Tokyo Podcast: Recent Episodes
Anthony Joh
Anthony Joh returns to Japan and to the airwaves with Season 2 of the Tokyo Podcast. If you’re one of the listeners who stuck around – thank you!
Since the whole world is stuck at home under quarantine thanks to the coronavirus, now seemed like the perfect time to bring you some fresh, updated content on life in Japanland.
How accessible is Japan to someone in a wheelchair? In recent years Japan has made a big push to improve accessibility with high marks in some areas and a lack of improvement in others.
The post The History of the Yamanote Line With Michael Filewood appeared first on Tokyo Podcast.
Don't make these common resume mistakes when applying for a job in Japan.
The post Common Resume Mistakes When Looking for a Job in Japan appeared first on Tokyo Podcast.
In this show I am talking with Michael Filewood about the history of the Yamanote Line and how it evolved as a cargo hauler to the life line of the city today.
These are some of the common sense mistakes that I feel all the time from people who are looking for a job in Japan.
In this episode, Tokyo Podcast’s host Anthony Joh discusses his move back to Canada, how it will impact the show, and some recommended Japanese Youtubers to tide viewers over until the next episode.
In this episode, Tokyo Podcast’s host Anthony Joh interviews a friend of his who contracted the coronavirus while living abroad in Japan. This episode will cover some basics of Japan’s healthcare, as well as what you can expect if you contract COVID-19 while living in Japan.
https://tokyo-podcast.com/covid-in-japan-what-happens-if-you-catch-the-virus/
How accessible is Japan to someone in a wheelchair? In recent years Japan has made a big push to improve accessibility with high marks in some areas and a lack of improvement in others.
The post How Accessible Is Japan For Someone In A Wheelchair? appeared first on Tokyo Podcast.
On this show I talk with Josh Grisdale about his experiences of living and working in Japan while using a wheelchair.
A fascinating look at how Japan became a cultural superpower through the fantastic inventions that captured and transformed the world's imagination.
The post Pure Invention: How Japan’s Pop Culture Conquered the World With Matt Alt appeared first on Tokyo Podcast.
A fun talk with author Matt Alt about his new book, 'Pure Invention: How Japan’s Pop Culture Conquered the World' about how the accidental success of Japan's soft power initiative has shaped the world.
How do we cope with all the changes that have happened in 2020? If you're feeling lost I discuss strategies you can use to help you find your direction and deal with the uncertainty of life.
What's it like having a baby in Japan without speaking much Japanese? My guest is LaShawn Toyoda who recently gave birth to her first child and joins me to talk about her experience.
The post Cost Of Giving Birth In Japan With LaShawn Toyoda appeared first on Tokyo Podcast.
For many women giving birth to their first baby can be an exhilarating but scary time. Now imagine doing that in a foreign country where you don’t speak the language.
My guest today is LaShawn Toyoda who recently gave birth to her first child and joins me on the show today to talk about her experience.
On one of my previous shows where I talked about my favourite movies that are set in Japan I mentioned the documentary film called Tokyo Idols. It’s a fantastic look into the idol culture here in Japan and I highly recommend everyone to check it out. To find out more about the idol culture in Japan I’ve invited Alice on the show. She is the head of an upcoming idol group called Maidoremi and they perform at various events around Tokyo.
What is it like for mixed race people to live in Japan? On this show I interview three "hafus" about their experiences of living in Japan.
We’ve received variations of this question often—”Can I live in Japan without speaking Japanese?” “How much Japanese should I learn if I want to work in Japan?”—but this episode was ultimately sparked by one of our listeners who asked how Japanese people would react to a non-Japanese-speaking foreigner traveling through Japan.
This week, Anthony answers all of these questions in one episode and shares his wisdom based on his years of living in Japan, working with Japanese clients, and traveling in Japan, all without speaking Japanese.
https://tokyo-podcast.com/live-work-travel-japan-without-speaking-japanese/
The website for my next guest promotes their service by saying “InCloud offers industry leading consulting and development services for cloud and IoT products.”
Now if you don’t have any idea on what that means don’t worry, neither does anyone else in Japan and that’s why my guest today is going to make a fortune bringing Japan into the digital world.
Chris Beak is the CEO of Incloud and he joins me today to talk about the growth of his business and his thoughts on being an entrepreneur in Japan.
For a lot of people coming to Japan for the first time can be a confusing and intimidating experience. The sheer number of people, size of the city, extensive train lines and a confusing language can make your first few days in Japan a difficult one.
Now imagine doing all of that but without the ability to see what’s going on around you.
My guest today is Tony Vega and he has a condition called Leber’s hereditary optic neuropathy, which is a condition that reduced the amount of vision that he has. We discuss how he’s adapted to his condition and what a trip to Japan taught him about the human potential.
Yuka Ogasawara a self-described bookworm, noticed that a lot of foreigners were interested in Japanese literature, but not many knew where to look beyond the Haruki Murakami threshold. She started recommending Japanese books that she liked, and this eventually evolved into Osusume Books.
Read more: Reading About Japanese Culture With Osusume Books
Michael Howard is an American businessman who moved from American to Japan to work in a traditional Japanese company. His new book, 'The Salaryman' documents the trials and tribulations of trying to fit in to the Japanese Way.
Working as a salaryman in Japan
Last week, our host Anthony offered a list of his favourite movies set in Japan, to help you ease the boredom of quarantine. This week, he discusses his favourite podcasts in Japan. The list is longer, so we’ve grouped everything into four categories: business podcasts in Japan, podcasts on living in Japan, podcasts for learning Japanese, and podcasts about Japanese culture.
Read More: The Best Podcasts About Japan 2020
Anthony shares with us some of his favourite movies that are set in Japan. Some of these you might know, but others may offer new material to enjoy while you’re isolated at home.
- Mr. Baseball
- Black Rain
- The Last Samurai
- Shin Godzilla
- Tokyo Idols
- Lost in Translation
Read More: My Favourite Movies That Are Set In Japan
After leaving Japan in 2011 I never thought I would move back. On this show I talk about why I decided to leave Japan only to return a couple years later and why starting a travel business right now was probably a dumb idea.
Read More: Why I Moved Back To Japan
It’s becoming more and more common to travel abroad to study. However, if you’re thinking about studying Japanese in Japan, there are some things you need to keep in mind.
In today’s show our host Anthony Joh gives us his opinion on the best three options to make it happen!
Read More: What Are Your Best Options For Studying In Japan?
On this show I will talk about the pros and cons of moving to Japan in your 20s, 30s or 40s and an old Japanese guy doesn't know how to use a computer!
Read More: How Old Is Too Old To Move To Japan?
A few months of being back in Canada and our host Anthony Joh is thinking that he’s missing one of the best things about Japan and it is the the Japanese convenience stores!
It’s not fair to compare the famous Japanese ‘kombinis’ with the convenience stores of the rest of the world. The Canadian convenience stores are neither convenient nor are they a very good store, offering mostly junk food and minimal services.
Japanese convenience stores on the other hand are the epitome of convenient and is one of the things that you’ll take for granted when you live in Japan and miss tremendously when you leave.
- Pay your bills
- Receive ordered goods
- Print or make photo copies
- Buy emergency clothing
- Transfer money worldwide
- Get your event tickets
- Eat really good food
Read More: The Amazing Convenience of the Japanese Kombini
On this show Anthony talks about his return to Canada and gives you seven random tips that made living in Tokyo just a little easier.
- Start studying Japanese as soon as you arrive
- Buy a good set of noise cancelling headphones
- Learn which side of the train your exit is
- Spend your cash and collect your change
- Buy rechargeable batteries
- Master your google-fu
- Make true Japanese friends
Read More: 7 Random Tips For Living In Tokyo
In this episode we guide you through the process of finding and setting-up your new home in Tokyo.
The last time we spoke about renting an apartment in Japan was in Episode 49 of Season 1 - almost five years ago. With a few more Japan-based years under his belt, Anthony shares the best of his knowledge to make your apartment search as easy as possible.
Read more: Update on Renting an Apartment In Tokyo
After nearly five years MIA, Tokyo Podcast is back with Series 2. If you’re one of the listeners who stuck around – thank you!
Much of Series 1 is still relevant, but let’s be honest, a lot can happen in half a decade. Our host, Anthony Joh, will be leaving Japan next year, so now seemed like the perfect time to bring you some fresh, updated content.
In this episode, Anthony reflects upon his time in Japan by talking about his 5 favourite - and least favourite – things.
Read more: 5 Things I Love and Hate About Living in Japan
Starting with a simple domain name and website, Davide Rossi has built Go Go Nihon into a hugely successful company that brings students from around the world to study in Japan.
Anthony also announces that this will be the final episode of Tokyo Podcast. He wants to thank each and everyone of the guests who came on the show to tell their story.
Also a big thank you to everyone who downloaded the show each week and sent in your feedback and comments. Not one to stay offline for long, Anthony is already hard at work on his next internet venture and you can follow along on his Facebook page.
One of the first major hurdles that many foreigners face when moving to Japan is renting an apartment. Renting an apartment in Japan is a complicated process filled with all sorts of historic regulations and procedures, strange acronyms, and more fees than you can possibly imagine.
To help us understand this process I am joined by Adam German from Real Estate Japan, who is going to guide us through the necessary steps of securing your new home away from home.
Renting an apartment in Tokyo
The small town of Ishinomaki was one of the hardest hit from the 2011 earthquake and tsunami, which traveled up to 5 miles inland the tsunami destroyed over 40% of the buildings and left the small town devastated.
Eight months after the tsunami, documentary filmmaker Paul Johannessen visited Ishinomaki and interviewed a number of residents to find out about the recovery effort. What he found was a strong community who are working hard to rebuilt their lives and their town.
Ishinomaki: Then And Now
With it’s busy sidewalks and endless stairs in and out of the train stations, is Japan closed off to someone in a wheelchair or is it surprisingly accessible?
On this show I talk to Ashley Olson who runs the website about traveling around the world by wheelchair. She recently completed her first trip to Japan and she joins me to talk about thoughts on how accessible Japan is.
Anthony is back after a busy couple of weeks at his new job at GajinPot to bring you a new show all about the different social media networks in Japan. With guest Robin Sakai from Social500, we take a look at the origins of social media in Japan and how the old guard is changing to match the consumer needs.
Anthony also welcomes back to the show past guest Ashley Thompson from Surviving in Japan who shares with us her latest venture, Go Tabi Japan which aims to make it easier for visitors to Japan.
Social media in Japan.
Jiro Dreams of Sushi is a documentary film by Mr. David Gelb that follows the daily life of 85 year old Jiro Ono who is widely considered to be the world's greatest sushi chef.
The film is an intimate look at Jiro's philosophies on work and life and his insistence on absolute perfection when making sushi. The film also explores the secondary characters that all contribute to the restaurant, from the fish seller at the Tsukiji Market, to the restaurant staff who struggle to meet Jiro's high standards to the relationship between Jiro and his eldest son, who is patiently waiting in the wings to take over the restaurant once his father retires.
Japan is a country of great contrast with architecture that is an eclectic mix of ancient and modern, east and west. Tokyo is a dynamic metropolis where you will find some of the worlds most unique and fascinating architecture. Kyoto is a city steeped in tradition with an abundance of ancient temples, shrines and gardens scattered throughout a bustling modern city.
On this show I talk to architect Robert Day about his 10 day Architecture tour that he runs in Japan. We talk about the different Architecture styles that are unique to Japan and what to look for if you plan your own trip to Japan.
Yoshimi Horiuchi runs a non-profit organization called Always Reading Caravan that provides mobile library services to families in the rural areas of Thailand. The program mainly aims to provide story books to children with disabilities who otherwise would not have access to these type of books.
Yoshimi herself has been blind since she was a child and she joins Anthony to talk about the difficulties she faces in living and working in both Bangkok and Tokyo and the small things that we can all do that makes her day a little easier.
The history of tattooing in Japan is through to extend as far back as the Jomon period, which is 10,000 bc and even though tattooing has been in Japan for many years and is filled with historic symbolism it still hasn't gained widespread public acceptance that tattooing has in many western countries.
To walk us through the journey of tattooing in Japan I am joined by renowned tattoo artist Hori Benny who has been tattooing in Japan 8 years ago, first starting off as an apprentice and then turing professional in 2007. Benny can be found at the Chopstick Tattoo studio in Osaka.
While New York is the place to go for jazz musicians when it comes to jazz fans it doesn't get any better than here in Tokyo. These are the words of James Catchpole, a transplanted Brooklyn native who has lived in Japan for 13 years and documents the many cool jazz joints in Tokyo on his website.
Anthony joined James at the hidden Samurai jazz bar in Shinjuku to talk about jazz in Japan and why he feels that Tokyo is one of the great jazz cities in the world.
This week Tokyo Podcast is pleased to welcome up and coming singer songwriter Sayulee, has won numerous awards for her singing and songwriting. Last year she launched an interesting YouTube project where she would sing a new song everyday for 1 year.
As of this recording she is at number 327 and she joins me today to talk about her YouTube channel, upcoming bilingual Japanese English album and the special event she has planned for the 365th day.
On this show I'm pleased to welcome back Sachiko Takao who was a guest on Tokyo Podcast episode #20 where we discussed her epic bicycle journey from Okinawa to Hokkaido.
I asked Sachi to join me today to discuss the book 日本人が世界に誇れる３３のこと which was written by Ruth Jarman who was also a past guest on Tokyo Podcast episode #34.
Sachi talks about the insights she gained into her own culture from reading Ruth's book and the important message that she feels the book has for the people of Japan.
On this show we take a visit to the Appalachian mountain areas of the United States with fiddler Leona Tokutake. Leona is a classically trained violinist from Tokyo who moved to America to pursue her dream of playing bluegrass music.
Leona is currently touring Japan to promote her latest CD, 'A New Peace Within' and joins us to talk about her journey from the big city of Tokyo to the mountains of Tennessee.
https://tokyo-podcast.com/leona-tokutake/
This show is all about sports as we first look at a traditional Canadian sport and then later in the show a traditional Japanese sport.
My first guest is Chad Goble who runs the Tokyo Street Hockey Association website. What started out as a rag tag group of hockey loving Canadians has morphed into a weekly game and international tournament.
I also talk to Lance Lindely who practised kendo with the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force and achieved the rank of shodan. He joins me today to talk about his experiences in studying this traditional martial art here in Japan.
One of the most disturbing records that Japan holds is that it boasts one of the highest suicide records in the world. Some estimates place the number of suicides as high as 30,000 per year and to give you an idea of just how high that is consider that that works out to 82 suicides per day.
My guest today is Andrew Grimes who is a board certified Clinical Psychologist and Psychotherapist and founded the Tokyo Counseling Service in 1999. He joins me today to talk about the how the issue of mental health is dealt with here in Japan.
Many foreigners come to Japan with dreams of becoming a TV or movie celebrity, believing in the outdated myth that being a caucasian foreigner in Japan is the easy ticket to fame and riches. Many of these foreigners are in for a rude awakening when they realize that their English teaching job alone isn't going to get them the spotlight they wanted.
My guest today is Bobby Judo who hosts his own cooking segment on a local Japanese television network. What is particularly interesting about Bobby's story is how he managed to get his cooking show on Japanese TV. It's a story of hard work and dedication to a dream.
Ruth Jarman Shiraishi is a long resident of Japan and is the CEO of Jarman International which focuses on business development for nine unique partner companies, ranging from real estate to financial services to eco-friendly energy to publishing.
Ruth is the first western woman to hold a Japanese real estate license and has spent the past 20 years working in and with Japanese companies. She has recently combined her knowledge of Japanese business with her love for Japan to producer her first book titled 日本人が世界に誇れる３３のこと and is available in book stores throughout Japan.
When Japan surrendered to the United Stated in 1945, marking the end of WW2 numerous swords were taken from Japanese soldiers and given to American officers stationed in the Pacific.
Paul Ufema is a documentary filmmaker who's grandfather was an officer in the US Navy and was given 3 Japanese swords, which were passed down to Paul's father and then eventually to him and his brothers.
For many years the swords sat in the basement collecting dust until Paul decided to team up with fellow documentary filmmaker Brad Bennett to see if they could return the swords to their rightful owners in Japan.
Their film Forgive - Don't Forget (わすれずにゆるす) follows the journey of one particular sword and attempts to examine the theme of forgiveness and it related to the dynamic between Japan and America since the end of WW2.
On this episode of Tokyo Podcast Anthony talks to Reverent Takafumi Kawakami who is a Zen Buddhist Priest in Kyoto. We discuss the practise of meditation and how it can be used as an effective stress management tool. We also talk about the role that Buddhism plays in modern day Japan and the work that Reverend Takafumi is doing to revitalize his temple as a centre for learning in his community.
Anthony also introduces a brand new podcast that is all about cycling in Asia. Hosted by two avid cyclers here in Japan, this show brings you all the latest cycling news coming out of Asia.
https://tokyo-podcast.com/zen-buddhism-in-japan/
On today's show Anthony talks to Amy Chavez who is a long time resident of Japan and a columnist for the Japan Times and Huffington Post. Her column 'Japan Lite' has been published since 1997 and take a humorous look at the differences between Western and Japanese cultures.
Her latest book 'Japan: Funny Side up' is a funny and insightful guide that gives valuable insights into the mysterious and sometimes strange aspects of Japanese culture and society.
We are also joined by Brad Stephenson from 25Cafes who gives us his latest review that should be a treat for all you chocolate lovers listening.
One of the most iconic images of Japan is that of the gleaming white bullet train passing in front of Mount Fuji. The shinkansen as it's known in Japan is a marvel of technology and engineering and despite it's international reputation for speed and safety not much is known about what makes it work so well.
On this show Anthony delves into the history and details of the shinkansen with author Christopher Hood who talks about his book, Shinkansen: From Bullet Train to Symbol of Modern Japan and the impact high speed rail has had on Japan.
Anthony also talks about the uncertain future Japan faces as it turns off the last remaining active nuclear power plant.
https://tokyo-podcast.com/shinkansen/
Anthony returns to Japan from his month long vacation to his home city of Vancouver, Canada. He talks about experiencing reverse culture shock at being back in his home country.
We are also joined by popular YouTube creator Hikosaemon who has many excellent videos about living in Japan. On this show Hiko talks to Anthony about what it means to be a foreigner in Japan, a Japanese in Japan and the ultimate question of can a foreigner ever be accepted into Japanese society.
The devastating earthquake in Japan and the subsequent tsunami carried millions of personal belongings of out to sea. These belongings are now starting to wash ashore along the coast of North America. By leveraging the power of Facebook and CloverPoint’s MapSocial, we hope to return these lost items to the families that they belong to.
Imagine a world where video games reign supreme. Five story buildings filled with arcade cabinets, old and new, inundate the streets of downtown Tokyo. Welcome to Japan. A place where the arcades of the 80s and 90s not only still exist, but thrive and have evolved into an elaborate, unmatchable gaming experience.
