Wish this podcast prepared better with more research and was more intentional. Lots of moments where they don’t know simple info about the topic. Guests are not as knowledgeable as expected. Feels rambly, unprofessional, and awkward at times.

I love this podcast because I get to start my morning with a language learning boost! I would highly encourage other eager Japanese language learners to definitely use this podcast as a way to learn about Japanese culture. Love it!

I really wanted to love this podcast, but the lack of organization and preparation makes it tough to follow or learn anything from it. It listens more like a brainstorming session than any real lesson and the useful information to random tangent ratio is off. The website is great, but the podcast just doesn’t work for me.

I always enjoy the episodes, even when they get off-topic! And the episodes that don’t sound interesting to me based on their name always end up teaching me something I’m glad I know now. This has been an amazing resource (wanikani has been, too) in preparing for my dream-come-true trip to Japan next year. Thanks to all the hosts!!

I can tell why some people might think it’s annoying with all the tangents, but it keeps me interested and is hilarious. I loved the episodes with Michael and koichi, they are so funny and sharp witted. I learn so much just from a few episodes, not just about Japanese, but cool stuff in general

Love this podcast. It fills such a gap in Japanese language learning resources, and I have relied time and time again on the Tofugu folks’ info to clarify something for me. It’s so helpful, entertaining, and educational. The hosts are great. Keep up the good work!

I want to like this podcast because I really like the Tofugu website, but the podcast is essentially unlistenable and unusable. There is so much dead air where the hosts don’t know what to do. There is so much awkward attempted banter that is in no way funny or interesting or relevant—Marc Maron can pull off improvised casual time-filling banter; the Tofugu folks cannot. What actual meaningful content there is about Japan or Japanese is slim and is buried in so much outright boring or even cringy material that it just makes no sense to try to listen to these podcasts. To get this podcast to even approach listenability would require aggressively editing and cutting of blather, and much better planning or even scripting of what to say. It’s disappointing because this podcast could and should be high quality, but it just is not.

If you want a podcast that goes deep on a wide cross section of Japanese topics, look no further! It is always entertaining and informative. My only criticism is that I wish they came out with new episodes more often!

I found the ToFuGu website and then this podcast on a recommendation from the ToKini Andy YT channel, who also recommends Yotsuba& for beginners. I’ve recently restarted my Japanese language studies after being away from it for awhile and was looking for resources to help with the journey. Im going through book 1 of the GENKI series but wanted to learn about more conversational Japanese speaking. I’m finding this podcast and the ToFuGu website to be very valuable resources. Thanks for sharing your knowledge and experiences. Jon

I’m a super super beginner learning Japanese and I absolutely love hearing everyone at Tofugu’s different perspectives on some of the basics and not-basics of grammar, specific words and particles, and modern Japanese culture! I’m super grateful for this free content full of such nuanced deep dives into specific topics. I love all the hosts’ and writers’ personalities, especially Kanae and Emily, and you can tell that everyone puts a lot of effort into their articles and podcast episodes. Plus, no ads except for the obligatory WaniKani plug, which is very enjoyable and different every episode with new perspectives from co-hosts. Everyone needs to know about this podcast :P

I really enjoy the podcast and it provides useful information about Japanese culture and learning Japanese.

I’m going to be studying abroad in Japan through my college this Fall so I really wanted to listen to learn more about Japanese culture and language before I go. I absolutely love all of the episodes, especially the ones on particles and the difference between 思う and 考える! It’s so fun to be able to hear all of the discussions and listening to Kanae makes me happy :) thank you for all your hard work Tofugu staff <3 I’ve learned so much already in just a month

I’ve been determined to learn Japanese after my trip to Japan. I’ve tried a few resources and Tofugu and WaniKani are my favorite by far. Everyone on the show is great, though i’m definitely a Kanae stan. I can’t wait for more episodes!

