logo
episode-header-image
Jun 9
16m 23s

273.【会話前半】From Rock Band to Japanese Con...

Sayuri Saying
About this episode

What’s it really like to chase your dream in Tokyo’s indie scene? Rui shares his story.

In this episode, I talk with Rui from Okkei Japanese about his twenties—how he quit a steady job, took overnight buses to Tokyo, and played in tiny live houses (small concert venues popular in Japan’s indie scene), often paying out of pocket to perform. He eventually pulled off a sold-out ワンマンライブ (a solo show by one band) in Tokyo—an important milestone for any independent artist.

We also talk about the world of 対バン shows, where multiple bands share the same event and try to bring their own fans. If you’re curious about how Japan’s indie music scene works—or just want to hear natural conversation with deep cultural context—this one’s for you.

🎧 Full transcript, video, and more: https://sayurisaying.com

Search by episode number (e.g., “EP 273”) to find what you need!🐧 Join the Penguin Family for bonus content & support the show! Your support helps keep this podcast alive and means a lot to me. Thank you for considering!

Up next
Aug 4
281.【会話】The Meaning Behind Our Japanese Names | 名前の由来
In this episode, Miku from Miku Real Japanese and I talk about the meanings behind our names—why Miku’s name means “Beautiful Christmas,” and what Sayuri’s “Small Lily” means.We also explore how names are chosen in Japan: kanji meanings, stroke count, gender-neutral trends, and e ... Show More
13m 38s
Jul 28
280.【会話】Why Is He Moving? A Real Chat About Life in Japan | シュンの引越しについて
After two years in Osaka, Shun (from Japanese with Shun) has decided to move to Nagoya. In this episode, we chat about what led to his decision, how it feels to leave people behind, and the kind of life we want to create for ourselves. From city vibes and rent prices to nature, h ... Show More
16m 11s
Jul 21
279. What I Learned from Traveling with a Friend | 友達と旅行して気づいたこと
Have you ever traveled with a friend for a whole week? I recently went to Okinawa with Miku from “Miku Real Japanese,” and I realized how incredible she is at expressing herself and thinking ahead. In this episode, I reflect on what I respect about her and how it inspired me to i ... Show More
10 m
Recommended Episodes
Nov 2024
#298 I Cycled 1000km Around Taiwan
I took 2 weeks off in October to ride a bicycle around the whole of Taiwan. It was over 1000km and took about 2 weeks to complete. Along the way, I had both good and bad experiences and there's a lot I'd love to share! I also filmed a lot of videos of my cycle, so if yo ... Show More
1h 4m
Jan 2025
Fun Friday 28: The Sento Mindset with Katheryn Gronauer
In this Fun Friday edition of the Learn Japanese Pod podcast, I had the pleasure of sitting down with Katheryn Gronauer, a Tokyo-based entrepreneur with a fascinating background. She shared incredible insights and stories, including her unique experience growing up in a family th ... Show More
41m 57s
Mar 2025
Episode-15: A clothing store (last episode) | Easy English Listening Practice
Join Anisa on the last episode of this podcast and the ending of this chapter as she talks about a clothing store to practice your English with Echo for the last time. Message from Anisa: (Feel free to use a translator app for this section only)If you’ve made it this far, thank y ... Show More
3m 47s
Jul 2024
【Collab】Happiness for Miku Real Japanese
Today I collabed with Miku real Japanese. It was breathtaking conversation. I hope you enjoy it! There is no transcript on this one, so if you would like you can go to my YouTube channel and be able to see the subtitles;) Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/japanese-w ... Show More
35m 5s
Jul 1
469. Breaking through your limitations: Katya’s journey to total fluency
In this interview, I had the absolute pleasure of speaking with Katya, one of my amazing students who started learning English from scratch seven years ago. What’s even more incredible is that she did it all without ever living in an English-speaking country!! Katya takes us thro ... Show More
1h 6m
Nov 2024
#300 Life Experiences and Present Perfect Tense with Akari (Nihongo For You)
In Episode 300 of the podcast, Akari from the Nihongo For You podcast joins me today for a chat about teaching languages, moving abroad, and learning English. In the second half of the episode, we talk about life experiences where I ask Akari questions using the present perfect t ... Show More
37m 37s
Apr 2025
[328] A Little Life Update - And Thank You 💛
Hey amigos y amigas, in today’s short episode I just wanted to check in with you and share a personal update. February and March were unexpectedly tough for me - I lost a close family member and needed to take some time off to rest and be with loved ones. In this episode, I talk ... Show More
4m 53s
Jun 21
Season 2, Episode 1: Be Kind to Yourself
‏Send us a textMarhabtayn!! Welcome to Season 2! I hope you’re all safe and well. It’s been a while since my last episode, and I was SO nervous to come back. In this special introduction episode, I recap why I started learning Levantine Arabic - though my Arabic isn’t perfect yet ... Show More
6m 57s
Mar 2025
No 183 Osaka dialect 101 "知らんけど" Make your Japanese friends laugh with this word !
👇Try my Japanese course for FREE 👇🇯🇵✏️https://www.mikurealjapanese.com/offers/sdGfWVky/checkout 10% OFF COUPON: HEYSERIOUSSTUDENTS 👇Podcast TRANSCRIPT service 7 days FREE trial 👇 https://www.mikurealjapanese.com/podcast-transcript-service👇Get my grammar / shadowing course� ... Show More
16m 15s
Jun 2023
Episode 22: A conversation with Lina
‏Send us a textMarhabtayn! I hope you're all well! I know it has been quite a while since I last posted an episode. If I'm honest, I haven't had a lot of confidence in my Arabic recently. I was so nervous recording this, but I'm so happy I did and I can continue to share my love ... Show More
24m 5s