ciplantgo: plant-based lifestyle in Japan 日本での菜食ライフスタイル

Mina Martinez runs an animal refuge in Chiba prefecture.

I discovered Mina on Facebook, through a wonderfully jolly video of her sharing a piece of salad with Kevin Bacon, the local pig. Then I discovered she’s also a personal trainer and used to be a cuban salsa teacher in Tokyo. So of course I was going to reach out to her! 

During our conversation, we talked about her international roots, her experience as a martial artist and as a dancer, the beginnings of her refuge, her other careers such as singing and cooking, food and plant based eating, animal welfare in Japan, and much more.

Mina struck me as a deep and caring person, who lives her life in a very raw and down to earth way. It was a real pleasure getting to know her. I hope you will enjoy our conversation as much as I did.

 

P.S.: check ciplantgo's FB page or IG to see pictures of Elegua, the roster brought up in this episode.

 

Content

- Introduction

- 0:01:37s - Who is Mina?

- 0:06:08s - Her martial arts journey

- 0:11:54s - Dancing and teaching salsa

- 0:16:56s - From the UK to Japan

- 0:19:24s - The beginnings of her animal refuge

- 0:46:06s - Financing the refuge

- 0:52:20s - Mina’s singing career

- 0:58:11s - Back to animals: a few anecdotes

- 1:07:07s - Mina the cook

- 1:08:32s - Let’s talk about food

- 1:27:51s - Some of Mina’s projects

- 1:29:57s - Living with animals and being present in the moment

- 1:32:40s - Japan and animal welfare

- 1:35:35s - The madness of the factory farm industry - how cognitive dissonance allows it

- 1:41:00s - Rapid fire questions

- 1:51:47s - An Elegua song

- 1:52:38s - Closing words and the future of ciplantgo

 

Introduction BGM: "Corporate Japan" by Birocratic (http://birocratic.lnk.to/allYL)

 

Additional notes and links

- Animals in Japan FB page: https://www.facebook.com/groups/Animals.in.Japan/

- Mina Martinez AnimO FB page: https://www.facebook.com/MissMinaMartinez/

- Mina Martinez FB page: https://www.facebook.com/mina.martinez.3766

- ciplantgo Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ciplantgo/

Kiko Hirakawa is a Japanese ethical model based in Paris.

Like most things in life, meeting Kiko was a coincidence born out of randomness: coronavirus spreading in Europe, me going crazy in the city and wanting a breath of fresh air in the mountains, and a common friend who’s into hiking. Long story short, after a hike with a couple of friends in nature, Kiko and I ended up recording this podcast in Yoyogi park, at a time when she was supposed to be in Paris and me, on holiday out of the country...

During our conversation, we talked about how she became a professional model, learning new languages and living abroad, why she chose Paris, her path to veganism, being a teenage vegan in Japan, her views about modeling and ethics, food and our emotional relationship to it, and more.

Kiko is a beautiful human being, full of life and passion, and striving to make a better world. It was a real pleasure talking with her. I hope you will enjoy our conversation as much as I did.

 

Content

- Introduction

- 0:01:21s - Kiko’s self introduction.

- 0:02:38s - How did she become a professional model?

- 0:04:14s - Learning languages and living abroad

- 0:08:47s - Back to Japan before more modeling and choosing Paris

- 0:12:19s - Kiko’s journey to veganism: a quest for health and balance

- 0:19:07s - Being a teenage vegan in Japan

- 0:24:05s - From studying in Paris to living over there

- 0:26:04s - Kiko’s model job in Paris: an ethical view

- 0:30:44s - Her projects going forward

- 0:35:17s - Kiko’s Instagram and tips to fight off anxiety

- 0:41:38s - About food: Kiko’s diet

- 0:50:57s - To not be controlled by food

- 0:53:18s - Being vegan in Japan: plastic everywhere...

- 0:57:31s - Kiko’s advice on how to enter the modeling world

- 1:00:00s - Her advice about living abroad

- 1:03:00s - How to take your first steps toward veganism?

