Unpacking Japan

Meet Jake, an international school principal living in Japan. He sits down to talk to us about the reality of teaching in Japan, including what people should expect, what companies do, and how to actually build a career teaching here..--0:00 Intro0:50 Meet Jake5:11 First time in Japan12:15 First experience as a teacher20:44 A career in teaching English27:38 The reality of being an ALT36:51 The role of teaching companies43:12 Teaching licenses48:00 Becoming principal1:02:11 What people should know1:06:15 What should change--Follow Jake: @jakejapanjapan Follow us:https://unpacking.jp/https://www.instagram.com/unpacking_japanhttps://www.tiktok.com/@unpackingjapanhttps://www.facebook.com/unpackingjapanhttps://www.youtube.com/@unpackingjapanshortshttps://www.x.com/unpacking_japanhttps://creators.spotify.com/pod/profile/unpackingjapanSubscribe for more in-depth discussions about life in Japan! Interested in working at a global e-commerce company in Osaka? Our parent company ZenGroup is hiring! To learn more, check out https://careers.zen.group/en/

Meet Priyanka, an Indian-Japanese entrepreneur who sits down to talk to us about her life growing up as a hafu in Japan. She tells us about being the only hafu in Japanese school, winning Miss World Japan in 2016, her time on reality TV show Love is Blind Japan, and her work as a model and entrepreneur.--0:00 Intro0:50 Meet Priyanka4:46 Moving to California12:22 Moving back to Japan14:14 Bullying in Japanese schools25:53 Becoming a model30:51 Entering Miss World Japan34:57 The elephant trainer thing40:27 Winning as a hafu50:56 Start as an entrepreneur1:03:03 Love is Blind1:16:35 Moving to London1:20:22 Learning ikebana1:25:02 Looking back--Follow Priyanka:https://www.instagram.com/priyankayoshikawa/https://open.spotify.com/show/4iVGYMYvEtksY766NhicEq?si=b20f3f83bbcf4ba0https://x.com/priyayoshikawa @AuthenticallyMe-podcast Follow us:https://unpacking.jp/https://www.instagram.com/unpacking_japanhttps://www.tiktok.com/@unpackingjapanhttps://www.facebook.com/unpackingjapanhttps://www.youtube.com/@unpackingjapanshortshttps://www.x.com/unpacking_japanhttps://creators.spotify.com/pod/profile/unpackingjapanSubscribe for more in-depth discussions about life in Japan! Interested in working at a global e-commerce company in Osaka? Our parent company ZenGroup is hiring! To learn more, check out https://careers.zen.group/en/

Meet Nancy Singleton Hachisu, a cookbook author living on a rural farm in Saitama. She sits down to talk to us about coming to Japan, discovering the beautiful simplicty of Japanese farm food, and writing her cookbooks on Japanese home cooking.--0:00 Intro0:45 Meet Nancy5:32 Coming to Japan11:09 Impressions of the food17:12 Moving to a farm23:05 Homeschooling and edible schoolyard32:24 Writing a cookbook38:54 What you should know about Japanese food43:11 How to incorporate Japanese ingredients51:03 Publishing a book in Japan1:07:04 Current projects1:16:27 Where to start with Japanese cooking--Follow Nancy:https://www.nancysingletonhachisu.com/https://www.instagram.com/nancyhachisu/https://www.facebook.com/nancy.hachisuFollow us:https://unpacking.jp/https://www.instagram.com/unpacking_japanhttps://www.tiktok.com/@unpackingjapanhttps://www.facebook.com/unpackingjapanhttps://www.youtube.com/@unpackingjapanshortshttps://www.x.com/unpacking_japanhttps://creators.spotify.com/pod/profile/unpackingjapanSubscribe for more in-depth discussions about life in Japan! Interested in working at a global e-commerce company in Osaka? Our parent company ZenGroup is hiring! To learn more, check out https://careers.zen.group/en/

Meet Lauren Rose Kocher, an entrepreneur and CEO of multiple businesses in Tokyo. She sits down to talk to us about her journey to Japan, working in the Japanese music industry before leaving to start her own business, and inheriting businesses from her late husband.--0:00 Intro0:45 Meet Lauren4:30 Teaching English in Japan8:58 Entering the music industry15:09 What the music industry is like19:05 Cyndi Lauper earthquake story31:50 Working at Sony44:50 Moving on47:32 Establishing her own company51:15 The COVID jackpot58:00 Expansion and burnout1:03:52 Having to leave her own company1:09:13 Lauren's late husband1:12:44 Starting a new company1:15:10 Converting defunct family business1:21:26 Looking back1:25:32 Husband's businesses--Follow Lauren:https://www.laurenrosekocher.com/https://www.instagram.com/laurenrosekocher/https://www.tiktok.com/@laurenrosekocherhttps://laurenrosekocher.substack.com/Follow us:https://unpacking.jp/https://www.instagram.com/unpacking_japanhttps://www.tiktok.com/@unpackingjapanhttps://www.facebook.com/unpackingjapanhttps://www.youtube.com/@unpackingjapanshortshttps://www.x.com/unpacking_japanhttps://creators.spotify.com/pod/profile/unpackingjapanSubscribe for more in-depth discussions about life in Japan! Interested in working at a global e-commerce company in Osaka? Our parent company ZenGroup is hiring! To learn more, check out https://careers.zen.group/en/

Meet Ameya, an Indian director born and raised in Tokyo. She sits down to talk to us about growing up in Japan, her entry into the Tokyo art scene, and her work as a film director.--0:45 Meet Ameya1:20 Growing up Indian in Tokyo11:37 Realizing how society views you14:50 Joining the creative industry19:18 Stepping behind the camera23:04 Making connections28:03 Becoming a filmmaker37:14 Shooting for big brands45:25 Differences shooting in Japan50:58 Ameya's first movie56:10 The creator economy1:02:35 Gaining confidence as a creator--Follow Ameya:https://ameya.click/https://www.instagram.com/ameya.click/Follow us:https://unpacking.jp/https://www.instagram.com/unpacking_japanhttps://www.tiktok.com/@unpackingjapanhttps://www.facebook.com/unpackingjapanhttps://www.youtube.com/@unpackingjapanshortshttps://www.x.com/unpacking_japanhttps://creators.spotify.com/pod/profile/unpackingjapanSubscribe for more in-depth discussions about life in Japan! Interested in working at a global e-commerce company in Osaka? Our parent company ZenGroup is hiring! To learn more, check out https://careers.zen.group/en/

Meet Richard, a professor of Noh and Asian performing arts at Musashino University in Tokyo, as well as the founder and director of Theatre Nohgaku. He sits down to talk to us about the art and history of Noh, common misconceptions that foreigners and Japanese people have, and his own journey to the Noh world in Japan.--0:00 Intro0:46 Meet Richard6:56 What is Noh?11:42 The yooooooooo17:24 Noh vs. Kabuki20:14 Origins of Noh22:50 Where plays come from30:31 Richard's start in Noh35:30 Noh actor families41:05 Noh instruments47:57 Writing the book on Noh51:39 Popularity of Noh59:49 The Noh stage1:04:43 Modern Noh plays1:07:08 English Noh plays1:10:30 Noh masks1:23:17 Appreciating Noh--Follow Richard:https://www.theatrenohgaku.org/Follow us:https://unpacking.jp/https://www.instagram.com/unpacking_japanhttps://www.tiktok.com/@unpackingjapanhttps://www.facebook.com/unpackingjapanhttps://www.youtube.com/@unpackingjapanshortshttps://www.x.com/unpacking_japanhttps://creators.spotify.com/pod/profile/unpackingjapanSubscribe for more in-depth discussions about life in Japan! Interested in working at a global e-commerce company in Osaka? Our parent company ZenGroup is hiring! To learn more, check out https://careers.zen.group/en/

Meet Matcha Samurai, a Japanese creator known for his infectious laugh. He sits down to talk to us about his identity as someone from Kochi, his life abroad in London, and being a creator with the role of assumed Japanese culture expert.A big thank you to our colleagues from ZenMarket for sponsoring this episode. Interesting in buying anything from Japan? Find out more here: https://go.zenmarket.jp/unpackingjapan--0:00 Intro1:07 Meet Matcha Samurai3:14 Interest in studying abroad6:02 Arriving in London10:32 Start as creator13:08 Role as defacto culture expert17:40 Thoughts on "JaPaN" as a Japanese21:42 Why he doesn't monetize his videos23:26 Career in London25:40 Trying not to get cancelled31:25 Topics he avoids33:14 On his unique laugh39:52 Looking back on 10 years in London47:11 Kochi people are different51:46 Where to go in Kochi56:47 Why everywhere in Japan is so different59:12 Looking back1:03:01 What to know coming to Japan--Follow Matcha Samurai: https://www.youtube.com/@matcha_samuraihttps://www.tiktok.com/@matcha_samuraihttps://www.instagram.com/matcha_samuraiFollow us:https://unpacking.jp/https://www.instagram.com/unpacking_japanhttps://www.tiktok.com/@unpackingjapanhttps://www.facebook.com/unpackingjapanhttps://www.youtube.com/@unpackingjapanshortshttps://www.x.com/unpacking_japanhttps://creators.spotify.com/pod/profile/unpackingjapanSubscribe for more in-depth discussions about life in Japan! Interested in working at a global e-commerce company in Osaka? Our parent company ZenGroup is hiring! To learn more, check out https://careers.zen.group/en/

