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Unpacking Japan

Unpacking Japan

Produced by ZenStudio

203 episodesEN

Show overview

Unpacking Japan has been publishing since 2023, and across the 3 years since has built a catalogue of 203 episodes. That works out to roughly 220 hours of audio in total. Releases follow a weekly cadence.

Episodes typically run an hour to ninety minutes — most land between 58 min and 1h 12m — and the run-time is fairly consistent across the catalogue. None of the episodes are flagged explicit by the publisher. It is catalogued as a EN-language Society & Culture show.

The show is actively publishing — the most recent episode landed 3 months ago, with 26 episodes already out so far this year. The busiest year was 2025, with 80 episodes published. Published by Produced by ZenStudio.

Episodes
203
Running
2023–2026 · 3y
Median length
1h 5m
Cadence
Weekly

From the publisher

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

Latest Episodes

View all 203 episodes

What life in a 1970s Japanese farmhouse was like

Meet Karen Hill Anton, a writer who first came to Japan in the 1970s. She tells us about living in a martial arts dojo before moving to an old farmhouse and raising her children in the countryside, and sharing her experiences here as a writer.--0:00 Intro4:05 Living in a dojo7:48 Moving to an old farmhouse14:21 Deciding to stay long-term19:48 Life in Hamamatsu22:27 Karen's dance class24:24 When did you decide to settle permanently?27:58 Key topics in her Japan Times column31:05 Raising children in Japan36:25 What is home?41:17 Working as a corporate consultant50:15 Karen's novel set in 1970s Japan58:58 Looking back1:02:26 Advice to people moving to Japan--Follow Karen:https://www.karenhillanton.com/https://www.instagram.com/karenhillanton/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/

Apr 3, 20261h 6m

How Micaela became one of the first full-time j-vloggers

Meet Micaela, a vlogger based in Fukuoka, Japan. She sits down to talk to us about going to Japanese high school and music school, working as a full-time influencer at an agency in early YouTube, and her current life in Fukuoka.--0:00 Intro0:46 Meet Micaela3:05 First interest in Japan 6:25 Was Miyazaki a personal choice?8:02 High school in Japan 13:11 Why Japan became home14:36 Choosing Kyushu over Tokyo16:12 Teaching English in Japan20:36 Vocational school in Japan24:58 Experience at YouTuber agency34:57 Experiences on Japanese TV40:57 What makes Kyushu special56:31 What's next for Micaela59:15 How content creation has changed over time1:04:31 What has changed in Japan over 20 years1:08:23 Micaela's recommended dishes--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/

Mar 31, 20261h 10m

Meet Japan's Mr. Rogers of math

Meet Peter Frankl, a Hungarian mathematician living in Japan. Peter sits down to talk to us about his life and journey to Japan, his NHK series for children, and why he thinks the Japanese have a mathematician's mindset.--0:00 Intro0:44 Meet Peter5:14 Arriving in Japan in 198210:08 Researching in Japan15:04 Peter's fascination with math19:51 Japanese people are kind of like mathematicians29:28 Peter's autobiography39:37 Peter's NHK show Mathematica52:07 Being an independent mathematician57:25 Current work1:03:09 Working with Japanese mathematicians1:10:21 Peter's juggling career1:27:35 Looking backFollow Peter:http://peterfrankl.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/

Mar 27, 20261h 40m

If you think you know Japanese music, you don't

Meet Harry, an indie music promoter working in Tokyo. He sits down to talk to us about his love of Japanese indie music, the mind-boggling variety of acts you can find, and how you can get tickets as a foreigner in Japan.--0:00 Intro0:44 Meet Harry7:05 Interest in Japanese music12:21 Japanese music has EVERYTHING22:18 Favorite stories26:51 How to support the scene32:12 Helping foreigners get tickets with Gigs in Tokyo39:49 Reaction from performers and venues42:42 Is it working?46:57 Organizing his own events54:09 Scene beyond Tokyo57:10 Next steps--Follow Harry:⁠ @angura_live https://www.instagram.com/gigsintokyo/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/

Mar 24, 20261h 7m

Sitting down with Shibuya Kaho about her life as a writer & cosplayer

Meet Shibuya Kaho, a writer, cosplayer, and livestreamer from Tokyo. She sits down to talk with us about her time as a journalist, her book on the AV industry, and her current life as a streamer and cosplayer.--0:00 Intro4:17 All-girls school in Japan7:57 Journalism internship11:48 Time as a sports journalist17:58 Book about the AV industry23:18 Reaction from the industry29:52 Suing the AV industry33:12 Cosplay career37:06 Being a cosplay judge/host44:40 How to work with Japanese companies50:42 Overcoming stigma as a woman and former AV actress52:49 Streaming career55:21 Learning kimono1:00:44 Book about becoming fluent in English1:08:36 Kaho's single life--Follow Kaho: https://www.kaho-shibuya.comhttps://www.twitch.tv/shibuya_kahohttps://www.instagram.com/shibukahohttps://www.tiktok.com/@shibuya_kahohttps://x.com/ShibukahoFollow 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/

