Unpacking Japan

Produced by ZenStudio

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. 2D AGO

    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

  2. 5D AGO

    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

  3. JAN 30

    Peppe's long journey to becoming a published mangaka (and how Terrace House changed his life)

    Meet Peppe, an Italian mangaka who gained international attention after his appearance on the reality show Terrace House. He sits down to talk with us about his journey to Japan and struggle to get published while studying Japanese and working as a fashion model, to his time on Terrace House just as he was making his debut as a serialized mangaka.--0:00 Intro0:46 Meet Peppe6:20 Deciding to move to Japan10:55 First time in Japan13:40 Studying other manga artists17:33 Missing his big chance with a publisher26:55 Second chance meeting32:24 One-way ticket back to Japan35:45 Working as a model39:21 Getting a work visa41:41 Entering his first manga contest45:15 Big break48:18 Writing Mingo and getting serialized55:01 Working with a Japanese editor57:19 How Terrace House affected his career1:01:05 Terrace House audition1:05:17 What was Terrace House like?1:12:55 Writing Endo (and who was Maraini?)1:21:47 Challenges of writing a biographical manga1:26:48 Reception from Japanese people1:33:44 What's next for Peppe?--Follow Peppe: https://www.instagram.com/peppedesuhttps://x.com/peppedesuFollow 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 38m

  4. JAN 27

    How Tokyo Llama found their dream house in Japan

    Meet Jaya, a content creator documenting renovating his dream house in Japan. He sits down to talk to us about finding the ideal akiya, the auction process, and everything they've put into renovations so far.--Follow Jaya:www.youtube.com/@TokyoLlamahttps://www.instagram.com/tokyo_llama/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 34m

  5. JAN 23

    Why the tea ceremony is unlike any other Japanese art

    Meet Randy Soei, a tea master from Canada, who sits down to talk with us about why the tea ceremony is unlike any other Japanese art. He talks to us about his history with martial arts, the role of tea in Japanese culture, and the beauty of the tea ceremony. --Follow Randy: https://15-1a.com/ https://www.instagram.com/soei151a/https://www.facebook.com/ranhotei https://x.com/ranHotei 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 6m

  6. JAN 20

    Is Japan's matcha industry a bubble?

    Meet Ian, founder of e-commerce tea platform Yunomi Life, who sits down to talk with us about the state of Japan's matcha industry. He tells us about the sudden growth of the tea industry, how sustainable it is, competition from countries like China, and the whether or not the matcha industry is really a bubble.-- Follow Ian: https://yunomi.life/https://www.instagram.com/yunomiteahttps://www.instagram.com/ictokyo 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 28m

  7. JAN 16

    Do Japanese baseball fans like foreign players?

    Meet Trevor, a baseball journalist reporting on the Hanshin Tigers to foreign and overseas fans. Trevor sits down to talk to us about the importance of Japanese baseball, his own journey to Japan, and why Tigers fans are so passionate about their team. -- Follow Trevor: https://x.com/thehanshintiger https://trevorraichura.substack.com/ 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

  8. JAN 13

    What being trans in 90s Japan was like (and how it's changed today)

    Meet Tiffany, an LGBTQ+ consultant & speaker, who sits down to talk with us about her life in Japan as a trans woman from the 90s to today. She tells us about her own experiences, her work in a cabaret bar, and her work as an activist and documentary filmmaker today.Follow Tiffany: https://www.tiffanyrossdale.com/https://www.instagram.com/tiffanyrossdaleofficial/https://x.com/DJTokyoHottiehttps://www.facebook.com/OfficialTiffanyRossdale/https://linkedin.com/in/tiffanyrossdaleFollow 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 2m
See All (188)

Ratings & Reviews

4.5
out of 5
13 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
    188
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Produced by ZenStudio
  • Show Website
    Unpacking Japan

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