Meet Harald Naess, a trumpeter for the Kyoto Symphony Orchestra. He sits down to talk to us about moving to Japan, learning Japanese while finding a common language in German, and the differences in work ethic and performance in Japan.--0:00 Intro0:45 Meet Harald4:14 First music study6:35 Arriving in Japan10:00 Differences playing in Japan14:05 Japanese approach to music18:39 First performance in Japan24:00 Why Harald was selected28:12 Music is like noodles33:04 Impactful performances39:59 Orchestra group dynamics44:10 Bringing a younger audience45:17 Teaching Japanese students57:47 Looking back59:29 Sailing in Japan1:04:05 Getting a license1:08:56 Sailing experiences1:11:30 Why moving here was easy--Follow Harald:https://www.facebook.com/kyototrumpet/https://www.instagram.com/kyotoviking/https://open.spotify.com/artist/2xLfjz5BJ3y6LzJZP0YFIO?si=QMojHzocS52j8axopG12vgFollow us:https://unpacking.jp/https://www.instagram.com/unpacking_japanhttps://www.tiktok.com/@unpackingjapanhttps://www.facebook.com/unpackingjapanhttps://www.youtube.com/@unpackingjapanshortshttps://www.x.com/unpacking_japanhttps://creators.spotify.com/pod/profile/unpackingjapanSubscribe for more in-depth discussions about life in Japan! Interested in working at a global e-commerce company in Osaka? Our parent company ZenGroup is hiring! To learn more, check out https://careers.zen.group/en/

Meet Sylvia Manchester, a self-titled Natural Born Diva working as an entertainer and drag bar host in Tokyo. She sits down to talk to us about her studies abroad, interest in queer literature, coming out, and the birth of the Sylvia Manchester character.A big thank you to our colleagues from ZenMarket for sponsoring this episode. Interesting in buying anything from Japan? Find out more here:https://go.zenmarket.jp/unpackingjapan--0:00 Intro1:07 Meet Sylvia Manchester6:35 First interest in drag7:54 Being gay in Tokyo vs. Britain12:10 Starting drag in Japan14:02 Queer literature and gay identity22:08 Start in drag bar24:54 Being closeted in a Japanese office27:37 Becoming a professional drag queen32:16 Golden Gai 35:45 Interest in Chanson41:30 Birth of Sylvia Manchester43:29 Busking in Tokyo47:15 Finding a place in the Tokyo drag community50:00 Translating Chanson to Japanese51:43 What Golden Gai is like58:32 Balancing drag and normal personas1:00:36 The Sylvia Manchester queendom1:03:40 Sylvia's literature reviews--Follow us:https://unpacking.jp/https://www.instagram.com/unpacking_japanhttps://www.tiktok.com/@unpackingjapanhttps://www.facebook.com/unpackingjapanhttps://www.youtube.com/@unpackingjapanshortshttps://www.x.com/unpacking_japanhttps://creators.spotify.com/pod/profile/unpackingjapanSubscribe for more in-depth discussions about life in Japan! Interested in working at a global e-commerce company in Osaka? Our parent company ZenGroup is hiring! To learn more, check out https://careers.zen.group/en/

Meet Will, a host and content creator for Japan Gay Guide in Tokyo. He tells us about how his love for the band Perfume brought him to Japan, what being gay in Japan is like, and his work in LGBT tourism with Japan Gay Guide.--0:00 Intro0:46 Meet Will5:30 Arriving in Kagoshima10:35 Coming back to Japan17:49 Being gay in Japan vs. Sydney25:45 What is Japan Gay Guide?28:40 Japan as a safe haven32:58 Planning what to publish38:01 How views on LGBT have changed41:52 Where to go in Japan46:55 What's next--Follow Will: @willbennett2000 https://www.instagram.com/willbennett2000/https://www.tiktok.com/@willbennett2000Follow us:https://unpacking.jp/https://www.instagram.com/unpacking_japanhttps://www.tiktok.com/@unpackingjapanhttps://www.facebook.com/unpackingjapanhttps://www.youtube.com/@unpackingjapanshortshttps://www.x.com/unpacking_japanhttps://creators.spotify.com/pod/profile/unpackingjapanSubscribe for more in-depth discussions about life in Japan! Interested in working at a global e-commerce company in Osaka? Our parent company ZenGroup is hiring! To learn more, check out https://careers.zen.group/en/

Meet Lawson, a British creator who first came to Japan living in Kobe and Nishinomiya, where he quickly picked up the Kansai dialect. Now living in Tokyo, he's become known for his fluent dialect as a foreigner.A big thank you to our colleagues from ZenMarket for sponsoring this episode. Interesting in buying anything from Japan? Find out more here:https://go.zenmarket.jp/unpackingjapan--0:00 Intro1:07 Meet Lawson4:36 Learning Japanese7:41 Studying Japanese in university10:19 Coming to Japan16:11 Becoming a salaryman25:18 Origin of name Honmani Lawson29:51 Move to comedy videos36:39 How Japanese comedy works 41:42 Reacting to videos as a foreigner43:22 Learning Japanese comedy48:08 Does this interfere with your job?52:14 How comedy changed his life in Japan54:30 Looking back58:31 Impact of his platform--Follow Lawson: @honmanilawson https://www.instagram.com/honmanilawson/https://www.tiktok.com/@honmanilawsonhttps://honmanilawson.com/Follow us:https://unpacking.jp/https://www.instagram.com/unpacking_japanhttps://www.tiktok.com/@unpackingjapanhttps://www.facebook.com/unpackingjapanhttps://www.youtube.com/@unpackingjapanshortshttps://www.x.com/unpacking_japanhttps://creators.spotify.com/pod/profile/unpackingjapanSubscribe for more in-depth discussions about life in Japan! Interested in working at a global e-commerce company in Osaka? Our parent company ZenGroup is hiring! To learn more, check out https://careers.zen.group/en/

Meet Genoa, a content creator with a very unique life that brought him to Japan. He sits down to talk to us about growing up in a cult, before leaving and eventually coming to Okinawa as an exchange student in high school, and his current life preparing for studying at language school and going viral sharing his experiences in Japan. A big thank you to our colleagues from ZenMarket for sponsoring this episode. Interesting in buying anything from Japan? Find out more here: https://go.zenmarket.jp/unpackingjapan--0:00 Intro1:07 Growing up in a cult5:07 Reactions to cult story9:55 Interest in Japan study abroad13:02 Arriving in Okinawa17:26 Life in Okinawa21:14 Japanese high school25:43 Comparisons to American school33:42 Going viral41:28 Thoughts on social media career48:02 Genoa's view on "Japan" content51:21 Consulting Japanese on his comedy53:09 Working with brands56:04 Language school in Japan --Follow Genoa:https://www.instagram.com/genoaorion/https://www.tiktok.com/@genoaorion@genoaorionFollow us:https://unpacking.jp/https://www.instagram.com/unpacking_japanhttps://www.tiktok.com/@unpackingjapanhttps://www.facebook.com/unpackingjapanhttps://www.youtube.com/@unpackingjapanshortshttps://www.x.com/unpacking_japanhttps://creators.spotify.com/pod/profile/unpackingjapanSubscribe for more in-depth discussions about life in Japan! Interested in working at a global e-commerce company in Osaka? Our parent company ZenGroup is hiring! To learn more, check out https://careers.zen.group/en/

