Nihongo Picnic is more than a podcast, they have an online Japanese school with students from all over the world. In the podcast, a topic is picked up for each episode and talked about in Japanese.
5. ジャニーズ interview with さきさん + 6. 漫才 (まんざい) interview with オリーさん
08:46 + 08:16
4
03 May 2025
7. コスプレ interview with あやのさん + 8. フィギュア -Figures- interview with まこ…
06:56 + 08:49
5
10 May 2025
9. 江戸時代 (えどじだい) interview with め…
20:34
6
17 May 2025
10. シングルマザー interview with ゆりえさん
16:11
7
24 May 2025
11. 四国 (しこく) interview with フランさん + 12. Discord
11:04 + 07:50
8
31 May 2025
13. ベトナム interview with くみさん
16:60
9
07 June 2025
14. 相撲 (すもう) interview with ジョージさん
11:16
10
14 June 2025
15. Instagram interview with しょうたさん
17:17
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Here are the first episodes, their length and their difficulty according to their Notion site:
#
Title
Level
Length
1
副業 (ふくぎょう)
intermediate
07:48
2
どうぶつの森
intermediate
09:37
3
MAZARIA
intermediate
07:00
4
校則 (こうそく)
intermediate
09:02
5
ジャニーズ interview with さきさん
interview
08:46
6
漫才 (まんざい) interview with オリーさん
interview
08:16
7
コスプレ interview with あやのさん
interview
06:56
8
フィギュア -Figures- interview with まこ…
interview
08:49
9
江戸時代 (えどじだい) interview with め…
interview
20:34
10
シングルマザー interview with ゆりえさん
interview
16:11
11
四国 (しこく) interview with フランさん
interview
11:04
12
Discord
intermediate
07:50
13
ベトナム interview with くみさん
interview
16:60
Looks like those episodes are a bit longer than the newest ones (which are more like 5 minutes).
I think it would be fine to listen to 2 episodes a week? Maybe start with only 1 and then ramp up? What do you think?
Start with 1 episode, then 2 episodes a week after 1 or 2 weeks
Thanks Akashelia. That was quick! For me I think 15-20 mins of content a week would be about right for what I want to do. So that would be two episodes a week to start, but 1 episode some weeks where there is a longer podcast.
My memory is that originally you had to be a patron to access the transcripts but later they were made available for free on this page: https://nihongopicnic.notion.site/ - I don’t think it’s clear on the episode page for the older podcasts episodes that the transcript is available free now.
In the last group I generally just listened straight through each episode once without any further study. This group I aim to make some time to go back and listen again with the transcript open.
I don’t know if podcasts clubs are going to accumulate like book club offshoots, but I’m going to try and keep listening to an episode or two of the podcast we are just finishing as well.
I was starting to prepare the schedule and it could look like this:
#
Title
Level
Length
1
12 April 2025
1. 副業 (ふくぎょう) + 2. どうぶつの森
07:48 + 09:37
2
19 April 2025
3. MAZARIA + 4. 校則 (こうそく)
07:00 + 09:02
3
26 April 2025
5. ジャニーズ interview with さきさん + 6. 漫才 (まんざい) interview with オリーさん
08:46 + 08:16
4
03 May 2025
7. コスプレ interview with あやのさん + 8. フィギュア -Figures- interview with まこ…
06:56 + 08:49
5
10 May 2025
9. 江戸時代 (えどじだい) interview with め…
20:34
6
17 May 2025
10. シングルマザー interview with ゆりえさん
16:11
7
24 May 2025
11. 四国 (しこく) interview with フランさん + 12. Discord
11:04 + 07:50
8
31 May 2025
13. ベトナム interview with くみさん
16:60
9
07 June 2025
14. 相撲 (すもう) interview with ジョージさん
11:16
10
14 June 2025
15. Instagram interview with しょうたさん
17:17
I noticed that there are a lot of interviews nothing wrong with that but I’m thinking that it’s a pity when I see the variety of things that the podcast has to offer.
If you look at the Notion site, at a glance you can see many different labels:
I enjoyed these two episodes, especially the second. I never listened to this podcast before so I was a little apprehensive but she speaks with a really clear voice.
Episode 002
That was the first time that I heard the on’yomi of 島, easy to remember with the word 無人島.
That wedding story at the end was funny, I heard a lot about Animal Crossing during Covid but I never played it, this episode gave me the itch to try it, seems really cozy
I was a little confused when she explained 組む in ローンを組む, it is this passage :
Listened to the first two episodes as well. Enjoyed them and huge boost of confidence, feel like I understood almost everything, opposite experience than with 4989 haha
Episode 1
Is there a difference between a バイト and 副業? To me they both mean part time job. Maybe バイト is more for teenagers / students?
