Unpacking Japan

Meet Joshua, a professor at Chuo University in Tokyo, who has been pioneering the field of cute studies. He sits down to talk to us about the difference between cute and kawaii, the development of kawaii culture, and the psychology of cuteness.

--

0:00 Intro

0:50 Meet Joshua

5:15 Interest in kawaii culture

6:37 Cute vs. kawaii

12:54 Kawaii culture

14:36 Forming a new field of study

19:40 Cuteness in Japan

22:47 Origins of the word kawaii

25:56 Cuteness in everyday life

29:45 The "feeling" of cuteness

32:10 Managing cuteness studies research

37:47 Academics vs. culture

41:18 Artists and cute aesthetics

44:22 Japanese academics on cuteness

46:49 Applications of cuteness research

51:56 Spread of kawaii culture

55:45 The future of cute studies

--

Follow Joshua:

https://www.cutestudies.org/

https://www.instagram.com/dalejoshuapaul/

Follow us:

https://unpacking.jp/

https://www.instagram.com/unpacking_japan

https://www.tiktok.com/@unpackingjapan

https://www.facebook.com/unpackingjapan

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

https://www.x.com/unpacking_japan

https://creators.spotify.com/pod/profile/unpackingjapan

Subscribe 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 Hector, a pastor and the head of Tokyo Union Church, who sits down to talk to us about Christianity in Japan. He tells us about the history of his Church and Christianity in Japan, how present Christianity really is in everyday life here, and the commodification of Christianity in Japan.

--

0:00 Intro

0:50 Interest in Japan

4:58 Becoming a pastor

11:05 Serving in Korea, Switzerland

16:40 History of Tokyo Union Church

19:05 Coming to Japan

24:51 Leading an interdenominational church

27:36 Japanese members of the church

32:02 Guiding different denominations

39:48 History of Christianity in Japan

44:03 How Christianity shaped modern Japan

48:58 Christianity in everyday Japan

51:27 The value of commodifying religion

58:12 Interfaith community

1:03:04 Does Christianity belong in Japan?

1:09:29 Experience as a pastor in Japan

--

Follow Hector:

https://www.tokyounion.org/

https://www.instagram.com/tokyounion/

Follow us:

https://unpacking.jp/

https://www.instagram.com/unpacking_japan

https://www.tiktok.com/@unpackingjapan

https://www.facebook.com/unpackingjapan

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

https://www.x.com/unpacking_japan

https://creators.spotify.com/pod/profile/unpackingjapan

Subscribe 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 Alex, a tourism consultant based in Kagoshima. He sits down to talk to us about his study of martial arts, his experiences at a traditional Japanese company, and his work preserving traditional arts through tourism.

--

0:00 Intro

0:50 Meet Alex

4:55 Studying Iaido

9:15 Arriving in Kagoshima

12:28 Studying local martial art jigen-ryu

17:59 Why jigen-ryu is kept secret

20:10 Joining a traditional company

32:00 Explaining Japanese culture to foreigners

35:21 Sending Japanese culture to Buckingham Palace

39:06 Founding a company to promote traditional culture

47:08 Commercializing traditional arts

52:40 What is "authentic" culture?

55:59 Making culture sustainable

1:01:12 Working with local governments

1:07:16 Are traditional arts being preserved?

1:09:37 Where to visit in Kyushu

--

Follow Alex:

https://gotoku.travel/

https://gotoku.consulting/

https://www.instagram.com/gotokutravel/

Follow us:

https://unpacking.jp/

https://www.instagram.com/unpacking_japan

https://www.tiktok.com/@unpackingjapan

https://www.facebook.com/unpackingjapan

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

https://www.x.com/unpacking_japan

https://creators.spotify.com/pod/profile/unpackingjapan

Subscribe 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 Alex Karlsson, a Swedish idol music producer based in Seoul, Korea, known for his work with Korean groups like Ateez and Enhyphen, as well as Japanese groups like SixTones and &Team. He sits down to talk to us about the foundations of idol music, the differences between k-pop and j-pop, and the authenticity of manufactured pop music.