Meet Gia, a Korean born creator who grew up in Tokyo. She sits down to talk to us about her very multicultural and multilingual life in Japan, from international school to Waseda University.--0:00 Intro0:45 Meet Gia5:17 Internation school in Tokyo9:25 Applying to Waseda12:39 Growing up in a foreign bubble16:28 Student life at Waseda20:07 Studying at Waseda22:43 International school vs. university in Japan26:17 University life29:46 Content interviewing other students33:40 Transitioning to full-time creator36:02 Japanese vs. foreign viewers39:44 Waseda vs. other universities43:32 Looking forward46:02 Being Christian in Japan51:56 Seoul Sista podcastFollow Gia: @gialores  https://www.instagram.com/gialores/https://www.tiktok.com/@gialores Follow us:https://unpacking.jp/https://www.instagram.com/unpacking_japanhttps://www.tiktok.com/@unpackingjapanhttps://www.facebook.com/unpackingjapanhttps://www.youtube.com/@unpackingjapanshortshttps://www.x.com/unpacking_japanhttps://creators.spotify.com/pod/profile/unpackingjapanSubscribe for more in-depth discussions about life in Japan! Interested in working at a global e-commerce company in Osaka? Our parent company ZenGroup is hiring! To learn more, check out https://careers.zen.group/en/

Meet Bernd Kestler, a German knitter living in Japan. He sits down to talk to us about moving to Japan in the 80s, his love for knitting, and exactly how he's established this unconventional career in Japan.--0:00 Intro0:45 Meet Bernd7:08 First interest in knitting12:32 Knitting in Japan14:55 Knitting full-time16:54 Knitting in Japan vs. Germany22:27 Understanding knitting designs24:03 Japanese knitting designs28:33 Guiness record blanket for Tohoku37:07 First knitting book42:29 Japanese yarn44:28 How the book affected his career46:51 Translating knitting concepts to Japanese49:36 Collaboration with Komeda Coffee54:10 Knitting creative projects58:55 Japanese color palettes1:01:30 Those spiky things on the table1:08:51 Looking back1:16:29 Knitting innovation--Follow Bernd:http://berndkestler.com/ ⁨@BerndKestler⁩ https://www.instagram.com/berndkestler/https://www.facebook.com/bernd.kestler/https://linktr.ee/berndkestlerFollow us:https://unpacking.jp/https://www.instagram.com/unpacking_japanhttps://www.tiktok.com/@unpackingjapanhttps://www.facebook.com/unpackingjapanhttps://www.youtube.com/@unpackingjapanshortshttps://www.x.com/unpacking_japanhttps://creators.spotify.com/pod/profile/unpackingjapanSubscribe for more in-depth discussions about life in Japan! Interested in working at a global e-commerce company in Osaka? Our parent company ZenGroup is hiring! To learn more, check out https://careers.zen.group/en/

Meet James Farrer, Professor of Sociology and Global Studies at Sophia University. He sits down to talk to us his sociology study in China and Shanghai, before moving to Tokyo and finding his own community by studying the third spaces that exist in the restaurants around train stations.--0:00 Intro0:44 Meet James3:32 Shanghai in the 90s8:27 Studies at Fudan University12:18 Coming to Japan15:34 Finding community in Tokyo18:14 The reality of Midnight Diner21:20 Experiences as an outsider28:42 Differences in Tokyo neighborhoods33:53 Street food in Japan?37:02 James's NHK program41:42 Differences between Tokyo and Shanghai46:23 Foreigner-run restaurants50:50 Challenges telling stories on TV55:10 Kabukicho nightlife59:30 How comparable are Tokyo and Shanghai really?1:02:36 Have you found your place in Tokyo?1:09:24 The paradoxical freedom of big cities--Follow James:https://www.nishiogiology.org/https://www.instagram.com/japanfoodresearch/https://www.linkedin.com/in/jamesfarrer/Follow us:https://unpacking.jp/https://www.instagram.com/unpacking_japanhttps://www.tiktok.com/@unpackingjapanhttps://www.facebook.com/unpackingjapanhttps://www.youtube.com/@unpackingjapanshortshttps://www.x.com/unpacking_japanhttps://creators.spotify.com/pod/profile/unpackingjapanSubscribe for more in-depth discussions about life in Japan! Interested in working at a global e-commerce company in Osaka? Our parent company ZenGroup is hiring! To learn more, check out https://careers.zen.group/en/

Meet Kristine aka Kfel, a Filipino Canadian content creator based in Tokyo completing what she calls "magical girl sidequests." She sits down to talk to us about her interest and subsequent internship in Japan, her journey to fluency, going viral on TikTok, and becoming a magical girl--0:00 Intro0:45 Meet Kristine7:07 Internship in Japan18:47 Start in content creation20:58 Getting her first sponsor26:52 The struggle of bringing cats to Japan33:09 How Kfel got so fluent41:47 Moving to Japan43:55 Finding a community here48:17 How Japan changed her videos50:34 How girl walk in Tokyo56:28 Working with GeeXPlus1:01:12 Advice for aspiring creators1:04:05 Getting into cosplay1:07:40 What's next1:09:57 Kfel's favorite anime1:13:07 What makes a good anime?1:15:28 Kfel's struggle with identity--Follow us:https://unpacking.jp/https://www.instagram.com/unpacking_japanhttps://www.tiktok.com/@unpackingjapanhttps://www.facebook.com/unpackingjapanhttps://www.youtube.com/@unpackingjapanshortshttps://www.x.com/unpacking_japanhttps://creators.spotify.com/pod/profile/unpackingjapanSubscribe for more in-depth discussions about life in Japan! Interested in working at a global e-commerce company in Osaka? Our parent company ZenGroup is hiring! To learn more, check out https://careers.zen.group/en/

Meet River, a correspondent for the New York Times based in Japan. She sits down to talk to us about Japan's current political and economic climate, the life of a journalist in Japan, and the role of a journalist in the age of social media.--0:00 Intro0:45 Meet River4:40 Deciding to stay in Japan9:05 Being a journalist in the Trump presidency12:18 Start at WSJ and Bloomberg16:11 Being unbiased a a journalist19:40 Moving to Japan as a journalist26:32 Journalistic ethics vs business31:03 Personal interest in stories35:40 Finding experts to interview40:31 Investigative journalism42:30 Where are you when big events happen?47:01 The Alaska LNG story55:00 Treatment as a female journalist59:19 Role of written journalism1:06:47 Balancing business and integrity1:10:41 What's next for River1:12:52 Portrayal of Takaichi 1:16:13 How much context readers need--Follow River:https://www.nytimes.com/by/river-akira-davishttps://x.com/riverakiradavisFollow us:https://unpacking.jp/https://www.instagram.com/unpacking_japanhttps://www.tiktok.com/@unpackingjapanhttps://www.facebook.com/unpackingjapanhttps://www.youtube.com/@unpackingjapanshortshttps://www.x.com/unpacking_japanhttps://creators.spotify.com/pod/profile/unpackingjapanSubscribe for more in-depth discussions about life in Japan! Interested in working at a global e-commerce company in Osaka? Our parent company ZenGroup is hiring! To learn more, check out https://careers.zen.group/en/

Meet Paula, English localization lead at Square Enix in Japan. She sits down to talk to us about how she broke into the localization industry, misconceptions about game translation, what it was like to work on titles like Final Fantasy and Secret of Mana, and how she got the chance to sing for Final Fantasy XIV.--0:00 Intro0:45 Meet Paula2:11 Teaching on the JET Programme9:45 Start in localization industry14:25 Misconceptions about game localization22:37 Challenges in localization25:53 How long does localization take?27:30 Naming consistency31:42 Gaming as work vs. hobby33:15 Context when translating34:22 Translating Final Fantasy Pixel Remasters42:31 How big is the localization team?43:41 Fan reaction45:53 Other big projects at Square Enix48:31 Localization process between games49:52 Changing industry51:29 Singing/voice acting for Final Fantasy59:56 Voice director for Visions of Mana1:02:00 How to be a good translator1:04:44 Upcoming projects1:06:32 More localization misconceptions--Square Enix:https://www.square-enix.com/Follow us:https://unpacking.jp/https://www.instagram.com/unpacking_japanhttps://www.tiktok.com/@unpackingjapanhttps://www.facebook.com/unpackingjapanhttps://www.youtube.com/@unpackingjapanshortshttps://www.x.com/unpacking_japanhttps://creators.spotify.com/pod/profile/unpackingjapanSubscribe for more in-depth discussions about life in Japan! Interested in working at a global e-commerce company in Osaka? Our parent company ZenGroup is hiring! To learn more, check out https://careers.zen.group/en/

