On This Episode of Japan Station On this episode of the Japan Station podcast, we’re exploring the history of chicken production in Japan and the fascinating world of artisan jidori chicken. About Dr. Benjamin Schrager Dr. Benjamin Schrager is an expert on Japanese food systems and heritage cuisine. He completed his PhD at the University of Hawaii at Manoa …

Omusubi Cakes aren’t jelly doughnuts but they’re awfully close. Tsukiichi isn’t your run-of-the-mill cake and pastry shop. Located in Osaka, the shop is known for their luxurious cake buffet, which they hold only once a month and requires customers to reserve a table ahead of time. However, recently Tsukiichi has been making headlines not for their buffet, but rather their …

“Aged maguro” sounds so much better than “old tuna.” When it comes to sushi and sashimi, many say that for the best taaste you should use the absolute freshest fish. However, when it comes to maguro (tuna), apparently, this isn’t necessarily the case. At a press conference on Thursday (Nov. 7) the popular kaiten-zushi (“revolving sushi”) chain Kura Sushi (Kura-Zushi) announced that …

Who needs revolving raw fish, when you can have revolving raw meat? A restaurant in Tokyo has opened that has combined the conveyor belt part of conveyor belt sushi with the raw meat part of hotpot. Called Ichi (full name: Hitori Shabu-shabu Ichi, or Solo Shabu-shabu Ichi), this interesting new restaurant opened on October 23 in the busy Shinjuku area …

Lazy bachelors have been doing this with their dishes since the invention of plastic wrap. From train station platforms, to convenience stores, to supermarkets, there’s no shortage of places in Japan selling bento. These box lunches are delicious, convenient, and, generally, quite affordable. Unfortunately, though, these pr-eprepared meals are not particularly good for the environment.That’s because the food of a …

On this episode of the Japan Station podcast we’re talking about the Japanese language and the very interesting linguistic phenomenon of “made in Japan English” (wasei eigo). Anne Crescini is an Associate Professor at the University of Kitakyushu in Fukuoka Prefecture. She has conducted extensive research on the linguistic phenomenon of wasei eigo (“made in Japan English”) and has even written a …

In this episode of the Japan Station podcast I sit down for a thrilling chat with author Barry Lancet. Barry Lancet is the award-winning author of the Jim Brodie series of books. After a long career as an editor at the international arm of one of Japan’s most prestigious publishers—Kodansha—Lancet made his debut as an author in 2013 with …

In this episode of the Japan Station podcast Tony has a fun chat with comedian Ollie Horn. Ollie Horn is a stand-up comedian from the United Kingdom who lived many years in Fukuoka, Japan. While there he attended graduate school and worked in the Japanese entertainment industry. In 2014 Ollie Horn came up with the idea that would evolve into …

Perfect for coffee lovers who love to slurp. If you’ve ever been in Japan during the summer, then there’s a good chance you’ve come across “coffee jelly” (kōhī zerī). This chilled sweet coffee-flavored gelatin dessert is a staple of summer in Japan and no doubt a favorite treat of many coffee lovers. However, for the folks at Tanuki Coffee–a coffee …

The most lethal bowl of udon & rice you’ve ever eaten. These days it seems like everyone is talking about eating healthy and watching one’s calorie intake. This is the case even in Japan. However, it looks like one Japanese restaurant chain has decided to rebel against this trend because they have given birth to a new menu item which …

Which is your favorite? With all the excitement surrounding the April 1st press conference in which the name of Japan’s new Imperial era was announced–it’s going to be called Reiwa by the way–this year’s April Fools’ Day was definitely a bit overshadowed. However, just like every year, a long list of Japanese companies put out April Fools’ Day jokes in …

Become a holy rider. Shinto shrines can be found all over Japan and although most are dedicated to fairly universal things like good health, studies, and finding a romantic partner, others specialize in far more niche things. Take the case of a relatively new shrine located in the town of Miki (Miki-chō) in Kagawa Prefecture which is dedicated to keeping …