Bento Bureau: Recent Episodes
Bento Bureau Podcast
Bento Bureau is a podcast about Japan from an international perspective, focusing on various topics about Japanese society through our interviews with experts, authors, activists, or just normal individuals who have stories to share about Japan.
Japan is often portrayed as a quirky, weird and even oddly exotic country in foreign media even though, it is not! But why is that? What does that actually imply for and of the Japanese society? That is what we are discussing with Christopher Hayes in this episode of our new season 5 that focuses on identity.
Christopher Hayes received his Ph.D. from Cardiff University (2019). His research interests include contemporary British media representation of Japan, the persistence of Orientalist discourses, and foreign tourist perceptions of Japan. He was previously a postdoctoral fellow at the Kyoto Institute, Library and Archives in Japan, and has also conducted research at Liverpool John Moores University. He is currently a Research Associate at the Sainsbury Institute for the Study of Japanese Arts and Cultures, where he is leading the development of the Institute’s Online Summer Programme for summer 2021. His research has been published in peer-reviewed journals, with a forthcoming article in Japanese, and two forthcoming chapters on news discourses during Covid.
Check out Christopher's online Summer Programme in Japanese Cultural Studies 2021 – Science, Sport and Sustainability: Towards an Interdisciplinary Future in Japanese Studies - FREE to enroll for anyone:
https://www.sainsbury-institute.org/online-summer-programme-2021
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How has Japan's Startup ecosystem evolved over the years?
We go live in conversation with the Founder of the Disrupting Japan Podcast, Tim Romero to dive deeper. Amid the ecosystem's increasing opportunities and growing unicorn population, we want to take a look back at what's changed, what's the same, and what the future holds.
Who better to discuss this with than someone who has closely observed the space for decades, both as a Founder and as Japan's first professional podcaster.
Learn more about Tim and the Disrupting Japan Podcast: https://www.disruptingjapan.com/tim/
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"I wanted to revolutionize education and make it better from the ground up".
Co-Founder & Representative Director of Youth Who Code, Tsuyoshi "Yoshi" Domoto joins us to discuss how Japan can better harness education and technology to benefit the future generation. Youth Who Code is a social enterprise with a mission of making tech education fun and accessible to all.
Yoshi is a Third Culture Kid who grew up in Japan, Taiwan, Hong Kong (SAR) and South Korea until the age of high school and received his higher education in the United States. He worked in Honduras as a green coffee buyer for two years and went on to receive his Master's degree in Education Technology afterwards. He returned to Japan in 2017 and since then, he has been trying to find his place in Japanese society as well as the best way in which he can make a difference.
Check out Youth Who Code: https://www.youthwhocode.org/
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Katheryn Gronauer is an executive trainer and coach for cross-cultural education and orientation programs for professionals in Japan.
We sat down with Katheryn in this episode to discuss how she's helping expats in Japan learn to live, work, and thrive better in Japan. It's something we've all struggled with in our first years living abroad and perhaps you can relate to this as well.
She has a degree in International Business & Culture from Sophia University, a certification in training and change-management from ATD, and a coaching certification from IIN. Most importantly, she was raised between Japan and America with firsthand sensitivity to the cultural differences and challenges that new expats encounter every day.
Katheryn’s company Thrive Tokyo has been named “One of Tokyo’s hotspots to satisfy anyone” by Eurobiz Magazine. Her work and accomplishments have been featured in Women’s Health, HuffPost, Mobility Magazine, Mindbodygreen, JapanToday, Savvy Tokyo, Thrive Global, Elephant Journal, The Everygirl, Thought Catalog, and Elite Daily. Katheryn has worked with a wide variety of clients across a range of industries from multinational corporations such as Toyota to start-up companies to spouses and more. She has been a guest public speaker on wellness and lifestyle transition at the US Embassy, Toyo University, FEW Japan, and Roppongi Cooperative.
Check out Thrive Tokyo: thrivetokyo.com
Connect with Katheryn: linkedin.com/in/katheryngronauer
Follow Katheryn: instagram.com/katheryngronauer
Check out Katheryn's book on Yo-Yo Dieting:
www.amazon.com/Confessions-Yo-Yo-Dieter-Katheryn-Gronauer-ebook/dp/B07CVRDQ6C
If you enjoy the show, would you please consider leaving us a short review on Apple Podcasts/iTunes? It takes less than a minute and would really help us out - we love hearing your thoughts and feedback too!
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Miho Tanaka is the founder of Startup Work Inc. - a one-stop-shop for foreign entrepreneurs starting a business in Japan.
With her extensive experience in the start-up world, she helps start-ups to successfully scale-up while providing guidance when it comes to company establishment, loan and grant applications, as well as contract drafting. Using her vast knowledge of Japan's governing laws, she aims to educate residents and foreign entrepreneurs alike on what they need to know about Japan's immigration laws.
Tune in to this episode to learn more about some of the challenges entrepreneurs face when starting a business in Japan, and what foreigners need to know about their rights.
Check out Miho's blog where she writes a lot about these topics: https://medium.com/@mihotanaka
Check out Startup Work Inc: https://startupjapan.work/
If you enjoy the show, would you please consider leaving us a short review on Apple Podcasts/iTunes? It takes less than a minute and would really help us out - we love hearing your thoughts and feedback too!
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Hot off the heels of our discussion on female entrepreneurship in Japan, we're continuing our discussion on the Japanese tech industry and the role of women.
Asumi Saito is the co-founder of Waffle.org, a non-profit that empowers and educates girls to close the gender gap in tech. She studied Econometrics and Data Analysis at the University of Arizona, where she also learned about human rights through the community of Tucson, and started her first career as a data scientist. Her interest also lies in athletics, gov tech, and poverty reduction. Asumi is an incredibly interesting and awesome human being - be sure to join us for what promises to be a very insightful conversation.
Check out Waffle: https://waffle-waffle.org
If you enjoy the show, would you please consider leaving us a short review on Apple Podcasts/iTunes? It takes less than a minute and would really help us out - we love hearing your thoughts and feedback too!
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Finding your place in Japan, particularly as a foreigner, may seem like a daunting task for some of us. Eri Ochiai and Heather Dobbin of Tokyo-based coding camp, Code Chrysalis share their stories on what it took to get where they are in Japan today.
Eri Ochiai grew up in the US and Canada before she came back to her home country, Japan, to attend university. In Japanese, there is a specific term used to describe a person like Eri: 'Kikokushijou'. Similar to many foreigners who pursue work in Japan, Eri decided not to go through the Japanes job-hunting process and instead opted to go abroad again. Fast-forward to the present and she's now back in Japan working in the tech scene and helps graduates who are intimated by the job hunting process in Japan.
Heather Dobbin left Atlanta Georgia for a life in South Korea in 2010. There, she managed an English teaching program for 3 years and while she loved the experience of being abroad and teaching, she opted to move to Japan to pursue other opportunities beyond English teaching. She found her true calling in Japan - helping people realize and achieve their true potential. She is now working as a certified life coach in Japan and went on to found her own startup: Ikigaime.
To our audience, we know a lot of you have tried to pursue a career in Japan and after spending a couple of years there, instead opted not to. We hope this discussion can give you some guidance and insight into what you need to do to find your place in Japan.
Check out Code Chrysalis: codechysalis.io
Check out IkigaiMe: ikigai.me
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Joining us are founders of the project "Female entrepreneurship for women empowerment in Japan" supported by the Scandinavia - Japan Sasakawa Foundation.
Meet Mia Anfinsen and Alma Karabeg, two of the minds behind this new initiative that will see the launch of a national survey in 2021.
Mia has an International Baccalaureate Diploma, a BA in marketing and management communication, and an MBA in Applied #finance. She has been scaling startups from early to late-stage and is currently a Head of Performance Marketing for a Fintech startup in berlin. She is a strong advocate for female representation and encourages women in tech, finance, and leadership roles, both in her workplace and through women’s networks in Berlin.
Alma holds an International Baccalaureate Diploma, a BA in Political Science including studies on Japan's Culture and Political-Economical System, a MA in Sociology, and an MPA. She has professional experience from the government and aid sectors working on governmentally funded international projects in designing concepts for economic development and building institutional capacity in several countries in Europe. She held a voluntary role in an international NGO supporting the SDG 5.
