• 140. 2024 Trip Recap (Part 3)
    Dec 23 2024

    Jason and Paul recently returned home from a trip to Japan. Join them as they discuss their itinerary and recount their third week of sightseeing!

    Topics Covered:

    Kamikochi

    Matsumoto: Matsumoto Castle — Yabuhara to Narai-juku — Matsumoto City Museum — Nawate Shopping Street — Nakamachi Shopping Street — Daio Wasabi Farm — Ishii Miso — Agatanomori Park

    Omiya: Omiya Bonsai Village — The Railway Museum

    Tokyo: Shibuya Parco — Rainbow Karaoke Shibuya — THE MUSIC BAR -CAVE SHIBUYA- — Mount Takao — Meiji Jingu

    Hakone: Yama no Chaya — Owakudani — Hakone Checkpoint

    Tokyo: Denimio — Akihabara

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    2 hrs
  • 139. 2024 Trip Recap (Part 2)
    Dec 9 2024

    Jason and Paul recently returned home from a trip to Japan. Join them as they discuss their itinerary and recount their second week of sightseeing!

    Topics Covered:

    Nagoya: Coffee House Kako — Nagoya Castle — The Tokugawa Art Museum — SCMAGLEV and Railway Park

    Inuyama: Showa Alley — Dondenkan (Matsuri Museum) — Inuyama Castle — Urakuen — Momotaro Shrine

    Hikone: Hikone Castle — Genkyuen — Rakurakuen — Yume Kyobashi Castle Road

    Omihachiman: Kawara Museum — Hachimanyama Ropeway — Borderless Art Museum NO-MA

    Yoro: Site of Reversible Destiny

    Sekigahara: Sekigahara Battlefield Memorial Museum — Sengoku Armor Museum

    Takayama: Hikaru Museum — Takayama Sky Park — Hida no Sato Open Air Museum — Squirrel Forest Hidayama Wild Grass Nature Garden (Risu no Mori) — Matsuri no Mori Museum — Miyagawa Morning Market — Takayama Showa-kan Museum — Tofu Cuisine Noguchiya — Funasaka Sake Brewery — Hida Takayama Retro Museum

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    1 hr and 35 mins
  • 138. 2024 Trip Recap (Part 1)
    Nov 25 2024

    Jason and Paul recently returned home from a trip to Japan. Join them as they discuss their itinerary and recount their first week of sightseeing!

    Topics Covered:

    Kumano Kodo: Kii-Tanabe — Guest House Kiyohime — Takijiri Oji — Chikatsuyu — Guest House MUI — Kumano Hongu Taisha — Yunomine Onsen — Minshuku Yunosato

    Osaka: Shin-Osaka Station — Tempozan Ferris Wheel — Osaka Aquarium Kaiyukan — Naniwa Kuishinbo Yokocho — Namba Parks

    Nagoya: Atsuta Jingu — Shirotori Garden — Osu Shopping Street — Osu Kannon Temple — Toyota Commemorative Museum of Industry and Technology — Sky Promenade

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    1 hr and 15 mins
  • 137.5. Folklooooore
    Nov 11 2024

    Ancient Japanese folktales offer a window into the philosophies and culture of Japan. Join Jason and Paul as they share and discuss two timeless tales that have been passed down through the centuries!

    Topics Covered:

    Ubazakura

    Rokurokubi

    Jiu-Roku-Zakura

    The Goblin of Adachigahara

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    1 hr and 9 mins
  • 137. 2024 Halloween Special - Japan's Most Horrific Crimes
    Oct 28 2024

    Japan may be one of the safest countries in the world, but that doesn’t mean it’s without its share of chilling and horrific crimes. Join Jason and Paul as they delve into some of the most shocking cases in Japan’s history.

    Topics Covered:

    Junko Furuta

    Issei Sagawa

    Kobe Child Murders

    Nevada-Tan

    Ninja of Heisei

    Podcast Meetup 2024: Nov 6th, 2024 at 7:00pm at Commune on the rooftop of the Shibuya Parco shopping mall in Tokyo. Take the elevator to the 9th floor and then take the escalator to the roof.

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    1 hr and 2 mins
  • 136. Day Trips from Kyoto and Osaka
    Oct 14 2024

    Kyoto and Osaka offer countless attractions, but venturing beyond these cities for day trips can unveil another side of Japan. Join Jason and Paul as they explore the diverse experiences waiting just outside Kansai’s largest metropolis!

    Topics Covered:

    Nara (Ep112)

    Hiroshima (Ep118)

    Kobe (Ep96)

    Uji

    Koyasan

    Himeji

    Okayama and Kurashiki

    Kurama and Kibune

    Nakasendo (Magome to Tsumago)

    Hikone

    Omi Hachiman

    Amanohashidate and Ine

    Nagoya

    Listener Mail: Ryokan Matsubaya — Shoseien Garden — Takase River — Kyoto Railway Museum — Umekoji Park

    Podcast Meetup 2024: Nov 6th, 2024 at 7:00pm at Commune on the rooftop of the Shibuya Parco shopping mall in Tokyo. Take the elevator to the 9th floor and then take the escalator to the roof.

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    1 hr and 10 mins
  • 135. Reality TV and Game Shows
    Sep 30 2024

    Japan has unique television programming that has gained a reputation internationally for being extremely wacky and sometimes even dangerous. Join Jason and Paul as they explore the wild world of reality TV and game shows in Japan!

    Topics Covered:

    What is TV like in Japan?

    Denpa Shonen

    Terrace House

    Old Enough

    Iron Chef

    Takeshi’s Castle

    Wafu Sohonke (Japanese Style Originator)

    Youtube Segments: Zoo Prank — Candy or Not — Falling Elevator — AKBingo — Bicyclist — Massage Chair Prank — Brain Wall

    Can you get on Japanese TV?

    Podcast Meetup 2024: Nov 6th, 2024 at 7:00pm at Commune on the rooftop of the Shibuya Parco shopping mall in Tokyo. Take the elevator to the 9th floor and then take the escalator to the roof.

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    1 hr and 25 mins
  • 134.5. Even More Folklore
    Sep 16 2024

    Ancient Japanese folktales offer a window into the philosophies and culture of Japan. Join Jason and Paul as they share and discuss two timeless tales that have been passed down through the centuries!

    Topics Covered:

    The Stones of Five Colors and the Empress Jokwa

    Momotaro, or the Story of the Son of a Peach

    Podcast Meetup 2024: Nov 6th, 2024 at 7:00pm at Commune on the rooftop of the Shibuya Parco shopping mall in Tokyo. Take the elevator to the 9th floor and then take the escalator to the roof.

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    1 hr and 17 mins