Deep in Japan

[Originally aired on August 2022] THIS IS AN EXPERIMENT! If Miho allows me to keep recording our dogé walks (and after my shenanigans of this episode the prospect seems highly unlikely) then perhaps this will be a new segment on the show. Assuming you all dig it, that is.The Deep in Japan Podcast is completely independent and crowd-funded, so if you like what you hear, please give a thought to supporting the show at https://www.patreon.com/deepinjapanThe BGM was Relaxing Jazz & Bossa Nova Music - Studio Ghibli Cover and the outro was Sukiniyaru (Live) by the 変態紳士クラブ (Hentai Shinshi Club)Got something to say, you can reach me at deep.in.japan.podcast@gmail.comAnd as always, thanks for listening!

Trevor-kohai was dragged kicking and screaming back into DIJ studios, strapped to a chair, waterboarded with Calpis, and re-educated in the art of podcasting WW2 Japanese Secret Police-style.  The result is this Happy Hour. Deep in Japan is an entirely listener-supported show. We don't have any sponsors or run advertisements, allowing us to remain independent. If you enjoy the show and want to support our work, please consider becoming a patron at Patreon.com/deepinjapan. Your contributions make this podcast possible.If the show isn't for you, that's fine too. There's an incredible diversity of podcasts out there, and we recommend you spend your valuable time listening to content that genuinely enriches your life. Don't feel obligated to stick with any show that doesn't resonate with you. The world is wide, and your journey through it should be filled with the people, art, and ideas that inspire you- or at least amuse you. REFERENCES:YZERR - guidance (舐達麻 ジャパニーズマゲニーズDiss) Official videoShōgun - Official Trailer | Hiroyuki Sanada, Cosmo Jarvis, Anna Sawai | FXRice Planting SongThe image of a giant Aeon Mall in the middle of impoverished Japanese countryside fittingly describes the country’s whole economy and capitalist existence. Giant corporations literally sucking the country dry, leaching off the work of an underpaid populace. 1/奈良県：37 自然公園面積割合 (Nara Prefecture Park Data) Nara National Park DataYakuza 6: Baseball Battle - Tsuyoshi Nagumo Boss FightChibatman InterviewChibatman: Cruising the streets of Chiba City on his three-wheeled ChibatpodMeet Japan's Batman - Chibatman a real-life Dark Knight- BBC NewsIt's Always Sunny in Philadelphia Frank Wasted On PlaneWanted: The Escape of Carlos Ghosn — Official Trailer | Apple TV+Why Tourism Doesn't Benefit JapanWhy did Japan ban everyone except for the Dutch? (Short Animated Documentary on the Dejima System)処理水めぐる迷惑電話“1日1000件超” 中国発の番号に電話すると「排出止められなくても…すっきりした」 北京の日本大使館にはレンガの破片投げ込みも…【news23】｜TBS NEWS DIG処理水放出後 中国から迷惑電話急増 「ずっと鳴ってる」ラーメン店主被害語る(2023年8月27日)Connecticut Kia Boyz - Channel 5 with Andrew Callaghan Ancient Map of Dejima Island (Cover Art) Got something to say? You can reach me at deep.in.japan.podcast@gmail.com As always, thanks for listening! 

In this episode, we speak with Kyoto-based American researcher on Japan-DPRK relations, Oliver Jia (オリバー・ジア), about reverse culture shock and a bunch of other stuff. Check him out on X at  @OliverJia1014 or visit his Substack at foreignperspectives.net RELATED LINKS: 劇場版 岩合光昭の世界ネコ歩き 予告 30秒版関口知宏の中国鉄道大紀行DVDRip 关口知宏的中国铁道大纪行 DISC2本篇成都～桂林 848x480 AVC AACヨーロッパ鉄道の旅TOTO Washlet 1982 ReklameWhat are Nitazenes? A Look at Frankenstein OpioidsChannel 5 News with Andrew Callaghan Japan Retreat, Walk & Talk, Culture + Identity - Craig Mod (Roden)【クルド人】なぜ衝突が？100人乱闘はデマ？ネットでは攻撃も？ひろゆきと考える難民申請&入管法改正｜アベプラCharles Jenkins, who defected to North Korea, speaks after his release in 2004高倉 健「網走番外地」【Official Audio】Deep in Japan is completely independent, unsponsored, and commercial-free. Like what you hear? Make sure to support the show at Patreon.Got something to say? You can reach me at deep.in.japan.podcast@gmail.comAs always, thanks for listening! 

