Dad Club Japan

Send us a textIn this episode of the Dad Club Japan Podcast, Christian—an Australian YouTuber now living in Fukuoka—shares his personal journey of moving to Japan, getting married, and becoming a stepfather to an 11-year-old boy.We talk about the culture shock of parenting in Japan, how he gave up photography to pursue YouTube full-time, and how removing screens changed his stepson's behavior for the better.Christian also opens up about daily routines, creative inspiration in Japan, and his future dream of opening a community café that blends Aussie and Japanese culture.Watch to hear the real-life highs and challenges of being a foreign parent in Japan.Christian's YouTube channel here:https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCc23bEqMGwa_bsKVw4pt0wg

Send us a textShaun is from Seattle.  In his early 20s, he has a depth of experience and thoughtfulness one doesn't usually discover in someone his age.He shares with Duncan and Joel his past struggles with substances and also shares how his best friend died when he was younger.Now a young, married father, he lives with his in-laws in their house and tells us his about his sometimes challenging living situation.Check out Shauns's podcast that focuses on comedy:https://open.spotify.com/show/2pnxTpy25ucG75tYmiQxnJ?si=2961a70ebad04b44As always, thanks for listening! 

Send us a textDuncan and Joel met with Marco at the top of a mountain in rural Fukuoka to sit down and find out who he is: A globe-trotting dad, cheese artisan, and outdoor adventure guide. Originally from Italy and Argentina, Marco runs a cheese business with his wife and takes visitors on epic mountain bike and kayak tours through the Japanese countryside.Full of adventure stories, charisma and charm, Marco shares with us experience of raising boys in the Japanese countryside while managing several businesses.Be sure to check out his instagram @marucheese88You can find this episode on youtube on the Dad Club Japan channel where you can catch the scenery from the day.https://youtu.be/XNzFx3_-aI0?si=7zPQNmqV6EpLzBl5

Send us a textWe thought we should take aim at AI because recently it has been discussed by the people around us, particularly our last guest, Dan.We don't pretend to know much about AI, just some basics.  But it has had some influence in our lives.  Besides, it's good to steer off course sometimes, and dive into discussions outside of one's immediate field of knowledge.

Send us a textIn this special episode of Dad Club Japan, recorded live at the Kyushu ELT Expo in Seinan University in Fukuoka, Duncan and Joel sat down with six dads and one foreign mother to talk about the realities of parenting in Japan. All of our guests were either teachers or business owners, and most had older children—teenagers and beyond—giving us unique insights into raising kids in a country known for its strong cultural traditions and demanding education system.Each guest picked a surprise question out of a hat, covering topics like the biggest wins and challenges of parenting in Japan, balancing work and family life, and raising bilingual children. We caught them between seminars, so expect plenty of lively background chatter, adding to the energy of the conversation.Whether you're a parent, a teacher, or just curious about family life in Japan, this episode is packed with real experiences, candid stories, and honest advice.Don't forget to subscribe, leave a review, and follow us for more conversations about parenting and life in Japan!

Send us a textDan is a relative newcomer to Fukuoka, and a first time guest on the show.After living in Singapore for a handful of years, and teaching in many different countries, Dan and his family finally settled on Fukuoka as their next home.An avid listener of the DCJ podcast, Dan dishes out plenty of gratitude and expresses inspiration for what Duncan and Joel have created with this show.We learn about Dan's challenges integrating into Japan, making lunches for his 2 kids, and finding time to develop his business while maintaining balance.As a teacher at many international schools around the world, Dan provides valuable insight into the thinking process behind deciding what kind of school to put his children into. Finally, as a self-proclaimed 'fanboy' of DCJ, Dan recalls many details and conversations of previous episodes, surprising Duncan and Joel with his dedication to this podcast.Big thanks to Dan for joining us in the record room, and we are hugely grateful for his listening enthusiasm!As always, thanks to you, faithful listener for joining in.If you found value in this show, please consider leaving us a review.Thanks so much!

Send us a textIn this episode of Dad Club Japan, Duncan and Joel get real about some of the more challenging and frustrating aspects of life in Japan. From bureaucratic headaches to spoken and unspoken social rules, they share their personal experiences navigating the not-so-glamorous side of the country they call home.Whether it's the struggles of dealing with rigid systems, parenting quirks, or just those little daily frustrations that build up over time, this conversation peels back the layers of the Japan most tourists never see.Join us for an honest, sometimes funny, and maybe even a little therapeutic discussion about the other side of life in Japan.Stay tuned until the end to find out what DCJ has in store for an upcoming conference in Fukuoka.As always, thanks for listening!Next episode will feature a long time listener as our next guest.

Send us a textDuncan and Joel discuss whether there are enough reasons to continue this podcast.Duncan talks sobriety for 60 days as his focus needs to be on point.Joel discusses a possible sponsor for the show.Thanks for listening, and don't be afraid to reach out!Find us on instagram and now even youtube!

Send us a textA solo episode this time around with Duncan speaking to a very special and highly anticipated guest and our second 'non-Dad' voice on the podcast. The two of them discuss growing up in Japan as a child of mixed heritage or so called 'hafu,' the benefits and challenges of being a member of this still relatively exclusive club and thoughts on a big future challenge they both have coming up later this year. Hope you enjoy this special episode and as always thanks for listening. 

Send us a textDuncan and Joel reconnect after a 2 month absence to discuss new plans and goals for 2025.Joel admits to having a goal of creating videos for Youtube for a whole year (gulp!).Duncan is laser-focused on his move back to the UK in April with his kids.Joel shares how he persuaded his mother-in-law to be in a video.Duncan recounts the story of being an 'analog anchor' among a party of digital nomads at large music event on Nokonoshima.Happy new year, faithful listeners!Glad to have you join us again!Peace

Send us a textThis episode features our friend, Lance.  He joins us in the record room to discuss his past 2 years sailing the Pacific coast from Canada to Columbia and plenty of blue sea in between.Lance left behind the socially tumultuous climate in Canada two years ago with his bicultural daughter (Japanese-Canadian) and his wife.  He had little experience sailing a boat, and learned everything about sailing from YouTube videos.He recounts some of his experiences here in this episode and looks toward a future with more sailing and possibly a return to Japan.You can check out some of his adventures here:https://www.youtube.com/@sailingdiscoverypassage  

Send us a textDuncan and Joel sit down with Alex - finally! - to discuss some of the biggest changes in his life that have happened in Japan, and as a result of being in Japan.  Coming from Queensland, Australia, Alex knew little about Japan.Since coming to Japan though, he has become a husband, a father, a teacher, a homeowner, and a business owner.Grab a rum and coke and sit down for some laughs on this episode.Alex is a funny guy, and theres no shortage of laughs here!

Send us a Text Message.Our guest this episode is Evan.He came well prepared to discuss the changes in his life and the adjustments he has made after moving from Japan to the UK and back to Japan again.A Scottish father of two teenagers, Evan's first commitment was always to his family.  As a Dad who cherished his time with his family, he devoted his time and energy to the noble cause of raising his children.But that commitment may have come at the expense of creating his own identity and exploring his Self.While his identity as a father never wavered, his own personal identity changed along with some major changes in his marriage.Happy to be back in Japan, Evan's time away allowed some realizations about his own life and fatherhood that he shares in this stimulating and enlightening episode.   Plus, Evan also brought along an AI generated Dad Club Japan them song which we share here for you.  Stay tuned until the end to hear the uninterrupted version.  We are sure you'll like it as much as we did!As always, we are happy to hear from you, valued listener! 

This episode is different.We did not edit this episode.  It is in its original, unaltered form.It is so different in fact, that it actually ends abruptly.OK, so we ran out of battery power on our recorder, but it was nearing the end anyway.So don't be alarmed by the sudden finish.  Sometimes, things are just out of our control, which is something else we touch on in this episode.Joel will be away from Fukuoka for much of August, so Joel and Duncan will join forces again for another episode in September.However, Duncan will look to complete an episode with another fellow father in Fukuoka.  Hope to have that for you next time, along with some overdue episodes from Duncans chat with another Dad.Enjoy your summer, stay cool, and keep listening!We'll be here for you!Cheers. 

The first guest of 2024 on the Dad Club Japan podcast is Adrian.Living in Cambodia with his Japanese wife and 3 year old daughter, he runs a charity that provides quality teaching materials to native Cambodian teachers. In this episode,  Duncan and Joel grill Adrian about his charity; how it started, its aims, as well as learning about Adrians own future in Japan once his daughter reaches elementary school age.  Adrian's road to fatherhood by way of IVF was complicated but ultimately successful and he dives into that topic as well.Finally, we hear Adrians perspective on Japan, as someone who will set down roots here sooner or later.  But for now, he is a frequent visitor.You can find out more about his work in Cambodia at the website:https://tuktukcharity.org/As always, thank you for listening.Please leave us a rating!We look forward to hearing from you on instagram! 

Duncan and Joel discuss a Dads get - together (piss up) where they find out they've reached real listeners and have actually helped them!Further promises are made to connect with Dads on Instagram at Dad Club Japan.  We aim to connect with fathers here in Japan and everywhere!  As Dads we all share some similarities and discussing those things which we find challenging can be therapeutic.Let's face it.  We are not the most needy of groups out there in society, but we do experience the ups and downs in life.  Who else, if not other dads, know what we're going through?So have a listen and join the conversation, we would love to hear from you.

Joel poses a question to Duncan in this episode:What are your values?  Joel tries to explain what he defines as 'values', and gives an example of what one of his values is.  He then admits that although his value is defined, he has found recently that he is not living out his value in the way he intended.Duncan admits there is confusion in this current generation about what we should value and who we should be valuing.Food for thought.Do you know your own values?

Duncan discusses his experience back in the UK during the Christmas/New Years holidays. Although a mostly positive experience, aware that he did a brilliant job at keeping everyone happy but he expresses some regret at not being in the moment, and talking more in depth with his family members.Joel raises the issue of discipline, punishment and reward in relation to his sons being addicted to video games.  Facing challenges in having his sons listen to him, he has resorted to taking away their beloved Nintendo Switch.This episode explores discipline for children in Japan.  Both Duncan and Joel recount how they were disciplined during their own childhoods and seek answers for a new way to restrict and reward their own kids.Finally, we discuss how to find and connect with Duncan and Joel: through the Dad Club Japan instagram account, where we will be posting weekly in an effort to reach out to our listeners and to hear their perspectives.Hope to hear from you!

As the end of the calendar year approaches, Duncan and Joel look back at 2023 and assess what they are grateful for.We're grateful to you for listening and we would really appreciate some feedback on this episode or any other episode.Thanks as always, and hope to hear from you!Peace and Love!JoelDuncan

In what will be the final episode recorded in Canada, Duncan questions Joel on his last month in Canada.Discussed are the lessons learned for Joel trying trying to integrate him and his son into Canadian life and how things might have gone differently if there were more time, and the experience for Joel's son as a student in a Canadian school.

Joel joins the conversation from Canada, while Duncan is in Japan posing some great questions about the parenting experience outside Japan.Some action for YOU, the listener to take....>Be sure to subscribe to the podcast!>Leave a review!>Email Joel with any specific requests, ideas, comments or suggestions for the podcast!Get in touch through our FB page, or email Joel at...jvl2177@gmail.comThanks for listening!

Hello to all you amazing Dads (and others)!In this episode...Joel and Duncan discuss Joel's trip home to Canada.Duncan asks about Joel's motives for his 3.5 month visit:>to have his son go to primary school in Canada for 3 months>to celebrate the life of Joel's mother who passed on in March>to level up some new skills with focused work>to have his his son experience living abroadWe hope you enjoy the episode and perhaps even find it helpful.Please rate the episode if you enjoyed listening:It will help us uncover some new topics. Happy Fathering!    

This episode is gold!  Must listen content right here!If you're a father of a mixed/bicultural/half Japanese, half whatever nationality you are, then this episode will resonate deeply with you!Duncan found our latest guest - Jamie - recently at a language school here in Fukuoka.Jamie is mixed heritage: part British, part Japanese.  His father is English, his mother Japanese.As fathers of bicultural children ourselves, Duncan and Joel had a multitude of questions to ask Jamie.Topics like:>how his parents met >where he plans to live in the future>what passport he uses>what were the issues he dealt with growing up>what advice he has for children of mixed race>how he fills out official government forms....And more!Be sure to have a listen.  We're sure you'll find this episode as valuable as we did.And also be sure to rate the Dad Club Japan podcast on any or all of your listening platforms.We would love to have some feedback.Also check us out on Instagram, Facebook or 'X', previously known as Twitter.Just search for Dad Club Japan podcast.Thanks for tuning in.Love!Peace!  

