181: A problematic otaku dictionary and the Japanese approach to sitting
An “Otaku Dictionary” has Japan’s subcultures upset at an attempt to define them. Thu-Huong Ha and Yukana Inoue join us to explain the linguistic scandal before discussing whether or not Japan has mas...
30 Nov 202338min
180: Things get warmer with Xi; Johnny’s get the cold shoulder
Chinese President Xi Jinping made the rounds at APEC last week, Gabriel Dominguez tells us what it means for Japan. At home, NHK has announced its “Kohaku” lineup — with nary a Johnny’s act to be foun...
22 Nov 202335min
179: Bear goes the neighborhood? Japanese wildlife is on the move
As nature reclaims depopulated villages and climate change wreaks havoc on food sources, Japan’s animal population has been inching closer to the country’s urban areas. This week, Alex K.T. Martin joi...
16 Nov 202322min
178: Japan’s ‘four-eyed tax hiker’ and the curse of Colonel Sanders
Baseball writer Jason Coskrey and editor Joel Tansey discuss the Hanshin Tigers’ Japan Series victory; Gabriele Ninivaggi explains how the prime minister hopes to get a home run with his tax plan. Hos...
9 Nov 202332min
177: Why single mothers in Japan have been left behind
Single parents in Japan have it tough, but these hardships seem to disproportionately affect single mothers more. This week, filmmaker Rionne McAvoy joins us to discuss the hidden poverty present in o...
2 Nov 202336min
176: The specter of Itaewon has Shibuya spooked
One year on, Elizabeth Beattie joins us to discuss where Itaewon stands after its Halloween disaster, and what its legacy means for celebrations in Japan. Hosted by Shaun McKenna and produced by Dave ...
26 Okt 202332min
175: Table for one? What depopulation in Japan means for dinner.
This week on Deep Dive, Alex K.T. Martin noticed a dip in the national caloric intake and it turns out that a graying population that is increasingly single has something to do with why Japan is gradu...
19 Okt 202328min
[Rebroadcast] Japan’s got ghosts
This week on Deep Dive, Shaun McKenna and Dave Cortez discuss a few horror movies before “Uncanny Japan” podcast host Thersa Matsuura tells a classic Japanese ghost story. Hosted by Shaun McKenna an...
12 Okt 202341min