This podcast is amazing. I have been using these episodes as lectures because I couldn't get into the japanese classes I wanted to. And after listening to about 100 episodes I have the language skills and cultural competency to skip two classes and start as an intermediate language leaner! Thank you so much tofugu❤️

I started listening to the podcast from the newest episodes that don’t have Koichi and Michael. These episodes felt super educational and the panel of researchers in these episodes really work; then, I went back to the earlier episodes with Koichi and Michael. I really fell for the episodes with them because of the random funny tangents that they get into. I feel like I want to keep the educational aspect of new episodes as the core purpose; but I want the random tangents from Koichi and Michael, I can relate to their sense of humor. Can we break episodes into segments? 1) Maybe let Koichi and Michael introduce the topic of the episodes and allow them to be their odd selves 2) we get the educational segment with the panel of researchers. 3) have a segment with quizzes, those are awesome! 4) Final segment could be how we, the listeners, could take action to practice what we learned in the episodes (online resources, books, wanikani, etc) Good luck!

I've been listening to the Tofugu podcasts from oldest to newest, and it has become my favorite podcast, not just for things Japan related but overall. Creative, laugh out loud funny, relevant.

i’ve listened to a good amount of these podcasts and they are so helpful as a beginner in learning japanese. I would have no idea what rendaku was and why it makes so much sense if it wasn’t for this podcast and just knowing this one thing has really helped me on Wanikani. I like to listen to the podcasts on my walks occasionally and I get to study japanese while not having to do much.

I just listened to the 2017 podcast on the history of kanji after looking at the article for kunyomi vs onyomi and I loved every second of it. You guys have made learning Japanese so fun and efficient thank you!!!

I rebooted my Japanese language learning in January with WaniKani and some other resources. Wanting to approach my language learning experience from as many angles as possible, I found articles on Tofugu to be a great deep dive into different topics. It was thus a nice surprise to find the Tofugu Podcast! The most recent podcasts have been a fun listen, hearing discussion around the variations in how people are addressed, whether formal or casual, slang or personal anecdote. When my four year old is being a know-it-all, I now respond “Ok sensei!” because that suggested use was the funniest thing ever and arguing with a small child is futile. Anyway, I love hearing everyone’s perspective and I’m sure I will listen to some of the episodes again when my Japanese skills are more advanced and I can better absorb all the insight. Keep them coming, Mami-san, Kanae-san, Jennie-san, and Cameron-san! <3 P.S. WaniKani is amazing. I cannot believe how much I have learned in 2 months. I bought some manga from Amazon.jp and was so excited to recognize some kanji on the first page, the protagonist saying she was in 5th grade! So much to learn still, of course, but it is working!!

Educational.

The warmth amongst the podcasters are immediately apparent which makes one feel as if one is listening and chatting with good friends. Wonderful way of entering into the complicated world of leaning a new language.

レビューは日本語で書くのが欲しかったです。よく訳されてわかれるのを希望します。僕はトフグポッドキャスト前にワニカニと始まった。他方法より早く覚えたからライフタイムサブスクリプションを買った。今はレベル28です。ポッドキャストは楽しいです。仕事でいつも営業時間後に聴く。たくさん情報がありますが、面白いです。

A laxative for my haafu impostor syndrome / inter generational trauma being a yonsei Japanese learner with family history from WW2 camp and grew up in the early 90s and online when everyone wanted to be sexy geishas or cool ninjas. Maybe now I can just study Japanese and stop being sad and hearing voices and fapping sounds when I try to study language. I learned very few words as a child, one of which was baka. This is all a true story. I hope this review encourages you guys. Ganbatte yo 🌈

Very low in content. I found it to be mostly personal rambling among the hosts.

An amazing podcast! I love the newer episodes with Kanae, Cameron, Mami, Jenny, and Rachel. The language focused ones are really useful for me and I get a lot from them. Like with the さすが episodes I feel like I got a really deep understanding of the word. Still, I do hope Koichi and Michael can come on. My only suggestion is more tangents 😏. Oh yeah, and also more beatboxing from 西かなえ 🙏. Thank you for such a great podcast!!

