In this episode of Unpacking Japan, we meet Julien, a talented French pastry chef who turned his childhood passion for sweets into a thriving patisserie in Tokyo. From growing up in France to navigating the challenges of running a pastry shop in Japan, Julien shares his journey through culinary school, working in Michelin-starred kitchens, and adapting French techniques to Japanese tastes.Follow Julien:

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In this episode, we chat with Timothy an American entrepreneur and marketing expert who has spent over 30 years living and working in Japan. Timothy shares his journey from arriving with little more than a backpack to building a career in the Japanese business world, including launching his own branding agency. He offers candid insights into Japanese work culture, how trust and relationships shape business, and what it's really like navigating life as a foreign professional in Japan. If you're curious about marketing, career growth, and cultural adaptation in Japan, this episode is for you.

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https://www.synnovate.jp/

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Meet Emily, a documentary filmmaker working in Japan's rural revitalization program. Emily sits down to talk with us about moving to Japan and coming to terms with her Zainichi Japanese roots, what the quiet life in a Japanese mountain village is like, and her passion for foraging wild vegetables.A reminder from Emily: don't eat anything you haven’t positively identified and always forage sustainably!--Follow Emily:https://www.instagram.com/down2foragehttps://www.tiktok.com/@down2forage https://www.youtube.com/@down2forage

Follow us:https://unpacking.jp/https://www.instagram.com/unpacking_japanhttps://www.tiktok.com/@unpackingjapanhttps://www.facebook.com/unpackingjapanhttps://www.youtube.com/@unpackingjapanshortshttps://www.x.com/unpacking_japanhttps://creators.spotify.com/pod/profile/unpackingjapanSubscribe for more in-depth discussions about life in Japan! Interested in working at a global e-commerce company in Osaka? Our parent company ZenGroup is hiring! To learn more, check out https://careers.zen.group/en/

Meet Paul Martin, one of the world's leading Japanese sword experts, who sits down to talk to us about the make and history of Japanese swords, regulations around ownership, and what we can do about Japan's disappearing art of swordmaking.Follow Paul:https://www.thejapanesesword.com/ @Paul_Martin_The_Japanese_Sword  https://www.facebook.com/The.Japanese.Sword/https://www.instagram.com/thejapanesesword/

Today we speak with Andrew, an American who became a foster and adoptive parent in Japan. He opens up about the challenges of navigating Japan’s child welfare system, cultural differences in parenting, and what inspired him to open his home to children in need. Andrew shares his personal journey, misconceptions people often have about adoption in Japan, and how he’s working to change the narrative around fostering and adoption.

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Additional Links for information on adoption:

The Family of Adoption: Completely Revised and Updated

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/962764.The_Family_of_Adoption

作家デビュー十年で新境地となった、出産を...『朝が来る』辻村深月 | 文春文庫

https://books.bunshun.jp/ud/book/num/9784167991333

Yokohama Yankee: My Family’s Five Generations as Outsiders in Japan - Deutsches Institut für Japanstudien

https://www.dijtokyo.org/ja/event/yokohama-yankee-my-familys-five-generations-as-outsiders-in-japan/

Intercountry Adoption

https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/Intercountry-Adoption/Intercountry-Adoption-Country-Information/Japan.html

https://hermes-ir.lib.hit-u.ac.jp/hermes/ir/re/19634/keizaikenkyu06104342.pdf

Here Comes the Sun: A Journey to Adoption in 8 Chakras

https://www.goodreads.com/en/book/show/23282195-here-comes-the-sun

Adoption and Historical Background in Japan

https://www.issj.org/adoption-web-en/roots/history/

Why Is It Important to Increase Foster Care and Adoption Programs? | The Nippon Foundation

https://en.nippon-foundation.or.jp/news/articles/2018/20180403-19604.html

Family Matters: Promoting Special Adoptions in Japan for the Good of Children

en.nippon-foundation.or.jp

https://www.nippon.com/en/currents/d00393/

戸籍の窓口II 養子縁組・特別養子縁組 | 日本加除出版

https://www.kajo.co.jp/c/book/01/0101/49172000001?srsltid=AfmBOopYTAlN_Knqcz3XriqnOzldOi7_iveJSUDJM4kquuRDTCKLnu2q

関連書籍 | 子どもたちに家庭をプロジェクト

https://nf-kodomokatei.jp/book/

里親と特別養子縁組

https://www.chuko.co.jp/shinsho/2024/10/102826.html

In this episode of Unpacking Japan, we chat with the quick-witted half Japanese half American comedian Yurié Collins aka @babypinkhaus! Yurié opens up about her experiences growing up biracial in Japan and the US, her journey into stand-up comedy, and the cultural challenges and humor she navigates between both countries. From awkward family moments to hilarious audience interactions, this is an honest and entertaining look at life as a hafu comedian in Japan.

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Meet Emirichu, a popular artist and content creator known for her storytelling, animations, and deeply personal yet humorous content.

From her unexpected start as a teacher to moving across the world, Emirichu opens up about adapting to life in Japan and how her art and voice have changed along the way. We also explore her anime influences, her love of fan culture, and what being an artist means to her.

--

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https://www.youtube.com/@SpilledInkyt

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On today's episode we talk to James, a video game music composer, to talk all about his musical journey and how it lead him to composing music for games and anime in Japan. We go over what it's like working as a western composer in Japan, joining a big company vs being independent, what makes a good song, and all the things a composer thinks about when creating music for video games.

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https://music.apple.com/jp/artist/james-landino/677816776

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https://open.spotify.com/artist/6xMMOflXnoIA3grU3seMjh?si=18L0en3qTUW_CkSl4FTbMw

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In this episode of Unpacking Japan, we sit down with Chris Pellegrini, a leading expert on shochu and awamori, and the founder of Honest Drinks. Chris shares his journey from Vermont to Japan, how he fell in love with Japan’s traditional distilled spirits, and why shochu deserves more recognition globally.

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Today we talk to Tristan, a historian and professor based in Nagoya, Japan. Tristan specializes in the history of Japanese urban development and infrastructure, and shares fascinating insights into how and why Tokyo is built the way it is. From Edo-era planning to post-war reconstruction and subway development, we explore how history has shaped the Tokyo we know today.

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