Unpacking Japan

Produced by ZenStudio
  • 4.6 (14)
  • SOCIETY & CULTURE
  • UPDATED WEEKLY

Unpacking Japan explores Japanese arts, culture, and business through the lives of foreigners who have made this amazing country their home. While we’ve all seen vlogs and movies showing Japan from a pop culture perspective, Unpacking Japan tells the stories that get left by the wayside—the immigrants, the entrepreneurs, and the artists. Tune in every week for an authentic, inspiring conversation with someone who’s carved out their own, unique place in this beautiful country. Host: Tobias Bieker Production: A. Magdych Editing: L. Nicholas, J. Sketchley Social: J. Sketchley Design: M. Koga

  1. 1D AGO

    The effect of Japanese housing regulations on tourism

    Meet Chai Kanda, CEO of Shiki Properties in Kyoto, who sits down to talk about Japan's short-term rental market. He talks about his work restoring machiya for vacation rentals, Japan's tourism boom, and how regulations affect Japan's tourism industry.--0:00 Intro0:45 Meet Chai1:07 What brought Chai to Japan2:07 Chai’s childhood in Japan2:27 Leaving Sydney for Japan2:51 Chai’s original vision for Japan3:52 Chai’s first job in Japan4:11 Staying in Kansai long term4:36 Discovering real estate6:43 From rentals to acquisitions for Chai9:30 The pros and cons of machiya investment for Chai11:38 The charm of machiya12:15 Chai on Airbnb in Japan13:58 Chai on renovation budgets16:27 Chai navigating funding and partnerships17:35 Chai on customer demand for machiya18:55 Adapting to rapid growth20:17 How booming tourism affects regulations24:32 Kyoto-specific rules25:29 Expanding beyond Kyoto29:02 Expanding into Japan's "Little Venice"32:37 Chai comparing markets34:20 The usual process of starting in a new area36:56 Tourism and neighborhood change39:55 Evaluating sustainable tourism markets43:09 Chai on overtourism in Japan45:13 Crowded buses and local frustration47:27 Transit expansion challenges48:10 Untangling the tourism challenge50:27 Chai’s long-term vision52:36 From real estate to hot sauce54:12 The reality of launching food products in Japan56:04 Chai’s Scoville rating56:55 Key lessons from two decades in business58:25 The fear of failure in Japan1:00:39 Being prepared for business in Japan1:03:26 Wrapping up1:04:01 OutroFollow us:https://unpacking.jp/https://www.instagram.com/unpacking_japanhttps://www.tiktok.com/@unpackingjapanhttps://www.facebook.com/unpackingjapanhttps://www.youtube.com/@unpackingjapanshortshttps://www.x.com/unpacking_japanhttps://creators.spotify.com/pod/profile/unpackingjapanSubscribe for more in-depth discussions about life in Japan! Interested in working at a global e-commerce company in Osaka? Our parent company ZenGroup is hiring! To learn more, check out https://careers.zen.group/en/

    1h 5m

  2. 4D AGO

    The father of Japanese capitalism warned us this would happen

    Meet Ken Shibusawa, an economist and great-grandson of Eiichi Shibusawa, the father of Japanese capitalism. He sits down to talk to us about moving to Japan to rediscover his roots, discovering his great-grandfather's writings, and his own finance career in social entrepreneurship and connecting Japan to Africa. -- 0:00 Intro 0:46 Meet Ken 3:30 Moving to Japan 9:06 Starting a finance career in the bubble era 14:35 Finance philosophy in Japan vs. the US 19:17 Discovering Eiichi Shibusawa's writings 25:36 Starting an investment advisory firm 35:51 Focus on social entrepreneurship 38:56 Funding African startups 45:08 Connecting Japan and Africa 51:41 Challenges seeking investment for Africa 55:18 Change in industry over time 58:52 Hope for the younger generation 1:03:30 What Ken wants to leave behind 1:04:51 Japan is in a new era 1:07:24 Japan needs another Meiji Restoration -- Follow Ken: https://www.shibusawa-co.jp/ https://x.com/shib30 https://www.instagram.com/kenshibusawa/ Follow us: https://unpacking.jp/ https://www.instagram.com/unpacking_japan https://www.tiktok.com/@unpackingjapan https://www.facebook.com/unpackingjapan https://www.youtube.com/@unpackingjapanshorts https://www.x.com/unpacking_japan https://creators.spotify.com/pod/profile/unpackingjapan Subscribe for more in-depth discussions about life in Japan! Interested in working at a global e-commerce company in Osaka? Our parent company ZenGroup is hiring! To learn more, check out https://careers.zen.group/en/