If you enjoy the show, would you please consider leaving us a short review on Apple Podcasts/iTunes? It takes less than a minute and would really help us out - we love hearing your thoughts and feedback too!
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Kasumi Refugee Support Youth is an organization made up of a diverse group of international students in Japan. Their main goal is to break through the language barrier and raise awareness on the dire circumstances of refugees in Japan through activities such as translating research and articles, engaging with local stakeholders, and teaching migrant children Japanese.
Members of KRSY Minh Anh, Naoki Moriyama, and Reina Hayashi join us to share their story on how the group came to be and why it is important to raise awareness on this issue.
Check out KSRY's website: https://kasumi4refugees.org
If you enjoy the show, would you please consider leaving us a short review on Apple Podcasts/iTunes? It takes less than a minute and would really help us out - we love hearing your thoughts and feedback too!
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JET stands for "Japan Exchange and Teaching" - it was founded with the aim of promoting grass-roots international exchange between Japan and other nations. Language Specialist and ALT serving under the JET Programme, Julia Isoyama joins us to discuss all about what it takes to join and teach in one of the most competitive English teaching programs in the world.
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Oyunkhuu Otgonbaatar and Undariya Rinchin join us to share some of their insights about the Mongolian community in Japan, working in the Mongolian press, and supporting foreigners living in Japan through services like GTN (definitely had their fair share helping us back in the day).
If you enjoy the show, would you please consider leaving us a short review on Apple Podcasts/iTunes? It takes less than a minute and would really help us out - we love hearing your thoughts and feedback too!
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Brittany Arthur is the Founder & CEO at Design Thinking Japan. She speaks Japanese, English, and German and has a long portfolio of building long-term trusted business relationships with clients.
Her background is in international business and began her career at Fortune companies working across Japan and Germany. Brittany has trained over 2,500 business people in Design Thinking in Japan which has translated to new businesses and opportunities for many. She is also the producer and host of the Business Karaoke podcast.
Check out Design Thinking Japan: designthinkingjapan.com
Subscribe to Business Karaoke podcast: buzzsprout.com/1009438
Follow Brittany: twitter.com/_brittanyarthur
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Hiroshi Taniguchi is a hairstylist and entrepreneur who has established hair salon businesses around the world. What's the hairstyling business like in Japan? Based on general standards of hair, we'd say they have it on point.
Listen in to hear Hiroshi's story of how he dropped everything he had to pursue the industry in New York, only to come back years later to use his skills to open up a second branch of Mey Salon.
Check out Mey Salon in New York: https://meynewyork.com
Or if you're in Tokyo: https://meytokyo.com
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Shira Putrinda moved to Japan when she was 18 and has lived there for 10 years where she received her bachelor of social science in international governance at Ritsumeikan Asia Pacific University.
Needless to say, she's been quite active in Japan, outside of her studies she's practiced Arauma, a traditional dance from Aomori, facilitating a lot of intercultural activities, worked as a teacher, and she has had 6 years of professional experience working at Mitsubishi Motors.
Check out Shira's organization and support refugee projects around the world: rij-npo.org/en/
If you enjoy the show, would you please consider leaving us a short review on Apple Podcasts/iTunes? It takes less than a minute and would really help us out - we love hearing your thoughts and feedback too!
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Thomas Blackwood is a Professor of Sociology and Social Psychology at Tokyo International University.
His Ph.D. dissertation (2005) was a study of Japanese high school extracurricular activities. Focusing on baseball, he analyzed the subjective meanings that participation on a team holds for Japanese high school students (and graduates) in forming their identities and worldviews, in addition to helping them develop interpersonal skills and certain qualities of character.
His current research is focusing on the lives of foreigners in Japan with complicated residential status: asylum-seekers, visa-overstayers, and foreigners convicted of crimes. In addition to interviewing men in long-term detention facilities, Professor Blackwood is working with child asylum-seekers in Japan to understand the long-term social and psychological impacts of living in Japan with uncertain residential status.
In this episode, we discuss his research on high school baseball clubs, team sports, and Japanese immigration detention centers.
Learn more about Professor Blackwood and his research here: https://www.tiu.ac.jp/iis/members/bla...
Check out the initiative supporting refugees in Japan: https://kasumi4refugees.org
If you enjoy the show, would you please consider leaving us a short review on Apple Podcasts/iTunes? It takes less than a minute and would really help us out - we love hearing your thoughts and feedback too!
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This episode was aired live on 11 June 2020.
Continuing our discussion on adapting to the new normal, we're joined by someone who teaches English and another that deals with B2B to learn more about how Japan's youth are continuing to shift the nature of work during unprecedented circumstances.
Vanda Taron is a lifestyle YouTuber, where she shares her experiences and suggestions on living as a foreigner in Japan. She is also an account executive at B2B agency, Impact M - BBN's Japan office.
Takahiro Nakanishi is an English teacher that spent the majority of his life abroad, growing up in Tanzania and Indonesia before coming back Japan. He is also a good friend of the show.
Check out Vanda's YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCGcggFhk_akHN_o08VvxlIA
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At the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, how did Japan's foreign population react to the so-called new normal? Foreign residents of Japan, Stevi Hidajat and Dalima Tamang to share their experiences dealing with this unprecedented situation.
Stevi is a recruiter while Dalima was in the middle of a transition from her last job. Listen in to our conversation to hear more about how they have adapted to the challenges of Japan's by-the-book's approach to the culture of work, the job-hunting process, and even an interactive game at the end.
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Welcome to Bento Bureau, the show where we talk about Japan from an international perspective. This is primarily to serve as our channel trailer on various podcast platforms.
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Welcome back to Bento Bureau!
This is the show where we talk about Japan from an international perspective... or at least we used to until we went on a pretty long hiatus. Not anymore! In this episode, the OG members of the show come together for a reunion, to catch up on what we've all been doing around the world, and to kick off the start of a new journey for the show.
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Our good friend Taka introduces us to the world of Japanese music by giving us a taste of a few select, diverse tracks.
Here are the songs we listened to if you would like to check them out:
- Selfish Love by Miyavi: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eQwpdY3Fz9c
- Omega by Crystal Lake: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CvJQ1pFBi8A
- Luv(sic) Part 6 (feat. Shing02) Remix by Nujabes/Uyama Hiroto: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FH9qXqsfPrY
- Loop Loop by Asian Kung Fu Generation: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DUtnzOPkC4A
- Nichijou anime OP1: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B65efQ-6Wrg
(Outro music - Luv(sic) part 2 by Nujabes: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K2DrarHpLrE)
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How do the Japanese practice religion? How does it compare to others around the world? With us today is Professor Edward Drott, an Associate Professor at Sophia University who has conducted more than 20 years of research on Japanese religions. In today’s episode, Professor Drott will introduce five approaches to understand religions in Japan.
Topics include: - Why religion is important to understand - What type of religions are there in Japan - The two major forms of religion in Japan: Buddhism/Shinto - Historical overview of evolution of Confucianism - Five approaches to understanding/studying Japanese religions - How religious elements continue to impact modern-day society - How Christianity made its way to Japan
(Intro music by Timmy Holiday: https://youtu.be/3cBTIF7zjo4)
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CASUAL EPISODE Edwin from Indonesia joins the Bento Bureau team to discuss how he was inspired to come to Japan because of his admiration for idol groups. Please excuse the audio quality this time around as we were limited to using a portable microphone.
Some of the topics we mentioned:
- Edwin's background
- Idol groups in Indonesia and Japan
- Japan life from an Indonesian's perspective
- Choir music
- Why Indonesians are drawn to Japan (from Edwin's point of view)
(Side note: Our banner is now white to distinguish casual episodes from our main content)
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We had the opportunity to sit down for a talk with Professor Tsuneo Nishida, who has occupied various key positions in multiple countries during his illustrious career with the Japanese Foreign Ministry. He is also the former Permanent Representative of Japan to the United Nations. First, we discuss how Japanese Foreign Policy has evolved through the eyes of a former representative of Japan. Second, we discuss how Japanese Foreign Policy has evolved through the eyes of a former representative of Japan.
Learn more about Prof. Nishida here: http://www.international.ucla.edu/japan/people/advisors/1648
On Jun 8, 2018, the 44th G7 Summit began in La Malbaie, Quebec, Canada. For us audience, the story of this event could be summed up through the renowned photo depicting Chancellor Angela Merkel staring at the seated arm-crossed President Donald Trump before other world leaders such as France's Emmanuel Macron or Britain's Teresa May. However, one cannot help but notice the standing Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, who was captured standing with his arms crossed while looking at President Macron. What was the meaning behind Abe’s posture? In the broader sense, what could it tell us about Japan’s role in the G7 summit, and how can we explain the international relations of Japan through these high-level meetings?
In today’s episode, we invited on board Professor Hugo Dobson to help us explore these questions further. Prof. Dobson is the professor of Japan’s International Relations and the Head of the Department of the School of East Asian Studies at the University of Sheffield. His research focuses on the one hand on Japan’s role in international relations, multilateral organizations, and global governance while conversely, he explores the role of images in shaping our understanding of international relations and Japan’s global role.
This is the newest Bento Bureau Podcast format! Last week, we sat down on a rainy day and had a small discussion about life in Japan. Some topics we talked about were: (1) what have we been doing? (2) Buzz's trip to a cafe in Tokyo; (3) Our small community in Saitama; (4) Buzz's experience disposing a "fridge"; and (5) how he often use the nearby convenience store's bathroom.
After a long hiatus, Bento Bureau is back (again) for a new episode. In today's discussion, three members of Bento Bureau discuss the current situation with the podcast and the new format that we will adopt starting from today.
Today's episode is a collaboration with Jeff Krueger from Deep in Japan podcast.
Jeff Krueger is a proud father of four: three beautiful children and a wonderful podcast. Having lived in Japan for over 15 years, Jeff takes upon himself to find a single "a single, overarching theory of Japan and its people." However, the only thing he discovered was that there is that different people have different ideas about what Japan really is - even the Japanese themselves. Thus, Deep in Japan was born with the mission to bring the stories of the residents of Japan out there to the world.
In today's episode, we sit down with Jeff to talk about Japan, about our lives, our passion for podcasts, and our perception of the country.
"Deep in Japan Podcast allows you to experience Japan through the eyes of people who actually live here [with] rich, thoughtful, and candid interviews with people from all walks of life." Check our Deep in Japan at: https://soundcloud.com/deep-in-japan
Follow Deep in Japan on social media at: https://www.facebook.com/deepinjapan/
Support Jeff on Patreon at: https://www.patreon.com/user?u=3864210
It is easy to assume that Japan is a homogeneous country; and to some extent, that is true. However, it is a slippery slope to subscribe to this idea, because it tends to forget that there are millions of individuals who belong to other minority groups within the country: the Ainu, the resident Koreans, or us foreigners. However, today, we would like to bring the attention to the case of the Burakumin - the largest minority group that once was at the bottom of the social order during feudal Japan. Due to their history of being at the bottom, modern Burakumin continues to be victims of stigmatization and discrimination in contemporary Japanese society. What was the story of the Burakumin? How did they become marked as different? How is it like living with a stigmatized identity?
Following the March 2011 Tsunami and Fukushima nuclear crisis, thousands of people flocked to the streets of Tokyo in protest. The participants, old and young, shouted in anger on their march toward the National Diet Building. What was happening to the country? How could these mass protests exist in such a peaceful and harmonious society? Was it the end of Cool Japan?
The answer is: no, says William Andrews, author of Dissenting Japan - A History of Japanese Radicalism and Counterculture, from 1945 to Fukushima. Having lived in the country for more than 10 years and studied the topic extensively, William argues that Japan is not a unique case when it comes to social movements. The history of post-war Japan has witnessed numerous mass protests and violent confrontations that make the 2011's movement seems like a picnic. In doing so, William attempts to debunk the myth of Japan as a peaceful, harmonious and conservative society that has no place for social unrest - a myth that Japan is trying its best to protect.
In today's episode, we will have a chance to learn more about his research and uncover this marginalized discourse about Japanese society.
For the full show note, visit: https://bentobureau.com/podcast/ep14
Dissenting Japan - A History of Japanese Radicalism and Counterculture, from 1945 to Fukushima is now available on bookshelves around the world: https://dissentingjapan.com/buy/
Be sure to follow William's blog - Throw Out Your Books - for more information that are not covered in today's episode: https://throwoutyourbooks.wordpress.com/
Follow William on Twitter for more update on his work: https://twitter.com/TokyoStages
In this episode, we talk about the Japanese school system from elementary up. With two members who have had (direct or indirect)experiences with Japanese educational system, we hope to shed some light on how Japan does education. Some of the topics discussed are: 1. Elementary school - 1:13 2. Junior high school - 11:42 3. High school with Jawad's personal experiences - 18:25
We talk about the interaction between Japanese and foreign students in a Japanese university. This one is based on our very own research and interviews!
In today's episode, we sit down with Justin Aukema, Ph.D. candidate from Sophia University, to discuss Japan's modern history. Not the kind of history that we know of, but a different kind of history; a history that is buried underneath the bustling tourist sites of the island nation.
As the tide of the Pacific War turned, the Japanese government began to construct a series of underground tunnels to shelter its military operations (and even the Imperial Family, spoiler!) from American air raid. As peace arrived, these tunnels were left to decay slowly underneath the quickly rebuilt streets across the country. As the Hiroshima Genbaku Dome became the national memorial of the war, these underground passages quickly became forgotten. However, the modern state of this discourse is different. For Justin, studying these war sites (sensõ iseki) is one way to shed light on the past. By looking at the state of these remnants and the public attitudes toward their preservation, he hopes to unveil a different narrative that is marginalized from the discourse of Japanese post-war history.
In today’s episode, we will find out more about this exciting project. For full show note, visit: http://bentobureau.com/podcast/ep13
We talk to two volunteers from Amnesty International Japan, Chris Pitts and Marian Hara, about the organization's role in fighting for human rights, not only in Japan, but all over the world.
For full show note, visit: http://bentobureau.com/podcast/ep12
Homeless- the word contains more implications than just not having a roof over one’s head. Who are the homeless people in Japan? Professor Tom Gill, a social anthropologist from Meiji Gakuin University, has spent decades studying Japanese homelessness and day laborers, and in today's episode, we sit down with him to discuss his previous work Failed Manhood on the Streets of Urban Japan: The Meanings of Self-Reliance for Homeless Men to learn more about the issues of Japanese homelessness and masculinity.
In today's episode, we sit down with Greico Kelly and Cordell Rankin, two former American servicemen, to discuss their personal experiences working for the US military in Japan, and their experiences living in the country during and after their military career.
For full show note, visit: http://bentobureau.com/podcast/ep11
Model United Nations (MUN) is an intellectual activity where students come together to create a simulation of the United Nations and put themselves into the shoes of the delegates of different countries in order to address various issues around the globe. In today's episode, we sit down with our member Ichi and discuss his experience with MUN. Ichi is a member of Tokyo International University's MUN club, and he recently represented the university in the All Japan Model United Nation in Tokyo. How to join an MUN? How does the MUN work? What activities can you expect in an MUN session? This and more will be answered by Ichi.
How do you define a Japanese identity? Who can be considered Japanese? With our guests, Akili and Jessica, we attempt to answer these questions and try to understand Japan from their perspectives.
In Episode #2 of Bento Bureau, we take a look atsome random questions and perceptions (misperception sometimes) about Japan and attempt to decipher the truth behind each one: 1. Do foreign media portray Japan accurately? (4:52) 2. Do you need a visa to come to Japan? (16:00) 3. Would you need Japanese to survive in Japan? (18:00) 4.Do Japanese eat everything with chopstick? (21:14) 5. Is it difficult to find alternative food for people who have special dietary need? ( 23:08) 6. Is Japan safe? (31:02) 7. Where does the name "Japan" come from? (44:05)
This is Bento Bureau Podcast, a podcast about Japan from an international perspective with a side dish of sociopolitical discussion.
Here, our ecstatic host and cohosts provide a detailed, but charming introduction of themselves along with the incredible journey of how they ended up living in Japan of all places! In today episode, we discuss the reasons why people from all over the world (including us) are coming to Japan.
For full show note, go to: http://bentobureau.com/podcast/ep1
In today's episode, we sit down with our guest, Professor Gregory Noble from the University of Tokyo, to learn more about Japanese Politics in a comparative perspective. We will have a look at how the system evolved since the second World War, how does it operate, and what is unique about it.