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. 55m ago

    How to ACTUALLY make a career of teaching in Japan

    Meet Jake, an international school principal living in Japan. He sits down to talk to us about the reality of teaching in Japan, including what people should expect, what companies do, and how to actually build a career teaching here.. -- 0:00 Intro 0:50 Meet Jake 5:11 First time in Japan 12:15 First experience as a teacher 20:44 A career in teaching English 27:38 The reality of being an ALT 36:51 The role of teaching companies 43:12 Teaching licenses 48:00 Becoming principal 1:02:11 What people should know 1:06:15 What should change -- Follow Jake: @jakejapanjapan 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

  2. 3d ago

    The reality of growing up half Indian in Japan

    Meet Priyanka, an Indian-Japanese entrepreneur who sits down to talk to us about her life growing up as a hafu in Japan. She tells us about being the only hafu in Japanese school, winning Miss World Japan in 2016, her time on reality TV show Love is Blind Japan, and her work as a model and entrepreneur. -- 0:00 Intro 0:50 Meet Priyanka 4:46 Moving to California 12:22 Moving back to Japan 14:14 Bullying in Japanese schools 25:53 Becoming a model 30:51 Entering Miss World Japan 34:57 The elephant trainer thing 40:27 Winning as a hafu 50:56 Start as an entrepreneur 1:03:03 Love is Blind 1:16:35 Moving to London 1:20:22 Learning ikebana 1:25:02 Looking back -- Follow Priyanka: https://www.instagram.com/priyankayoshikawa/ https://open.spotify.com/show/4iVGYMYvEtksY766NhicEq?si=b20f3f83bbcf4ba0 https://x.com/priyayoshikawa @AuthenticallyMe-podcast 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 28m

  3. Jul 3

    Demystifying Japanese home cooking

    Meet Nancy Singleton Hachisu, a cookbook author living on a rural farm in Saitama. She sits down to talk to us about coming to Japan, discovering the beautiful simplicty of Japanese farm food, and writing her cookbooks on Japanese home cooking. -- 0:00 Intro 0:45 Meet Nancy 5:32 Coming to Japan 11:09 Impressions of the food 17:12 Moving to a farm 23:05 Homeschooling and edible schoolyard 32:24 Writing a cookbook 38:54 What you should know about Japanese food 43:11 How to incorporate Japanese ingredients 51:03 Publishing a book in Japan 1:07:04 Current projects 1:16:27 Where to start with Japanese cooking -- Follow Nancy: https://www.nancysingletonhachisu.com/ https://www.instagram.com/nancyhachisu/ https://www.facebook.com/nancy.hachisu 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 22m

  4. Jun 30

    What it's like building multiple businesses in Tokyo

    Meet Lauren Rose Kocher, an entrepreneur and CEO of multiple businesses in Tokyo. She sits down to talk to us about her journey to Japan, working in the Japanese music industry before leaving to start her own business, and inheriting businesses from her late husband. -- 0:00 Intro 0:45 Meet Lauren 4:30 Teaching English in Japan 8:58 Entering the music industry 15:09 What the music industry is like 19:05 Cyndi Lauper earthquake story 31:50 Working at Sony 44:50 Moving on 47:32 Establishing her own company 51:15 The COVID jackpot 58:00 Expansion and burnout 1:03:52 Having to leave her own company 1:09:13 Lauren's late husband 1:12:44 Starting a new company 1:15:10 Converting defunct family business 1:21:26 Looking back 1:25:32 Husband's businesses -- Follow Lauren: https://www.laurenrosekocher.com/ https://www.instagram.com/laurenrosekocher/ https://www.tiktok.com/@laurenrosekocher https://laurenrosekocher.substack.com/ 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 30m

  5. Jun 26

    Born and raised as an Indian in Tokyo (as a film director)