    1h 12m

  3. FEB 20

    How Sora the Troll learned to be proud to be Japanese

    Meet Sora, a voice actor from Japan*, who sits down to talk to us about his life and career. He tells us about his struggles with his identity and how weebs helped him learn to be proud of his country, his journey from English teacher to voice actor and creator, and the absolute state of Japan content. *yes really -- 0:00 Intro 0:46 Is Sora actually Japanese? 4:21 How weebs changed his perception of Japan 10:28 Becoming an English teacher 15:20 Start as a voice actor 19:15 Sora's most viral roles 23:33 Becoming a meme 27:57 Mindset as an actor 29:22 Being cringe on YouTube 34:04 Making skits about Japanglish 37:59 Is his channel still for weebs? 41:31 Sora's opinion on VTubers 45:20 Sora's opinion on "Japan" content 48:50 Does Sora feel any pressure as a Japanese? 53:44 Sora's obsession with Chris Broad 1:00:57 What fame means living in Japan 1:03:29 Living in Tokyo vs. Osaka vs. Chiba -- Follow Sora: @sorathetroll Follow us: https://unpacking.jp/ https://www.instagram.com/unpacking_japan https://www.tiktok.com/@unpackingjapan https://www.facebook.com/unpackingjapan https://www.youtube.com/@unpackingjapanshorts https://www.x.com/unpacking_japan https://creators.spotify.com/pod/profile/unpackingjapan Subscribe for more in-depth discussions about life in Japan! Interested in working at a global e-commerce company in Osaka? Our parent company ZenGroup is hiring! To learn more, check out https://careers.zen.group/en/

    1h 15m

  4. FEB 17

    This traditional Japanese theatre will be gone in 20 years

    Meet Chloé Viatte, a French professor and bunya ningyo joruri puppeteer, who sits down to talk to us about this rare Japanese theatre. She tells us about her journey to Japan and interest in puppeteering, how these puppets are operated, and why they might disappear forever. -- 0:00 Intro 0:44 Meet Chloe 5:35 Planning to move to Japan 7:35 First time in Japan 10:03 Life in Niigata 12:06 Interest in Kunio Yanagita 12:52 Interest in bunya joruri 18:56 What is Japanese puppet theatre? 21:06 When did it start? 22:36 Who was Chikamatsu Monzaemon? 24:14 Studying puppet theatre as a foreigner 26:40 Puppet troupes 28:14 Japanese vs. French plays 33:26 How puppeteers perform 36:20 Understanding the characters 38:45 How the puppets are operated 43:52 How the stories are performed 47:49 Why bunya joruri might disappear 50:26 How bunya joruri changed Chloe's life 54:10 Chloe's NHK French program 57:35 Is it important to keep traditional arts alive? 59:29 Where to watch bunya joruri 1:00:29 Tobi tries puppeteering -- Follow Chloé: https://x.com/Yasathem Follow us: https://unpacking.jp/ https://www.instagram.com/unpacking_japan https://www.tiktok.com/@unpackingjapan https://www.facebook.com/unpackingjapan https://www.youtube.com/@unpackingjapanshorts https://www.x.com/unpacking_japan https://creators.spotify.com/pod/profile/unpackingjapan Subscribe for more in-depth discussions about life in Japan! Interested in working at a global e-commerce company in Osaka? Our parent company ZenGroup is hiring! To learn more, check out https://careers.zen.group/en/

    1h 6m

  5. FEB 13

    How do Japanese people react to a foreign doctor?

    Meet Osama Ibrahim, an Egyptian opthamologist practicing in Japan. He sits down to talk to us about getting his medical license here, his work as a researcher, and the challenges he's had as a foreign doctor in Japan. -- 0:00 Intro 0:46 Meet Ibrahim 4:21 Coming to Japan 8:07 PhD in Japan 14:49 Overcoming the language barrier 19:35 Getting a Japanese medical license 26:03 Passing the exam 30:07 Treating Japanese vs. foreign patients 36:18 Navigating the Japanese medical system 40:01 Research on eye surgery 48:09 Medical tourism to Japan 51:56 Common eye problems in Japan 54:28 Navigating medical regulations 58:53 Looking back 1:02:38 Goals for the future 1:07:20 Advice for anyone considering studying in Japan -- Follow Ibrahim: https://www.facebook.com/Osamaiburahimu/ Follow us: https://unpacking.jp/ https://www.instagram.com/unpacking_japan https://www.tiktok.com/@unpackingjapan https://www.facebook.com/unpackingjapan https://www.youtube.com/@unpackingjapanshorts https://www.x.com/unpacking_japan https://creators.spotify.com/pod/profile/unpackingjapan -- Subscribe for more in-depth discussions about life in Japan! Interested in working at a global e-commerce company in Osaka? Our parent company ZenGroup is hiring! To learn more, check out https://careers.zen.group/en/