Meet Avril Haye-Matsui, a professor at Aichi Prefectural University in Nagoya. She sits down to talk to us about the reality of being black in Japan, raising mixed black children here, how people treat black people can vary depending on what country you're from, and --0:00 Intro0:45 Meet Avril3:36 Arriving on the JET Program9:16 Staying and moving to academia14:57 Research on identity in Japan18:54 PhD studies24:33 Study into being black in Japan28:33 Students' perception of identity37:47 Changing perception of blackness today39:55 Personal experience of blackness in Japan44:01 Avril's children's experiences51:03 Being black as children vs. teenagers53:53 Interactions with Japanese schools57:35 Women's empowerment circle1:06:56 Advice for black people coming to Japan--Follow Avril:https://womenempowermentcirclegroup.net/https://www.instagram.com/bwijgroup/Follow us:https://unpacking.jp/https://www.instagram.com/unpacking_japanhttps://www.tiktok.com/@unpackingjapanhttps://www.facebook.com/unpackingjapanhttps://www.youtube.com/@unpackingjapanshortshttps://www.x.com/unpacking_japanhttps://creators.spotify.com/pod/profile/unpackingjapanSubscribe for more in-depth discussions about life in Japan! Interested in working at a global e-commerce company in Osaka? Our parent company ZenGroup is hiring! To learn more, check out https://careers.zen.group/en/

Meet David Kornhauser, Director of Global Communications at Kyoto University. He sits down to talk with us about how Japanese universities are becoming more international, his work in science communication, and the proliferation of nobel prizes from Kyoto University.--0:00 Intro0:45 Meet David3:15 Rediscovering Japanese roots9:46 International bubble universities12:41 PR for Tokyo Electric Power17:30 Working in foreign services in China22:48 Connection to Japan while abroad25:53 Returning to Japan30:03 Working for Kyoto University32:54 Language barrier at international universities37:48 How Japanese universities operate39:44 Perception of international students47:36 Nobel prizes from Kyoto University52:31 Science communication1:02:07 Kyoto's Yoshida dorm1:12:31 The importance of Japanese universities--Kyoto University:https://www.kyoto-u.ac.jp/enFollow us:https://unpacking.jp/https://www.instagram.com/unpacking_japanhttps://www.tiktok.com/@unpackingjapanhttps://www.facebook.com/unpackingjapanhttps://www.youtube.com/@unpackingjapanshortshttps://www.x.com/unpacking_japanhttps://creators.spotify.com/pod/profile/unpackingjapanSubscribe for more in-depth discussions about life in Japan! Interested in working at a global e-commerce company in Osaka? Our parent company ZenGroup is hiring! To learn more, check out https://careers.zen.group/en/

Meet Dr. Harriet Ocharo, an applied AI researcher from Kenya working in Tokyo. She sits down to talk to us about coming to Japan on the MEXT scholarship, moving to Tokyo to work in the tech industry, and her experiences as a single mother here in Japan.--0:00 Intro0:45 Meet Harriet4:55 Why Japan?8:13 MEXT scholarship10:25 Arriving at a Japanese university20:17 Cultural surprises27:02 Move to Tokyo30:55 Japanese questions about Kenya35:17 Joining a large Japanese company38:11 Challenges joining a Japanese company41:49 What AI is actually useful for47:11 Japanese AI situation52:47 Do Japanese companies want foreigners?54:19 Being a single mother in Japan1:00:40 What support does Japan provide?1:03:49 Raising black children in Japan1:07:05 What made you stay?1:08:55 Next steps--Follow Harriet:https://savvykenya.com/https://x.com/savvykenyahttps://www.instagram.com/savvykenya/https://savvykenya.wordpress.com/Follow us:https://unpacking.jp/https://www.instagram.com/unpacking_japanhttps://www.tiktok.com/@unpackingjapanhttps://www.facebook.com/unpackingjapanhttps://www.youtube.com/@unpackingjapanshortshttps://www.x.com/unpacking_japanhttps://creators.spotify.com/pod/profile/unpackingjapanSubscribe for more in-depth discussions about life in Japan! Interested in working at a global e-commerce company in Osaka? Our parent company ZenGroup is hiring! To learn more, check out https://careers.zen.group/en/

Meet David, a writer based in Japan, who sits down to talk with us about the origins of Western fashion and culture in Japan. He tells us about how Western fashions are brought over, common misconceptions people have, and how Japanese culture actually develops over time.--0:00 Intro0:46 Meet David5:04 Moving to Japan12:35 Unpacking the myth of Japanese culture23:02 Interest in fashion25:56 Evolution of fashion in Japan vs. the US29:18 Fashion genres in Japan33:30 David's book about social status40:02 Research for cultural analysis43:32 Societal value changes over the last 25 years49:38 Work on The New Japan magazine53:34 Rediscovering rural Japan1:02:29 Japan's disappearing places1:09:15 Japanese fashion magazine authority1:15:19 Do you understand Japanese culture yet?1:18:07 Japan is not an other--Follow David:https://www.neomarxisme.com/https://culture.ghost.io/https://www.instagram.com/wdavidmarx/https://x.com/wdavidmarxhttps://bsky.app/profile/wdavidmarx.bsky.socialFollow us:https://unpacking.jp/https://www.instagram.com/unpacking_japanhttps://www.tiktok.com/@unpackingjapanhttps://www.facebook.com/unpackingjapanhttps://www.youtube.com/@unpackingjapanshortshttps://www.x.com/unpacking_japanhttps://creators.spotify.com/pod/profile/unpackingjapanSubscribe for more in-depth discussions about life in Japan! Interested in working at a global e-commerce company in Osaka? Our parent company ZenGroup is hiring! To learn more, check out https://careers.zen.group/en/

Meet Yumechi, a fashion creator living in Tokyo and working for the brand ACDC RAG. She sits down to talk to us about the birth of fashion subcultures, how trends change over time, and her work in the Japanese fashion subculture world.--0:00 Intro0:44 Meet Yumechi2:47 Interest in j-fashion9:56 Finding a community through fashion13:06 Gyaru and lolita today15:02 What makes j-fashion trends so interesting17:00 The sad story behind jirai-kei23:56 Has jirai affected mental health discussion?27:33 Yumechi's fashion styles29:07 Fashion vocabulary30:17 Working for ACDC RAG36:13 Fashion trend cycles38:38 J-fashion overseas41:57 How social media affected trends44:20 Communicating trends to overseas audiences47:06 How fashion affects perceptions of mental health49:31 Who wears these fashions?51:03 Dealing with trends as a brand54:59 Do subcultures branch out to the mainstream?57:34 Growth of j-fashion overseas1:00:25 Yumechi's content journey1:02:43 What is oshikatsu?1:06:04 Yumechi's time as an idol1:07:08 How important are fan groups?1:10:58 The growth of kpop in Japan1:15:57 Looking forward--Follow Yumechi: @yumechi15 https://www.instagram.com/yume.chii/Follow us:https://unpacking.jp/https://www.instagram.com/unpacking_japanhttps://www.tiktok.com/@unpackingjapanhttps://www.facebook.com/unpackingjapanhttps://www.youtube.com/@unpackingjapanshortshttps://www.x.com/unpacking_japanhttps://creators.spotify.com/pod/profile/unpackingjapanSubscribe for more in-depth discussions about life in Japan! Interested in working at a global e-commerce company in Osaka? Our parent company ZenGroup is hiring! To learn more, check out https://careers.zen.group/en/

Meet Shala, a singer, dancer, and musician who was born in Nagoya and grew up in London. She sits down to talk to us about her career across the 2 countries, and her identity as a biracial and bicultural artist.--0:00 Intro0:44 Meet Shala4:03 Interest in music6:54 Interest in dancing11:09 Growing up mixed in London13:16 Moving back to Japan15:48 Dance career in London25:53 How being Asian affected her career35:46 Finding her own path as an artist39:55 Shala's first viral hit45:03 Writing an album48:10 Whitewashing and cultural homogenization53:25 The importance of an album58:33 Writing a bilingual album1:01:41 Japanese music industry vs. multiculturalism1:04:45 Shala's new single--Follow Shala:https://www.wabisabishala.com/ @wabisabishala  https://www.tiktok.com/@wabisabishalahttps://www.instagram.com/wabisabishalahttps://x.com/wabisabishalahttps://soundcloud.com/wabisabishalaFollow us:https://unpacking.jp/https://www.instagram.com/unpacking_japanhttps://www.tiktok.com/@unpackingjapanhttps://www.facebook.com/unpackingjapanhttps://www.youtube.com/@unpackingjapanshortshttps://www.x.com/unpacking_japanhttps://creators.spotify.com/pod/profile/unpackingjapanSubscribe for more in-depth discussions about life in Japan! Interested in working at a global e-commerce company in Osaka? Our parent company ZenGroup is hiring! To learn more, check out https://careers.zen.group/en/