In this episode, we welcome Justin Aukema (@aukemajk), self-described "Christian // Mammon disrespecter // History lover // Truth seeker 求道者 // Reluctant academic // Aspiring man of virtue (君子)" to talk about his EXPLOSIVE tweet on the economic plight of the Japanese countryside. For more info on Justin and his writings, check out his website - especially his essay, "Poverty in Japan."  The outro track was MASS OF THE FERMENTING DREGS - New Order ー and it's straight-up fire, so you'll definitely want to check that out. Oh, and don' sleep on that Japanese Marxist podcast I mentioned. It's called Against Japanism. Deep in Japan is completely independent, unsponsored, and commercial-free. Like what you hear? Make sure to support the show at Patreon. Got something to say? You can reach me at deep.in.japan.podcast@gmail.comAs always, thanks for listening!  

Jake Adelstein is an author who has been covering Japan since 1993. His first book, Tokyo Vice: An American Reporter On The Police Beat in Japan was made into a TV series that debuted on HBO Max and WOWOW on April 7th. His next book, Yakuza Wonderland, will be released this year.To learn more about Jake, check out Unseen Japan's recent profile of Jake and his work: Tokyo Vice’s Jake Adelstein: Everything You Wanted To Know (But Were Mildly Afraid To Ask)And remember, kids, the Deep in Japan Podcast is completely independent and crowd-funded, so if you like what you hear, please give a thought to supporting the show at https://www.patreon.com/deepinjapanThe outro was Ryu Ga Gotaku from the famous Yakuza game franchise. The intro was my original mashup of Hokuto no Ken (Fist of the North Star), a few anime sound bites, some kabuki, a cheap recording of my son’s Buzz Lightyear toy, and “Dubstep" from BenSound.Oh, and let us not forget the Japanese version of Simon and Garfunkel's Sound of Silence!Got something to say? You can reach me at deep.in.japan.podcast@gmail.comThanks for listening!

This is the third and final part of an interview series with Kieda Takao recorded on 2 February 2017, when I was still a podcast production novice. Apologies for the sound quality.The Deep in Japan Podcast is completely independent and crowd-funded, and by that I mean we survive on the kindness of your donations. Please consider supporting the show by becoming a patron at https://www.patreon.com/deepinjapanThe outro was a cover of Masahi Sada's "さよならにっぽん” and although I'm not sure who the female singer is (if you know, please tell me) the track I sourced can be found here. The intro was my original mashup of Hokuto no Ken (Fist of the North Star) anime sound bites blended with “Dubstep" from BenSound.Got something to say? You can reach me at deep.in.japan.podcast@gmail.comThanks for listening!

This is the second part of an interview series with Kieda Takao recorded on 2 February 2017, when I was still a podcast production novice. Apologies for the sound quality.The Deep in Japan Podcast is completely independent and crowd-funded, and by that I mean we survive on the kindness of your donations. Please consider supporting the show by becoming a patron at https://www.patreon.com/deepinjapanThe outro was a Japanese cover of Oasis's “Wonderwall” by なかたにつよし. The intro was my original mashup of Hokuto no Ken (Fist of the North Star) anime sound bites blended with Gagaku and “Dubstep" from BenSound.Got something to say? You can reach me at deep.in.japan.podcast@gmail.comAs always, thanks for listening!

This is the first part of an interview series with Kieda Takao recorded on 2 February 2017, when I was still a podcast production novice. Apologies for the sound quality.The Deep in Japan Podcast is completely independent and crowd-funded, and by that I mean we survive on the kindness of your donations. Please consider supporting the show by becoming a patron at https://www.patreon.com/deepinjapan LINKS!HistoryPod - The Mukden Incident of 1931Grunge - The Truth About Japanese Kamikaze Pilots is Pretty GrimUnseen Japan - The Siege of Asama Sanso: The Japanese Red Army’s Last Stand(Japanese Language) Documentary on The Asama Sanso IncidentAnother Interesting (Japanese Language) Doc on Asama SansoMUSIC!The outro was “Kamikaze” from the Sounds of War album. You can find English subs here, although the sound quality is not as good. The intro was my original mashup of Hokuto no Ken (Fist of the North Star) anime sound bites with “Dubstep" from BenSound.Got something to say? You can reach me at deep.in.japan.podcast@gmail.comThanks for listening! 

