Plan a Japanese cultural exchange around everyday stories
A concrete story gives your partner room to explain what life in Japan means to them. Start with a recent memory, and bring a comparable story from your own life.
Build a cultural exchange agendaCompare two ordinary days
Ask what a regular grocery trip looks like for them. Follow with “What changed when you moved or started living with someone else?” Describe a detail from your own shopping routine and ask what they find surprising about it.
If you want to discuss a holiday, ask them to tell you about one they remember. Someone who works through a holiday may have a very different story from a relative who hosts it.
Let your partner set the scope
Ask “Is that something your family did, or was it common where you lived?” Give the other person time to correct your assumption. Trade perspectives before moving to the next question.
Pay attention to what they want to ask you in return. That question can be the starting point for your next call.