Deep in Japan Transistor (https://transistor.fm) https://feeds.transistor.fm/deep-in-japan A hodgepodge of guest interviews, personal narratives, recent news, history, and Japan-related memes and cultural phenomena. If you enjoy the show, please consider supporting us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/deepinjapan. Deep in Japan is an independent, crowd-funded project - so every yen helps keep it alive and kicking! Got something to say? Catch me deep.in.japan.podcast@gmail.com Thanks for listening! © 2026 Deep in Japan 113879b5-c292-5b94-bf3a-2e9c659fe0e7 yes en Wed, 29 Apr 2026 05:30:58 -0700 Wed, 29 Apr 2026 05:31:19 -0700 https://img.transistorcdn.com/he_-_q8ElgVwZf6akEX7h4BMBioibblQ4Jzzu4I3wQc/rs:fill:0:0:1/w:1400/h:1400/q:60/mb:500000/aHR0cHM6Ly9pbWct/dXBsb2FkLXByb2R1/Y3Rpb24udHJhbnNp/c3Rvci5mbS9mZTA5/MmJhZjJiNjYzZDEx/NzJlNGVhMWViODQ3/OTZkYy5KUEc.jpg Deep in Japan episodic Deep in Japan A hodgepodge of guest interviews, personal narratives, recent news, history, and Japan-related memes and cultural phenomena. If you enjoy the show, please consider supporting us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/deepinjapan. Deep in Japan is an independent, crowd-funded project - so every yen helps keep it alive and kicking! Got something to say? Catch me deep.in.japan.podcast@gmail.com Thanks for listening! A hodgepodge of guest interviews, personal narratives, recent news, history, and Japan-related memes and cultural phenomena. Deep in Japan deep.in.japan.podcast@gmail.com No Yes Happy Hour #92: Strong Zero Psyop 42 42 Happy Hour #92: Strong Zero Psyop full bb11eca5-f90c-4145-a2b3-73bcdee6c8e1 https://deepinjapan.transistor.fm/42 Episode 92 begins with a clerical apocalypse: Jeff and Trevor discover they are not on Episode 91 after all, but Episode 92, meaning the long-promised Episode 100 is now both closer and somehow less reachable than ever. The show immediately collapses into a metaphysical audit of its own existence. Episodes are too long. Files are too large. Transistor is too expensive. Spotify is the new economy bunker. Deezer remains preserved like a sacred shrine for the seven remaining listeners, each of whom is assumed to be either a monk, a bot, or James Hathaway.

Then, against all odds, actual commerce occurs. Miho has made international Deep in Japan merch possible, Mythic Weeb James becomes the first customer, and Trevor unveils a design so volatile it may require both a fashion disclaimer and a police escort. This sends the hosts into a sukajan-shaped wormhole of Yokosuka jackets, bomber nostalgia, imperial ghosts, American military aesthetics, right-wing cosplay, and the eternal question: is wearing politically explosive kanji in Japan hilarious, suicidal, or merely good branding?

From there, the episode achieves its natural Deep in Japan state: one topic mutates into another until the original premise has been legally declared missing. 尊王攘夷 becomes kanji literacy. Kanji literacy becomes man-on-the-street content. Man-on-the-street content becomes Osaka homeless YouTube. Osaka homeless YouTube becomes koans in the kōen. The kōen becomes One Cup. One Cup becomes Strong Zero. Strong Zero becomes a grand unified conspiracy theory involving patriarchy, declining birthrates, and possibly Abe-era beverage policy. Then, inconveniently, the hosts discover there is a real-world alcohol policy angle involving Japan’s 2024 drinking guidelines and the quiet retreat of 12–13% chūhai from polite society.

The first great news relic is the Shibuya Scramble fire guy: a man from Nagoya who allegedly set fire to a cardboard sign at the crossing, turned himself in, and reportedly described the act as a protest against “the current state of Japan.” Jeff and Trevor are less interested in the fire than in the communications failure. If you ignite cardboard at the world’s most famous intersection and nobody can summarize your manifesto, have you protested, or merely littered with combustion?

The middle section becomes a museum of Japanese weird-news objects: the dogeza volleyball player, the Saitama pipe/sinkhole imagination chamber, ChatGPT language-bleed errors, the naked Saitama rampage, RocketNews/SoraNews as a content-generating organism, a Dogo Onsen Lawson camouflaged for historical respectability, and the immortal TENGA insect-repellent collaboration. The TENGA segment becomes a reluctant MBA seminar on brand normalization: at what point can a company famous for adult products place a bright red TENGA-shaped mosquito repellent in your home and allow you to say, with a straight face, “No, no, this is for bugs”?

After coffee, the fever cools into something dangerously close to substance. Jeff and Trevor talk recording tools, Zoom avatars, VTuber futures, Adobe hatred, and the misery of video editing before landing on the Kyoto ALT strike and the long erosion of ALT working conditions. Jeff’s own ALT past gives the section some ballast: dispatch English teaching is framed as a system where the “Japan experience” is increasingly used as emotional currency to justify bad pay, unstable contracts, and the slow grinding-down of people who came looking for meaning and found paperwork.

That turns naturally into Japanese study: Kanzen Master, particles, Anki, Manabi Reader, OCR, tiny-font Japanese books, and the dream of an AI-powered custom reader that gives instant lookup, repetition, and mercy. The larger point: intermediate and advanced Japanese is where the grammar charts stop saving you, the particles begin laughing at you, and progress becomes less about rules than exposure, bruising, rhythm, and vibes.

The legal and political center of the episode is Japan’s new post-divorce joint custody framework. Jeff broadly supports reform, but complicates the familiar “left-behind foreign father” story with a personal anecdote about interviewing someone whose later behavior made the custody narrative feel much less clean. The section ends in the proper DIJ shade of gray: reform is necessary, but family courts still have to separate alienated parents from people who may, in fact, be kept away for very good reasons.

The final hour becomes a pachinko machine filled with geopolitics, parasites, theme parks, and municipal shame: crows attacking the Rapunzel animatronic at Tokyo DisneySea, Disney hatred, gas prices, Iran, Japan’s dependence on the U.S., Takaichi, China and Taiwan anxiety, Article 9, Artemis II as the thing humanity should probably care about more, overtourism, tourist defecation lore, Anisakis parasite pens, micro-crimes, mystery incidents, UV ninja parkas, Oregon steakhouse inflation, Asahi’s school future, and haccoba’s insect-poop sake.

It closes, as all respectable cultural analysis should, with a proposed tourist itinerary: eat Anisakis sushi, wear a ninja mask, buy gasoline, set nothing on fire at Shibuya Crossing, and remember that Japanese police may arrest you, but they will not do your PR. Other possible titles include:

Miho Made Merch, Japan Made Mayhem
Koans at the Kōen
The TENGA Mosquito Repellent Episode
Rapunzel, Crows, and the Collapse of Civilization
Adobe Must Fall, Deezer Must Live
Dispatch ALTs and Insect-Poop Sake
Kamehameha & Other Aisatsu Solutions
The Shibuya Manifesto (Nobody Read)
One Cup, Strong Zero, and Article 9
Ninja Masks, Parasite Pens, and Other Tourist Essentials
Saitama Never Disappoints
Takaichi Turns Down Donny
Love your kids? Don't divorce.
No Cherry Blossoms for You!
Turning Shit Into Sake
The Episode That Refused to End

Request for Support:

Enjoying the show? Consider supporting us. Every little bit helps keep this magnificent shitshow lurching for...

]]> Episode 92 begins with a clerical apocalypse: Jeff and Trevor discover they are not on Episode 91 after all, but Episode 92, meaning the long-promised Episode 100 is now both closer and somehow less reachable than ever. The show immediately collapses into a metaphysical audit of its own existence. Episodes are too long. Files are too large. Transistor is too expensive. Spotify is the new economy bunker. Deezer remains preserved like a sacred shrine for the seven remaining listeners, each of whom is assumed to be either a monk, a bot, or James Hathaway.

Then, against all odds, actual commerce occurs. Miho has made international Deep in Japan merch possible, Mythic Weeb James becomes the first customer, and Trevor unveils a design so volatile it may require both a fashion disclaimer and a police escort. This sends the hosts into a sukajan-shaped wormhole of Yokosuka jackets, bomber nostalgia, imperial ghosts, American military aesthetics, right-wing cosplay, and the eternal question: is wearing politically explosive kanji in Japan hilarious, suicidal, or merely good branding?

From there, the episode achieves its natural Deep in Japan state: one topic mutates into another until the original premise has been legally declared missing. 尊王攘夷 becomes kanji literacy. Kanji literacy becomes man-on-the-street content. Man-on-the-street content becomes Osaka homeless YouTube. Osaka homeless YouTube becomes koans in the kōen. The kōen becomes One Cup. One Cup becomes Strong Zero. Strong Zero becomes a grand unified conspiracy theory involving patriarchy, declining birthrates, and possibly Abe-era beverage policy. Then, inconveniently, the hosts discover there is a real-world alcohol policy angle involving Japan’s 2024 drinking guidelines and the quiet retreat of 12–13% chūhai from polite society.

The first great news relic is the Shibuya Scramble fire guy: a man from Nagoya who allegedly set fire to a cardboard sign at the crossing, turned himself in, and reportedly described the act as a protest against “the current state of Japan.” Jeff and Trevor are less interested in the fire than in the communications failure. If you ignite cardboard at the world’s most famous intersection and nobody can summarize your manifesto, have you protested, or merely littered with combustion?

The middle section becomes a museum of Japanese weird-news objects: the dogeza volleyball player, the Saitama pipe/sinkhole imagination chamber, ChatGPT language-bleed errors, the naked Saitama rampage, RocketNews/SoraNews as a content-generating organism, a Dogo Onsen Lawson camouflaged for historical respectability, and the immortal TENGA insect-repellent collaboration. The TENGA segment becomes a reluctant MBA seminar on brand normalization: at what point can a company famous for adult products place a bright red TENGA-shaped mosquito repellent in your home and allow you to say, with a straight face, “No, no, this is for bugs”?

After coffee, the fever cools into something dangerously close to substance. Jeff and Trevor talk recording tools, Zoom avatars, VTuber futures, Adobe hatred, and the misery of video editing before landing on the Kyoto ALT strike and the long erosion of ALT working conditions. Jeff’s own ALT past gives the section some ballast: dispatch English teaching is framed as a system where the “Japan experience” is increasingly used as emotional currency to justify bad pay, unstable contracts, and the slow grinding-down of people who came looking for meaning and found paperwork.

That turns naturally into Japanese study: Kanzen Master, particles, Anki, Manabi Reader, OCR, tiny-font Japanese books, and the dream of an AI-powered custom reader that gives instant lookup, repetition, and mercy. The larger point: intermediate and advanced Japanese is where the grammar charts stop saving you, the particles begin laughing at you, and progress becomes less about rules than exposure, bruising, rhythm, and vibes.

The legal and political center of the episode is Japan’s new post-divorce joint custody framework. Jeff broadly supports reform, but complicates the familiar “left-behind foreign father” story with a personal anecdote about interviewing someone whose later behavior made the custody narrative feel much less clean. The section ends in the proper DIJ shade of gray: reform is necessary, but family courts still have to separate alienated parents from people who may, in fact, be kept away for very good reasons.

The final hour becomes a pachinko machine filled with geopolitics, parasites, theme parks, and municipal shame: crows attacking the Rapunzel animatronic at Tokyo DisneySea, Disney hatred, gas prices, Iran, Japan’s dependence on the U.S., Takaichi, China and Taiwan anxiety, Article 9, Artemis II as the thing humanity should probably care about more, overtourism, tourist defecation lore, Anisakis parasite pens, micro-crimes, mystery incidents, UV ninja parkas, Oregon steakhouse inflation, Asahi’s school future, and haccoba’s insect-poop sake.

It closes, as all respectable cultural analysis should, with a proposed tourist itinerary: eat Anisakis sushi, wear a ninja mask, buy gasoline, set nothing on fire at Shibuya Crossing, and remember that Japanese police may arrest you, but they will not do your PR. Other possible titles include:

Miho Made Merch, Japan Made Mayhem
Koans at the Kōen
The TENGA Mosquito Repellent Episode
Rapunzel, Crows, and the Collapse of Civilization
Adobe Must Fall, Deezer Must Live
Dispatch ALTs and Insect-Poop Sake
Kamehameha & Other Aisatsu Solutions
The Shibuya Manifesto (Nobody Read)
One Cup, Strong Zero, and Article 9
Ninja Masks, Parasite Pens, and Other Tourist Essentials
Saitama Never Disappoints
Takaichi Turns Down Donny
Love your kids? Don't divorce.
No Cherry Blossoms for You!
Turning Shit Into Sake
The Episode That Refused to End

Request for Support:

Enjoying the show? Consider supporting us. Every little bit helps keep this magnificent shitshow lurching for...

]]> Sun, 26 Apr 2026 08:00:03 -0700 Deep in Japan Deep in Japan 14208 Episode 92 begins with a clerical apocalypse: Jeff and Trevor discover they are not on Episode 91 after all, but Episode 92, meaning the long-promised Episode 100 is now both closer and somehow less reachable than ever. The show immediately collapses into a metaphysical audit of its own existence. Episodes are too long. Files are too large. Transistor is too expensive. Spotify is the new economy bunker. Deezer remains preserved like a sacred shrine for the seven remaining listeners, each of whom is assumed to be either a monk, a bot, or James Hathaway.

Then, against all odds, actual commerce occurs. Miho has made international Deep in Japan merch possible, Mythic Weeb James becomes the first customer, and Trevor unveils a design so volatile it may require both a fashion disclaimer and a police escort. This sends the hosts into a sukajan-shaped wormhole of Yokosuka jackets, bomber nostalgia, imperial ghosts, American military aesthetics, right-wing cosplay, and the eternal question: is wearing politically explosive kanji in Japan hilarious, suicidal, or merely good branding?

From there, the episode achieves its natural Deep in Japan state: one topic mutates into another until the original premise has been legally declared missing. 尊王攘夷 becomes kanji literacy. Kanji literacy becomes man-on-the-street content. Man-on-the-street content becomes Osaka homeless YouTube. Osaka homeless YouTube becomes koans in the kōen. The kōen becomes One Cup. One Cup becomes Strong Zero. Strong Zero becomes a grand unified conspiracy theory involving patriarchy, declining birthrates, and possibly Abe-era beverage policy. Then, inconveniently, the hosts discover there is a real-world alcohol policy angle involving Japan’s 2024 drinking guidelines and the quiet retreat of 12–13% chūhai from polite society.

The first great news relic is the Shibuya Scramble fire guy: a man from Nagoya who allegedly set fire to a cardboard sign at the crossing, turned himself in, and reportedly described the act as a protest against “the current state of Japan.” Jeff and Trevor are less interested in the fire than in the communications failure. If you ignite cardboard at the world’s most famous intersection and nobody can summarize your manifesto, have you protested, or merely littered with combustion?

