This story was excerpted from Ian Browne’s Red Sox Beat newsletter. To read the full newsletter, click here. And subscribe to get it regularly in your inbox.

When Masataka Yoshida plays in Detroit today, it will be the one-week anniversary of his Major League debut. This seemed like a good time to find out how his assimilation to the Red Sox and the United States is going. With the help of interpreter Keiichiro Wakabayashi, I chatted with Yoshida for a few minutes earlier this week.

MLB.com: Just being around Fenway the last few days, what have your thoughts been on playing in this park and what is the atmosphere like?

Yoshida: It’s an electric stadium so I love to play here. Japanese stadiums are also exciting to play in, but the way of cheering here is different.

MLB.com: What’s the biggest difference?

Yoshida: In Japan, they don’t do the rhythmic clapping when the pitcher has two strikes like they do here at Fenway.

MLB.com: The feeling the other night when you mashed your first home run, what was that like as you rounded the bases with the Fenway lights flickering and the crowd roaring?

Yoshida: I was happy but the feeling was trying to calm myself down, too, because this was just my first homer. I finally got one on the stat line. I feel like I want to keep doing that and showing good results.

MLB.com: Facing MLB pitchers, what is the biggest difference from NPB?

Yoshida: Obviously, the velocity is the biggest difference. And then, the pitchers in the United States, they love to use the changeup more than the splitter, so I’m getting used to that. I think I need to get used to the fastballs and changeups over here, as well as the sequences.

MLB.com: What’s the hardest part of learning how to play defense in front of the Green Monster?

Yoshida: Off the wall, I need to take care of the ball and focus on trying to hold them to singles. I’m still working on it, still learning it.

MLB.com: Have you been able to get out in the city and check out Boston, and what do you think of it?

Yoshida: I haven’t been able to hang around too much because of the schedule but I went around Boston Common and I love that atmosphere. I’m looking forward to going with my family once they get settled here.

MLB.com: What has it been like trying to learn English?

Yoshida: I’m working on getting better, little by little, to try to communicate as much as I can.

MLB.com: Do you have a favorite American food yet?

Yoshida: Steak! I love it in America and Japan.

MLB.com: What was your favorite memory of the World Baseball Classic?

Yoshida: Being a champion. That’s the best memory.

MLB.com: What do you like to do outside of baseball?

Yoshida: Golf. But only in the offseason. I golf right-handed.

MLB.com: What kind of movies do you like?

Yoshida: Mob movies.

MLB.com: How about television shows?

Yoshida: Japanese comedy.