Tokyo Lens by Norm Nakamura

10.12.2021

The Truth About SEGA Japan's Arcade Closures

SEGA has lost 2 of its most iconic Japanese Game Center Arcades in the last year. Places that were a part of the landscape. I recently did a mini documentary about this over on Tokyo Lens (https://youtu.be/mmxFaCVYMCc) and today we...

05.07.2021

Japan is Back at It's Crazy Antics! Welcome Back to The Tokyo Lens Podcast

When misspending is labeled as "an investment" and people go out of their ways to do crazy stuff just for the attention, you know it's going to be an entertaining day! Welcome back to the Tokyo Lens Podcast! Excited to be...

10.09.2020

Thinking of Leaving Tokyo (also... All about Camping in Japan)

Been thinking about moving out of Tokyo lately... Perhaps its been all the camping (which we cover in great detail in this episode) or perhaps its just the appeal of a new lifestyle and adventure. Oh... This episode is mostly...

09.25.2020

Living in an Abandoned Japanese School - Behind the Scenes

We spent the night in an abandoned Japanese elementary school, but we weren't alone... A man lives there. This is the story of how we came to meet him For those asking how they can support the Tokyo Lens Podcast (as...

08.21.2020

Moving to Japan THE RIGHT WAY | A Case Study

I've long spoken of the "right way" to move to Japan, and today we are looking at a couple. They have offered to share their time with us and their experiences in the hopes that maybe others can learn from...

07.27.2020

Cats, Video Games, and Life in Japan | TheAtHomeShow Episode 10 - Rachel and Jun

I genuinely don't even know where to start with this episode description... Talking about everything from Giving talks, to Jun's future career... We're sitting down with Rachel and Jun In this episode of The At Home Show by Norm Nakamura's Tokyo...

07.21.2020

If You've Ever Wanted to go on an Adventure in Japan | TheAtHomeShow Episode 09 - Victor

The ironic part is the timing that this episode is being released... This episode covers everything from kicking off and adventure in Japan to... well I guess you're just going to have to listen and find out! This week on the...

07.10.2020

That TINY Tokyo Apartment | TheAtHomeShow Episode 08 - Tokidoki Traveler

I didn't know half of this stuff existed~ And I have honestly stopped keeping track of the things I have learned from Emma over the years. Today on the At Home Show by Norm Nakamura and the Tokyo Lens Podcast, we...

07.04.2020

When Anime Becomes Real Life | TheAtHomeShow Episode 07 - Surudenise

If you've ever wanted to know how to find those real-life ghibli-esque areas in Japan... this episode is for you. Every now and then, something that doesn't seem possible or even real, can work it's way into becoming your normal. In this...

06.26.2020

Planning Your Next Japan Trip | A Guide

Some days that next trip to Japan probably feels like just a fantasy. Today might be one of those days. But a little planning and excitement never hurt anyone! So today, we’re going deep on how to plan that next...

06.20.2020

Gaming in a Rice Field at 2am | TheAtHomeShow - Episode 06 - Sharla

Living in the countryside of Japan, things flow just a little differently. Sometimes so differently that you find yourself standing in a rice field at 2 am with a game console in your hand.... In this episode of The At Home...

06.13.2020

Abroad in Japan: If I had to live anywhere else... | The At Home Show Episode 05 - Chris

Sitting down with Abroad in Japan to talk about where he would start over if he had to, crazy road trips, crashed drones, and the best places to eat on the country! Welcome to the At Home Show, a podcast series...

05.29.2020

Onsen Taxis and Weird Osaka Backstreets | The At Home Show Episode 04 - Hannah

Japan has some strange taxi's... Karaoke taxis, Drift taxi's and more! And they are covered among topics like why Osaka's backstreets are NOTHING like Tokyo's, and many other topics. On today's The At Home Show Episode of the Tokyo Lens Podcast...

05.21.2020

Inside Tips on Job-Hunting and What it's Like to Grow Up in Japan's Countryside | The At Home Show Episode 03 - Sherry

I wish I knew this back in my job hunting days... Born and raised in Japan's countryside, Sherry owns and runs somewhere around 500 companies (this may be a slight exaggeration), and in this episode, we talk about getting a...

05.11.2020

Japan's High Cost of Owning Pets | The At Home Show Episode 02 - Micaela

There is a city in Japan seemingly dedicated to youth culture. Where business pop-up and then fail, and nobody bats an eye. A place where a fair sized apartment will cost you what a closet would cost in Tokyo, and...

05.04.2020

Secrets of Speaking Japanese Revealed! | The At Home Show Episode 01 - Dogen

I wish I knew these tips when I started learning Japanese. But the point is we know now! And better even yet... is that this is really just a starting point! In today's At Home Show episode of the Tokyo Lens...