100 Yen is a historical documentary about the evolution of arcades and the culture surrounding it - from the birth of arcades to the game centers that still thrive today. With a predominant focus on the three major arcade genres, Shooting games, Fighting games and Rhythm games, 100 Yen explores the culture and evolution of arcades through the past and present. All filmed on location in Japan, Canada, and the USA featuring interviews with industry professionals, game programmers and designers, casual gamers and gaming icons.
On this show Anthony looks back at his time in Japan and talks about some of the challenges he faced in getting set up here. We also talk to Fab from Get to Japan about the services they offer in helping people make the transition to life in Japan.
On March 11, 2011 a powerful magnitude 9 earthquake struck off the coast of Japan. The earthquake triggered a massive tsunami that killed over 15,000 people and destroyed over 125,000 homes and buildings.
On this show I bring you four stories of survival and recovery from the 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake.
In a recent survey the New York Times found that Japan ranked 90th in the world and dead last among industrialized nations for happiness and less economically developed countries such as Bangladesh ranked much higher. My guest today is film maker Eiji Han Shimizu who's new film 'Happy' attempts to find the answer to the age old question of, what makes people happy?
On this show we continue our Japanese Language Series with Alex Brooke who runs the Learn Japanese Pod website. Alex is the host of the Learn Japanese Podcast and is also an accomplished musician. We delve into the rhythm and the melody of Japanese compared to other languages and even throw in a quick Thai lesson.
We are also joined by Brad Stephenson from 25Cafes who brings us his review of a trendy vegetarian cafe located in Shibuya. 25Cafes is your guide to 100% smoke free cafes in Tokyo.
With a history that dates back hundreds of years and a business empire that stretches into many areas of modern Japan, the Yakuza are a feared and respected part of Japanese society.
On this episode of Tokyo Podcast we talk to Belgian photographer Anton Kusters who spent two years photographing the Japanese Yakuza and has produced a fascinating photo book detailing his journey into the heart of the Japanese criminal world.
One of the most commonly asked questions that we here at Tokyo Podcast get is what is dating like in Japan? Is it the same as dating in a Western country? Are Japanese girls shy? Do Japanese guys flirt?
Intercultural dating is always fraught with challenges and dating in Japan is no exception. To guide us through this dating minefield we have Melissa Feineman who wrote the 'Let's Date' column for the Japanzine magazine.
On March 10, 2011 Sachiko Takao set out on adventure bike tour to experience the wonderful foods that are available in Japan. Starting in Okinawa, Sachiko cycled the 2280 KM over 6 months to the northern tip of Japan in Hokkaido. Along the way she sampled many delicious foods, photographed the amazing scenery and met many friendly and curious people.
https://tokyo-podcast.com/finding-sachi/
During World War II the United States government detained over 100,000 people of Japanese descent in interment camps throughout the west coast of the United States. One particular camp located in Santa Fe, New Mexico was different. It housed Japanese men who were considered the worst of the worst by the United States government. Many of these men were journalists, teachers, ministers or businessmen and until today their story has never been told.
Neil Simon is a documentary filmmaker who's film 'Prisoners and Patriots: The Untold Story of Japanese Internment in Santa Fe' hopes to bring awareness to the camp in Santa Fe and this untold story from World War II.
What happened to the economic powerhouse that Japan was in the 1980's? Where did the innovation and entrepreneurialism go? Is it still alive or has Japan Inc. suffered from too much by bureaucracy and lack of leadership?
Anthony Joh talks to William Saito who is an accomplished entrepreneur, venture capitalist, educator and consultant to governments worldwide. He talks about how the Japanese economic train got derailed and what steps can be taken to get it back on track.
Having grown up in Japan, Yushi Shinoda developed a love of languages at a very young age when he started studying English and Chinese. An opportunity to study in China cemented his love of languages and he has been adding to his repertoire ever since.
Yushi joins us today to talk about how he is able to learn so many languages and offers suggestions on how we can improve our language learning ability.
Moving to a new country and living an expat life can be one of the most rewarding and frustrating things to do, sometimes at the same time! The thrill of experiencing something new and exotic can quickly be replaced with the frustration of struggling to accomplish the most basic of tasks.