--

0:00 Intro

0:50 Start as artist

7:55 Transition to producer

11:39 Royalty split in k-pop vs. j-pop

14:16 Producing hits for foreign bands

19:25 K-pop vs. j-pop

23:21 The sound of manufactured pop

30:49 Modern idols are more involved in production

33:33 When the slave contract ends

35:30 The breadth of Asian pop music

41:00 Why k-pop is huge overseas but j-pop isn't

44:55 How Gangnam Style changed k-pop

47:25 Breaking in to the Japan market

50:51 Why Japan is so different

53:36 How moving to Korea changed his career

58:37 Adding emotion to manufactured pop

1:00:55 What's most important when producing

1:02:12 Boy bands vs. girl groups

1:05:28 The problem with AI music

1:10:43 The future of the industry

1:12:43 Next steps

--

Follow Alex:

@AlexKarlssonofficial

https://www.instagram.com/lefauxreal

https://www.tiktok.com/@lefauxreal

https://x.com/AKarlssonMusic

Follow us:

https://unpacking.jp/

https://www.instagram.com/unpacking_japan

https://www.tiktok.com/@unpackingjapan

https://www.facebook.com/unpackingjapan

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

https://www.x.com/unpacking_japan

https://creators.spotify.com/pod/profile/unpackingjapan

Subscribe 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 Joey, a Japanese-Australian content creator known by his alias The Anime Man. He sits down to talk to us about his passion for manga and anime, moving to Japan to make anime videos and what that's taught him about the anime and manga industry, as well as his work on the Trash Taste Podcast and his fashion brand NØИSENSE.

--

0:00 Intro

0:50 Meet Joey

6:19 Early obsession with manga

13:07 Moving to Japan for anime reasons

16:18 Early anime YouTube

18:31 Interviewing manga authors

23:36 What makes manga so popular?

27:56 Joey's favorite manga

36:29 Trash Taste started in a karaoke bar

45:54 Being "the" anime man

49:18 Anime has gone mainstream

54:48 Going beyond Shonen Jump

1:00:14 What's important in good anime

1:08:36 The secret doujin engine running the industry

1:17:54 Branching out beyond anime

1:23:53 Tackling Japan misinformation

1:33:38 Starting a fashion brand

1:40:38 Licensing IP for fashion

1:45:11 What makes NØИSENSE cool

1:50:57 Work as a musician

1:57:18 What's next?

--

Follow Joey:

@TheAnimeMan

@JoeyTheAnimeMan

https://www.twitch.tv/thean1meman

https://www.instagram.com/joey.the.anime.man/

https://www.facebook.com/TheAn1meMan/

https://nonsense.jp/

Follow us:

https://unpacking.jp/

https://www.instagram.com/unpacking_japan

https://www.tiktok.com/@unpackingjapan

https://www.facebook.com/unpackingjapan

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

https://www.x.com/unpacking_japan

https://creators.spotify.com/pod/profile/unpackingjapan

Subscribe 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 Lowell, the retired director of Hope International in Japan and the Asia-Pacific region. He sits down to talk to us about running an NPO in Japan and the challenges of operating here, as well as his retired life as a YouTuber sailing around Japan.

--

0:00 Intro

0:50 Meet Lowell

4:54 Leaving missionary work

7:02 Founding an NGO in Japan

11:06 NGOs in Japan

15:01 The Fukushima disaster at home

17:56 How to spend $2.5 million

29:42 Lessons biking across Japan

38:29 Sailing around Japan

45:11 Japanese boating license

48:04 Buying a boat

51:03 First trip in Japan

56:15 Lessons sailing across Japan

59:11 Settling in Okinawa

1:04:15 What you should know about sailing in Japan

1:17:10 Book and research on longetivity

--

Follow Lowell:

@JapanSoloNotes

@nevertoolateacademy

https://www.instagram.com/lowellinjapan/

https://www.nevertoolateacademy.com/

Follow us:

https://unpacking.jp/

https://www.instagram.com/unpacking_japan

https://www.tiktok.com/@unpackingjapan

https://www.facebook.com/unpackingjapan

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

https://www.x.com/unpacking_japan

https://creators.spotify.com/pod/profile/unpackingjapan

Subscribe 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 Amanda, an photography gallery manager and consultant living in Tokyo. She sits down to talk to us about her work exhibiting Asian/Japanese photography, her work in book design, and why physical books still matter.

