Voices in Japan

Ben and Burke take on the controversial topic of zoos, aquariums, and pet life in Japan. Yes, neither one of these clowns is an expert on the subject by any measure, and their home countries (especially the US) definitely cannot serve as models that Japan should follow.  However, in general, there seems to be a difference in mindset between westerners and Japanese people regarding whether animals deserve to be treated better, particularly in zoos and aquariums.  That said, the boys do explore efforts being made towards improvements at Japanese zoos, most notably at the very popular and highly ranked Maruyama Zoo in Sapporo.  The subjects they cover also include the Taiji dolphin hunt controversially documented in The Cove, the worst zoo in Japan near Jozankei hot springs, bear zoos, and Ben gives Burke the self-described "most popular personality test on the web" to determine his animal spirit, which can be found at https://animalinyou.com/.

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On this episode, Ben and Burke discuss the Obon holiday in Japan and all things related to this special occasion.

They start off by chatting about Ben’s stay at Furukawa Onsen in Jozankei using the GoTo Travel campaign, and also Burke’s visit to Takino Suzuran park. Then they move on to talk about traditional Obon customs, the meaning of Obon, two important vegetables related to this celebration (it's not pumpkin!), Bon Odori (the big Obon dance), the different stages and activities that the Japanese do, such as grave cleaning and releasing lanterns to help dead ancestors return to the afterlife, traditional clothing of the festivities and the correct way to wear them, a little history of the Bon Odori in Sapporo, having to meet distant relatives, and much much more. Enjoy the show!

Here is the episode where we talked about ghosts and spirits in Japan.

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Ben and Burke are joined again by Matt, who first made an appearance on the very early episode "Lights, Camera, Action!" about breaking into the entertainment industry in Japan.  The discussions on this episode cover road rage, accidents, annoying behaviors on the road, getting your motorcycle license in Japan, and much much more!

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On today's show, Ben and Burke discuss the GoTo Travel campaign that the government has introduced to encourage domestic travel and help boost local businesses due to the Corona virus pandemic. The Japanese government will provide subsidies of up to 50 percent on costs for hotels, transportations, restaurants, shopping, and tourist attractions within Japan. 

The guys also talk about butchered English slogans, just like “GoTo Travel”, Burke taking advantage of the campaign during the long 4-day weekend at the end of July, Tokyo being excluded from the campaign, Iwate prefecture angry about outsiders visiting, Ben's favourite places to travel in Hokkaido, Burke’s experience of hiking Mt Fuji, and much much more. Enjoy the show!

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On this episode of Voices in Japan, Ben and Burke are joined by Ido Gabay, who is the founder of Hokkaido Nature Tours. They are a Sapporo-based award winning company that specializes in private tours in Japan's largest prefecture, Hokkaido. Our conversation with Ido provides an intimate look at his background starting from the time his family left Israel when he was young, then growing up in the United States, the factors that fueled his desire to start traveling as a backpacker through over 65 countries(!), teaching English in different parts of Asia, and finally settling in Hokkaido. The challenges along the way together with inspiration from his family have helped to strengthen his conviction that people should do what they love in life. Ensure that your next trip traveling in Hokkaido is the best that it can be by visiting www.hokkaidonaturetours.com to let the highly experienced staff at HNT customize a tour for you.

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On today’s show we are joined by the author of The Salaryman, Michael Howard. It’s a very humorous and entertaining book about Michael’s experiences and observations of working at a number of Japanese companies over 9 years. We talk about some of the things from the book such as, the interview process, interesting colleagues, fooling around with company expenses, trapping foreign clients when negotiating business deals, various drinks that the Japanese consume to help them deal with alcohol, the yearly health check, the dreaded barium test, and much much more!

Michael is also currently working on a manga series, based on The Salaryman book, and will be coming soon. Check the website for updates. https://www.thesalarymanbook.com/

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On this episode of Voices in Japan, Bryan from Tokyo joins Ben and Burke to talk about his experience of living in Japan for over 20 years, with the majority of his time spent in Tokyo.  Bryan first came to Japan as a missionary for his church, then as a college student in Fukui on the former Monbusho scholarship, also as a visiting law student at Temple University in Tokyo, and finally as a consultant with Deloitte.  He eventually left Deloitte and has done remarkably well with his own headhunting business in Tokyo for the past 15 years - Bryan was even selected by Asiamoney Magazine as Japan's #1 Headhunting Executive.

The discussion with Bryan covers a number of topics, including raising kids in Japan, the Japanese school system, and working as an adjunct professor at Temple University law school. In addition, we learn a lot about the work that he does placing both Japanese and foreign workers in Tokyo as consultants, finance professionals, and lawyers, along with some explanations on what it takes to be successful in the corporate culture of the best city in Japan for fast-tracking one's career!

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Today, we are joined by Yuka, who shares her experiences of living in America, Tokyo, and Sapporo. We talk about the things she likes and dislikes about each place, strangers talking to her in supermarkets in America, working in a bakery in Michigan, seeing and approaching celebrities in Japan, being able to visit restaurants in Tokyo recommended on Japanese TV, the clean air in Sapporo, events for children and families, and much much more.

If you enjoy listening to the podcast and want to support us, an easy and free way is to leave us a rating and review on iTunes/Apple podcasts. This would really help us out and we would be very grateful.

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Merrick from Los Angeles joins Ben and Burke to discuss the ebook that he has created, Hacking Tokyo - the definitive "Quick Start Guide" to Tokyo and Japan in English, no language classes required!  Merrick details what brought him to Tokyo, the advantages he enjoyed working in a unique tech company, and the reasons why his ebook is perfect for expats or students, aspiring travelers to Tokyo, and all ramen or anime lovers worldwide.  The guys also discuss Merrick enjoying some gigs as a DJ in Tokyo, and also some of the differences between Sapporo and Tokyo, such as the lifestyle and dating prospects.  Check out the website at hackingtokyo.com, and have a look at its table of contents below!

Chapter 1 - Bridging the Language Gap
Chapter 2 - Getting a Visa
Chapter 3 - Searching for Work
Chapter 4 - Housing
Chapter 5 - Transportation
Chapter 6 - Banking, Money, Taxes
Chapter 7 - Phone and Internet
Chapter 8 - Socializing and Dating
Chapter 9 - Shopping and Dining
Chapter 10 - Health, Fitness, Beauty
Appendix A - Japanese Etiquette
Appendix B - English Emergency & Helpline Info

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Ben and Burke are joined again by Gareth, who owns a few businesses in Hokkaido, to discuss new habits and lifestyle changes in Sapporo that will remain as Japan starts to ease the restrictions that were introduced due to coronavirus.  What new hygiene and daily habits have the boys picked up?  What is Ben's new phobia?  What does everyone think of elderly people who seem to be choosing a carefree life over fear and the possible threat of the coronavirus?  Listen to find out now!

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