155: Local flavors, global impact: Noma returns to Japan
Rene Redzepi’s groundbreaking restaurant Noma is known as one of the world’s best, so it came as a huge shock last year when he announced he would be shutting it down in 2024 — at least in its current...
13 Apr 202330min
154: What should you expect when you land a job in Japan?
The number of foreign residents in Japan recently surpassed the 3 million-mark. What does that mean for the Japanese corporations hiring them? Might they get an influx of new ideas and skilled employe...
5 Apr 202326min
153: The Japanese parliament expels some GaaSyy
He launched a career on YouTube running his mouth on celebs, but in less than a year Yoshikazu “GaaSyy” Higashitani has gone from that to running successfully for office to running from the law. Polit...
29 Mar 202324min
152: The cherry blossoms are here and business is blooming
It’s been three years since people in Japan could welcome spring with traditional picnics under the country’s millions of cherry trees. This week Kathleen Benoza explains how much money is at stake du...
23 Mar 202328min
151: Haruki Murakami’s new novel. Plus, allegations resurface in J-pop.
Last month, it was announced that Haruki Murakami would release a new full-length novel. True fans, also known as “Harukists” may note that the title for the upcoming work is the same as one of the au...
15 Mar 202333min
150: Moving to Fukushima? You’ll have to kick out the boars first
This week marks the 12th anniversary of the Great East Japan Earthquake and the nuclear meltdowns that took place in its wake. Alex K.T. Martin joins us to discuss where Fukushima is in terms of its r...
8 Mar 202322min
149: Infinity and beyond: Yayoi Kusama’s next evolution
You may know Yayoi Kusama for her polka-dotted pumpkins or Insta-ready exhibitions, but this artist from Matsumoto has a long history of radical forms of expression. This week, culture critic Thu-Huon...
2 Mar 202325min
148: A Japanese photographer heads to Ukraine; a student flees to Tokyo
On the anniversary of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, Gabriel Dominguez joins the podcast to talk about the effects this war in Europe has had on Japan. We then speak to Japanese photojournalist Saphryn...
22 Feb 202328min
