Tokyo Podcast

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.