Our guest today is Ms. Ashley Thompson who runs a website called 'Surviving in Japan without much Japanese'. On her site she offers all sorts of valuable tips on setting up your new life in Japan. She recently had her first child and joins us to talk about her experience giving birth in Japan.
Of the 3000 castles that once dotted the Japanese landscape only 12 remain in their original condition. From old ruins to modern replicas, on this show we talk to Daniel O`Grady from Japanese Castle Explorer about the historic and modern significance of Japanese castles.
I also post a mini review of the new Sony Playstation Vita. This new gaming machine from Sony has been eagerly anticipated by fans and is an important product for the profit challenged company. Does the Sony Playstation Vita live up to the hype and would I recommend it as a portable gaming device?
Also this is the last show for 2011 and I wanted to thank everyone who listens and supports the show and a special thank you to all my guests who have been on. Without your support Tokyo Podcast would just be me talking to myself and so I thank everyone for making it a huge success.
The taiko drum is one of the endearing symbols of Japan and is one that stretches as far back as 14,000 BC. Traditionaly used in plays or to motivate troops in times of war, the modern taiko performance that we see today is only about 50 years old.
On this show I talk to Isaku Kageyama who is two-time National Odaiko (large drum) Champion and is the youngest person to win such honors. He is also the first person to be accepted into a major American music university for playing taiko. I talk to Isaku about the history of taiko, how the Japanese system makes it difficult for younger players to get noticed and how more traditional Japanese music might be headed overseas.
I also talk about my recent live interview with the guys at Bad Communication Podcast where I was the one answering questions and I touch on my recent attempts to keep my apartment warm by blocking out the cold Japanese winter air.
Many foreigners come to Japan to teach English for a short time but few stay long enough to set up their own English language school. On this show I talk to John Bardos from Jet Set Citizen about his 10 years as the owner of a successful English language school in Japan and the difficult decision he made to dramatically change his lifestyle.
I also answer a viewers question about why I started Tokyo Podcast and also ask a favour from the audience on how you can help promote Tokyo Podcast.
Japanese manga and anime are hugely popular around the world and is a multi billion yen industry but despite its popularity there is some controversy over whether it is possible to learn Japanese from watching anime. Anthony Joh talks to Ken Cannon who not only claims that it is possible to learn Japanese from anime but he teaches a course on how to do it.
Anthony also talk to Brad Stephenson who runs a website dedicated to finding smoke free cafes in Tokyo. With 47% of the male population being smokers finding a nice place to eat that doesn't stink of smoke is not an easy task. Brad shares with us his favourite eateries around town.
Japan is a country that is steeped in history and culture and among the high tech skyscrapers and the neon lit shopping areas are remnants of a glorious past.
On this episode Anthony talks to Juju Kurihara from Iromegane about the Shichigosan Festival, which translates into English as 7-5-3, this festival celebrates the coming of age of young children.
We also take a walk through the majestic Imperial Palace located in the heart of Tokyo with Paul Christie from Walk Japan. Paul leads us on a fascinating walking tour of the historical significance of the Imperial Palace and the role it played in establishing Tokyo as the economic centre of Japan.
Japan has a reputation as being a homogenous society with very little in the way of multiculturalism, at times even going so far as to proudly proclaim themselves as mono-ethnic. However this is slowly changing as the number of mixed race people living in Japan grows with an estimated one in thirty babies born in Japan today are being born to a couple where at least one parent is not Japanese.
On this show I talk to Lara Perez Takagi and Megumi Nishikura who are making a documentary film about the lives of five half Japanese or 'Hafus' living in Japan. For some being a mixed race person living in Japan has posed no problems but others have struggled to find their own identity and even going to far as to hide their non Japanese side.
The number of people making YouTube videos about their life in Japan has exploded over the past few years. However many of these videos are geared towards childish entertainment rather than actually providing any information about what it's like to live in Japan.
