On this episode of Japan Station, we talk about the importance of revitalizing rural Japan, the negative impact of the weak yen on Japan, and more with Dr. Robert D. Eldridge.

• What is chihō sōsei (地方創生)?
• About the importance of chihō sōsei
• Why it is important to preserve and revitalize rural areas of Japan
• About the weak yen (enyasu, 円安)
• How the weak Japanese yen negatively impacts Japan
• About inflation and stagflation in Japan
• About the relationship between low wages, the weak Japanese yen and brain drain in Japan
• Job prospects for young people in Japan
• About Niyodogawa
• About Shikoku and efforts being made to revitalize areas of Niyodogawa, Ehime
• About Muka Brewing Company
• And more!

• Apple Podcasts: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/japan-station-a-podcast-by-japankyo-com/id1440454968
• Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6lDoFFt4M0HyyKaVeDyKkB

• Support on Patreon https://patreon.com/japankyo
• Support on Ko-fi https://www.ko-fi.com/japankyo

• Relevant Links
  • Robert D. Eldridge Think Tank
  • To learn more about Dr Eldridge
  • Japan in the 1960s (Inside East Asia)

• X/Twitter: https://twitter.com/japankyonews
• Instagram: https://instagram.com/tonydotvega
• YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@japankyonews
• Website: https://japankyo.com/
• Tony Dot Vega Personal X/Twitter: https://x.com/thevegatony

On this episode of Japan Station, we talk about how dogs in Japan used to go on religious pilgrimages (maybe?).

• About religious pilgrimages in Japan
• About the 88 temple pilgrimage in Shikoku
• About Konpira/Kotohira
• About Konpira inu
• About the supposed history of dogs going on pilgrimages to Konpira Shrine in Kagawa Prefecture
• About the story of Shiro the dog from Fukushima who supposedly traveled to Ise Shrine and back
• About Ise Jingu
• About the Ise Pilgrimage
• How likely it is that dogs in Japan actually went on religious pilgrimages
• About okage inu
• About the statue of Shiro the dog in Junenji Temple in Sukakawa City, Fukushima Prefecture(福島県須賀川市池上町・十念寺)
• About Shiro's owner Ishihara Sadaemon Tsunashige (市原貞右衛門綱稠)
•  
• And more!

• Apple Podcasts: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/japan-station-a-podcast-by-japankyo-com/id1440454968
• Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6lDoFFt4M0HyyKaVeDyKkB

• Support on Patreon https://patreon.com/japankyo
• Support on Ko-fi https://www.ko-fi.com/japankyo

• Check out the article below to see photos of the statue of Shiro the dog pilgrim in Junenji Temple in Fukushima Prefecture
  • 江戸時代の代参犬「おかげ犬」シロを訪ねて。

• X/Twitter: https://twitter.com/japankyonews
• Instagram: https://instagram.com/tonydotvega
• YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@japankyonews
• Website: https://japankyo.com/
• Tony Dot Vega Personal X/Twitter: https://x.com/thevegatony

On this episode of Japan Station, I talk about the Miyajima Challenge: my upcoming walk from Kyoto to Miyajima in Hiroshima Prefecture.

• About the Miyajima Challenge
• Why I am walking from Kyoto to Miyajima in Hiroshima Prefecture
• About the course of the Miyajima Challenge (Kyoto, Osaka, Kobe, Okayama, Hiroshima)
• About raising awareness of the blind and visually impaired
• About the sponsors of the Miyajima Challenge
• When the Miyajima Challenge will start
• About a meet up at Pintology Tokyo
• And more!

• Apple Podcasts: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/japan-station-a-podcast-by-japankyo-com/id1440454968
• Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6lDoFFt4M0HyyKaVeDyKkB

• Support on Patreon https://patreon.com/japankyo
• Support on Ko-fi https://www.ko-fi.com/japankyo

• The sponsors of the Miyajima Challenge
  • The Dubya Club by Suika
    • The Dubya Club X: https://x.com/thedubyaclub
    • Suika X: https://x.com/gmsuika
  • United Neko Alliance
    • United Neko Alliance X: https://twitter.com/nekoalliance
    • 0xNeil: https://x.com/vanwouw

• X/Twitter: https://twitter.com/japankyonews
• Instagram: https://instagram.com/tonydotvega
• YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@japankyonews
• Website: https://japankyo.com/
• Tony Dot Vega Personal X/Twitter: https://x.com/thevegatony

On this episode of Japan Station, we talk about Osaka ComicCon. Is worth attending? What should you expect? Listen to find out!

• About Osaka ComicCon
• What you should expect at Osaka ComicCon
• Where Osaka ComicCon was held
• And more!

• Apple Podcasts: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/japan-station-a-podcast-by-japankyo-com/id1440454968
• Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6lDoFFt4M0HyyKaVeDyKkB

• Support on Patreon https://patreon.com/japankyo
• Support on Ko-fi https://www.ko-fi.com/japankyo

• None

• X/Twitter: https://twitter.com/japankyonews
• Instagram: https://instagram.com/tonydotvega
• YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@japankyonews
• Website: https://japankyo.com/

On this episode of Japan Station, writer and Kyoto expert Phillip Jackson tells about some great walking areas in Japan's ancient capital city. WARNING: This episode will make you want to go to Kyoto!

• About Phillip Jackson
• The fascinating history of Kyoto
• Lesser known places to visit in Kyoto
• A trail in Uji you should check out
• And more!