05.01.2020

Before We Start - The At Home Show - Ep 0.5 The State of Our Worlds Here in Japan

Before we can fully kick off the At Home Show, we wanted to make sure that we took a bit of time to acknowledge the current world state. You see, in the episodes to follow, our goal is to take...

04.28.2020

At Home With Us Here in Japan! NEW SERIES The At Home Show by Tokyo Lens - Episode 00

6+ hours of podcasts starts right here! We are traveling across Japan from Beppu, up to the North of Japan!! Welcome to Episode 0 of The At Home Show. The goal is simple; Take a bit of a break from...

04.21.2020

3 Cheap Japan Hacks!! | + A Huge Announcement!

Don't Miss This One!! 3 Budget Japan Hacks to change it all! Before putting this together, I decided to double check and see what is out there... and was surprised that I didn't find these. Maybe... they're too obvious! Or...

03.26.2020

Foods You MUST Try in Japan!!

Whether it be because they will change your cultural experience, or simply because they are absolutely delicious, these are thefoods that you MUST try while you are in Japan. Today on the Tokyo Lens podcast by Norm Nakamura, we are covering...

03.19.2020

Bored? Listen to this podcast! [terrible title I know lol] | How I am spending my days in Japan

The world kind of sucks right now, and with everything going on, I wanted to put together an episode where we could just hang out and spend some time together. Sharing a bit of insight into life in Tokyo Japan...

03.08.2020

Special Edition Episode | Spend A Day With Me

It's not all fun and games. And this time... I lost out big. Come spend a full day with me as I share a bit of the behind the scenes of life and work in Tokyo, Japan in this episode of...

03.02.2020

The Cost of Canceling the 2020 Tokyo Olympics

The Corona Virus is the talk of the town right now, and the topic of the Tokyo 2020 Olympics being canceled has even been tossed around. As insane as that sounds, its enough to scare quite a few people. But...

12.30.2019

Playing the Japanese Shamisen + The Secret Podcast Revealed [Musical Episode - Extended]

Over the last 2 years, the one most common request I have received is to do an episode where I actually play the Shamisen. And today, for the final episode of 2019, that is exactly what we are doing. ---------------- In today's episode,...

12.11.2019

Missing Japan Way Too Much...

The title says it all... and I may have dropped a hint in this episode to something hidden (^_-) In this Episode of the Tokyo Lens Podcast by Norm Nakamura we are coming back from a bit of a break and...

10.21.2019

Your First Day in Japan - A Guide

You arrive at the airport... and then what? Where do you go? What trains do you take? Where should you visit first? Is there anything you might be missing? In this episode of the Tokyo Lens Podcast by Norm Nakamura, we...

10.13.2019

Japan's Biggest Typhoon in Decades - Spend the day with me and see what it was like

This episode is a play-by-play of what the day was like when Typhoon 19 (Typhoon Hagibis) hit Tokyo. Experience the day with me from start to finish, as I share everything that is happening around me. In this episode of the...

09.29.2019

October in Japan - What is it Like?

Are you missing anything? What is there to do in Japan in October? How's the weather? Any seasonal foods? Today..... Today we ramble! On this episode of the Tokyo Lens Podcast by Norm Nakamura, we are talking about a month that is...

09.23.2019

Japanese Foods I Just Can't Eat...

Today we are talking about Japanese foods that I just can't eat. Actually... We're doing a Q&A;! So we will be talking about a few interesting topics today, starting with a man who left an INSANE amount of money on...

09.14.2019

Where would you even start? Making your own stuff in Japan

Today, I'm going to save you some money in Japan. Making things is not all that difficult. if you know where to get things. While some of us build, and some knit, so many of us like to make something,...

09.01.2019

Japan's Problem With Noise Pollution (+ 1 Hack For Locals!)

Japan is ranked as the single noisiest country on earth by the World Health Organization. In a major metropolis like Tokyo, it is not uncommon to be bombarded with constant sounds more than double the recommended "safe" volume. In this episode...

08.23.2019

The Podcast... IS BACK! Shamisen Special Edition Episode

So its been a few weeks since the last episode. And you've all been more than kind! So today, I bring you something a little special... In this episode of this Tokyo Lens Podcast by Norm Nakamura, we might get to...

08.03.2019

A Failed Day in Tokyo (With Emma - Tokidoki...)

The goal was simple, to record a nice day out in Tokyo with a good friend. The reality... something much different. In this episode of the Tokyo Lens Podcast by Norm Nakamura, we are attempting a day out in Tokyo but...