Mar 20, 20261h 13m

The reality of being Muslim in Japan

Meet Zhafira, an Indonesian content creator who spent several years in Japan growing up, returning to Indonesia and coming back to Japan as an adult. She sits down to talk to us about her life between countries and the challenges faced by Japanese Muslims and Muslim immigrants here.--0:00 Intro0:44 Meet Zhafira4:24 Growing up Muslim in Japan8:31 Going to school as a Muslim in Japan11:10 Culture shock returning to Indonesia15:20 Coming back to Japan19:04 Interest in academia26:49 University in Japan as Muslim29:39 Managing prayer schedules here as Muslim32:00 Halal food in Japan34:30 Growing islamophobia in Japan40:58 Misconceptions about Muslims in Japan45:24 Is there a Muslim voice on social media?51:08 Zhafira's work and research in sex education58:28 Sex education taboo in Islam1:03:48 Moving to Tokyo1:08:06 Muslim community in Japan1:12:05 Challenges with employment as Muslim in Japan--Follow Zhafira:https://zhafiraiha.com/ ⁨@Zhafiraiha⁩ https://www.instagram.com/zhafiraihahttps://www.tiktok.com/@zhafiraihahttps://medium.com/@zhafira.aqylahttps://x.com/zhafiraqylaFollow 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/

Mar 17, 20261h 22m

The reality of "Japan" content ft. @foxmaskdaze ​

Meet Dani, a content creator from Venezuela also known as the guy in the fox mask. Dani sits down to talk to us about his journey to Japan, what it was like for him to work here, the reality of being a Japan content creator, and where the heck the mask came from.--0:00 Intro0:44 Meet Dani6:37 Start in content creation9:24 Content creation process13:06 Becoming a full-time creator16:52 How to stay unique in a sea of content19:15 Story behind the mask22:06 Taking off the mask24:46 Thoughts on overtourism and content creation30:11 Favourite areas of Japan34:34 Is it possible to stay authentic?37:41 Misconceptions about Japan creators39:57 Moving forward--Follow Dani: ⁨@foxmaskdaze⁩ https://www.instagram.com/foxmaskdaze/https://www.tiktok.com/@foxmaskdazehttps://www.facebook.com/foxmaskjapanon/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/

Mar 13, 202646 min

How safe is Japan for women? ft. eviebunniex

Meet Evie, a fashion model and content creator living in Tokyo. Evie sits down to talk to us about her interest in Japanese fashion, how Japanese styles are being taken overseas, and her own fashion and feminism content.--0:00 Intro0:44 Meet Evie5:44 Coming to Japan for fashion8:57 Where subcultures come from11:19 Foreign view on subcultures12:12 Moving to Japan16:35 Job hunting in Japan21:11 Start in content creation24:23 Is Japan safe for women?28:10 What does feminism mean to you?31:47 Feminism in content creation34:03 What's changed in Japan?39:04 Is it difficult to talk about Japan's problems?42:19 Evie's life in Japan now44:06 Do you feel responsibility as a creator?46:31 Working with Japanese brands as a creator51:57 Using her philosophy degree52:55 Mixing business and content creation54:24 Misconceptions about feminism in Japan--Follow Evie: @eviebunnie https://www.instagram.com/eviebunniex/https://www.tiktok.com/@eviebunnieFollow 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/

Mar 6, 202657 min

Why early kabuki performances were banned

Meet Tove Bjoerk, a professor of Japanese culture and kabuki researcher at Saitama University, who sits down to talk to us about the history of kabuki. She tells us about the origins of kabuki performances, how it's evolved throughout the years, and the secret to why it remains so successful to this day.--0:00 Intro0:44 Meet Tove8:48 Interest in theatre9:56 Interest in Ichikawa Danjuro14:24 What makes kabuki special16:36 A stage art for the poor19:27 Kabuki was banned23:11 How popular was kabuki?27:15 Was kabuki style consistent across Japan?28:43 Diaries of Ichikawa Danjuro34:40 What do you need to know before seeing kabuki?37:33 Kabuki gets banned again44:52 Bjoerk's least favorite play47:09 Kabuki acting56:25 Ongoing research1:00:31 Founder of kabuki1:03:58 Kabuki today--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/