Meet PiNKII, an artist producing what she calls "domme-pop," and former jpop idol. She sits down to talk to us about her first interest in idol culture, moving to Japan with the help of an unscrupulous man, and how she left that all behind to become the artist she is today.--0:00 Intro0:44 Meet PiNKII4:33 First coming to Japan8:11 Posting her own idol dance videos11:56 Getting "discovered"16:27 Arriving in Japan19:42 Experiencing kindness22:32 Bouncing back23:21 Coming back for the fashion industry28:06 Advice for those dreaming of being an idol32:17 Move to the fashion world34:23 Going to idol school35:27 Rediscovering her love for music38:37 PiNKII's music today41:48 PiNKII's proudest work43:34 Moving to Berlin45:56 Performing in Japan49:46 What is Japan to PiNKII now?51:05 Japanese fashion now53:36 What PiNKII wants people to know--Follow us:https://unpacking.jp/https://www.instagram.com/unpacking_japanhttps://www.tiktok.com/@unpackingjapanhttps://www.facebook.com/unpackingjapanhttps://www.youtube.com/@unpackingjapanshortshttps://www.x.com/unpacking_japanhttps://creators.spotify.com/pod/profile/unpackingjapanSubscribe for more in-depth discussions about life in Japan! Interested in working at a global e-commerce company in Osaka? Our parent company ZenGroup is hiring! To learn more, check out https://careers.zen.group/en/

Meet William Reed, also known as the renaissance samurai. He sits down to talk us about moving to Japan in the 1970s, his lifelong practice of martial arts and calligraphy, and his passion for teaching Namba, the samurai walk. 0:00 Intro0:44 Meet Will5:15 Discovering aikido9:06 Homestay in Japan13:17 Tokyo in 197217:38 Deciding to come back to Japan21:46 Returning in the 80s24:10 Practice of martial arts33:00 Key martial arts teachings44:33 Finding balance with Namba56:28 How Namba walking is different1:00:05 How this is relevant today1:09:56 Studying calligraphy1:17:49 What is good calligraphy?1:25:22 The importance of a signature1:34:11 Looking back--Follow William:https://www.samurai-walk.com/https://www.instagram.com/showmeshodo/https://x.com/william_reedhttps://www.facebook.com/will.reedhttps://www.youtube.com/user/taproot55Follow us:https://unpacking.jp/https://www.instagram.com/unpacking_japanhttps://www.tiktok.com/@unpackingjapanhttps://www.facebook.com/unpackingjapanhttps://www.youtube.com/@unpackingjapanshortshttps://www.x.com/unpacking_japanhttps://creators.spotify.com/pod/profile/unpackingjapanSubscribe for more in-depth discussions about life in Japan! Interested in working at a global e-commerce company in Osaka? Our parent company ZenGroup is hiring! To learn more, check out https://careers.zen.group/en/

Meet Cory, a sofubi (soft vinyl toy) producer under his company Science Patrol. Cory sits down to talk to us about getting into sofubi, learning the trade and setting up his company here, creating officially licensed merchandise for Japan's one-day license events, and everything that goes into creating these toys.--0:00 Intro0:44 Meet Cory4:58 What are sofubi?8:44 Why so many kaiju?9:54 What's being produced today14:20 Typical day as a sofubi producer19:33 Learning the sofubi trade23:57 Trends in sofubi28:27 Collecting sofubi30:42 Managing the secondary market33:32 How sofubi molds work37:27 Japan's one day license events41:49 How Chinese sofubi affect the market45:13 Cory's design philosophy48:53 How many sofubi producers are there?52:12 Biggest challenges55:17 Overseas clients59:43 Science Patrol's new workshop/storefront1:02:22 Mass producing vs. collector's items--Follow Cory:https://scipatrol.thebase.in/https://www.instagram.com/science_patrols/https://x.com/Science_PatrolsFollow us:https://unpacking.jp/https://www.instagram.com/unpacking_japanhttps://www.tiktok.com/@unpackingjapanhttps://www.facebook.com/unpackingjapanhttps://www.youtube.com/@unpackingjapanshortshttps://www.x.com/unpacking_japanhttps://creators.spotify.com/pod/profile/unpackingjapanSubscribe for more in-depth discussions about life in Japan! Interested in working at a global e-commerce company in Osaka? Our parent company ZenGroup is hiring! To learn more, check out https://careers.zen.group/en/

Meet Berry, an idol from California performing in the group himi♡chuu. She sits down to talk to us about chasing her childhood dream of becoming an idol, turning an internet hate mob into an opportunity, and finally coming to perform in Japan.--0:00 Intro0:44 Meet Berry 5:07 Berry's idol dream8:08 The SORB3T incident15:58 Turning her setback into an opportunity24:01 Debut as a soloist28:45 Are Japanese interested in overseas idols?32:39 Performing in taiban35:47 Interacting with fans39:13 Performing in Japan40:05 Achieving her dreams42:35 How much creative control does Berry have?47:44 Balancing her persona and real self51:38 Transitioning to being based in Japan56:16 Collaborating with other idols58:24 Berry's plans for 20261:00:01 How to start as an idol--Follow Berry: @blooberrytrain  https://www.instagram.com/blooberrytrainhttps://www.tiktok.com/@blooberrytrainFollow us:https://unpacking.jp/https://www.instagram.com/unpacking_japanhttps://www.tiktok.com/@unpackingjapanhttps://www.facebook.com/unpackingjapanhttps://www.youtube.com/@unpackingjapanshortshttps://www.x.com/unpacking_japanhttps://creators.spotify.com/pod/profile/unpackingjapanSubscribe for more in-depth discussions about life in Japan! Interested in working at a global e-commerce company in Osaka? Our parent company ZenGroup is hiring! To learn more, check out https://careers.zen.group/en/

Meet Karen Hill Anton, a writer who first came to Japan in the 1970s. She tells us about living in a martial arts dojo before moving to an old farmhouse and raising her children in the countryside, and sharing her experiences here as a writer.--0:00 Intro4:05 Living in a dojo7:48 Moving to an old farmhouse14:21 Deciding to stay long-term19:48 Life in Hamamatsu22:27 Karen's dance class24:24 When did you decide to settle permanently?27:58 Key topics in her Japan Times column31:05 Raising children in Japan36:25 What is home?41:17 Working as a corporate consultant50:15 Karen's novel set in 1970s Japan58:58 Looking back1:02:26 Advice to people moving to Japan--Follow Karen:https://www.karenhillanton.com/https://www.instagram.com/karenhillanton/Follow us:https://unpacking.jp/https://www.instagram.com/unpacking_japanhttps://www.tiktok.com/@unpackingjapanhttps://www.facebook.com/unpackingjapanhttps://www.youtube.com/@unpackingjapanshortshttps://www.x.com/unpacking_japanhttps://creators.spotify.com/pod/profile/unpackingjapanSubscribe for more in-depth discussions about life in Japan! Interested in working at a global e-commerce company in Osaka? Our parent company ZenGroup is hiring! To learn more, check out https://careers.zen.group/en/

Meet Micaela, a vlogger based in Fukuoka, Japan. She sits down to talk to us about going to Japanese high school and music school, working as a full-time influencer at an agency in early YouTube, and her current life in Fukuoka.--0:00 Intro0:46 Meet Micaela3:05 First interest in Japan 6:25 Was Miyazaki a personal choice?8:02 High school in Japan 13:11 Why Japan became home14:36 Choosing Kyushu over Tokyo16:12 Teaching English in Japan20:36 Vocational school in Japan24:58 Experience at YouTuber agency34:57 Experiences on Japanese TV40:57 What makes Kyushu special56:31 What's next for Micaela59:15 How content creation has changed over time1:04:31 What has changed in Japan over 20 years1:08:23 Micaela's recommended dishes--Follow us:https://unpacking.jp/https://www.instagram.com/unpacking_japanhttps://www.tiktok.com/@unpackingjapanhttps://www.facebook.com/unpackingjapanhttps://www.youtube.com/@unpackingjapanshortshttps://www.x.com/unpacking_japanhttps://creators.spotify.com/pod/profile/unpackingjapanSubscribe for more in-depth discussions about life in Japan! Interested in working at a global e-commerce company in Osaka? Our parent company ZenGroup is hiring! To learn more, check out https://careers.zen.group/en/

Meet Peter Frankl, a Hungarian mathematician living in Japan. Peter sits down to talk to us about his life and journey to Japan, his NHK series for children, and why he thinks the Japanese have a mathematician's mindset.--0:00 Intro0:44 Meet Peter5:14 Arriving in Japan in 198210:08 Researching in Japan15:04 Peter's fascination with math19:51 Japanese people are kind of like mathematicians29:28 Peter's autobiography39:37 Peter's NHK show Mathematica52:07 Being an independent mathematician57:25 Current work1:03:09 Working with Japanese mathematicians1:10:21 Peter's juggling career1:27:35 Looking backFollow Peter:http://peterfrankl.com/Follow us:https://unpacking.jp/https://www.instagram.com/unpacking_japanhttps://www.tiktok.com/@unpackingjapanhttps://www.facebook.com/unpackingjapanhttps://www.youtube.com/@unpackingjapanshortshttps://www.x.com/unpacking_japanhttps://creators.spotify.com/pod/profile/unpackingjapanSubscribe for more in-depth discussions about life in Japan! Interested in working at a global e-commerce company in Osaka? Our parent company ZenGroup is hiring! To learn more, check out https://careers.zen.group/en/

Meet Harry, an indie music promoter working in Tokyo. He sits down to talk to us about his love of Japanese indie music, the mind-boggling variety of acts you can find, and how you can get tickets as a foreigner in Japan.--0:00 Intro0:44 Meet Harry7:05 Interest in Japanese music12:21 Japanese music has EVERYTHING22:18 Favorite stories26:51 How to support the scene32:12 Helping foreigners get tickets with Gigs in Tokyo39:49 Reaction from performers and venues42:42 Is it working?46:57 Organizing his own events54:09 Scene beyond Tokyo57:10 Next steps--Follow Harry:⁠ @angura_live https://www.instagram.com/gigsintokyo/Follow us:https://unpacking.jp/https://www.instagram.com/unpacking_japanhttps://www.tiktok.com/@unpackingjapanhttps://www.facebook.com/unpackingjapanhttps://www.youtube.com/@unpackingjapanshortshttps://www.x.com/unpacking_japanhttps://creators.spotify.com/pod/profile/unpackingjapanSubscribe for more in-depth discussions about life in Japan! Interested in working at a global e-commerce company in Osaka? Our parent company ZenGroup is hiring! To learn more, check out https://careers.zen.group/en/

Meet Shibuya Kaho, a writer, cosplayer, and livestreamer from Tokyo. She sits down to talk with us about her time as a journalist, her book on the AV industry, and her current life as a streamer and cosplayer.--0:00 Intro4:17 All-girls school in Japan7:57 Journalism internship11:48 Time as a sports journalist17:58 Book about the AV industry23:18 Reaction from the industry29:52 Suing the AV industry33:12 Cosplay career37:06 Being a cosplay judge/host44:40 How to work with Japanese companies50:42 Overcoming stigma as a woman and former AV actress52:49 Streaming career55:21 Learning kimono1:00:44 Book about becoming fluent in English1:08:36 Kaho's single life--Follow Kaho: https://www.kaho-shibuya.comhttps://www.twitch.tv/shibuya_kahohttps://www.instagram.com/shibukahohttps://www.tiktok.com/@shibuya_kahohttps://x.com/ShibukahoFollow us:https://unpacking.jp/https://www.instagram.com/unpacking_japanhttps://www.tiktok.com/@unpackingjapanhttps://www.facebook.com/unpackingjapanhttps://www.youtube.com/@unpackingjapanshortshttps://www.x.com/unpacking_japanhttps://creators.spotify.com/pod/profile/unpackingjapanSubscribe for more in-depth discussions about life in Japan! Interested in working at a global e-commerce company in Osaka? Our parent company ZenGroup is hiring! To learn more, check out https://careers.zen.group/en/

Meet Zhafira, an Indonesian content creator who spent several years in Japan growing up, returning to Indonesia and coming back to Japan as an adult. She sits down to talk to us about her life between countries and the challenges faced by Japanese Muslims and Muslim immigrants here.--0:00 Intro0:44 Meet Zhafira4:24 Growing up Muslim in Japan8:31 Going to school as a Muslim in Japan11:10 Culture shock returning to Indonesia15:20 Coming back to Japan19:04 Interest in academia26:49 University in Japan as Muslim29:39 Managing prayer schedules here as Muslim32:00 Halal food in Japan34:30 Growing islamophobia in Japan40:58 Misconceptions about Muslims in Japan45:24 Is there a Muslim voice on social media?51:08 Zhafira's work and research in sex education58:28 Sex education taboo in Islam1:03:48 Moving to Tokyo1:08:06 Muslim community in Japan1:12:05 Challenges with employment as Muslim in Japan--Follow Zhafira:https://zhafiraiha.com/ ⁨@Zhafiraiha⁩ https://www.instagram.com/zhafiraihahttps://www.tiktok.com/@zhafiraihahttps://medium.com/@zhafira.aqylahttps://x.com/zhafiraqylaFollow us:https://unpacking.jp/https://www.instagram.com/unpacking_japanhttps://www.tiktok.com/@unpackingjapanhttps://www.facebook.com/unpackingjapanhttps://www.youtube.com/@unpackingjapanshortshttps://www.x.com/unpacking_japanhttps://creators.spotify.com/pod/profile/unpackingjapanSubscribe for more in-depth discussions about life in Japan! Interested in working at a global e-commerce company in Osaka? Our parent company ZenGroup is hiring! To learn more, check out https://careers.zen.group/en/

Meet Dani, a content creator from Venezuela also known as the guy in the fox mask. Dani sits down to talk to us about his journey to Japan, what it was like for him to work here, the reality of being a Japan content creator, and where the heck the mask came from.--0:00 Intro0:44 Meet Dani6:37 Start in content creation9:24 Content creation process13:06 Becoming a full-time creator16:52 How to stay unique in a sea of content19:15 Story behind the mask22:06 Taking off the mask24:46 Thoughts on overtourism and content creation30:11 Favourite areas of Japan34:34 Is it possible to stay authentic?37:41 Misconceptions about Japan creators39:57 Moving forward--Follow Dani: ⁨@foxmaskdaze⁩ https://www.instagram.com/foxmaskdaze/https://www.tiktok.com/@foxmaskdazehttps://www.facebook.com/foxmaskjapanon/Follow us:https://unpacking.jp/https://www.instagram.com/unpacking_japanhttps://www.tiktok.com/@unpackingjapanhttps://www.facebook.com/unpackingjapanhttps://www.youtube.com/@unpackingjapanshortshttps://www.x.com/unpacking_japanhttps://creators.spotify.com/pod/profile/unpackingjapanSubscribe for more in-depth discussions about life in Japan! Interested in working at a global e-commerce company in Osaka? Our parent company ZenGroup is hiring! To learn more, check out https://careers.zen.group/en/

Meet Evie, a fashion model and content creator living in Tokyo. Evie sits down to talk to us about her interest in Japanese fashion, how Japanese styles are being taken overseas, and her own fashion and feminism content.--0:00 Intro0:44 Meet Evie5:44 Coming to Japan for fashion8:57 Where subcultures come from11:19 Foreign view on subcultures12:12 Moving to Japan16:35 Job hunting in Japan21:11 Start in content creation24:23 Is Japan safe for women?28:10 What does feminism mean to you?31:47 Feminism in content creation34:03 What's changed in Japan?39:04 Is it difficult to talk about Japan's problems?42:19 Evie's life in Japan now44:06 Do you feel responsibility as a creator?46:31 Working with Japanese brands as a creator51:57 Using her philosophy degree52:55 Mixing business and content creation54:24 Misconceptions about feminism in Japan--Follow Evie: @eviebunnie https://www.instagram.com/eviebunniex/https://www.tiktok.com/@eviebunnieFollow us:https://unpacking.jp/https://www.instagram.com/unpacking_japanhttps://www.tiktok.com/@unpackingjapanhttps://www.facebook.com/unpackingjapanhttps://www.youtube.com/@unpackingjapanshortshttps://www.x.com/unpacking_japanhttps://creators.spotify.com/pod/profile/unpackingjapanSubscribe for more in-depth discussions about life in Japan! Interested in working at a global e-commerce company in Osaka? Our parent company ZenGroup is hiring! To learn more, check out https://careers.zen.group/en/

Meet Tove Bjoerk, a professor of Japanese culture and kabuki researcher at Saitama University, who sits down to talk to us about the history of kabuki. She tells us about the origins of kabuki performances, how it's evolved throughout the years, and the secret to why it remains so successful to this day.--0:00 Intro0:44 Meet Tove8:48 Interest in theatre9:56 Interest in Ichikawa Danjuro14:24 What makes kabuki special16:36 A stage art for the poor19:27 Kabuki was banned23:11 How popular was kabuki?27:15 Was kabuki style consistent across Japan?28:43 Diaries of Ichikawa Danjuro34:40 What do you need to know before seeing kabuki?37:33 Kabuki gets banned again44:52 Bjoerk's least favorite play47:09 Kabuki acting56:25 Ongoing research1:00:31 Founder of kabuki1:03:58 Kabuki today--Follow us:https://unpacking.jp/https://www.instagram.com/unpacking_japanhttps://www.tiktok.com/@unpackingjapanhttps://www.facebook.com/unpackingjapanhttps://www.youtube.com/@unpackingjapanshortshttps://www.x.com/unpacking_japanhttps://creators.spotify.com/pod/profile/unpackingjapanSubscribe for more in-depth discussions about life in Japan! Interested in working at a global e-commerce company in Osaka? Our parent company ZenGroup is hiring! To learn more, check out https://careers.zen.group/en/