The middle section becomes a museum of Japanese weird-news objects: the dogeza volleyball player, the Saitama pipe/sinkhole imagination chamber, ChatGPT language-bleed errors, the naked Saitama rampage, RocketNews/SoraNews as a content-generating organism, a Dogo Onsen Lawson camouflaged for historical respectability, and the immortal TENGA insect-repellent collaboration. The TENGA segment becomes a reluctant MBA seminar on brand normalization: at what point can a company famous for adult products place a bright red TENGA-shaped mosquito repellent in your home and allow you to say, with a straight face, “No, no, this is for bugs”?

After coffee, the fever cools into something dangerously close to substance. Jeff and Trevor talk recording tools, Zoom avatars, VTuber futures, Adobe hatred, and the misery of video editing before landing on the Kyoto ALT strike and the long erosion of ALT working conditions. Jeff’s own ALT past gives the section some ballast: dispatch English teaching is framed as a system where the “Japan experience” is increasingly used as emotional currency to justify bad pay, unstable contracts, and the slow grinding-down of people who came looking for meaning and found paperwork.

That turns naturally into Japanese study: Kanzen Master, particles, Anki, Manabi Reader, OCR, tiny-font Japanese books, and the dream of an AI-powered custom reader that gives instant lookup, repetition, and mercy. The larger point: intermediate and advanced Japanese is where the grammar charts stop saving you, the particles begin laughing at you, and progress becomes less about rules than exposure, bruising, rhythm, and vibes.

The legal and political center of the episode is Japan’s new post-divorce joint custody framework. Jeff broadly supports reform, but complicates the familiar “left-behind foreign father” story with a personal anecdote about interviewing someone whose later behavior made the custody narrative feel much less clean. The section ends in the proper DIJ shade of gray: reform is necessary, but family courts still have to separate alienated parents from people who may, in fact, be kept away for very good reasons.

The final hour becomes a pachinko machine filled with geopolitics, parasites, theme parks, and municipal shame: crows attacking the Rapunzel animatronic at Tokyo DisneySea, Disney hatred, gas prices, Iran, Japan’s dependence on the U.S., Takaichi, China and Taiwan anxiety, Article 9, Artemis II as the thing humanity should probably care about more, overtourism, tourist defecation lore, Anisakis parasite pens, micro-crimes, mystery incidents, UV ninja parkas, Oregon steakhouse inflation, Asahi’s school future, and haccoba’s insect-poop sake.

It closes, as all respectable cultural analysis should, with a proposed tourist itinerary: eat Anisakis sushi, wear a ninja mask, buy gasoline, set nothing on fire at Shibuya Crossing, and remember that Japanese police may arrest you, but they will not do your PR. Other possible titles include:

Miho Made Merch, Japan Made Mayhem
Koans at the Kōen
The TENGA Mosquito Repellent Episode
Rapunzel, Crows, and the Collapse of Civilization
Adobe Must Fall, Deezer Must Live
Dispatch ALTs and Insect-Poop Sake
Kamehameha & Other Aisatsu Solutions
The Shibuya Manifesto (Nobody Read)
One Cup, Strong Zero, and Article 9
Ninja Masks, Parasite Pens, and Other Tourist Essentials
Saitama Never Disappoints
Takaichi Turns Down Donny
Love your kids? Don't divorce.
No Cherry Blossoms for You!
Turning Shit Into Sake
The Episode That Refused to End

Request for Support:

Enjoying the show? Consider supporting us. Every little bit helps keep this magnificent shitshow lurching for...

