Episode six of the Japan Station podcast is here and this time we’re talking about Zen. Gesshin Claire Greenwood is a Zen priest and the author of the book Bow First, Ask Questions Later: Ordination, Love, and Monastic Zen in Japan. Funny, intense, and thought-provoking, the book chronicles the more than five years Gesshin spent in Japan training in …

 Episode five of the Japan Station podcast is here and this time I’m joined by comedian Showko Showfukutei. Originally from Kobe, Japan, Showko is a rakugo (Japanese traditional comic storytelling) performer, ventriloquist, and stand up comedian living in Melbourne, Australia. She is the only fully trained rakugo performer living outside of Japan and her unique brand of comedy has …

 Japan Station episode 4 is here and this time we’re talking all about one man’s mission to achieve the heights of fame in the land of the rising sun. In this episode David Elliot-Jones talks about the crazy journey he went on as the star of the ridiculous but thought-provoking documentary Big in Japan. Dave discusses why he and …

This time we’re taking a deep deep dive into the history of Japanese animation with Dr. Jonathan Clements. An expert on Asia and anime, Jonathan Clements is the author of many books, including Anime: A History, The Anime Encyclopedia (co-authored with Helen McCarthy), and Sacred Sailors: The Life and Work of Seo Mitsuyo. In this episode we discuss the origins …

 Japan Station is back with episode 2 and this time I’m joined by owarai comedian Ann Lethin. Originally from Anchorage, Alaska, Ann moved to Japan to pursue a career in comedy after college. Ann discusses why she decided to do that, what comedy schools (yōseijo) are like, the challenges of being a comedian in Japan, a major reason why Japanese comedy …

 Celebrate the official start of the Japan Station podcast with not one, but two amazing guests! This episode I’m joined by filmmakers Dominic Pearce (left in top image) and Aaron McCann (right), the creators of the hilarious mockumentary Top Knot Detective. In the episode Aaron and Dominic talk about what inspired them to make Top Knot Detective and the …

The perfect solution for salarymen who hate crowded trains and have an extra $10k lying around. Until a few months ago forty-year-old Masahiro Ogawa had a secure job helping develop autonomous vehicles for the Japanese automobile giant Toyota. However, in March after 13 years at Toyota he kissed that job goodbye and set out on a quest to show people …

Move over AKB48, here comes the next “big” thing. In Japan, there’s an idol group for every taste. Whether you’re into drones or heavy metal and head banging, Japan has got you covered. And now, there’s a new group tailor-made for those who have a thing for “obese angels.” Coming in at a combined weight of 418 kg (922 lbs) …