Tokyo Podcast

Ruth Jarman Shiraishi is a long resident of Japan and is the CEO of Jarman International which focuses on business development for nine unique partner companies, ranging from real estate to financial services to eco-friendly energy to publishing.

Ruth is the first western woman to hold a Japanese real estate license and has spent the past 20 years working in and with Japanese companies. She has recently combined her knowledge of Japanese business with her love for Japan to producer her first book titled 日本人が世界に誇れる３３のこと and is available in book stores throughout Japan.

When Japan surrendered to the United Stated in 1945, marking the end of WW2 numerous swords were taken from Japanese soldiers and given to American officers stationed in the Pacific.

Paul Ufema is a documentary filmmaker who's grandfather was an officer in the US Navy and was given 3 Japanese swords, which were passed down to Paul's father and then eventually to him and his brothers.

For many years the swords sat in the basement collecting dust until Paul decided to team up with fellow documentary filmmaker Brad Bennett to see if they could return the swords to their rightful owners in Japan.

Their film Forgive - Don't Forget (わすれずにゆるす) follows the journey of one particular sword and attempts to examine the theme of forgiveness and it related to the dynamic between Japan and America since the end of WW2.

On this episode of Tokyo Podcast Anthony talks to Reverent Takafumi Kawakami who is a Zen Buddhist Priest in Kyoto. We discuss the practise of meditation and how it can be used as an effective stress management tool. We also talk about the role that Buddhism plays in modern day Japan and the work that Reverend Takafumi is doing to revitalize his temple as a centre for learning in his community.

Anthony also introduces a brand new podcast that is all about cycling in Asia. Hosted by two avid cyclers here in Japan, this show brings you all the latest cycling news coming out of Asia.

https://tokyo-podcast.com/zen-buddhism-in-japan/

On today's show Anthony talks to Amy Chavez who is a long time resident of Japan and a columnist for the Japan Times and Huffington Post. Her column 'Japan Lite' has been published since 1997 and take a humorous look at the differences between Western and Japanese cultures.

Her latest book 'Japan: Funny Side up' is a funny and insightful guide that gives valuable insights into the mysterious and sometimes strange aspects of Japanese culture and society.

We are also joined by Brad Stephenson from 25Cafes who gives us his latest review that should be a treat for all you chocolate lovers listening.

One of the most iconic images of Japan is that of the gleaming white bullet train passing in front of Mount Fuji. The shinkansen as it's known in Japan is a marvel of technology and engineering and despite it's international reputation for speed and safety not much is known about what makes it work so well.

On this show Anthony delves into the history and details of the shinkansen with author Christopher Hood who talks about his book, Shinkansen: From Bullet Train to Symbol of Modern Japan and the impact high speed rail has had on Japan.

Anthony also talks about the uncertain future Japan faces as it turns off the last remaining active nuclear power plant.

https://tokyo-podcast.com/shinkansen/

Anthony returns to Japan from his month long vacation to his home city of Vancouver, Canada. He talks about experiencing reverse culture shock at being back in his home country.

We are also joined by popular YouTube creator Hikosaemon who has many excellent videos about living in Japan. On this show Hiko talks to Anthony about what it means to be a foreigner in Japan, a Japanese in Japan and the ultimate question of can a foreigner ever be accepted into Japanese society.

The devastating earthquake in Japan and the subsequent tsunami carried millions of personal belongings of out to sea. These belongings are now starting to wash ashore along the coast of North America. By leveraging the power of Facebook and CloverPoint's MapSocial, we hope to return these lost items to the families that they belong to.

Imagine a world where video games reign supreme. Five story buildings filled with arcade cabinets, old and new, inundate the streets of downtown Tokyo. Welcome to Japan. A place where the arcades of the 80s and 90s not only still exist, but thrive and have evolved into an elaborate, unmatchable gaming experience.

100 Yen is a historical documentary about the evolution of arcades and the culture surrounding it - from the birth of arcades to the game centers that still thrive today. With a predominant focus on the three major arcade genres, Shooting games, Fighting games and Rhythm games, 100 Yen explores the culture and evolution of arcades through the past and present. All filmed on location in Japan, Canada, and the USA featuring interviews with industry professionals, game programmers and designers, casual gamers and gaming icons.

On this show Anthony looks back at his time in Japan and talks about some of the challenges he faced in getting set up here. We also talk to Fab from Get to Japan about the services they offer in helping people make the transition to life in Japan.

On March 11, 2011 a powerful magnitude 9 earthquake struck off the coast of Japan. The earthquake triggered a massive tsunami that killed over 15,000 people and destroyed over 125,000 homes and buildings.

On this show I bring you four stories of survival and recovery from the 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake.