Saké This

https://www.instagram.com/sakethispodcast/

Lyrics: A Sake in Hand, and a body drenched-in-lotion. I’m Sensei de Balzac … worship my motion.

Japan cancels thousand-year-old ‘Naked Man Festival’: organisers have blamed the cancellation on an ageing population.

Source-ish Saucy Sources:

• https://travel.japanvoyage.jp/festivals/saidaiji-eyo
• The brain of Big Russ Smith (Comedy Writer).

Got a Tip for the News Room?

• @sakethispodcast on Instagram
• Email: [email protected]

Japan is employing professional Crane Game Coaches to help customers dominate their next trip to the arcade. This leads to the question: what other things could use some expert instruction?

Sing-along: A Sake in Hand? The other a prize grabber.

Get a coach and train-the-crane …. don’t be a slapper.

Coaching In Japan.

• Bowing.
• Kaiju.
• Capsule Hotels.
• Seppuku (hara-kiri).
• Kamikaze IBS.

Coaching In General.

• Car Parks.
• Ambivalence.
• Gluten.
• Metaphysics.
• Podcasting.

Use Promo Code: “Godzilla is a Feminist” in every shopping cart forevermore.

Are you ready to "polish your manners" just to keep your seat?

Saucy Source-ish: https://japantoday.com/category/national/taxi-drivers-to-be-granted-right-to-kick-rude-passengers-out-of-their-cabs-before-destination

Quote. “Anyone who’s gotten into the habit of throwing their weight around when they hop in a taxi would be advised to polish their manners sooner rather than later.” End Quote.

(LSK) Quote. “We’re excited to be partnering with the TAXI Industry, improving efficiencies and cutting-the-fat.” End Quote.

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Writing contributions from Big Russ (Comedy Writer).

Want to be part of the show? Email [email protected] or DM @sakethispodcast on Instagram to send us your very best travel stories and Japanese tidbits.

According to JapanToday.com, “elite competitive sleepers” are coming together from all across Japan to see who can nap the fastest and sleep the deepest in a new competition called Matt Race.

Source: https://japantoday.com/category/national/ready-set-snooze-sleep-deprived-japanese-compete-for-best-rested

Your host Josh is keen to take part in the comp – mostly because it's the only sport we can think of where the athletes train-to-climax .... before the event.

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Want to be part of the show? Email [email protected] or DM @sakethispodcast on Instagram to send us your very best travel stories and Japanese tidbits.

Producer's Note: the following 4 Star review on Goodreads from 'Paul' didn't make the cut (otherwise known as Josh yelled too much, ran out of breath, and ended up making even less sense than the review itself).

Paul said: "Personally I would have preferred a more direct followup to his first book (Abroad in Japan). The one downside (of Journey Across Japan - the new book) is just the sheer number of prefectures that it covers, as it feels like a whirlwind tour through all 47 prefectures without having time to really dive deep into them."

Josh before he started gasping for air: it’s called "Journey Across Japan" Paul, not 'A Journey into the few parts of a country that that one guy on Goodreads wants to know more about on this the second week of October 2026' ............ Paul.

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Author and YouTuber Chris Broad has delivered another enjoyable and soon-to-be classic audiobook, 'Journey Across Japan' – it's a shame some of his reviewers aren't anywhere near as interesting.

• MS on Amazon gave J.A.J 5 Stars.

• PB on Goodreads gave J.A.J 2 Stars.

• Josh gave J.A.J 4 Stars on Joshreads

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Natsuki Audio: https://www.abroadinjapan.com/natsuki

Want to be part of the show? Email [email protected] or DM @sakethispodcast on Instagram to send us your very best travel stories and Japanese tidbits.

According to Snopes.com, road signs warning drivers in Japan that cats may dive into traffic, are at least in part based on real world signage from around Japan. ('At least in part' is absolutely "in part" enough for us here at Saké This).

Sources: https://www.snopes.com/fact-check/japan-cat-road-signs/

Possibly Unfactual Facts: The Chinchilla (cat) is a specific form of the Persian cat, but the Chinchilla (rodentia) may also be dartin' out somewhere in Japan, so keep your eyes up, and ears open.

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Episode Contributors: John Lacey from JohnLacey.com and Big Russ (Comedy Writer).

Want to be part of the show? Email [email protected] or DM @sakethispodcast on Instagram to send us your very best travel stories and Japanese tidbits.

According to SoraNews24.com, price-gouging might be alive and well at Osaka’s 'Kansai International Airport' – with a gourmet beef sandwich selling for ¥19,250 (or $175).

Source: https://soranews24.com/2026/09/24/japanese-airport-offering-19250-yen-sandwiches-as-last-japan-meal-for-international-travelers/

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Want to be part of the show? Email [email protected] or DM @sakethispodcast on Instagram to send us your very best travel stories and Japanese tidbits.

According to the Tokyo Reporter, ‘sick’ Yokosuka official was fired after boss spotted her heading overseas.

Source: https://www.tokyoreporter.com/japan-news/sick-yokosuka-official-fired-after-boss-spots-her-heading-overseas/

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Want to be part of the show? Email [email protected] or DM @sakethispodcast on Instagram to send us your very best travel stories and Japanese tidbits.

The Chant: Ni-SHI-KORI Kei Kei Kei .... Ni-SHI-KORI Kei Kei Kei.

It was January 16th 2014 at the Australian Open. It was 41ºC or 106ºF (even hotter at court-level). Myself and brother were watching Japanese tennis legend Kei Nishikori and Serbia's Dušan Lajović slug it out on a side-court, and it was EPIC! And freakin' HOT!

Kei Nishikori defeated Dušan Lajović 6-1, 6-1, 7-6(3) at the Australian Open in 2014.

Intro Sing-Along: Sake in hand, this dance-group is cringey .... I hope you all stub your toes, on the bottom of a torii.

According to SoraNews24, officials at Kyoto's famous Fushimi Inari Taisha shrine have condemned foreign tourists who think it’s okay to dance and film videos at sacred sites.

Source: https://soranews24.com/2026/09/23/famous-kyoto-shrine-has-a-message-for-foreign-tourists-who-think-its-okay-to-dance-at-sacred-sites/

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Want to be part of the show? Email [email protected] or DM @sakethispodcast on Instagram to send us your very best travel stories and Japanese tidbits.