In this episode, we speak with author and critic Damian Flanagan about his most recent book, a biography of Yukio Mishima. To learn more about Damian and his books, visit his website. The Deep in Japan Podcast is completely independent and crowd-funded. If you like what you hear, please consider supporting the show at Patreon.com.The musical outro was 起て！紅の若き獅子たち - (Get Up! Young Crimson Lions) - Anthem of the Tatenokai which is available with Japanese and English subs here. The intro was my original mashup of Hokuto no Ken (Fist of the North Star) anime sound bites with "Dubstep" from BenSound.Got something to say? You can reach me at deep.in.japan.podcast@gmail.comAs always, thanks for listening! 

In this episode, we invite back Iain Maloney to discuss his latest book: Life is Elsewhere/Burn Your Flags. Iain is the author of three novels, a haiku collection, and the memoir The Only Gaijin in the Village. You can acquire his work at www.liminalink.com. To learn more about Iain, head over to his website or follow him on X (formerly Twitter) @iainmaloneyThe Deep in Japan Podcast is completely independent and crowd-funded. If you like what you hear, please consider supporting the show by becoming at Patreon.com.  The outro was “Time Flies” by Mothercoat. The intro was my original mashup of Hokuto no Ken (Fist of the North Star) anime sound bites with “Dubstep" from BenSound. Got something to say? You can reach me at deep.in.japan.podcast@gmail.comAs always, thanks for listening!

In this episode, we speak with Brett Bull of the Tokyo Reporter. The Reporter is a Japanese English-language news website whose reporting is based on Japanese tabloid journalism. Founded in 2008, the website translates or adapts reports by Japanese tabloid media about such topics as crime, sex, and entertainment in Japan. For more info and news, visit https://www.tokyoreporter.com/ The Deep in Japan Podcast is completely independent and crowd-funded. If you like what you hear, please consider supporting the show. The outro was “Brainwashing” by AwichGot something to say? You can reach me at deep.in.japan.podcast@gmail.comAs always, thanks for listening! 

In this episode, we talk with author and SoraNews24 journalist Scott Wilson about his life in Japan in general and about passing N1 of the JLPT in specific.  For more detailed info, see Scott's article on the JLPT, along with his website and Twitch page.The Deep in Japan Podcast is completely independent and crowd-funded, and by that I mean we eke out an existence on the kindness of your donations. Please give a thought to supporting the show here at Patreon.The outro was the original One Piece series opening. The intro was my original mashup of Hokuto no Ken (Fist of the North Star) anime sound bites with “Dubstep" from BenSound. Got something to say? You can find me at deep.in.japan.podcast@gmail.com. And if you like what you are listening to, remember to support the show. Thanks for listening! 

Ben Tanaka is a teacher and writer based in Sendai who runs RetireJapan, a website dedicated to helping people improve their financial situation. For more about Ben and what he is doing, check out RetireJapan.com.The Deep in Japan Podcast is completely independent and crowd-funded, and by that I mean we eke out an existence on the kindness of your donations. Please give a thought to supporting the show at Patreon.comThe outro was Rich Man, Poor Man by Nipps. The intro was my original mashup of Hokuto no Ken (Fist of the North Star), a few anime sound bites, some kabuki, a cheap recording of my son’s Buzz Lightyear toy, and “Dubstep" from BenSound.Got something to say? You can find me at the following:www.facebook.com/groups/deepinjapan/ deep.in.japan.podcast@gmail.comAs always, thanks for listening!

This week, we speak with Tim Romero, Tokyo-based innovator, author, entrepreneur, and host of the Disrupting Japan podcast. To learn more about Tim and his amazing podcast, check out the Disrupting Japan podcast website. The Deep in Japan Podcast is completely independent and crowd-funded, and by that I mean we eke out an existence on the kindness of your donations. Please consider supporting the show at https://www.patreon.com/deepinjapanThe outro was プラネットマジック by the N'夙川BOYS. The intro was my original mashup of Hokuto no Ken (Fist of the North Star), a few anime sound bites, some kabuki, a cheap recording of my son’s Buzz Lightyear toy, and “Dubstep" from BenSound.Got something to say? You can find me at the following:www.facebook.com/groups/deepinjapan/

In this episode, we are happy to welcome back Roger Pulvers to delve deeper into his writings: specifically, The Unmaking of an American, Star Sand, The Dream of Lafcadio Hearn, and LIV.Roger Pulvers is an American-born Australian playwright, novelist, film director, theater director, and translator who has lived the better part of 50 years in Japan. Throughout his long and prolific career, he has published more than 50 books in Japanese and English, and was assistant to the director of the film "Merry Christmas, Mr. Lawrence.”He has translated works from Russian, Polish, and Japanese, among them Gogol's "The Government Inspector," plays by Stanislaw Witkiewicz, the poetry of Miyazawa Kenji and Ishikawa Takuboku, and novels by Inoue Hisashi. His latest novels are “Liv” and "The Dream of Lafcadio Hearn," both published by Balestier Press. He wrote the screenplay for and directed the film "Star Sand" based on his novel of the same name. The film was released widely around Japan in 2017.The Deep in Japan Podcast is completely independent and crowd-funded. And by that, I mean we are broke, impecunious, poor. Please consider supporting the show by becoming a patron on our Patreon page.The outro was The intro was つれづれなるままに  Tsurezure Naru Mama ni off the 1974 folk album  Out Of Mind [アウト・オブ・マインド]  by Ryo Kagawa. The intro was my original mashup of Hokuto no Ken (Fist of the North Star) anime sound bites with “Dubstep" from BenSound.Got something to say? You can find me at the following: www.facebook.com/groups/deepinjapan/ deep.in.japan.podcast@gmail.comAs always, thanks for listening!

In this episode, we are happy to welcome back Roger Pulvers to delve deeper into his writings: specifically, The Unmaking of an American, Star Sand, The Dream of Lafcadio Hearn, and LIV. Roger Pulvers is an American-born Australian playwright, novelist, film director, theater director, and translator who has lived the better part of 50 years in Japan. Throughout his long and prolific career, he has published more than 50 books in Japanese and English, and was assistant to the director of the film "Merry Christmas, Mr. Lawrence.”He has translated works from Russian, Polish, and Japanese, among them Gogol's "The Government Inspector," plays by Stanislaw Witkiewicz, the poetry of Miyazawa Kenji and Ishikawa Takuboku, and novels by Inoue Hisashi. His latest novels are “Liv” and "The Dream of Lafcadio Hearn," both published by Balestier Press. He wrote the screenplay for and directed the film "Star Sand" based on his novel of the same name. The film was released widely around Japan in 2017.The Deep in Japan Podcast is completely independent and crowd-funded. And by that, I mean we are broke, impecunious, poor. Please consider supporting the show by becoming a patron on our Patreon page.The outro was The intro was つれづれなるままに  Tsurezure Naru Mama ni off the 1974 folk album  Out Of Mind [アウト・オブ・マインド]  by Ryo Kagawa. The intro was my original mashup of Hokuto no Ken (Fist of the North Star) anime sound bites with “Dubstep" from BenSound.Got something to say? You can find me at the following: www.facebook.com/groups/deepinjapan/ deep.in.japan.podcast@gmail.comAs always, thanks for listening!

Katsura Sunshine (桂 三輝, Katsura Sanshain) is a Canadian traditional Japanese rakugo comic storyteller, theatre producer, and television personality, currently performing traditional Japanese rakugo on Broadway. To learn more about Katsura Sunshine, check out the following:Katsura Sunshine on BroadwayKatsura Sunshine on YouTubeKatsura Sunshine on FacebookKatsura Sunshine on TwitterDeep in Japan is completely independent and crowd-funded, so if you like what you hear, please give a thought to supporting the show. MUSIC: The intro was my original mashup of Fist of the North Star, a few anime sound bites, some kabuki, a cheap recording of my son’s Buzz Lightyear toy, and “Dubstep" from BenSound.The outro was "japanese [sic] jazz when driving on a warm night" taken from tardiobscurus_jp.Got something to say? You can find me at the following:www.facebook.com/groups/deepinjapan/ deep.in.japan.podcast@gmail.comAs always, thanks for listening!

Amy Chavez has been a columnist for The Bali Times, HuffPo, and The Japan Times (the latter 23 years). She founded Books on Asia in May 2018. Her articles have been published in newspapers and magazines around the world including Japan, the UK, the US, Canada, Taiwan, Indonesia, and New Zealand. She lives in Japan. Her latest book is The Widow, The Priest and the Octopus Hunter: Discovering a Lost Way of Life on a Secluded Japanese Island available at Bookshop.org  (an online bookshop that puts you in touch with local bookstores who procure your purchase for pick-up) for those in the US. You should also be able to find the book at Kinokuniya and The Laughing Oyster Bookshop in B.C. Canada, for all our B.C. canuck buddies out there.LINKS:The Facebook Page for the bookAmy on Twitter: @JapanLite and  @BooksOnAsiaBooks on Asia Podcast is here or subscribePLEASE SUPPORT THE SHOW: The Deep in Japan Podcast is completely independent and crowd-funded, so if you like what you hear, please give a thought to supporting the show at https://www.patreon.com/deepinjapanMUSIC:The intro was my original mashup of Fist of the North Star, a few anime sound bites, some kabuki, a cheap recording of my son’s Buzz Lightyear toy, and “Dubstep" from BenSound.The outro was "Kanzan Bakuzen Bouzen" by "that old bad enka singer" Chiharu Matsuyama. Apparently, he was a well-coiffed renai baller back in the 80s though. Got something to say? You can find me at the following:www.facebook.com/groups/deepinjapan/ deep.in.japan.podcast@gmail.comAs always, thanks for listening!

In this episode, we speak with Dr. Caleb Carter about his book, A Path into the Mountains: Shugendō and Mount Togakushi.Caleb's chapter breakdown on TwitterA Path's publisher’s pageCaleb's New Books Network podcast interview Caleb's Interview with Global Buddhistdoor Pilgrims Until We Die Retro Casio Denshijisho CommercialsDogen on YouTube Master Dogen (wiki)The Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist Centre) (wiki) The Sanshin Shamisen (wiki) Shugendo (wiki)Shamisen Hunter (musical outro) The Deep in Japan Podcast is completely independent and crowd-funded, so if you like what you hear, please give a thought to supporting us. Got something to say? You can reach me at the following:www.facebook.com/groups/deepinjapan/ deep.in.japan.podcast@gmail.comAs always, thanks for listening!

In this episode, we invite Professor John Rucynski back to discuss his book, Bridging the Humor Barrier: Humor Competency Training in English Language Teaching, and more generally the topic of joking in Japan. John is an associate professor at the Center for Language Education at Okayama University. His main research interest is exploring the role of humor in foreign language acquisition and intercultural communicative competence. In addition to editing two volumes about this passion, he has written numerous articles and given conference presentations around the world. His mission going forward is to at least slightly disprove the maxim that “Nothing is as unfunny as trying to explain why something is funny.” To learn more about John and his work, check out the following books and articles:Bridging the Humor Barrier: Humor Competency Training in English Language Teaching (Rowman & Littlefield; with Caleb Prichard)New Ways in Teaching with Humor (TESOL Press)Is This Thing On? Teacher Views of Incorporating Humor Into Online Language Classes (The Language Teacher, with Peter Neff)L2 Learners' Ability to Recognize Ironic Online Comments and the Effect of Instruction (System; with Caleb Prichard)Implementing Humor Instruction into English Language Teaching (English Teaching Forum; with Caleb Prichard)The English Classroom as “Warai no ba”: Instructor Views on Humor and Language Learning in Japan (International Journal of Educational Research; with Peter Neff)Second Language Learners’ Ability to Detect Satirical News and the Effect of Humor Competency Training (TESOL Journal; with Caleb Prichard)Japanese Perceptions of Humor in the English Language Classroom (HUMOR; with Peter Neff)Using The Simpsons in EFL Classes (English Teaching Forum)The Deep in Japan Podcast is completely independent and crowd-funded, so if you like what you hear, please give thought to supporting us.The outro was American Joke Man by JAM. Don't know who Spalding Gray is? You're not alone. I thought John was referring to a crayon color. For context, check out his 1987 masterpiece, Swimming to Cambodia.Got something to say? You can reach me at the following:www.facebook.com/groups/deepinjapan/ deep.in.japan.podcast@gmail.comAs always, thank