 

Introduction BGM: "Corporate Japan" by Birocratic (http://birocratic.lnk.to/allYL)

Additional notes and links

- ciplantgo Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ciplantgo/

- Kiko’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kiko.sunflowersoul/

- Kiko’s Health Coaching Website: https://kikosunflowersoul.com/

- Kiko’s model profile: https://kiko.book.fr/

- Kiko’s model profile on JSW: https://jsw-models.com/New-Faces/Kiko/

Nadia McKechnie, professional educational writer and voice-actor, and organizer of Tokyo Vegan Meetup, is on ciplantgo for the second time. 2019 was a great year for TVM, so I thought it would be interesting to talk with Nadia about what happened and what is coming in 2020.

This time, after a brief presentation of Nadia and TVM, we chatted about her experience taking part in the Vegigiren, a government initiative aiming at making Japan more vegan friendly before the Olympics, what are the foreseeable challenges for all the plant based people who will be visiting this summer, how to raise awareness among non vegans, which of the three pillars to focus on in Japan, and finally what is in store for Tokyo Vegan Meetup this year.

It was a real pleasure sitting down with Nadia for the second time and exchanging points of view regarding all things vegan in Japan. I hope you will find the conversation as interesting as I did.

Content

Introduction

0:01:37s - Nadia’s presentation of Tokyo Vegan Meetup in a nutshell

0:09:28s - The rise of veganism in Japan and the Olympics: law makers get involved!...but for what results?

0:24:48s - How vegan friendly is Japan a few months away from the Olympics?

0:32:55s - Reactions to Joaqin Phoenix Oscar speech: how to raise awareness among non vegans?

0:53:20s - What is coming up for TVM.

 

Introduction BGM: "Corporate Japan" by Birocratic (http://birocratic.lnk.to/allYL)

Additional notes and links

Tokyo Vegan Meetup: https://www.meetup.com/fr-FR/vegan-389/

Vegan Tokyo: https://vegantokyo.org/

ciplantgo Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ciplantgo/

Gray Horwitz is an environmental science researcher currently doing his Masters at Keio University.

During our close to two hours together, we talked about Gray’s path towards research, his experience as a lifelong plant based person, the idea of animal consent and the ideal farm, courtyard chicken eggs, mock foods, animal rights activism, happy meat and the philosophy of well being, the best way to spread the vegan message, his five months of veganism in Tokyo, a bicycle tour of Europe he did before Japan, and, finally, whether we would raise our future kids vegan or not.

Listening to Gray’s life story was fascinating to me, as was our philosophical exploration of veganism. It was a real pleasure talking with Gray. I hope you will enjoy our conversation as much as I did.

 

Content

- Introduction

- 0:01:40s - Gray’s self introduction.

- 0:05:11s - About Gray's (path toward) research.

- 0:22:02s - Born vegetarian, now vegan.

- 0:33:08s - Is becoming vegan easy(ier nowadays)?

- 0:34:48s - Gray's transition to veganism.

- 0:38:23s - Does the ideal farm exist?... about animal consent.

- 0:44:29s - Are courtyard chicken eggs vegan friendly?

- 0:47:09s - About mock foods: eggs, cheese, meat.

- 0:55:54s - Public reception of PETA's activism.

- 0:58:01s - Nutrition science: how to know what is true?

- 1:06:19s - Would Gray eat lab grown meat?

- 1:11:05s - Is happy meat better than no meat? Discussing the ethics of well being.

- 1:25:35s - Gray and animal rights activism.

- 1:30:43s - Talking veganism to people: connection is key.

- 1:40:01s - Being vegan in Tokyo for 5 months.

- 1:42:30s - Eating out with non vegan friends, or avoiding it?

- 1:47:45s - Gray’s bicycle trip across Europe.

- 1:54:05s - Raising kids vegan: for or against?

 

Introduction BGM: "Corporate Japan" by Birocratic (http://birocratic.lnk.to/allYL)

Additional notes and links

- ciplantgo Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ciplantgo/

- Earthling Ed free ebook: https://earthlinged.org/ebook

- Earthling Ed 2nd TED Talk: https://youtu.be/byTxzzztRBU

今回のエピソードでは、4AJを創立した竜二さんとローレンさんをインタビューしました。4AJ＝For Animals Japanは、横浜と川崎で活躍しているアニマルライツ活動のグループで、彼らは主にCube of Truthというアウトリーチを月二回行っています。

このエピソードでは、ローレンさんと竜二さんの自己紹介、プラントベースライフスタイルへの道、4AJの初歩、4AJ活動の思い出、活動を始めたい人へのおすすめ、などについて話しました。

竜二さんとローレンさんと話して、彼らの活動者として、そして一般個人としての話を聞いて、とても面白くて、勉強になりました。皆さんも、この話し合いを同じように聞いていただければと思います。

本題に入る前に、一つ言って置きたいことがあります。インタビューの最初の10分ぐらい、マイクの接続が悪かったため、2秒の雑音がときどき聞こえます。残りの1時間は雑音フリーになっています。

- イントロ

- 0:01:35s - 竜二さんとローレンさんの自己紹介とプラントベースライフスタイルへの道

- 0:11:50s - 4AJの初歩

- 0:15:34s - キューブオブテュルースとは？4AJの行い方

- 0:22:33s - 4AJ活動の思い出：うれしいこと

- 0:32:02s - 4AJに影響を与えたアクティビスト

- 0:38:30s - 4AJ活動の思い出：くやしいこと

- 0:42:27s - 4AJが何を聞いたりしてヴィーガンについて勉強するか？

- 0:46:28s - 僕が日本を去ってからのciplantgo

- 0:52:13s - 活動を始めたい人へのおすすめ

- 0:55:32s - 4AJのスケジュールと連絡先

- 0:59:09s - ヴィーガンになってからの一番難点

- 1:03:29s - ヴィーガンになってからのソーシャルライフ

- 1:07:29s - ヴィーガンになって一番うれしいこと

- 1:13:53s - 家族について

- 1:15:55s - 4AJからのメッセージ

イントロ曲："Corporate Japan" by Birocratic (http://birocratic.lnk.to/allYL)

追加情報やリンク：

- For Animals Japan (4AJ): https://www.facebook.com/foranimalsjapan/

- For Animals Japan (4AJ) Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/foranimalsjapan/

- 4AJのおすすめのメディア：

   - Earthling Ed: https://earthlinged.org/

   - That Vegan Couple: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCV8d4At_1yUUgpsnqyDchrw

   - The Chickpeeps: https://www.thechickpeeps.com/

   - Food For Thought: https://www.colleenpatrickgoudreau.com/food-for-thought-podcast/

   - The Bearded Vegans: https://www.thebeardedvegans.com/

   - Species Unite: https://www.speciesunite.com/

- ciplantgo Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ciplantgo/

For this episode, I welcomed Kano Sekine for the second time on the show. I interviewed Kano as my second guest about a year ago and we talked extensively about her journey as a vegan, but also her travel and study plans. I thought it would be interesting to talk with Kano about her life exploration for the past year, so I invited her back on ciplantgo.

After a brief overview of the year past, the discussion focuses on Kano’s work routine as a freelance translator, studying in Europe, her travels over there and in the United States, her plans going forward, translation work and digital nomadism, recent changes that happened for Kano as a vegan, and finally her expectations for 2020.

It was lovely to catch up with Kano on the podcast. I hope you will enjoy listening to her updated story as much as I did recording it.

Content

- Introduction

- 0:01:39s - Overview of the year past

- 0:02:20s - Kano’s work routine as a freelance translator

- 0:07:41s - About the cost of studying in the UK and France

- 0:10:52s - Kano’s travels overview

- 0:14:00s - Her Paris experience

- 0:27:16s - Next step: Lyon and Les Châteaux de la Loire

- 0:31:55s - To London for a vegan fashion festival...

- 0:34:30s - … and back to Paris for a food centered vegan festival

- 0:42:05s - Visiting L.A.

- 0:46:00s - Kano’s plans going forward

- 0:48:05s - Translation and digital nomadism

- 0:51:38s - Changes as a vegan that happened during the past year.

- 0:59:35s - Talking about veganism to non vegans

- 1:04:30s - Something Kano is looking forward to in 2020

 

Introduction BGM: "Corporate Japan" by Birocratic (http://birocratic.lnk.to/allYL)

Additional notes and links

- Kano’s Instagram: kanosekine

- Kano’s FB: https://www.facebook.com/kano.sekine

- ciplantgo Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ciplantgo/

Brigitte Noreau is an animal rights and minimalist lifestyle advocate. I’ve met Brigitte the first time I took part in a For Animals Japan cube of truth activism event. Being both French speaking vegans, a rare combination in Japan, we immediately  connected. A few months later, I had the pleasure to sit down and chat with her for a little more than an hour.

After Brigitte’s self introduction, we talk about her podcast and blog, reading books, her path to Japan, the difficulty to planning your life as a teenager, life in Japan and natural disasters, her path to veganism and activism, before ending by a couple rapid fire questions.