    Meet Ameya, an Indian director born and raised in Tokyo. She sits down to talk to us about growing up in Japan, her entry into the Tokyo art scene, and her work as a film director. -- 0:45 Meet Ameya 1:20 Growing up Indian in Tokyo 11:37 Realizing how society views you 14:50 Joining the creative industry 19:18 Stepping behind the camera 23:04 Making connections 28:03 Becoming a filmmaker 37:14 Shooting for big brands 45:25 Differences shooting in Japan 50:58 Ameya's first movie 56:10 The creator economy 1:02:35 Gaining confidence as a creator -- Follow Ameya: https://ameya.click/ https://www.instagram.com/ameya.click/ 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 20m

  6. Jun 23

    The Noh professor: what even Japanese people don't understand about Noh

    Meet Richard, a professor of Noh and Asian performing arts at Musashino University in Tokyo, as well as the founder and director of Theatre Nohgaku. He sits down to talk to us about the art and history of Noh, common misconceptions that foreigners and Japanese people have, and his own journey to the Noh world in Japan. -- 0:00 Intro 0:46 Meet Richard 6:56 What is Noh? 11:42 The yooooooooo 17:24 Noh vs. Kabuki 20:14 Origins of Noh 22:50 Where plays come from 30:31 Richard's start in Noh 35:30 Noh actor families 41:05 Noh instruments 47:57 Writing the book on Noh 51:39 Popularity of Noh 59:49 The Noh stage 1:04:43 Modern Noh plays 1:07:08 English Noh plays 1:10:30 Noh masks 1:23:17 Appreciating Noh -- Follow Richard: https://www.theatrenohgaku.org/ 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 35m

  7. Jun 19

    Matcha Samurai on on the state of Japan content

    Meet Matcha Samurai, a Japanese creator known for his infectious laugh. He sits down to talk to us about his identity as someone from Kochi, his life abroad in London, and being a creator with the role of assumed Japanese culture expert. A big thank you to our colleagues from ZenMarket for sponsoring this episode. Interesting in buying anything from Japan? Find out more here: https://go.zenmarket.jp/unpackingjapan -- 0:00 Intro 1:07 Meet Matcha Samurai 3:14 Interest in studying abroad 6:02 Arriving in London 10:32 Start as creator 13:08 Role as defacto culture expert 17:40 Thoughts on "JaPaN" as a Japanese 21:42 Why he doesn't monetize his videos 23:26 Career in London 25:40 Trying not to get cancelled 31:25 Topics he avoids 33:14 On his unique laugh 39:52 Looking back on 10 years in London 47:11 Kochi people are different 51:46 Where to go in Kochi 56:47 Why everywhere in Japan is so different 59:12 Looking back 1:03:01 What to know coming to Japan -- Follow Matcha Samurai: https://www.youtube.com/@matcha_samurai https://www.tiktok.com/@matcha_samurai https://www.instagram.com/matcha_samurai 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

  8. Jun 16

    What it's like playing in a Japanese orchestra

    Meet Harald Naess, a trumpeter for the Kyoto Symphony Orchestra. He sits down to talk to us about moving to Japan, learning Japanese while finding a common language in German, and the differences in work ethic and performance in Japan. -- 0:00 Intro 0:45 Meet Harald 4:14 First music study 6:35 Arriving in Japan 10:00 Differences playing in Japan 14:05 Japanese approach to music 18:39 First performance in Japan 24:00 Why Harald was selected 28:12 Music is like noodles 33:04 Impactful performances 39:59 Orchestra group dynamics 44:10 Bringing a younger audience 45:17 Teaching Japanese students 57:47 Looking back 59:29 Sailing in Japan 1:04:05 Getting a license 1:08:56 Sailing experiences 1:11:30 Why moving here was easy -- Follow Harald: https://www.facebook.com/kyototrumpet/ https://www.instagram.com/kyotoviking/ https://open.spotify.com/artist/2xLfjz5BJ3y6LzJZP0YFIO?si=QMojHzocS52j8axopG12vg 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
See All (231)

4.7
out of 5
18 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
    231
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © Produced by ZenStudio
  • Show Website
    Unpacking Japan

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