I started listening to Tofugu Podcast about a month ago and I listen to it whenever I’m out driving! I really love the informative episodes they have where they explain topics that come from the articles. They are really insightful and I feel like listening helps me with my listening comprehension! One thing I really miss are the culture episodes with Koichi and Michael. I wish that every now-and-then we could have a little culture episode with them as the host! Anyways, thanks again for having such a great podcast! Also I love Kanae! thanks!

Just started the podcast. As a Japanese American who doesn’t know much Japanese, this is a nice podcast to listen to and learn from. However, I wish the show description would also put the word in romaji. I was listening to さすが episode but and I wanted to know how to say it, but I can’t read hiragana very well. It would be just an extra bit helpful. Thanks!

I love this japanese podcast and find it so helpful and charming but only when Kanae is hosting with Jenny, Cameron, and Mami. There other male hosts, who I don’t know the names of, who keep talking over Kanae and I avoid listening to those podcast. Please keep Kanae and have Jenny, Cameron, and Mami on forever. I love their explanations and laughter and chemistry. <3

I started from the first episode (I dont suggest this, there one insufferable host that isnt Mami, Koichi, Cameron, or Rachel that derails every conversation, I hope they cut him in future episodes) But I would suggest bouncing around and choose what to learn, and be ready to fast forward. It will start of well but quickly fall off into useless convo, and Koichi or Mami are too polite to drag the conversation back onto actual Japanese. it’s a decent poscast, This review is actually just about that host with zero self awareness.

I’ve been a WaniKani user for about a year, an eager Tofugu reader for nearly a decade, and was even subscribed to TextFugu back in the day- yet somehow I only recently started to listen to this podcast! Since quarantine began, listening to the Tofugu Podcast while cooking has been a bright spot in my daily life. I only wish episodes came out more frequently! Great job, guys.

It’s really helped with some of my struggles in class like pronunciation and transitive and intransitive verbs, and kept me entertained, thanks.

If I was an animal, I would be an otter. I would probably be best friends with the crabigator and maybe try to keep him in my secret pouch that all otters have (for their favorite rocks) Tofugu helps me see how much nuance their is to Japanese in a way that would otherwise be inherently missing. I don’t know if they’re the only Japanese language podcast, but I’m guessing they almost are, and they’re the only ones who can make me laugh along the way😤 Tofugu & everything attached to that name is very insightful and fun and every episode is charming while giving you the space to be able too look at the ways Japanese works

I love the show, and have been listening for a while, but miss Koichi and Michael. They were hilarious. Kanae is great. The other new hosts are alright though it’s always weird when it seems like they don’t know about something on which they’re discussing on a podcast. But that’s not too big of a deal I guess :/

I love to have this podcast play in the background! It’s not exactly a lesson; it’s more of a free-form conversation with lots of examples, anecdotes and practice sentences. There’s a great mix of native and nonnative hosts. The quizzes at the end are really helpful too! I only wish it were updated more often.

The podcast can be summed up as a overly political late night show with some references to Japan

I love this podcast! I’ve listened to the name-enders episode so many times. Although I wish they would have a radio version, or a version for kids because they do swear a bit. Its not all the time but it would make the podcast better if they didn’t. I also wish they would stick to the point more, they tend to go down rabbit holes and it makes it harder to focus on the point. They also have a ton of good resources! I love how they talk about the things you wouldn’t find in a language textbook like, again, the name enders. Anyway, ありがとうございます so much to the Tofugu podcast team!

Listening to this show won’t teach you Japanese on its own, but it’s an entertaining and fun way to get a better understanding of various language concepts you may have encountered. I appreciate the greater focus on language learning, compared to older episodes that explored culture, travel, or living in Japan. But I do miss the silly tangents and sense of humor of the original hosts. Those guys were a riot.