Mar 3, 20261h 8m

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 Outro____________Shiki Group:https://linktr.ee/shikigroupShiki Properties IG:https://instagram.com/shiki_propertiesShiki Real Estate:https://linktr.ee/shiki.realestateFollow 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/

Feb 27, 20261h 4m

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 Intro0:46 Meet Ken3:30 Moving to Japan9:06 Starting a finance career in the bubble era14:35 Finance philosophy in Japan vs. the US19:17 Discovering Eiichi Shibusawa's writings25:36 Starting an investment advisory firm35:51 Focus on social entrepreneurship38:56 Funding African startups45:08 Connecting Japan and Africa51:41 Challenges seeking investment for Africa55:18 Change in industry over time58:52 Hope for the younger generation1:03:30 What Ken wants to leave behind1:04:51 Japan is in a new era1:07:24 Japan needs another Meiji Restoration--Follow Ken:https://www.shibusawa-co.jp/https://x.com/shib30https://www.instagram.com/kenshibusawa/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/

Feb 24, 20261h 11m

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 Intro0:46 Is Sora actually Japanese?4:21 How weebs changed his perception of Japan10:28 Becoming an English teacher15:20 Start as a voice actor19:15 Sora's most viral roles23:33 Becoming a meme27:57 Mindset as an actor29:22 Being cringe on YouTube34:04 Making skits about Japanglish37:59 Is his channel still for weebs?41:31 Sora's opinion on VTubers45:20 Sora's opinion on "Japan" content48:50 Does Sora feel any pressure as a Japanese?53:44 Sora's obsession with Chris Broad1:00:57 What fame means living in Japan1:03:29 Living in Tokyo vs. Osaka vs. Chiba--Follow Sora: @sorathetroll 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/

Feb 20, 20261h 15m

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 Intro0:44 Meet Chloe5:35 Planning to move to Japan7:35 First time in Japan10:03 Life in Niigata12:06 Interest in Kunio Yanagita12:52 Interest in bunya joruri18:56 What is Japanese puppet theatre?21:06 When did it start?22:36 Who was Chikamatsu Monzaemon?24:14 Studying puppet theatre as a foreigner26:40 Puppet troupes28:14 Japanese vs. French plays33:26 How puppeteers perform36:20 Understanding the characters38:45 How the puppets are operated43:52 How the stories are performed47:49 Why bunya joruri might disappear50:26 How bunya joruri changed Chloe's life54:10 Chloe's NHK French program57:35 Is it important to keep traditional arts alive?59:29 Where to watch bunya joruri1:00:29 Tobi tries puppeteering--Follow Chloé:https://x.com/YasathemFollow 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/

Feb 17, 20261h 5m

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 Intro0:46 Meet Ibrahim4:21 Coming to Japan8:07 PhD in Japan14:49 Overcoming the language barrier19:35 Getting a Japanese medical license26:03 Passing the exam30:07 Treating Japanese vs. foreign patients36:18 Navigating the Japanese medical system40:01 Research on eye surgery48:09 Medical tourism to Japan51:56 Common eye problems in Japan54:28 Navigating medical regulations58:53 Looking back1:02:38 Goals for the future1:07:20 Advice for anyone considering studying in Japan--Follow Ibrahim:https://www.facebook.com/Osamaiburahimu/Follow us:https://unpacking.jp/https://www.instagram.com/unpacking_japanhttps://www.tiktok.com/@unpackingjapanhttps://www.facebook.com/unpackingjapanhttps://www.youtube.com/@unpackingjapanshortshttps://www.x.com/unpacking_japanhttps://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/

Feb 13, 20261h 9m

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/

Feb 10, 202658 min

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 Intro0:45 Meet Andromeda6:18 Moving to Japan & working at fashion company11:17 Life in the Japanese fashion industry12:54 Interest in kimono17:33 Podcast and LGBTQ activism22:38 Issues with LGBTQ labels27:50 Finding community in Japan35:19 Performing drag in Tokyo40:46 Start with queer magazine & activism52:08 Response by Japanese audience56:09 Why it's important to talk about love1:00:39 How much work does a magazine take?1:03:39 How perspective on LGBTQ has changed in Japan1:06:56 What's next for Luna?1:08:46 Coming out in public1:11:01 Why being trans was never an issue in Japan1:15:18 Where do we stand today?--Follow Luna:https://www.instagram.com/luna.andromeda.jphttps://www.instagram.com/moto.iwakanhttps://www.tiktok.com/@luna.andromeda.jpFollow 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/

Feb 6, 20261h 21m

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/

Feb 3, 20261h 2m

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/

Jan 30, 20261h 38m

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/

Jan 27, 20261h 33m

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/ranhoteihttps://x.com/ranHoteiFollow 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/

Jan 23, 20261h 6m
Produced by ZenStudio