• Apple Podcasts: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/japan-station-a-podcast-by-japankyo-com/id1440454968
• Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6lDoFFt4M0HyyKaVeDyKkB

• Support on Patreon https://patreon.com/japankyo
• Support on Ko-fi https://www.ko-fi.com/japankyo

• Hidden Paths Kyoto Website: https://www.hiddenpathskyoto.com/
• Phillip Jackson X/Twitter: https://x.com/pjacksonmusic
• Phillip Jackson YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCi5HAZx22IoVLZR0rESZ3UA/videos

• X/Twitter: https://twitter.com/japankyonews
• Instagram: https://instagram.com/tonydotvega
• YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@japankyonews
• Website: https://japankyo.com/

On this episode of Japan Station, we're talking about Japanese words we learned by watching anime.

• How you can use anime, manga and video games to learn Japanese
• And more!

• Apple Podcasts: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/japan-station-a-podcast-by-japankyo-com/id1440454968
• Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6lDoFFt4M0HyyKaVeDyKkB
•  

• Support on Patreon https://patreon.com/japankyo
• Support on Ko-fi https://www.ko-fi.com/japankyo

• None

• X/Twitter: https://twitter.com/japankyonews
• Instagram: https://instagram.com/tonydotvega
• Website: https://japankyo.com/

On this episode of Japan Station, we talk about Japanese folklore with Thersa Matsuura of the Uncanny Japan podcast.

• About Japanese folklore
• About yokai
• About Japanese superstitions
• About why people should learn Japanese folklore
• And more!

• Apple Podcasts: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/japan-station-a-podcast-by-japankyo-com/id1440454968
• Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6lDoFFt4M0HyyKaVeDyKkB
• YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@japankyonews

• Support on Patreon https://patreon.com/japankyo
• Support on Ko-fi https://www.ko-fi.com/japankyo

•  
•  
• The Book of Japanese Folklore: An Encyclopedia of the Spirits, Monsters, and Yokai of Japanese Myth: The Stories of the Mischievous Kappa, Trickster Kitsune, Horrendous Oni, and More https://www.amazon.com/Book-Japanese-Folklore-Encyclopedia-Mischievous/dp/1507221916/ref=sr_1_1?sr=8-1
• Uncanny Japan Apple Podcasts https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/uncanny-japan-japanese-folklore-folktales-myths-and/id1176549358
• Thersa Matsuura Website https://thersamatsuura.com/
• Thersa Matsuura on X https://twitter.com/UncannyJapan
• Thersa Matsuura on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/uncannyjapan/
• The Tokaido Challenge Playlist: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zYU41Z0G4Uc&list=PL7ALB_S1KyWunL6kIbGu_Vtmswe1qxlHq

• X/Twitter: https://twitter.com/japankyonews
• Instagram: https://instagram.com/tonydotvega
• Website: https://japankyo.com/

This time we're taking a deep dive into the history of the Japanese word for fart: onara. Where did it come from? What is its true meaning? What is its link to a secret ancient language spoken hundreds of years ago in Japan? We're answering all those questions and more!

SUPPORT

Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/japankyo

Ko-fi: https://ko-fi.com/japankyo

Listen to the Japan Station Podcast! https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/japan-station-a-podcast-about-japan-by-japankyo-com/id1440454968

Follow on X https://twitter.com/japankyonews

Visit JapanKyo.com for more https://japankyo.com/

On this episode of Japan Station, we talk about why I decided to walk the old Tokaido Road in 2023 and the impact it had. This episode features a speech I did for the 2024 state convention of the Hawaii Association of the Blind.

• Why I walked the Tokaido in 2023
• What my goal was
• How I raised awareness of the blind & visually impaired community by walking from Kyoto to Tokyo
• And more!

If you enjoy Ichimon Japan and want to ensure that we're able to produce more episodes, then please consider becoming a patron on Patreon.com. You can join for just $1 a month. Patrons get first access to podcast episodes, as well as updates on what I'm working on for JapanKyo.com. If you join the $3 a month tier you get access to the back catalog of the Japanese Plus Alpha podcast (a short series on interesting Japanese words and features of the Japanese language). If you would like to do a one time donation, that is also possible. Just use the Ko-fi link below. All donations are greatly appreciated! And if you can't support financially, that's ok. Consider telling a friend about the show!

• Support on Patreon https://patreon.com/japankyo
• Support on Ko-fi https://www.ko-fi.com/japankyo

• The Tokaido Challenge Playlist: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zYU41Z0G4Uc&list=PL7ALB_S1KyWunL6kIbGu_Vtmswe1qxlHq
• Hawaii Association of the Blind: https://hawaii.acb.org/
• Tony Dot Vega on X: https://twitter.com/thevegatony

JapanKyo on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@japankyonews

For more of my Japan-focused content, visit the JapanKyo website JapanKyo.com

On this episode of Japan Station, we talk about why you shouldn't try to learn Japanese.

• How AI and translation software are making it unnecessary to learn Japanese
• How learning Japanese is pointless for most people
• Why you should learn Japanese
• Reasons people would want to study Japanese
• And more!

If you enjoy Ichimon Japan and want to ensure that we're able to produce more episodes, then please consider becoming a patron on Patreon.com. You can join for just $1 a month. Patrons get first access to podcast episodes, as well as updates on what I'm working on for JapanKyo.com. If you join the $3 a month tier you get access to the back catalog of the Japanese Plus Alpha podcast (a short series on interesting Japanese words and features of the Japanese language). If you would like to do a one time donation, that is also possible. Just use the Ko-fi link below. All donations are greatly appreciated! And if you can't support financially, that's ok. Consider telling a friend about the show!

• Support on Patreon https://patreon.com/japankyo
• Support on Ko-fi https://www.ko-fi.com/japankyo

The Tokaido Challenge Playlist: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zYU41Z0G4Uc&list=PL7ALB_S1KyWunL6kIbGu_Vtmswe1qxlHq

For more of my Japan-focused content, visit the JapanKyo website JapanKyo.com