Great podcast, I wish new episodes were released more frequently. The casual style is fun and I think all of the episodes are entertaining, but I would love to hear more in-depth episodes on intermediate grammar with example sentences like the 込むepisode. I like the ones about life and travel in Japan as well.

I really enjoy listening to episodes where Kanai, Mami, Rachel, and Cameron discuss grammar! They are a really fun, and relatable group! I feel like they ask wonderful questions, and have discuss answers that are understandable in terms that regular people like myself can understand. I really enjoy the more complex grammar topics!! It’s hard to find resources of people just having a back and forth discussion on these topics, rather than someone writing or talking at you.

This show is amazing funny and it has taught me a lot , my favorite it kanii keep her in

I’m so glad I discovered this podcast! I love listening to podcasts and this one is so fun and informative. I can’t pick a favorite staff member because they’re all so entertaining and funny. I just finished both Genki books and my goal is to become N1 someday. I have also started using WaniKani!

Every time I get discouraged during the learning process, I listen to your podcast and get motivated again! Thank you!

this podcast is supposed to be informative and useful... WHY IS IT EXPLICIT?!! i subscribe to your newsletter and am not allowed to listen to explicit content!!! PLEASE CHAMGE THIS!!!

Really loved the latest Sensei episode the most. Keep up the great work.

i love listening to this for educational, and entertainment purposes, frick nhk

Annoying

I just started learning Japanese and love listening to this podcast. Makes learning fun! Also Wanikani is an amazing learning tool, huge supporter.

I began listening to Tofugu when I was looking for podcasts to help with speaking the Japanese language better. The problem was, I couldn’t stand the tangents and bad jokes. However, I decided to give it a shot because the content looked promising. I added the most educational looking episodes to my queue and decided to suffer through for the sake of learning. I’d find rare instances where Mickichi were separated and the jokes were fewer and more sufferable. I saw a glimmer of hope. Slowly, I was becoming a regular listener. As I consumed more and more of the content, I found that the jokes were getting better. “That was pretty clever,” I’d think to myself. Maybe the other cohosts were getting through to them or the editing team was starting to take out the really bad stuff. Then, I made the mistake of sharing the podcast with my significant other. She had listened to some of the early episodes and complained about the same horrible jokes I had first encountered. I pleaded with her to push through and ensured her things get better. After all, what are a few bad puns and forced sexual jokes for the sake of knowledge? I showed her a more recent episode to wet her appetite. I wanted to make her see that all podcasts go through growing pains. But in doing so, I discovered a deeply disturbing truth about myself. To my dismay, she said the jokes were just as bad (and maybe even worse?!) and she couldn’t listen. Surely she just misunderstood one of Koichi’s references. Desperate to prove her wrong, I listened again and tried to explain. “No, I get it,” she said unamused. “It’s just not funny.” Franticly grasping at my own sanity, I decided to relisten to an early podcast episode. I wanted to make a clear-cut case for why the jokes were now better. I went down a small rabbit hole of early ones because I was trying to find one that would really showcase how far the guys had come. The problem was, I couldn’t find any bad ones. Maybe I was misremembering. Maybe I was just having a bad month when I first started. But I was finally faced with the truth when my girlfriend showed me some shocking footage she captured one day while I was listening to the podcast. We’ve since separated and I’ve started seeing a therapist. Things are looking up though. I’ve finally come to terms with who I really am. It took getting to level 60 on WaniKani and burning kanji 左 and 右. You too can...oh...sorry. I’m working on tangents with my therapist as well now. But the dark truth... What was caught on film that fateful day... What I had been hiding from myself all along is...I’m Koichi.

I’ve been binging these in anticipation to my first trip to Japan. The intro music sets the vibes and prepares me for whats to come. Kanai is my favorite character. Sometimes I can’t tell what’s real and what’s fake. But I like it. Peace. Thanks. Lmk if you ever come to Miami.

They are funny and informative! Definitely useful for someone who is new to Japanese and looking to gain some information from real life people on culture and language.