On this episode of Tokyo Podcast Anthony talks to Unrested who has a very popular YouTube channel and with 140 videos and over 850,000 views Unrested's channel offers a good insight into what it is like to live and work in Japan.
Many foreigners who come to Japan start their first job as an English teacher and sadly many stay in that job for their entire time in Japan. My guest today is David Chester who wrote a book exploring the many other freelancing jobs that are available to English speakers. From staring in Japanese TV shows, teaching cooking classes or performing as musicians there are many freelancing opportunities in Tokyo if you know where to find them.
Tokyo Podcast is pleased to offer a free meal at the Bubba Gump Shrimp Company in conjunction. This offer if brought to you by The Expat's Guide to Japan, a fantastic free resource for anyone moving to Japan for the first time. Check out the Expat's Guide to Japan Facebook page for all the details on how to enter to win a free meal at the Bubba Gump Shrimp Company.
Anthony kicks off his Japanese language series by talking to Richard Graham who runs the very popular Genki Japan website. Richard has been making YouTube videos for some time now helping people learn Japanese in a fun and unique way. We compare different methods of learning Japanese and how you can say "may the force be with you" in Japanese.
Anthony also talks about his recent emergency trip to the dentist and how a keep eye and an English speaking dentist helped him overcome this medical emergency.
On this show Anthony talks to his former co-host of Bangkok Podcast, Greg Jorgensen about the flooding situation in Bangkok. Many parts of Thailand are under water right now and even the government officials seem unsure if the waters are going to hit Bangkok or not. Greg gives us a local perspective on how the floods are affecting life in Bangkok.
I also talk to Paul Papadimitriou who runs a website covering the mobile phone industry in Japan. We talk about the recently released Apple iPhone 4S and how Apple's business model has caused quite a stir in the Japanese mobile market. We also touch on the news that KDDI/Au us now selling the iPhone 4S and thus breaking the iPhone monopoly that was held by SoftBank for many years.
On this show Anthony talks about the new iPhone 4S that is set to be released in Japan next week. The big news that is shaking up the Japan mobile telephone industry is the news that KDDI is now offering the iPhone. This breaks a long held monopoly by SoftBank to sell the iPhone and should means better prices for consumers.
Anthony also went to check out a Thai Japanese festival and comments on the good relationship between Thailand and Japan. The festival was a good chance for Japanese people to try many different kinds of Thai food, although Anthony noticed that the durian booth wasn't too busy.
Lastly Anthony updates everyone on his housing situation with some good tips on buying furniture.
Here’s to the crazy ones. The misfits. The rebels. The troublemakers. The round pegs in the square holes. The ones who see things differently. They’re not fond of rules. And they have no respect for the status quo. You can quote them, disagree with them, glorify or vilify them. About the only thing you can’t do is ignore them. Because they change things. They push the human race forward. And while some may see them as the crazy ones, we see genius. Because the people who are crazy enough to think they can change the world, are the ones who do.
On this show Anthony talks about leaving friendly Thailand, experiencing culture shock at the rudeness of the Chinese and the feeling of relief after finally making it to Japan.
He also talks about the difficulties and challenges of finding an apartment in Japan. This is a process filled with large amounts of paperwork, procedures and endless fees.
So far the change from Thailand to Japan has been a lot more complicated than Anthony expected but he is looking forward to settling into his new life in Tokyo.
Typhoon Roke slammed into Japan today at the height of the Tokyo rush hour causing the train system to come to a complete stop. With over 6 million people using the train system per day any delay is going to cause massive back ups. On this show Tony experiences both a typhoon and the notorious Japanese rush hour.
On this teaser episode of Tokyo Podcast Tony talks about what is coming up for the show. Some of the topics that will be covered will be:
- Living and working in Japan
- Shinto Buddhism
- Sports in Japan
- Japanese Language
And of course many interviews with fascinating expats and Japanese people. The first show will launch on October 2 so keep your eye open for that.