Conbini Cult

Conbini Cult Pod

Living in another country sure can be interesting. Is being foreigners in Japan our whole personality? I guess so. Stick around for silly stories (from us and you, the listeners) about work, dating, language learning, embarrassing moments, current events, and deep dives on Japan-related topics we’re curious to learn more about.

  1. 5日前

    Monster Parents & a case that shook the nation | Conbini Cult Ep 81

    In 2003, an elementary school teacher in Fukuoka received a disciplinary suspension on suspicion that he was engaging in racially motivated bullying and physical punishment towards one of his students. The headlines that ran referred to him as the m*rderous teacher. 10 years later,  the Fukuoka City Personnel Board revoked the teacher's disciplinary action, stating that the facts of bullying “could not be established”. Let’s dive deeper into the very first case officially recognized in Japan as a teacher bullying a student, and see how this ties into our theme of monster parents.  Got questions or want to share your story? Send us an email at conbinicultpod@gmail.com Frankie - @franklinthewoman Cheyenne - @lostwithlow Words mentioned/useful words: でっちあげ decchiage - fabrication  モンスターペアレント - monster parents  部活 (bukatsu) - after school activities for students 担任先生 (tannin sensei) - homeroom teacher 家庭訪問(katei homon) - home visits (from teacher) References/sources: The Sankei Shimbun (article in Japanese published in 2013, ten years after the incident) https://www.sankei.com/article/20130417-S3T27KFFCNORNGYV2KVVNX47LM/  Summary the incident (translated) https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E7%A6%8F%E5%B2%A1%E5%B8%82%E3%80%8C%E6%95%99%E5%B8%AB%E3%81%AB%E3%82%88%E3%82%8B%E3%81%84%E3%81%98%E3%82%81%E3%80%8D%E4%BA%8B%E4%BB%B6 Monster parents drive Japan teachers to breaking point https://japantoday.com/category/national/feature-monster-parents-drive-japan-teachers-to-breaking-point Have you ever experienced “monster parents?” - Chiebukuro stories  https://detail.chiebukuro.yahoo.co.jp/qa/question_detail/q1234566727  Time stamps 00:00 important news story 06:22 Cheyenne big news 11:46 monster parents 14:19 Kobe Teacher Bullying Incident 31:28 monster parents drive teachers to breaking point 36:52 real life monster parents 44:58 movie & book rec

    49分
  2. 2月3日

    Valentine’s & dating in Japan | Conbini Cult Ep 80

    Love is in the air! For Valentine’s Day in Japan, there are so many different levels to the chocolates you give out, true feelings, friends, self chocolate, and even…. obligation chocolate.. lol. Let’s chat about the differences in Valentine’s Day here vs back home, then get into some wild dating stories.  Got questions or want to share your story? Send us an email at conbinicultpod@gmail.com Frankie - @franklinthewoman Cheyenne - @lostwithlow Words mentioned/useful words: Honmei-choco (本命チョコ - true feeling chocolate) Giri-choco (義理チョコ - Obligation Chocolate) Tomo-choco (友チョコ - Friend Chocolate) Jibun-choco (自分チョコ self chocolate) Kazoku-choco (家族チョコ family chocolate) Gyaku-choco (逆チョコ - Reverse Chocolate) お土産 omiyage - souvenir  独身証明書 dokushin shomeisho - certificate of single status References/sources: Giri? Tomo? Gyaku? A guide to Japan’s many different kinds of Valentine’s Day chocolate https://soranews24.com/2023/02/12/giri-tomo-gyaku-a-guide-to-japans-many-different-kinds-of-valentines-day-chocolate/#:~:text=But%20first%2C%20let's%20take%20another,Valentine's%20Day%20chocolate%20in%20Japan Japanese woman marries AI companion she created using ChatGPT: “Klaus understood me” https://www.mangaloretoday.com/today/Japanese-woman-marries-AI-companion-she-created-using-ChatGPT-Klaus-understood-me-.html   “Tokyo's Syphilis Epidemic Related to Sex Industry”https://www.vax-before-travel.com/2026/01/02/tokyos-syphilis-epidemic-related-sex-industry  Couldn’t find his waifu: https://vt.tiktok.com/ZSasmFJUd/ Time stamps 00:00 catching up/life updates 06:15 Valentine’s day intro 07:37 Valentine’s day in Japan 09:03 different chocolates depending on relationship  13:42 do people even want giri choco 19:21 love languages/our husbands 30:16 tinder in Japan + other reddit stories 46:48 AI husband 52:17 syphilis on the rise 54:19 Rosa tells us how rough it is out there