07.20.2019

Adventure in Japan - How it starts

This episode almost didn't even happen... But then something took over. Let's talk about Adventure in Japan Today on the Tokyo Lens Podcast by Norm Nakamura, we are talking about how to kick off your own personal adventure in Japan. Thank you...

07.12.2019

What is it like to drive in Japan? My experiences and thoughts

What is it like to drive in Japan? There are a lot of questions in there, and today that is what we are covering. In this episode of the Tokyo Lens Podcast by Norm Nakamura, we are talking about driving in...

07.03.2019

Inside Japan's Creepiest and Deepest Station - What was it like?

Doai station is both Japan's Deepest and Creepiest train station. Built in the 1930's and with trains still running, it looks more like ruins than an actively used train station. As we walk down into the depths of the station,...

06.27.2019

Ever Wanted to Climb Mt. Fuji? Here's What You Will Need To Know...

Is it easy to climb Mt Fuji? How do you even start planning?! Can you climb alone or is it better to book a tour? In this episode of the Tokyo Lens Podcast by Norm Nakamura, we are talking about everything...

06.17.2019

500,000 Yen Fine For Selling A Train Seat?!?!

When you are pretty much guaranteed a seat on a crowded train, why not try to make the best of it right? It turns out... if you're not careful, you could end up breaking the law and paying the price. Today...

06.10.2019

What Do Japanese People Think About Japan?!

What do Japanese people think about their own country? Especially the youth... Do they love it? hate it? are they completely indifferent?! In this episode of the Tokyo Lens Podcast by Norm Nakamura, we talk about exactly these points and cover...

06.03.2019

Japan's Next Earthquake Is Coming - Here's How To Start Getting Prepared

Japan's next earthquake coming. The past week or so has been ripe with earthquakes and the news is talking about it quite a bit. But then again... they've been saying that the next big one is coming since the last...

05.30.2019

The Chikan Problem - Why Don't People Help?!

Trigger Warning: In this episode we talk about Sexual Harassment. In Japan, it is known that people try not to get involved... Even when someone is groped. But is there a deeper reason? Today on the Tokyo Lens Podcast by Norm Nakamura, I...

05.20.2019

Japanese People Cant See Green?!

They Can't See Green... On this episode of the Tokyo Lens Podcast by Norm Nakamura, we are talking about something that has always fascinated me about Japan and Japanese culture. We are covering a few of these points actually... but just...

05.17.2019

Stop Messing Up Japan!! You Can Do It! [Recommended Listening]

Japan is suffering. In fact, some might even say it is dying. But you can help. And here is how.... In this episode of the Tokyo Lens Podcast by Norm Nakamura, we talk about a major issue (or series of...) that...

05.11.2019

Living in Japan Can Be Lonely (FULL)

You finally move to Japan. Hopes are high. But then it hits. The loneliness... You knew it might be a thing, but you thought you would be different. Today on the Tokyo Lens Podcast by Norm Nakamura, we are going deep...

05.06.2019

Japanese Man Tried To Fight Me (And then offered to buy me a beer!) - Stories of Drinking in Japan

Japan + Alcohol usually results in some pretty interesting stories. Today, I am sharing a few. Including the story of my first week in Japan and a fairly large alcohol related mistake that I made... In this episode of the Tokyo...

05.02.2019

Heisei VS Reiwa - What Does it Mean to Japanese People? (at least one Japanese person)

Is the end of an era big enough to make Japanese people jump off of Bridges? The Heisei Era has come and gone and as of yesterday, we enter Reiwa... But what does this mean to Japanese people? Is it...

04.28.2019

Japan's Golden Week and More - A Distracted Walk Through Tokyo

What in the world is Japan's "Golden Week"? Today on the Tokyo Lens Podcast by Norm Nakamura we are taking a distracted walk through Tokyo and talking about Golden week and all things Japan/Tokyo. Its a casual Episode. Hope you enjoy! Also,...

04.25.2019

Best Spots in Japan (Outside of Tokyo/Kyoto/etc...)

Japan is just barely more than 3,000 Km (1,900 miles) from end to end and roughly 70% of the country is covered in mountains. You wouldn't expect there to be as many amazing places to explore as there is... but...

04.20.2019

When You Love Japan Too Much...

It most definitely is possible to love something too much. Especially when that something is Japan. But what about when it starts to have an impact that you didn't expect... In today's episode of the Tokyo Lens Podcast by Norm Nakamura......

04.08.2019

Dear Japanese People (and you...)

Today we are welcoming some new listeners and saying something that needs to be heard. YAHOO VIDEOS https://creators.yahoo.co.jp/tokyolens Feel free to hit "Follow"! See you all again, real soon! ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- Also... So much love to all of those of you asking how you can support...

What's Tokyo Lens about?

Download our free app to listen on your phone

Tokyo Lens episodes: