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Unpacking Japan podcast artwork
Society & Culture

Unpacking Japan

by Produced by ZenStudio
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Latest episodes

  • How Christianity shaped modern Japan

    October 9, 2026 · 1 hr 21 min

    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…

  • What exactly is "authentic" Japanese culture?

    October 6, 2026 · 1 hr 17 min

    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…

  • Idol music producer explains the difference between k-pop and j-pop ft. Alex Karlsson

    October 2, 2026 · 1 hr 21 min

    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…

  • The anime man actually talks about anime

    October 1, 2026 · 2 hr 3 min

    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…

  • The difference between Japanese and Western NPOs

    September 25, 2026 · 1 hr 28 min

    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…

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  • The challenge of running an art gallery in Kyoto

    September 22, 2026 · 1 hr 56 min

    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…

  • Shibari explained: The Japanese art of tying people up

    September 18, 2026 · 1 hr 22 min

    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…

  • Undertale translator explains EN to JP localization

    September 15, 2026 · 1 hr 20 min

    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…

  • Is it actually possible to start a business in Japan as a foreigner now?

    September 11, 2026 · 1 hr 12 min

    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…

  • Should non-residents be allowed to buy Japanese homes?

    September 8, 2026 · 1 hr 1 min

    Meet Derek, co-founder of YukiHomes, a service that helps people overseas buy cheap homes in Japan. He sits down to talk to us about his own journey buying an akiya in Japan and running a business from overseas, as well as how YukiHomes…

  • The problem with Japanese mainstream media

    September 4, 2026 · 2 hr 27 min

    Meet Martin Fackler, a journalist and author based in Japan. He sits down to talk to us about his career in China and Japan, what went into reporting his biggest stories, and the problems with Japan's kisha club system. -- 0:00 Intro 0:50…

  • Why Japan's jazz cafes are more important than ever

    September 1, 2026 · 1 hr 16 min

    Meet Philip, an author and photographer who's spent years documenting Japan's jazz kissa, who sits down to talk to us about his work and the cafes he's explored in his book. He tells us about the history and culture of jazz kissa, and the…

Full episode archive on Apple Podcasts →

About the show

Unpacking Japan explores Japanese arts, culture, and business through the lives of foreigners who have made this amazing country their home. While we’ve all seen vlogs and movies showing Japan from a pop culture perspective, Unpacking Japan tells the stories that get left by the wayside—the immigrants, the entrepreneurs, and the artists. Tune in every week for an authentic, inspiring conversation with someone who’s carved out their own, unique place in this beautiful country. Host: Tobias Bieker Production: A. Magdych Editing: L. Nicholas, J. Sketchley Social: J. Sketchley Design: M. Koga