Meet Chai Kanda, CEO of Shiki Properties in Kyoto, who sits down to talk about Japan's short-term rental market. He talks about his work restoring machiya for vacation rentals, Japan's tourism boom, and how regulations affect Japan's tourism industry.--0:00 Intro0:45 Meet Chai1:07 What brought Chai to Japan2:07 Chai’s childhood in Japan2:27 Leaving Sydney for Japan2:51 Chai’s original vision for Japan3:52 Chai’s first job in Japan4:11 Staying in Kansai long term4:36 Discovering real estate6:43 From rentals to acquisitions for Chai9:30 The pros and cons of machiya investment for Chai11:38 The charm of machiya12:15 Chai on Airbnb in Japan13:58 Chai on renovation budgets16:27 Chai navigating funding and partnerships17:35 Chai on customer demand for machiya18:55 Adapting to rapid growth20:17 How booming tourism affects regulations24:32 Kyoto-specific rules25:29 Expanding beyond Kyoto29:02 Expanding into Japan's "Little Venice"32:37 Chai comparing markets34:20 The usual process of starting in a new area36:56 Tourism and neighborhood change39:55 Evaluating sustainable tourism markets43:09 Chai on overtourism in Japan45:13 Crowded buses and local frustration47:27 Transit expansion challenges48:10 Untangling the tourism challenge50:27 Chai’s long-term vision52:36 From real estate to hot sauce54:12 The reality of launching food products in Japan56:04 Chai’s Scoville rating56:55 Key lessons from two decades in business58:25 The fear of failure in Japan1:00:39 Being prepared for business in Japan1:03:26 Wrapping up1:04:01 Outro____________Shiki Group:https://linktr.ee/shikigroupShiki Properties IG:https://instagram.com/shiki_propertiesShiki Real Estate:https://linktr.ee/shiki.realestateFollow us:https://unpacking.jp/https://www.instagram.com/unpacking_japanhttps://www.tiktok.com/@unpackingjapanhttps://www.facebook.com/unpackingjapanhttps://www.youtube.com/@unpackingjapanshortshttps://www.x.com/unpacking_japanhttps://creators.spotify.com/pod/profile/unpackingjapanSubscribe for more in-depth discussions about life in Japan! Interested in working at a global e-commerce company in Osaka? Our parent company ZenGroup is hiring! To learn more, check out https://careers.zen.group/en/

Meet Ken Shibusawa, an economist and great-grandson of Eiichi Shibusawa, the father of Japanese capitalism. He sits down to talk to us about moving to Japan to rediscover his roots, discovering his great-grandfather's writings, and his own finance career in social entrepreneurship and connecting Japan to Africa.--0:00 Intro0:46 Meet Ken3:30 Moving to Japan9:06 Starting a finance career in the bubble era14:35 Finance philosophy in Japan vs. the US19:17 Discovering Eiichi Shibusawa's writings25:36 Starting an investment advisory firm35:51 Focus on social entrepreneurship38:56 Funding African startups45:08 Connecting Japan and Africa51:41 Challenges seeking investment for Africa55:18 Change in industry over time58:52 Hope for the younger generation1:03:30 What Ken wants to leave behind1:04:51 Japan is in a new era1:07:24 Japan needs another Meiji Restoration--Follow Ken:https://www.shibusawa-co.jp/https://x.com/shib30https://www.instagram.com/kenshibusawa/Follow us:https://unpacking.jp/https://www.instagram.com/unpacking_japanhttps://www.tiktok.com/@unpackingjapanhttps://www.facebook.com/unpackingjapanhttps://www.youtube.com/@unpackingjapanshortshttps://www.x.com/unpacking_japanhttps://creators.spotify.com/pod/profile/unpackingjapanSubscribe for more in-depth discussions about life in Japan! Interested in working at a global e-commerce company in Osaka? Our parent company ZenGroup is hiring! To learn more, check out https://careers.zen.group/en/

Meet Sora, a voice actor from Japan*, who sits down to talk to us about his life and career. He tells us about his struggles with his identity and how weebs helped him learn to be proud of his country, his journey from English teacher to voice actor and creator, and the absolute state of Japan content.*yes really--0:00 Intro0:46 Is Sora actually Japanese?4:21 How weebs changed his perception of Japan10:28 Becoming an English teacher15:20 Start as a voice actor19:15 Sora's most viral roles23:33 Becoming a meme27:57 Mindset as an actor29:22 Being cringe on YouTube34:04 Making skits about Japanglish37:59 Is his channel still for weebs?41:31 Sora's opinion on VTubers45:20 Sora's opinion on "Japan" content48:50 Does Sora feel any pressure as a Japanese?53:44 Sora's obsession with Chris Broad1:00:57 What fame means living in Japan1:03:29 Living in Tokyo vs. Osaka vs. Chiba--Follow Sora: @sorathetroll Follow us:https://unpacking.jp/https://www.instagram.com/unpacking_japanhttps://www.tiktok.com/@unpackingjapanhttps://www.facebook.com/unpackingjapanhttps://www.youtube.com/@unpackingjapanshortshttps://www.x.com/unpacking_japanhttps://creators.spotify.com/pod/profile/unpackingjapanSubscribe for more in-depth discussions about life in Japan! Interested in working at a global e-commerce company in Osaka? Our parent company ZenGroup is hiring! To learn more, check out https://careers.zen.group/en/

Meet Chloé Viatte, a French professor and bunya ningyo joruri puppeteer, who sits down to talk to us about this rare Japanese theatre. She tells us about her journey to Japan and interest in puppeteering, how these puppets are operated, and why they might disappear forever.--0:00 Intro0:44 Meet Chloe5:35 Planning to move to Japan7:35 First time in Japan10:03 Life in Niigata12:06 Interest in Kunio Yanagita12:52 Interest in bunya joruri18:56 What is Japanese puppet theatre?21:06 When did it start?22:36 Who was Chikamatsu Monzaemon?24:14 Studying puppet theatre as a foreigner26:40 Puppet troupes28:14 Japanese vs. French plays33:26 How puppeteers perform36:20 Understanding the characters38:45 How the puppets are operated43:52 How the stories are performed47:49 Why bunya joruri might disappear50:26 How bunya joruri changed Chloe's life54:10 Chloe's NHK French program57:35 Is it important to keep traditional arts alive?59:29 Where to watch bunya joruri1:00:29 Tobi tries puppeteering--Follow Chloé:https://x.com/YasathemFollow us:https://unpacking.jp/https://www.instagram.com/unpacking_japanhttps://www.tiktok.com/@unpackingjapanhttps://www.facebook.com/unpackingjapanhttps://www.youtube.com/@unpackingjapanshortshttps://www.x.com/unpacking_japanhttps://creators.spotify.com/pod/profile/unpackingjapanSubscribe for more in-depth discussions about life in Japan! Interested in working at a global e-commerce company in Osaka? Our parent company ZenGroup is hiring! To learn more, check out https://careers.zen.group/en/

Meet Osama Ibrahim, an Egyptian opthamologist practicing in Japan. He sits down to talk to us about getting his medical license here, his work as a researcher, and the challenges he's had as a foreign doctor in Japan.--0:00 Intro0:46 Meet Ibrahim4:21 Coming to Japan8:07 PhD in Japan14:49 Overcoming the language barrier19:35 Getting a Japanese medical license26:03 Passing the exam30:07 Treating Japanese vs. foreign patients36:18 Navigating the Japanese medical system40:01 Research on eye surgery48:09 Medical tourism to Japan51:56 Common eye problems in Japan54:28 Navigating medical regulations58:53 Looking back1:02:38 Goals for the future1:07:20 Advice for anyone considering studying in Japan--Follow Ibrahim:https://www.facebook.com/Osamaiburahimu/Follow us:https://unpacking.jp/https://www.instagram.com/unpacking_japanhttps://www.tiktok.com/@unpackingjapanhttps://www.facebook.com/unpackingjapanhttps://www.youtube.com/@unpackingjapanshortshttps://www.x.com/unpacking_japanhttps://creators.spotify.com/pod/profile/unpackingjapan--Subscribe for more in-depth discussions about life in Japan! Interested in working at a global e-commerce company in Osaka? Our parent company ZenGroup is hiring! To learn more, check out https://careers.zen.group/en/