--

0:00 Intro

0:50 Meet Amanda

5:18 Post-colonial grandfather

8:23 Studying at Waseda

20:26 Start in gallery work

28:54 Galleries in Japan

32:55 Exhibiting Chinese photography

37:46 Japanese audience interest

40:16 Photo galleries as a business

42:12 Amanda's favorite projects

49:38 Focus on designing photography books

1:05:52 Why books still matter

1:19:59 How to get into Japanese photography

1:29:27 Current projects

1:42:03 Working as an exhibition producer

1:48:05 How to fit into a community

--

Follow Amanda:

https://www.intermediart.co/

https://www.nitesha.com/

https://lolingning.tumblr.com/illustration

Follow us:

https://unpacking.jp/

https://www.instagram.com/unpacking_japan

https://www.tiktok.com/@unpackingjapan

https://www.facebook.com/unpackingjapan

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

https://www.x.com/unpacking_japan

https://creators.spotify.com/pod/profile/unpackingjapan

Subscribe 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 Pablo Aida, a shibari artist who's been practicing in Japan for the last 10 years. He sits down to talk to us about discovering shibari, the philosophy and history behind it, the differences between shibari and kinbaku, and the common misconceptions of this still developing art form.

--

0:00 Intro

0:50 Coming to Japan

10:44 Deciding to stay

12:42 Discovering shibari

19:14 Shibari apprenticeship

31:57 Why tie people up?

41:05 Kinbaku vs. shibari vs. BDSM

47:36 Does shibari have rules?

51:40 Common shibari misconceptions

54:16 Shibari and the power of surrender

1:07:05 Shibari overseas vs. Japan

--

Follow Pablo:

https://www.pabloaida.com

https://aidamethod.studio

https://www.instagram.com/pablo.shibari

Follow us:

https://unpacking.jp/

https://www.instagram.com/unpacking_japan

https://www.tiktok.com/@unpackingjapan

https://www.facebook.com/unpackingjapan

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

https://www.x.com/unpacking_japan

https://creators.spotify.com/pod/profile/unpackingjapan

Subscribe 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 Keiko Fukuichi, a Japanese freelance translator, who sits down to talk to us about her experience translating games, particularly indie darlings Undertale and Hades. She talks to us about nuances of Japanese translation, the biggest challenges she's had, and her experiences studying abroad and learning English.

--

0:00 Intro

0:50 How Keiko learned English

5:10 Studying at Florida high school

11:20 Deciding on translation as a career

13:40 Translation school

18:28 Interest in book translation

23:44 Experience as a gamer

25:35 First game translation project

27:21 Limitations translating games to Japanese

28:40 Taking on Undertale project

30:12 Translating Papyrus

33:40 Limitations of not using kanji

38:41 Keiko's translation philosophy

40:35 Translating puns, jokes, and memes

43:54 Working with Toby "Radiation" Fox

45:11 Translation workflow

48:37 Do you play your own work?

49:48 Translating Hades

52:33 Translating old English

55:41 Can you use difficult kanji?

1:00:14 Translating with voice acting

1:02:38 Changes in translation industry over 20 years

1:06:07 Dealing with slang

1:08:38 Looking back

1:09:42 Are you worried about AI?

1:12:55 Do you have time to play games?

1:16:01 Studying vocabulary for Return of the Obra Dinn

1:17:42 Is interest in foreign indie games growing?

--

Follow Keiko:

https://www.instagram.com/keiko.fukuichi/

https://www.facebook.com/keiko.fukuichi

https://x.com/keiko_fukuichi

https://note.com/kfukuichi

Follow us:

https://unpacking.jp/

https://www.instagram.com/unpacking_japan

https://www.tiktok.com/@unpackingjapan

https://www.facebook.com/unpackingjapan

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

https://www.x.com/unpacking_japan

https://creators.spotify.com/pod/profile/unpackingjapan

Subscribe 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 Ray, an entrepreneur running a ryokan in Toyama. He sits down to talk to us about his experience in the hospitality industry, his interest and move to Japan, and his challenges establishing a business under the government's new regulations.

After recording our interview, Ray thought it would be important to share his visa status. That segment has been added to the beginning of the interview for context.

--

0:00 Intro

0:50 Ray's visa situation

3:48 30 days to leave

8:46 What now?

11:27 Main interview—Why Japan?

18:04 Finding a property to buy

23:36 Business manager visa

25:34 Bringing family to Japan

28:46 Coming to Japan for Ray's children

35:39 The real work begins

37:01 Hotel licenses in Japan

40:57 Building a team in Japan

44:28 Setting up a restaurant/bakery

47:57 Navigating the language barrier

53:00 Joining the community in Toyama

56:37 How Ray financed his hotel

59:14 What he's learned since arriving

1:01:32 Why you should visit Toyama

--

Follow us:

https://unpacking.jp/

https://www.instagram.com/unpacking_japan

https://www.tiktok.com/@unpackingjapan

https://www.facebook.com/unpackingjapan

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

https://www.x.com/unpacking_japan

https://creators.spotify.com/pod/profile/unpackingjapan

Subscribe 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/