    1h 10m

  6. FEB 10

    Is it hard to move to Japan at middle age? ft. @ChaniJapan ​

    Meet Chani, a teacher and content creator that sits down to talk with us about moving to Japan at almost 50. She tells us about her first homestay experience in Japan, life as a teacher bringing her students here, buying an akiya here and her big move to her next stage in life.--0:00 Intro0:44 Meet Chani2:52 Homestay in Japan6:03 Move back to Japan9:55 Moving back at 5019:34 Japanese teacher to English teacher26:18 Buying an akiya32:51 Settling in to the house35:55 Starting a YouTube channel40:14 How moving here changed Chani's perspective on life42:06 Adopting a cat in Japan45:31 Finding a community in Japan49:31 Looking back51:48 Advice for people moving to Japan--Follow Chani: @ChaniJapan  https://www.chanijapan.com/https://www.instagram.com/chanijapan/Follow us:https://unpacking.jp/https://www.instagram.com/unpacking_japanhttps://www.tiktok.com/@unpackingjapanhttps://www.facebook.com/unpackingjapanhttps://www.youtube.com/@unpackingjapanshortshttps://www.x.com/unpacking_japanhttps://creators.spotify.com/pod/profile/unpackingjapanSubscribe for more in-depth discussions about life in Japan! Interested in working at a global e-commerce company in Osaka? Our parent company ZenGroup is hiring! To learn more, check out https://careers.zen.group/en/

    59 min

  7. FEB 6

    Why being transgender was never an issue in Japan

    Meet Luna, a model living in Tokyo who performs as a drag queen under the name Andromeda. She sits down to talk with us about being queer and transgender in Japan, and why older people keep asking her why being trans is considered an issue -- 0:00 Intro 0:45 Meet Andromeda 6:18 Moving to Japan & working at fashion company 11:17 Life in the Japanese fashion industry 12:54 Interest in kimono 17:33 Podcast and LGBTQ activism 22:38 Issues with LGBTQ labels 27:50 Finding community in Japan 35:19 Performing drag in Tokyo 40:46 Start with queer magazine & activism 52:08 Response by Japanese audience 56:09 Why it's important to talk about love 1:00:39 How much work does a magazine take? 1:03:39 How perspective on LGBTQ has changed in Japan 1:06:56 What's next for Luna? 1:08:46 Coming out in public 1:11:01 Why being trans was never an issue in Japan 1:15:18 Where do we stand today? --Follow Luna: https://www.instagram.com/luna.andromeda.jp https://www.instagram.com/moto.iwakan https://www.tiktok.com/@luna.andromeda.jp Follow us:https://unpacking.jp/https://www.instagram.com/unpacking_japanhttps://www.tiktok.com/@unpackingjapanhttps://www.facebook.com/unpackingjapanhttps://www.youtube.com/@unpackingjapanshortshttps://www.x.com/unpacking_japanhttps://creators.spotify.com/pod/profile/unpackingjapanSubscribe for more in-depth discussions about life in Japan! Interested in working at a global e-commerce company in Osaka? Our parent company ZenGroup is hiring! To learn more, check out https://careers.zen.group/en/

    1h 21m

  8. FEB 3

    Gay Japanese monk's secret to a fruitful life ft. Kodo Nishimura

    Meet Kodo Nishimura, a Pure Land Buddhist monk. He sits down to talk with us about growing up in a buddhist temple as a gay man, learning to understand himself studying abroad, and rediscovering his own calling as a monk. --Follow Kodo:https://www.kodonishimura.com/https://www.instagram.com/kodomakeup/https://www.tiktok.com/@kodomakeuphttps://x.com/kodonishimura ⁨@KodoNishimuraMakeup⁩ Follow us:https://unpacking.jp/https://www.instagram.com/unpacking_japanhttps://www.tiktok.com/@unpackingjapanhttps://www.facebook.com/unpackingjapanhttps://www.youtube.com/@unpackingjapanshortshttps://www.x.com/unpacking_japanhttps://creators.spotify.com/pod/profile/unpackingjapanSubscribe for more in-depth discussions about life in Japan! Interested in working at a global e-commerce company in Osaka? Our parent company ZenGroup is hiring! To learn more, check out https://careers.zen.group/en/

    1h 3m
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Ratings & Reviews

4.6
out of 5
14 Ratings

About

Unpacking Japan explores Japanese arts, culture, and business through the lives of foreigners who have made this amazing country their home. While we’ve all seen vlogs and movies showing Japan from a pop culture perspective, Unpacking Japan tells the stories that get left by the wayside—the immigrants, the entrepreneurs, and the artists. Tune in every week for an authentic, inspiring conversation with someone who’s carved out their own, unique place in this beautiful country. Host: Tobias Bieker Production: A. Magdych Editing: L. Nicholas, J. Sketchley Social: J. Sketchley Design: M. Koga

Information

  • Creator
    Produced by ZenStudio
  • Years Active
    2023 - 2026
  • Episodes
    194
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Produced by ZenStudio
  • Show Website
    Unpacking Japan

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