It's the most awesome day of the year for Dads: Fathers Day!!After a an exciting evening of the June edition of the Dads Club Social (held once a month in Fukuoka), Duncan and Joel get together in the Record Room to record a fathers day episode.Be sure to listen carefully as Duncan announces an event he is organizing for the last weekend in July.Hope your Fathers Day 2023 was a great one!

Duncan and Ken continue their conversation in an extended recording session (hence Pt.2) where our guest reveals how he learnt his style of parenting from his own parents. They also discuss how to balance discipline duties with the mothers of their children and the difficult issue of limiting ‘screen time.' This is Part 2 of the chat with Ken. Be sure to check out Part 1 (Episode 17) where you can hear him and Duncan talk about his recent trip to visit his young daughters  who have been living away in the U.K for 8 months, the changes he noticed in them and how he and his ex-wife came to the decision for their children to move away from Japan. 

Duncan sits down with Ken, a Japanese Dad whose young daughters moved to the U.K 8 months ago. They discuss how his recent trip to visit them went, the changes he noticed in them and how he and his ex-wife came to the decision for their children to move away from Japan. This is Part 1 of the chat with Ken. Be sure to check out Part 2 (Episode 18) where you can hear him and Duncan talk about parenting styles learnt from parents, balancing discipline duties with the mothers of their children and the difficult issue of limiting ‘screen time.' 

After returning from Canada, Joel talks with Duncan about the death of Joel's mother.We are, after all, the sons of our mothers, and we wouldn't exist as humans, let alone dads, without the gift of life from our mothers (and fathers).Grief, acceptance, connection, love and laughs are wrapped up together in this episode.*This is the first time that an episode of this podcast has not been edited.

Joel sits down with David to discuss what David does well in his role as a father.  We find out about a forgotten piece of audio equipment that has resulted in a hobby that David now shares with his son.  And we share strategies for keeping cool when emotions run high!Please leave us a comment someplace where we can see your feedback: Facebook group, instagram, twitter, or on apple podcasts.Thanks for listening! 

Our first Japanese guest on DCJ!Joel and Duncan welcome their friend Taka to the podcast, discussing all things Dad over beers and scotch.Duncan does his best to interrogate Taka about why he is so different, and where did this difference originate.Taka shares his feelings about Japanese society and the world in general, and shares with us what he wants his daughters to achieve when they grow up.Hope you have a laugh or two and are surprised at one Japanese fathers perspective.Cheers  

A follow up to the previous episode, concentrating on the new year, and what we see ahead for the 'year of the dad'.Listen in for a hint of what's to come for the podcast and for possible events?

Happy New Year! The year of the Rabbit? Yes.  But also Year of the DAD! In the first episode of 2023, Duncan and Joel discuss how they spent their holidays:A little bit blue, but a lot of warmth and love.Building upon the conversations from the previous Christmas, Joel recognized the value in putting forth more effort to make Christmas a special time for his kids.Duncan felt Christmas passed in a blur, and became a little bluesy.Hope you find value in our conversations!Stayed tuned for more content this year.Love you all!

Duncan and Joel discuss differences in lifestyle in the pre-Dad and current Dad years, as well as provide details on their their friendship evolved over time.  Also, the subject of truth and honesty in Dadships (like friendships between Dads) is a theme that gets looked at more closely in this episode.

After a long break, the Dad Club Japan podcast is back.Life has a way of introducing hiccups, and there were a number of big ones between this episode and the last one - which future episodes will undoubtedly dive into.This time around, Duncan discusses his experiences with his two bicultural children while visiting his home country of the UK.

This episode features the ever-entertaining and enlightening Humphrey,  as I ask him how he was able to raise -in Japan - his son who has by most indications matured into a very respectable young man.This was recorded on Feb 1, 2022. 

In this episode, I pay a visit to my friend Stephen at his new school,  Sunshine English, in Nagazumi, Fukuoka.I wanted to find out how Stephen helps nurture another part of his children's identities, the side of them that isn't Japanese.  As it turned out, Stephen is not as concerned as I am about fostering the foreign side of our children's identities.  I was surprised at his answer, but I probably shouldn't have been.  I think my own ego got in the way and assumed that every foreign father has a similar set of expectations from their bicultural children.  That was not the case at all, and I was left to ponder if my own expectations are unrealistic, or even detrimental in some way to their overall development.Nevertheless, I was happy to witness the birth of his school I'm excited for Stephen and his wife. I wish them great success with it.Next time though, I'll do a better job of researching my interviewee beforehand.