It was a real pleasure to discuss with Brigitte. I took the liberty to share my views and thoughts about most topics we addressed, this time in a more thorough way than usual. I feel we could have chatted for much longer, but unfortunately I had to cut the podcast short after a little more than an hour. Anyway, I hope you will enjoy this episode as much as I did recording it.

Content

- Introduction

- 0:01:39s - Brigitte’s self introduction

- 0:03:51s - Her blog and podcast

- 0:09:22s - About reading books and listening to podcasts

- 0:14:24s - What brought Brigitte to Japan

- 0:21:17s - About how complicated it can be to orientate yourself during/after high school - learning to (re)learn and face your fears

- 0:32:04s - Stepping out of your comfort zone - learning about what makes you click

- 0:39:09s - Living in Japan and the fear of natural disasters

- 0:47:16s - Brigitte’s path to veganism

- 0:54:12s - Coming out as a vegan and first steps into advocacy: what’s the best approach?

- 1:00:52s - Brigitte’s path to activism and For Animals Japan

- 1:13:35s - Two rapid fire questions

 

Introduction BGM: "Corporate Japan" by Birocratic (http://birocratic.lnk.to/allYL)

Additional notes and links

- “À fleur de peau. Le roman initiatique des hypersensibles.”, by Saverio Tomasella.

- Tisane & Jasette, podcast and blog: https://www.youtube.com/user/oXAyaChanXo

https://www.tisaneetjasette.com/

- For Animals Japan (4AJ): https://www.facebook.com/foranimalsjapan/

- Earthling Ed free ebook: https://earthlinged.org/ebook

- ciplantgo Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ciplantgo/

日本でのアニマルライツ活動と言えば、岡田さんはその代表の一人でしょう。19年前から動物のために活動をしてきた岡田さんは、今はARCの代表理事を努めています。そのような大事な仕事で多忙な岡田さんと二時間ぐらい話せて、とてもありがたく思っています。

このエピソードでは、岡田さんが動物のために活動を始めたころの話、日本工場畜産の現実、日本人とヴィーガンやアニマルウェルフェアに関する意識、ペット産業と動物園、日本と海外の肉の比較、岡田さんの日常、などについて話しました。

- イントロ

- 0:01:30s - 岡田さんの自己紹介

- 0:01:57s - いつから動物活動を始めようと思ったか

- 0:03:35s - ピーター・シンガー『動物開放』を読んだ印象とヴィーガンへの道

- 0:06:58s - 2000年辺りの日本ヴィーガン外食オプションについて

- 0:08:57s - 日本人として、日本社会でヴィーガンであること

- 0:11:25s - ARCに努め始めたときの活動

- 0:12:46s - 活動の効果について

- 0:22:37s - 20年前からのARCでのスタッフ変更

- 0:25:39s - ARCと他組織との協力活動

- 0:30:01s - 日本工場畜産の現実：鶏

- 0:37:22s - 日本人とヴィーガンやアニマルウェルフェアに関する意識

- 0:39:46s - ペット産業と動物園について

- 0:49:17s - 日本工場畜産の現実、その2

- 0:55:07s - 肉なら、日本のより、輸入のほうが安全で、質がいい

- 0:58:24s - 和牛について

- 1:02:39s - 魚について

- 1:06:06s - 日本工場畜産の現実：乳製品

- 1:12:38s - 動物のためなら、一番止めたほうがいい動物製品＝卵

- 1:14:21s - 岡田さんの日常

- 1:17:19s - 将来の日本でのヴィーガンライフスタイル

- 1:18:51s - ソイミートなどについて

- 1:23:50s - 日本人の問題意識について

- 1:25:25s - 岡田さんの家族－親戚よりも、赤の他人が説得しやすい

- 1:35:15s - 色々な小質問

イントロ曲："Corporate Japan" by Birocratic (http://birocratic.lnk.to/allYL)

追加情報やリンク：

- ARC Japan: https://arcj.org/

- ciplantgo Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ciplantgo/

- Vegan Tokyo: https://vegantokyo.org/

Simon Wally is a passionate animal rights activist who started Foodfacts.jp, a website “...to inform the citizens of Japan (of) what the Japanese media are refusing to...”. Based in South Japan, Simon recently came to Tokyo where he shared his experience and message during a Tokyo Vegan Meetup Talk event. Asking him to be on the show was the obvious thing for me to do, and I am really grateful that Simon accepted to use some of his time in Tokyo to record our discussion.

This episode starts with Simon’s self introduction and how he gave up meat. We then discuss the three pillars of veganism, the birth of Foodfacts.jp, its place in the Japanese vegan activism scene, Extinction Rebellion, flexitarianism, the environmental cost of travelling, before ending by a few rapid fire questions.

It was a real pleasure to hear Simon express his feelings and opinions about all the topics we covered. I hope you will enjoy this episode as much as I did recording it.

 

Content

- Introduction

- 0:02:00s - Simon’s self introduction

- 0:07:58s - Becoming pescitarian

- 0:15:34s - Simon’s take on the three pillars of veganism

- 0:20:33s - The birth of Foodfacts.jp and the state of Japanese media

- 0:25:01s - Simon’s vision of the future

- 0:27:41s - Who is Foodfacts.jp meant for?

- 0:29:37s - Foodfacts.jp and relations with other Animal Rights organizations

- 0:40:37s - Every little action counts

- 0:47:21s - Extinction Rebellion

- 0:56:40s - Simon’s take on flexitarianism

- 1:02:36s - About travelling by plane

- 1:12:18s - The social cost of being vegan

- 1:15:26s - Simon’s message to you

- 1:16:15s - Rapid fire questions

 

Introduction BGM: "Corporate Japan" by Birocratic (http://birocratic.lnk.to/allYL)

 

Additional notes and links

- www.foodfacts.jp

- Simon’s FB profile: https://www.facebook.com/simon.whalley.509

- Extinction Rebellion: https://www.facebook.com/ExtinctionRebellion/

- Extinction Rebellion Japan: https://www.facebook.com/ExtinctionRebellionJapan/

- Tokyo Vegan Meetup: https://www.meetup.com/fr-FR/vegan-389/

- Vegan Tokyo: https://vegantokyo.org/

- ciplantgo Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ciplantgo/

Yuki Takahashi is a former globetrotter and researcher in the field of space exploration who now devotes his time to fight for the animals. He has been working for the ARCJ, the Animal Rights Center Japan, since April 2019.

This episode focuses mainly on Yuki’s path to working in Japan last spring. On the way, we explored how Yuki came to grow up both in the USA and in Japan, where he studied, his experience working for SpaceX, his five years of nomadism, and his time in Hawaii. We finally ended by a few rapid fire questions.

Yuki’s life sounds almost too unreal to be true. In contrast, as you will probably notice listening to this episode, he is very modest and never brags about his achievements. It was a real pleasure getting to know him more during the two hours and a half we talked together.

Last but not least, you will find in the show notes links to the main animal rights related organizations brought up during the episode, and Yuki’s Facebook profile, should you want to contact him.

Without further due, here is Yuki Takahashi.

 

Content

- Introduction

- 0:01:19s - Yuki’s self introduction

- 0:15:29s - Receiving his first Vegan Outreach leaflet...

- 0:25:14s - Working at SpaceX

- 0:34:36s - Starting five years of nomadic lifestyle

- 0:54:42s - Looking of an Animal Rights related job

- 1:01:03s - Volunteering experience at a farm animal sanctuary in Spain

- 1:17:49s - Living in Hawaii: part-time job and activism

- 1:26:33s - Getting an opportunity to work for the ARCJ

- 1:32:09s - Yuki’s family and veganism

- 1:43:05s - Yuki’s experience at being plant based in Japan

- 1:53:43s - Urban or countryside lifestyle?

- 2:02:11s - Yuki’s plans for the years to come

- 2:06:37s - Yuki’s take on how to approach veganism

- 2:21:14s - The future of veganism in Japan

- 2:25:26s - Rapid fire questions

 

Introduction BGM: "Corporate Japan" by Birocratic (http://birocratic.lnk.to/allYL)

 

Additional notes and links

- Yuki’s Facebook profile: https://www.facebook.com/yukimoon

- ARCJ: http://www.arcj.org/en/

- The Humane League: https://thehumaneleague.org/

- Vegan Outreach: https://veganoutreach.org/

- Farm Sanctuary: https://www.farmsanctuary.org/

- The Good Food Institute: https://www.gfi.org/

- ciplantgo Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ciplantgo/