    1時間3分
  3. 1月25日

    Having Tattoos in Japan | Conbini Cult Ep 79

    I want to go to Japan but I have tattoos, can I go?! Tattoos in Japan are still seen as taboo today because of the yakuza, sure, but there’s a lot more to it than that. Let’s chat about the history of tattoos in Japan when they were seen as a fashionable symbol of wealth, when they were used to mark criminals, how they became associated with the yakuza, and of course our own experiences with modern day restrictions. You can’t join a gym, go to hot springs or beached if you’re tattooed?! Sometimes yeah.  Got questions or want to share your story? Send us an email at conbinicultpod@gmail.com Frankie - @franklinthewoman Cheyenne - @lostwithlow Words mentioned/useful words: めんどくさい mendokusai - troublesome, pain in the butt 貸切温泉 kashikiri onsen - private hot spring bath References/sources: The Tattoos that Marked the Criminals of the Edo Period https://pen-online.com/culture/the-tattoos-that-marked-the-criminals-of-the-edo-period/ Irezumi: The Branding of the Yakuza https://artcrimearchive.net/2023/03/09/irezumi-the-branding-of-the-yakuza/ Suikoden (水滸傳)  https://woodblockprints.org/index.php/Detail/entities/496 The History of Japanese Irizumi https://chronicinktattoo.com/blogs/latest/japanese-tattoo-irizumi-toronto-vancouver The Tattooist for the Yakuza Explains Why Tattoos Should Never Be Seen https://www.vice.com/en/article/the-tattooist-for-the-yakuza-explains-why-tattoos-should-never-be-seen/ The Ainu of Japan https://www.japan-experience.com/plan-your-trip/to-know/understanding-japan/the-ainu-in-japan Japan’s assimilation of Okinawa https://digitalcommons.bridgewater.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1000&context=aspire_2024 Time stamps 00:00 catching up/life updates 05:39 intro to tattoos 08:18 DISCLAIMER 09:27 history of tattoos in Japan 14:44 the yakuza 17:27 indigenous peoples of Japan 20:15 modern restrictions and getting rejected 33:30 why our husbands do or don’t want tattoos 35:51 sento vs onsen 39:00 Japanese ppl with tattoos  44:27 heavily tattooed - how can you manage? 53:52 listener stories 59:36 more tattoo history 1:03:14 the gym 1:05:07 do we still want more tattoos

    1時間10分
  4. 1月4日

    Why Japan’s School Lunch Program is Elite | Conbini Cult Ep 76

    Japan’s school lunch system is often regarded as one of the best in the world. How do they do it!? What are the nutrition standards? Is it free? We’ll answer all these questions and more on a little deep dive into the national school lunch program, and compare it a bit to our home country of the US. From the looks of it, the American school lunch program is a lawless land, but what kind of standards do they actually have? And we’ll chat briefly about other countries besides Japan that have excellent school lunch systems. Got questions or want to share your story? Send us an email at conbinicultpod@gmail.com Frankie - @franklinthewoman Cheyenne - @lostwithlow Words mentioned/useful words 給食 kyushoku - school lunch References/sources: What is the school lunch law in Japan? https://www.spainexchange.com/faq/what-is-the-school-lunch-law-in-japan Lunch in Japanese Schools https://education.jnto.go.jp/en/school-in-japan/school-life-in-japan/lunch-in-japanese-schools/  School Lunches Using Local Specialty Ingredients Hit Hard by High Prices; Increased Costs Make Serving Special Dishes Difficult https://japannews.yomiuri.co.jp/society/general-news/20250706-268084/ Food Allergies and Dietary Restrictions in Japan https://blog.gaijinpot.com/food-allergies-and-dietary-restrictions-in-japan/ School Lunch Programs: A 2025 Update on Past and Present https://www.publicschoolreview.com/blog/school-lunch-programs-a-2025-update-on-past-and-present Free School Lunches Provided in 30% of Japanese Municipalities https://www.nippon.com/en/japan-data/h02220/#:~:text=As%20of%20September%201%2C%202023%2C%20547%20municipalities,elementary%20and%20junior%20high%20schools%20are%20eligible The Best School Lunches Around the World https://ghspomegranate.com/5395/features/the-best-school-lunches-around-the-world/#:~:text=Japan:%20The%20Japanese%20school%20lunch,lacks%2C%20is%20free%20school%20lunch UPDATE about the free lunches: https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2025/12/18/japan/ruling-bloc-komeito-school-meal/#:~:text=Ruling%20bloc%20and%20Komeito%20agree,continue%20talks%20on%20the%20matter. Fun videos to watch:  Life where I’m from: https://youtu.be/fze5s1SlqB8?si=7A3DwkpbZlw_sR01 Paolo from Tokyo: https://youtu.be/j9xYsUPoQVs?si=nP5a491o161zdMpa Japanese food craftsmen: https://youtu.be/dnBA3QD8xFs?si=LkqlyfMACIyBh2aW School lunch around the world: https://youtu.be/pD9mk0Y_pyo?si=C16PB7QPbJ9BWM5u CafCu media: https://youtu.be/hL5mKE4e4uU?si=M3Ng6KpuHE8zRoaV Time stamps 00:00 happy new year/chat 04:17 school lunches 07:21 laws, regulations, nutrition standards 11:55 allergies and restrictions 17:38 how much do teachers pay for school lunch? 18:17 how kids get involved with lunch 28:33 how does the US compare? 39:51 other countries with great lunch programs