The Christmas and New Years holidays are a time for celebration, eating, drinking, and contemplation.  That's exactly what happens in this episode, as Duncan (a previous guest), Anthony (new guest), and Joel discuss how they celebrate the holidays in Japan. Wine is consumed, and  laughs are had.  While the overwhelming feeling is of happiness, there are also undertones of stress and loneliness that creep into the holiday season.  Being separated from your immediate family, unable to continue long-standing family traditions can be difficult for some.  But what is important is how we create new traditions for our own bi-cultural families in Japan.  It can be as simple as decorating a Christmas tree, or as complex as preparing a multi-course Christmas-centric meal.Duncan, Anthony and Joel share how they spend the holidays, how they feel about cultural traditions in a foreign culture, and ways to navigate feelings of stress. 

At an early stage during his 20 years in Japan, Tristan discovered a student-centered learning curriculum, and fully embraced this unique and challenging method of teaching English.  This methodology prepared him well for the next stage of his life - fatherhood.In this episode, Tristan shares some tips on how to foster in children a love of learning, as well as some of his experiences trying to implement a curriculum completely opposite of the norm not only in Japan, but most of the world.A lifelong student himself, Tristan's love of learning is apparent when you listen to him explain the merits of student-centered learning, and a goal-oriented lifestyle.  I learned much from him during my time as teacher at Rainbow Bridges English Academy, and I hope this conversation with him will inspire others to help young students embrace a love of learning.  

In the latest episode from DCJ, my older brother Jeremy talks about his experiences in Japan; life as an expat in different countries; and how sustainability can be practiced in daily life, whether in Japan, Canada or beyond.  There are environmental issues that stretch across generations, and it's important to be aware and to talk about issues that affect us all.  Intergenerational equity, championed by the likes of Greta Thunberg, is the notion of fairness and justice across generations; that all generations should have equal opportunity to access and benefit from Earth's resources.  What we do in our lifetimes will have consequences for our children's lives, and the continued depletion of resources will become a burden for future generations.Jeremy's connection with Japan began many decades ago, as he studied Japanese in high school, lived in Sendai for 2 years; and has often traveled to Japan for work and pleasure.  He gives suggestions of how we can be more aware of our actions in our daily lives in order to be more in tune with the environment.       

David came to Japan in his twenties with a fresh tattoo and a hunger to learn.  20 years later, he leaves Japan - also with a fresh tattoo - and a desire for his two children and wife to learn about his own country: The United States of America.He discusses what he already misses about Japan, the many  challenges he faced while operating a business, and navigating a foreign language and culture.  Although he only just relocated in the summer of 2021,  a seed had already been  planted long ago for  for his children to explore their other home and culture in the US.  His wife also faces a huge cultural and social shift in her own lifestyle.Listen to find out what leaving Japan looks like for one former foreign long-term resident.

This time on DCJ, I talk  with Duncan, the charismatic and charming personality of LOVE FM Fukuoka's Sunday Top 40 Countdown.  Married, with children, Duncan describes life in an international marriage in all its ups and downs (more ups than downs!).Duncan praises Dad Club Japan for its efforts in trying to bring together foreign dads in Japan, as he hopes more of us can share stories of turbulence, because it's not always coffees and rainbows in international relationships.  Often it's more whiskey and whining.  But it's all good - we just need to share more. 

Joel looks back at his interview with Greg, who discusses bilingualism, identity, raising children in multicultural homes.  Future topics on the Dad Club Japan podcast are identified.

Dr. Greg is a single father raising his young daughter in Japan after his wife passed away in 2020.  He works full time as an Associate Professor teaching International Cooperation.  Living in Japan for 25 years, Greg has a breadth of knowledge about a wide range of topics, but excels in understanding the role language plays in forming identity.  He is also a successful videographer and Kendo 4th-dan expert.Greg shares with us his experiences of raising his daughter, joining mother's groups and being shocked at watching completely sober Japanese guys duke it out in broad daylight. 

In this introductory episode, you'll discover the reasons why Dad Club Japan (DCJ) was created, and some of the intentions behind it.  Joel, a father, husband and the host of DCJ goes into some personal details that try to help listeners understand what DCJ is.Some goals are set out for this podcast as well as what you can expect to hear about in future episode.A lot of thanks go out to supportive people here in Japan and abroad!I hope you enjoy it, and please come back for more insights into Japan from a foreign father's perspective.