On this episode of the Japan Station podcast, we’re joined by baseball historian and expert on all things Japanese baseball Robert Fits. About Robert Fitts Robert Fitts is a baseball historian and expert ont he history of Japanese baseball. He has written numerous books on Japanese baseball including Banzai Babe Ruth: Baseball, Espionage, and Assissination During the 1934 Tour of Japan. …

On this episode of the Japan Station podcast, Tony talks to guitarist/actor/humanitarian Miyavi. About Miyavi Miyavi is a guitarist, musician, actor and humanitarian. He is particularly well known for his charactistic shamisen-inspired slap-style of playing the guitar. Topics Discussed Miyavi discusses his insecurities and what makes him nervous How Miyavi deals with his insecurities How Miyavi deals with stress and …

On this episode of the Japan Station podcast, we’re talking with music journalist Patrick St. Michel. He’ll be telling us about Japanese pop music, Perfume, the city pop boom and one of his latest articles which focuses on the rise and fall and rise of eurobeat. About Patrick St. Michel Patrick St. Michel is a music journalist who specializes in …

On this episode of the Japan Station podcast, we’re talking with Alex from the Sakura Stardust YouTube channel. She tells us about Japanese lost media and digs into some specific examples like Saki Sanobashi and the mysterious Akihabara cassette tape. About Alex (Sakura Stardust) Alex runs the popular YouTube channel Sakura Stardust. In her videos Alex focuses primarily on Japanese …

On this episode of the Japan Station podcast, we’re talking about archaeology in Japan and the case of Tsukumo No. 24, the world’s oldest known shark attack. Our guest for this episode is J. Alyssa White from the University of Oxford. About J. Alyssa White J. Alyssa White is a PhD candidate in Archaeology at the University of Oxford. Her …

On this episode of the Japan Station podcast, we’re talking about translation, learning Japanese and more with translator/podcaster Jenn O’Donnell. About Anna Lughezzani Jenn O’Donnell is a Japanese to English translator and podcaster. She lives in Osaka where she works as a Localization Director for a video game company. She also produces the podcasts The Translation Chat and Otafu Susume. Topics Discussed …

On this episode of the Japan Station podcast, we’re talking about Japan’s stressful job hunting process (shūkatsu) and how it–along with work in general–can be even more stressful and difficult for women in Japan. About Anna Lughezzani Anna Lughezzani, PhD candidate in anthropology at University of Padova, Ca’ Foscari University of Venice and University of Verona (Italy). Topics Discussed The …

On this episode of the Japan Station podcast, we’re joined by J.J. Walsh of the Seek Sustainable Japan podcast/YouTube talk show and we’re talking about Japanese influences in Hawaii, life in Hiroshima and the ever-popular topic of remodeling akiya (abondoned homes in Japan). About J.J. Walsh J.J. Walsh is the host of the podcast/YouTube talk show Seek Sustainable Japan. Along with her …

On this episode of the Japan Station podcast, we’re talking about depictions of Japan and Japanese people on popular American TV shows with Dr. Alisa Freedman. About Dr. Alisa Freedman Alisa Freedman is a Professor of Japanese Literature, Cultural Studies, and Gender at the University of Oregon and the Editor-in-Chief of the U.S.–Japan Women’s Journal. Her books include Tokyo in Transit: Japanese …

On this episode of the Japan Station podcast, we’re talking about the Japanese vengeful spirits known as onryō with Jennifer Yoo. About Jennifer Yoo Jennifer M. Yoo is a doctoral candidate in Japanese Theatre at the University of Hawaii at Manoa. Topics Discussed On working as a food tour guide in Kyoto What tsunokakushi is and the origins of this custom About the term oni (demon) …

On this episode of the Japan Station podcast, music producer, rapper and artist Shing02 talks about his life, music and more. About Shing02 Shing02 is a Japanese American music producer, rapper, and artist. Active since the ’90s in both Japan and the U.S., Shing02 has produced numerous albums, collaborated with a long list of hip hop artists and he can …

On this episode of the Japan Station podcast, Dr. Wes Robertson stops by to talk about the wonderful mess that is the Japanese writing system. About Dr. Wes Robertson Wesley C. Robertson is Lecturer in International Studies at Macquarie University, Australia. His research focuses on variation and language play inherent in writing, with a focus on Japanese. He completed his …