On this episode of Japan Station we ask: What was it like walking the Tokaido Road? NOTE: This is a re-broadcast of episode 78 of the Ichimon Japan podcast. Topics Discussed About the Tokaido Challenge About what it was like walking the Tokaido Road About the challenges of walking the Tokaido Road About what it was like walking from Kyoto to Tokyo About …

On this episode of Japan Station, we’re talking about train etiquette in Japan. We’re covering a recent Japanese survey that lists the 8 most irritating things people do on trains in Japan. 👉Topics Discussed Eight things you shouldn’t do on Japanese trains A survey indicating eight annoying things people do on Japanese trains How people in Japan deal with annoying …

On this episode of Japan Station, Kevin Tarpey joins us to talk about what it was like doing Shikoku’s famous 88 Temple Pilgrimmage and why Japan is such a great place for long-distance walking. 👉Topics Discussed Why Japan is such a great place for long-distance walking About the famous Shikoku 88 temple pilgrimmage (Ohenro, お遍路) What it’s like walking the …

On this episode of Japan Station, we talk about why there’s so few trash cans in public places in Japan. Despite what many sources say the 1995 sarin gas attack in Tokyo is not the reason there are so few trash cans in public places in Japan. It’s actually more complicated than that. While yes, it is true that there …

On this episode of Japan Station, I talk about my upcoming walk across the island of Kyushu. This fall I will be walking roughly 500 km from Iwakuni in Yamaguchi Prefecture all the way down to Kagoshima as part of what I’m calling the Kyushu Challenge, part three of my ongoing Blind Japan Project. Listen to find out more and …

 On this episode of Japan Station, I talk to photographer and journalist Michael Magers. Michael has spent over a decade documenting shokunin (artisans/crafworkers) across Japan. During that time has has had many extremely unique expriences such as ama divers, participating in Osaka’s infamous Danjiri Festival, and getting tattooed by a traditional Japanese tattoo artist. He talks about those experiences …

On this episode of Japan Station, I talk about what it was like staying at a new Kyoto hotel before it opened. 👉Topics Discussed About Fushigina Yado Where Fushigina Yado is located About the theme and concept of Fushigina Yado About what it was like staying in Fushigina Yado Why I got to stay at Fushigina Yado before it opened …

On this episode of Japan Station, we talk about three obscure Japanese dishes you need to try next time you’re in Japan. 👉Topics Discussed What is teppan spa (teppan supa, 鉄板スパ)? What is teppanyaki naporitan About the history of teppanyaki spaghetti About the origin of Nagoya’s famous teppanyaki naporitan About Osaka teppanyaki spaghetti About the origin of Japan’s infamous napolitan …

On this episode of Japan Station, we’re talking about hotels in Japan! This episode will give you all the information you need to know before you come visit Japan. Plenty of tips, tricks and basic information! 👉Topics Discussed About the various kinds of hotels in Japan Tips for booking hotels in Japan at cheap prices How much Japanese hotel …

On this episod eof Japan Station, we talk about some of the interesting things I experienced during my latest 400 km walk from Kyoto to Miyajima (Miyajima Challenge). 👉Topics Discussed About the Miyajima Challenge About my recent walk from Kyoto to Miyajima, Hiroshima About how I got stopped by police in Hiroshima About the time I had to hitchhike in Okayama …

Note: The video above was loosely based on the script below.   I’ve had a lot of pretty unique experiences in Japan but recently I had one of the most unique ones yet. That’s because I put on a giant shiba inu costume and went to a park in Chiba Prefecture to go see hundreds of dogs get their teeth …

The Old Tōkaidō Road (Kyū Tōkaidō, 旧東海道) is easily one of Japan’s most historically important roads. Spanning roughly 500 km (approximately 300 miles) from the modern-day capital of Tokyo to the ancient capital of Kyoto, the Tōkaidō was a backbone of Japan during the Edo Period (1600-1868). Both commoners and samurai made use of the Tōkaidō when traveling to and …