Meet Chani, a teacher and content creator that sits down to talk with us about moving to Japan at almost 50. She tells us about her first homestay experience in Japan, life as a teacher bringing her students here, buying an akiya here and her big move to her next stage in life.--0:00 Intro0:44 Meet Chani2:52 Homestay in Japan6:03 Move back to Japan9:55 Moving back at 5019:34 Japanese teacher to English teacher26:18 Buying an akiya32:51 Settling in to the house35:55 Starting a YouTube channel40:14 How moving here changed Chani's perspective on life42:06 Adopting a cat in Japan45:31 Finding a community in Japan49:31 Looking back51:48 Advice for people moving to Japan--Follow Chani: @ChaniJapan  https://www.chanijapan.com/https://www.instagram.com/chanijapan/Follow us:https://unpacking.jp/https://www.instagram.com/unpacking_japanhttps://www.tiktok.com/@unpackingjapanhttps://www.facebook.com/unpackingjapanhttps://www.youtube.com/@unpackingjapanshortshttps://www.x.com/unpacking_japanhttps://creators.spotify.com/pod/profile/unpackingjapanSubscribe for more in-depth discussions about life in Japan! Interested in working at a global e-commerce company in Osaka? Our parent company ZenGroup is hiring! To learn more, check out https://careers.zen.group/en/

Meet Luna, a model living in Tokyo who performs as a drag queen under the name Andromeda. She sits down to talk with us about being queer and transgender in Japan, and why older people keep asking her why being trans is considered an issue--0:00 Intro0:45 Meet Andromeda6:18 Moving to Japan & working at fashion company11:17 Life in the Japanese fashion industry12:54 Interest in kimono17:33 Podcast and LGBTQ activism22:38 Issues with LGBTQ labels27:50 Finding community in Japan35:19 Performing drag in Tokyo40:46 Start with queer magazine & activism52:08 Response by Japanese audience56:09 Why it's important to talk about love1:00:39 How much work does a magazine take?1:03:39 How perspective on LGBTQ has changed in Japan1:06:56 What's next for Luna?1:08:46 Coming out in public1:11:01 Why being trans was never an issue in Japan1:15:18 Where do we stand today?--Follow Luna:https://www.instagram.com/luna.andromeda.jphttps://www.instagram.com/moto.iwakanhttps://www.tiktok.com/@luna.andromeda.jpFollow us:https://unpacking.jp/https://www.instagram.com/unpacking_japanhttps://www.tiktok.com/@unpackingjapanhttps://www.facebook.com/unpackingjapanhttps://www.youtube.com/@unpackingjapanshortshttps://www.x.com/unpacking_japanhttps://creators.spotify.com/pod/profile/unpackingjapanSubscribe for more in-depth discussions about life in Japan! Interested in working at a global e-commerce company in Osaka? Our parent company ZenGroup is hiring! To learn more, check out https://careers.zen.group/en/

Meet Kodo Nishimura, a Pure Land Buddhist monk. He sits down to talk with us about growing up in a buddhist temple as a gay man, learning to understand himself studying abroad, and rediscovering his own calling as a monk. --Follow Kodo:https://www.kodonishimura.com/https://www.instagram.com/kodomakeup/https://www.tiktok.com/@kodomakeuphttps://x.com/kodonishimura ⁨@KodoNishimuraMakeup⁩ Follow us:https://unpacking.jp/https://www.instagram.com/unpacking_japanhttps://www.tiktok.com/@unpackingjapanhttps://www.facebook.com/unpackingjapanhttps://www.youtube.com/@unpackingjapanshortshttps://www.x.com/unpacking_japanhttps://creators.spotify.com/pod/profile/unpackingjapanSubscribe for more in-depth discussions about life in Japan! Interested in working at a global e-commerce company in Osaka? Our parent company ZenGroup is hiring! To learn more, check out https://careers.zen.group/en/

Meet Peppe, an Italian mangaka who gained international attention after his appearance on the reality show Terrace House. He sits down to talk with us about his journey to Japan and struggle to get published while studying Japanese and working as a fashion model, to his time on Terrace House just as he was making his debut as a serialized mangaka.--0:00 Intro0:46 Meet Peppe6:20 Deciding to move to Japan10:55 First time in Japan13:40 Studying other manga artists17:33 Missing his big chance with a publisher26:55 Second chance meeting32:24 One-way ticket back to Japan35:45 Working as a model39:21 Getting a work visa41:41 Entering his first manga contest45:15 Big break48:18 Writing Mingo and getting serialized55:01 Working with a Japanese editor57:19 How Terrace House affected his career1:01:05 Terrace House audition1:05:17 What was Terrace House like?1:12:55 Writing Endo (and who was Maraini?)1:21:47 Challenges of writing a biographical manga1:26:48 Reception from Japanese people1:33:44 What's next for Peppe?--Follow Peppe: https://www.instagram.com/peppedesuhttps://x.com/peppedesuFollow us:https://unpacking.jp/https://www.instagram.com/unpacking_japanhttps://www.tiktok.com/@unpackingjapanhttps://www.facebook.com/unpackingjapanhttps://www.youtube.com/@unpackingjapanshortshttps://www.x.com/unpacking_japanhttps://creators.spotify.com/pod/profile/unpackingjapanSubscribe for more in-depth discussions about life in Japan! Interested in working at a global e-commerce company in Osaka? Our parent company ZenGroup is hiring! To learn more, check out https://careers.zen.group/en/

Meet Jaya, a content creator documenting renovating his dream house in Japan. He sits down to talk to us about finding the ideal akiya, the auction process, and everything they've put into renovations so far.--Follow Jaya:www.youtube.com/@TokyoLlamahttps://www.instagram.com/tokyo_llama/Follow us:https://unpacking.jp/https://www.instagram.com/unpacking_japanhttps://www.tiktok.com/@unpackingjapanhttps://www.facebook.com/unpackingjapanhttps://www.youtube.com/@unpackingjapanshortshttps://www.x.com/unpacking_japanhttps://creators.spotify.com/pod/profile/unpackingjapanSubscribe for more in-depth discussions about life in Japan! Interested in working at a global e-commerce company in Osaka? Our parent company ZenGroup is hiring! To learn more, check out https://careers.zen.group/en/

Meet Randy Soei, a tea master from Canada, who sits down to talk with us about why the tea ceremony is unlike any other Japanese art. He talks to us about his history with martial arts, the role of tea in Japanese culture, and the beauty of the tea ceremony.--Follow Randy:https://15-1a.com/https://www.instagram.com/soei151a/https://www.facebook.com/ranhoteihttps://x.com/ranHoteiFollow us:https://unpacking.jp/https://www.instagram.com/unpacking_japanhttps://www.tiktok.com/@unpackingjapanhttps://www.facebook.com/unpackingjapanhttps://www.youtube.com/@unpackingjapanshortshttps://www.x.com/unpacking_japanhttps://creators.spotify.com/pod/profile/unpackingjapanSubscribe for more in-depth discussions about life in Japan! Interested in working at a global e-commerce company in Osaka? Our parent company ZenGroup is hiring! To learn more, check out https://careers.zen.group/en/

Meet Ian, founder of e-commerce tea platform Yunomi Life, who sits down to talk with us about the state of Japan's matcha industry. He tells us about the sudden growth of the tea industry, how sustainable it is, competition from countries like China, and the whether or not the matcha industry is really a bubble.--Follow Ian:https://yunomi.life/https://www.instagram.com/yunomiteahttps://www.instagram.com/ictokyoFollow us:https://unpacking.jp/https://www.instagram.com/unpacking_japanhttps://www.tiktok.com/@unpackingjapanhttps://www.facebook.com/unpackingjapanhttps://www.youtube.com/@unpackingjapanshortshttps://www.x.com/unpacking_japanhttps://creators.spotify.com/pod/profile/unpackingjapanSubscribe for more in-depth discussions about life in Japan! Interested in working at a global e-commerce company in Osaka? Our parent company ZenGroup is hiring! To learn more, check out https://careers.zen.group/en/

Meet Trevor, a baseball journalist reporting on the Hanshin Tigers to foreign and overseas fans. Trevor sits down to talk to us about the importance of Japanese baseball, his own journey to Japan, and why Tigers fans are so passionate about their team.--Follow Trevor: https://x.com/thehanshintigerhttps://trevorraichura.substack.com/Follow us:https://unpacking.jp/https://www.instagram.com/unpacking_japanhttps://www.tiktok.com/@unpackingjapanhttps://www.facebook.com/unpackingjapanhttps://www.youtube.com/@unpackingjapanshortshttps://www.x.com/unpacking_japanhttps://creators.spotify.com/pod/profile/unpackingjapanSubscribe for more in-depth discussions about life in Japan! Interested in working at a global e-commerce company in Osaka? Our parent company ZenGroup is hiring! To learn more, check out https://careers.zen.group/en/