After living in Japan's hyper-organized, ultra-polite bubble, heading back to Europe hits a little differently. This week on Spill the Matcha, Cherine is packing her bags for a trip back to her home country of Belgium, and the pre-departure jitters are real.

The girls have a candid, heart-to-heart conversation about how European society transformed during and after the COVID-19 pandemic—from the shift to digital payments and remote work culture to changing social attitudes and economic pressures. Cherine shares her anxieties about navigating the sudden shift from Japan's quiet etiquette to Europe's directness, while Misato asks the ultimate expat question: After years of building a life in Japan, where does Cherine actually feel at "home" anymore?

Sponsors:

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Ninja Wifi (use Code MATCHA10 for 10% OFF)⁠

Grab a giant cup of Matcha because we are dropping our very first 1-hour mega episode!This week, we are diving deep into the beautiful, confusing, and completely essential world of Japanese linguistics. Specifically, Misato is putting Cherine through the ultimate linguistic gauntlet: Giseigo and Gitatago (Japanese Onomatopoeia).

In English, things go "buzz" or "splash." But in Japanese, there are thousands of words that describe things like the sound of staring intensely (ji---), the texture of something slimy (neba-neba), or the feeling of being completely exhausted (boro-boro). Cherine tries to guess what these bizarre double-words mean based on context clues, leading to some hilariously wrong answers and deep realizations about how the Japanese brain perceives the world.

Sponsors:

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Ninja Wifi (use Code MATCHA10 for 10% OFF)⁠

If you think Japanese fashion is all about quiet minimalism and blending into the crowd, think again. This week on Spill the Matcha, Misato and Cherine take a deep dive into the history, philosophy, and modern comeback of Gyaru culture.

Originating as a massive counter-culture movement in the 1990s and 2000s, Gyaru was a direct middle finger to traditional societal expectations of what a "good Japanese woman" should look like. Misato reminisces about the peak Heisei-era mania—from the dramatic Ganguro makeup to the iconic loose socks—while Cherine breaks down how modern Gen Z internet culture has sparked a massive, global "Neo-Gyaru" revival on TikTok and Instagram.

Sponsors:

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Ninja Wifi (use Code MATCHA10 for 10% OFF)⁠

After weeks of playing the cultural guide, Misato is finally taking total control of the microphone. This week on Spill the Matcha, it’s time for This or That: Japan Edition, and Cherine is firmly in the hot seat.

Misato has curated a list of the most agonizing, hilarious, and deeply telling lifestyle dilemmas that anyone living in Japan eventually has to face. From traditional daily habits to brutal culinary standoffs, Cherine is forced to make split-second decisions that prove just how "Japanese" her lifestyle has truly become. Will she choose modern convenience or traditional comfort? Prepare for fast pacing, defensive arguments, and plenty of laughs as the girls square off.

Sponsors:

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Ninja Wifi (use Code MATCHA10 for 10% OFF)⁠

Fix your hair and check your lighting, because Spill the Matcha is officially on video! This week, Misato and Cherine hit a major milestone with their first-ever visual episode. But instead of celebrating quietly, Cherine drops a bomb that threatens the entire existence of the show: she absolutely, unconditionally detests matcha. Watch Misato go through the five stages of grief on camera as she realizes the co-host of a podcast called Spill the Matcha prefers regular old coffee. To distract themselves from the corporate identity crisis, the girls dive into another high-stakes game of "This or That" making tough calls on food, lifestyle, and dating.

Sponsors:

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Ninja Wifi (use Code MATCHA10 for 10% OFF)⁠

Japan might be famous for its low street-crime rate, but behind closed screens, a different kind of predator is on the rise. This week on Spill the Matcha, Misato catches Cherine completely off guard by diving into the dark, sophisticated world of Kokusai Romance Sagi (International Romance Scams) currently plaguing Japan.

Sponsors:

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Ninja Wifi (use Code MATCHA10 for 10% OFF)⁠

If you walk through any major entertainment district in Japan, your senses are instantly bombarded by giant flashing screens, deafening ad trucks, and a small army of people trying to hand you things. This week on Spill the Matcha, Misato and Cherine are pulling back the curtain on Japanese street advertising and neighborhood scams.

Sponsors:

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Ninja Wifi (use Code MATCHA10 for 10% OFF)⁠

Remember when staying out until 5:00 AM was a breeze and hangovers didn't last two business days? Yeah, Misato and Cherine barely remember those days either. This week on Spill the Matcha, the girls are getting real about clubbing in your 30s, focusing on the wild contrast between Osaka’s two biggest nightlife hubs: Amerikamura (Amemura) and Umeda.

Sponsors:

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Ninja Wifi (use Code MATCHA10 for 10% OFF)⁠