful. So check it out!

 

And a big thank you to Koichi for the interview!

 

Have a great day!

DailyJ

Comments (5)

Why Koichi is embarrassed about the Japan Humour Blog of the Year Victory - an interview with Tofugu

On February 02, 2008 in Interviews, Uncategorized

If you missed it, yesterday we found out that Tofugu’s mission is to “make interest in Japan cool again”. Today we are back with Koichi taking a look at some of the great content on Tofugu that earned it Best Japan Homour Blog 2007 and why he is embarrassed about it.

Here is some of Koichi’s favourite content related to learning Japanese (good stuff!):

Learn Japanese from Anime in only 5 minutes a day (not)

Beginning Japanese 1: Where do I start
Beginning Japanese 2: Hatsuon is King
Beginnine Japanese 3: Taking steps

DailyJ: Congratulations on becoming the undisputed Best Japan Blog of the Year 2007. But did you have to beat us all so badly? I mean 365 votes, come on!

Koichi: I was very embarrassed about that, I really shouldn’t have gotten so many votes, considering how great all the other blogs are, and how much support they have.

The runners up were:

• Claytonian at Youtube
• An Englishman in Osaka
• Gaijin Tonic
• TV in Japan

Great blogs all. DailyJ was cheering for Gaijin Tonic (a past interviewee).

Well, that’s all for today. But I have some more Tofugu for you tomorrow when Koichi will tell us a bit about how he got started with the site and other fun (”behind the scenes”) facts.

To all a good day!

DailyJ

Comments (4)