On this episode of the Japan Station podcast, road cycling in Japan, life on the JET Programme and more with Zeb Ramsbotham. About Zeb Ramsbotham Zeb Ramsbotham is experienced road cyclist living in Japan. He competes in cycling events as part of the Japan Bicyclist Club Federation (JBCF). He is also currently on the JET Programme and along with his …

On this episode of the Japan Station podcast, Colton Runyan of the University of Cambridge talks to us about his experiences training and competing in sumo, as well asl his research on Heian era physical competitions. About Colton Runyan Colton Runyan is a Phd candidate at the University of Cambridge and a sumo wrestler who has competed in Japanese college …

 On this episode of Ichimon Japan we ask: Who got it more wrong: MatPat or Tony? (This episode is a follow up to episode 11 of Ichimon Japan which focused on the so-called Curse of the Colonel. The episode was recorded in order to address inaccuracies found in that episode.) Topics Discussed A brief summary of the Curse of …

 On this episode of the Japan Station podcast, documentary filmmaker Ema Ryan Yamazaki discusses being inspired by Ichiro Suzuki and her latest documentary Koshien: Japan’s Field of Dreams. About Ema Ryan Yamazaki Ema Ryan Yamazaki is a documentary filmmaker who has worked on several Japan-related projects. Her most recent feature-length documentary is titled Koshien: Japan’s Field of Dreams and …

Will Japan wow the world with technology or fall flat trying? The last time that the Olympic Games were held in Tokyo was in 1964. These games served as an important moment for Japan. By showcasing technological advancements like more precise timekeeping systems, LCD screens, and a new high-speed bullet train system, Japan showed that it had not just recovered …

Hey, Akira, your ping pong balls are showing. The Japanese comedian Akira 100% has made a career for himself using little more than a metal tray – and that is no exaggeration. He doesn’t even wear clothes when he’s performing. All he does is use that metal tray (and occasionally other items) to keep his nether-regions covered as he engages …

Way better than watching a bunch of human children run around. Every year in October schools across Japan hold what in English tends to be called “Sports Day.” Known as undōkai or taiikukai in Japanese, this is a day on which students participate in all sorts of athletic events in order to win glory for their respective teams. However, for …

Atsuko, you’re the best! Around! Nothing’s gonna ever keep you down. There’s a lot of stereotypes about Japanese people but perhaps one of the more infamous ones is that they all know martial arts. Plenty of Japanese people have little to no training in martial arts and would be pretty lost in a dojo. As proof of this, one need …

Never take a nap in front of a parked car. It’s only natural to expect the worst when you hear about a passed out drunk guy getting run over by a car. However, that was definitely not the case for a Japanese rugby player who on early Sunday morning found himself in just such a predicament and walked away with …

What the hell was he doing in the shower? No… it’s best not to know. A male elementary school teacher in Kyoto with an alleged affinity for male underwear has been arrested in Kyoto after he was caught trespassing in the shower of a locker room at a university in Kyoto. According to Kyoto police, during the last week of …

The most adorable wrestling match you’ll ever see. On May 8, Differ Ariake, an indoor sporting arena in Tokyo, erupted into chaos as several Japanese costumed characters climbed into a wrestling ring and duked it out in an intense battle royale-style showdown. This ridiculous event was held to promote the upcoming May 18 release of Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson’s latest …

It’s that time of the year again. Despite April Fools’ not being from Japan, Japanese companies have fully embraced it. Every April 1 brings with it a whole new batch of silly jokes. Some are hilarious, some are genuinely interesting, and some are a little lackluster. This year was no different and so here’s a quick roundup (in no particular …