Episode 2
I understand it as “組む” from “ローンを組む” has the meaning of gathering things and then create a big thing so that that’s why the expression to take a loan uses this verb I think. Since you could say that a loan is gathering money for a bigger thing like a house or a car.
I did a little research about it and from what I’ve read, 副業 applies to a person who already has one main job but is seeking to gain some side money. If you “just” have one part-time job, then it’s a バイト, and it does seem to apply more to students.
Ep 2
Hmmm ok, I think I get it… the もの in the sentence was referring to money, it was just some kind of abstract way to say it ; it’s basically “to 組む” (gather) a lot of gold coins to make a 大きいもの, a house or a car for example like you said. The verb 作る is maybe a little bit strange, I would have expected “to pay” instead of “to make/produce/build” even though it still makes sense, you can also borrow money to literally “build” something after all.
Just finished the first episode, she speaks slowly and clearly so it was easier than I expected. I missed out on the spring listening challenge and didn’t wanna be a late joiner and this seems like a perfect consolation prize.
Ep 1
First time learning 副業. Also I never knew about the necessary 4k hours watched to unlock ad monetisation. YouTubers have it tough.
Ep 2
Episode 2 done. Most interesting word of the day - ドット絵
I feel like I see this reading not too infrequently. I particularly like the word 半島 (はんとう - peninsula).
I also like the word archipelago (group of islands). Japan is an archipelago, and is made up of several smaller archipelago. So unsurprisingly there are several words for archipelago in Japanese - all of which make good kanji reading practice! These include:
列島 (れっとう - chain of islands)
諸島 (しょとう - group of islands)
群島 (ぐんとう - island group)
My exposure to that one was very early in my Japanese journey, one of the very first pages of the first chapter of HUNTER X HUNTER! (which I totally failed to read at Wanikani level 6 and no knowledge of grammar, but it’s going to get a reread soon now that I have went quite a long way with working on my reading skills hehe)
This word and the others that you have listed do seem to be quite common indeed, I think that it has just been a while since I’ve read anything talking about an island… even the very common kun’yomi shima has been out of my radar for a long time now that I think about it
I’ve heard about this manga for so long, but I’ve never started it. Maybe at some point in the future, but it seems like a classic shônen story and I don’t know if I still like reading them, except for nostalgia with Bleach and Naruto…
That’s one of the best feelings in the language learning-journey, coming back to a book or a podcast or whatever and realising how far you’ve come !
That’s exactly what it is but I remember really liking it. The characters were interesting, the setup was fun, a lot of twist and cool backstories. I’m sure I’ll love it again when I revisit it but probably partly because of the nostalgic effect. Though it is pretty popular so I’m sure it’s also probably likable for newcomers… hmm.. you’ll just have to try and let us know how you like it
Also I just remembered something interesting about Animal Crossing, one of the few games that I’ve tried to play in Japanese.
When you start the game you get to name your Island. After you’ve chosen the name for your island, let’s say くじら, the game asks you how it should be called: くじらしま？ くじらとう？ or くじらどう？ (rendaku)
Another interesting episode! Its a shame MAZARIA closed it looks really cool. Also I wonder if she did go to France after covid, I guess we might find out if we keep listening
Episode 4
Another another interesting episode! Her school does sound pretty strict, I don’t mind school uniforms but I’m not a fan of girls must wear skirts lolol. As for the rest, mine didn’t really mind phones but some teachers would be like how very dare you have your phone out during break time even though it wasn’t a rule not to so that was random.
Learned a few new words And the transcript is very helpful
Apparently Mazaria was only open for a year. I found a description of the various games here (in English).
Episode 4
This was so interesting and so distant from my high school experience! We did not have uniforms, and the rules were not strict at all. I think I would have liked having a uniform, since I hated getting dressed and had absolutely no fashion sense. The grass is always greener on the other side…
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nothing wrong with that but I’m thinking that it’s a pity when I see the variety of things that the podcast has to offer.
starting from the start, as that was the preferred option!
Time Count: 07:48 + 09:37
but I remember really liking it. The characters were interesting, the setup was fun, a lot of twist and cool backstories. I’m sure I’ll love it again when I revisit it but probably partly because of the nostalgic effect. Though it is pretty popular so I’m sure it’s also probably likable for newcomers… hmm.. you’ll just have to try and let us know how you like it 
And the transcript is very helpful