    45分
  5. 2025/12/14

    These Things are Legal in Japan?! Japan vs US | Conbini Cult Ep 74

    After going down a rabbit hole about the dangers of strong zero (Japan’s choice drink for broke students and English teachers??), we’re wondering how it’s still on the market. With that in mind, it got us thinking about what other things might be legal or illegal in Japan, at least compared to the US where we’re from.  Got questions or want to share your story? Send us an email at conbinicultpod@gmail.com Frankie - @franklinthewoman Cheyenne - @lostwithlow References/sources: “STRONG ZERO- Japan's Most Controversial "Dr*g" of the 21st Century.” - Asianalysis with AL & HELEN https://youtu.be/dIglANEaIgI?si=uQS-6PWT1eFDIrHH Top 10 strange laws in Japan https://www.timeout.com/tokyo/blog/top-10-strange-laws-in-japan-081815#:~:text=5.%20It%20is%20forbidden%20to%20damage%20or,%E2%80%93%20so%20no%20coin%20pendants%20for%20you. 2 Strange Japanese Laws That Will Make You Go WTF https://thesmartlocal.jp/strange-japanese-laws Interesting and funny rules to know about Japan https://www.his-usa.com/destination-japan/blog/interesting_and_funny_rules_to_know_about_japan.html Mrs Eats videos https://youtu.be/vvRbtKKKrxo?si=t04NztP5E274w7O8 https://youtu.be/Ns_zZHK9NR0?si=Esid9TynqJsNpngU “Wait, Japan and the U.S. Are That Different?” Is It True You Can Go to Jail for Not Paying Child Support in the U.S.? https://tomorrowaccess.com/en/news/17666#:~:text=%F0%9F%92%A1%20Understanding%20the%20Differences%20Between,mothers%E2%80%94are%20left%20financially%20vulnerable. Narcolepsy https://medlineplus.gov/genetics/condition/narcolepsy/#inheritance Japan releases American held for 18 days over prescription https://apnews.com/general-news-c4ba8f7e6d9d44f3ac904776b7d11739 Japan has ‘strictest standard in the world’ when it comes to CBD products https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2025/09/05/japan/cbd-illegal-or-legal/  13 Meats That Are Now Illegal In The US https://www.thetakeout.com/1933658/meats-illegal-us-now/  Time stamps 00:00 intro/why we chose this topic 02:42 strong zero should prob be illegal - TW addiction and ED 19:37 alcohol related (public drinking, driving, etc) 30:48 foods that are legal/illegal (raw meats, certain animals) 42:26 medication, drugs, healthcare 51:14 marriage and child support 58:45 random laws 59:48 self defense

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番組について

Living in another country sure can be interesting. Is being foreigners in Japan our whole personality? I guess so. Stick around for silly stories (from us and you, the listeners) about work, dating, language learning, embarrassing moments, current events, and deep dives on Japan-related topics we’re curious to learn more about.

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