]]> Deep in Japan podcast, Deep in Japan Episode 92, Japan podcast, funny Japan podcast, Japan weird news, Shibuya Scramble fire, Shibuya fire guy, Strong Zero Japan, chuhai Japan, high alcohol chuhai, Japan alcohol guidelines 2024, sukajan jacket, Yokosuka jumper, sonnō jōi, 尊王攘夷, Japanese right wing fashion, Deep in Japan merch, TENGA insect repellent, SoraNews24 Japan, RocketNews24, Dogo Onsen Lawson, Saitama naked man rampage, Japan ALT strike, Kyoto ALT strike, dispatch ALT Japan, JET Program pay gap, Japanese language learning, Manabi Reader, Anki Japanese, Kanzen Master, Japan joint custody law, divorced parents Japan, Tokyo DisneySea Rapunzel crows, Japan overtourism, Fujiyoshida overtourism, tourist behavior Japan, Anisakis parasite pen, Japanese parasite museum, Artemis II, NASA Artemis II record, Japan Article 9, Sanae Takaichi, Japan China Taiwan tensions, Japan Iran war, Japan plastics shortage, ninja parka Japan, UV face mask Japan, haccoba sake, insect poop sake, 虫秘茶, Fukushima craft sake, Japanese weird products, Japan expat humor Yes Samurai Death Poems with Robert R. Gray 41 41 Samurai Death Poems with Robert R. Gray full 8a0d862a-3ef6-4c21-94b0-2071e204b63b https://deepinjapan.transistor.fm/41 In this episode, we sit down with writer, translator, martial artist, and long-time Japan resident Robert R. Gray to talk about his wonderful little book, Whispers of the Departed—a collection of samurai death poems (辞世, jisei) paired with glimpses into the lives of the people who wrote them. From impermanence and acceptance to emptiness and transcendence, the conversation explores what people reveal when there’s nothing left to hold onto.

Links:

Enjoying the show? Please consider supporting us—every little bit helps keep the podcast going. And get some Deep in Japan merch while you're at it! I highly recommend the 尊王攘夷 (Revere the Emperor, Expel the Foreigners) hoodie. There is nothing else quite like it. 

And make sure to join the conversation on Facebook and follow us on Twitter @DogePunk2077. For all inquiries, you can reach us at deep.in.japan.podcast@gmail.com.

Thanks for listening! 

]]> In this episode, we sit down with writer, translator, martial artist, and long-time Japan resident Robert R. Gray to talk about his wonderful little book, Whispers of the Departed—a collection of samurai death poems (辞世, jisei) paired with glimpses into the lives of the people who wrote them. From impermanence and acceptance to emptiness and transcendence, the conversation explores what people reveal when there’s nothing left to hold onto.

Links:

Enjoying the show? Please consider supporting us—every little bit helps keep the podcast going. And get some Deep in Japan merch while you're at it! I highly recommend the 尊王攘夷 (Revere the Emperor, Expel the Foreigners) hoodie. There is nothing else quite like it. 

And make sure to join the conversation on Facebook and follow us on Twitter @DogePunk2077. For all inquiries, you can reach us at deep.in.japan.podcast@gmail.com.

Thanks for listening! 

]]> Sun, 19 Apr 2026 05:47:22 -0700 Deep in Japan Deep in Japan 4881 In this episode, we sit down with writer, translator, martial artist, and long-time Japan resident Robert R. Gray to talk about his wonderful little book, Whispers of the Departed—a collection of samurai death poems (辞世, jisei) paired with glimpses into the lives of the people who wrote them. From impermanence and acceptance to emptiness and transcendence, the conversation explores what people reveal when there’s nothing left to hold onto.

Links:

Enjoying the show? Please consider supporting us—every little bit helps keep the podcast going. And get some Deep in Japan merch while you're at it! I highly recommend the 尊王攘夷 (Revere the Emperor, Expel the Foreigners) hoodie. There is nothing else quite like it. 

And make sure to join the conversation on Facebook and follow us on Twitter @DogePunk2077. For all inquiries, you can reach us at deep.in.japan.podcast@gmail.com.

Thanks for listening! 

]]> samurai death poems, jisei poems, Japanese death poetry, bushido philosophy, Zen and death, samurai culture, Japanese history, impermanence Japan, wabi sabi philosophy, Zen Buddhism, seppuku tradition, warrior code Japan, Japanese literature translation, Robert R Gray, Whispers of the Departed, death and poetry, end of life reflections, Japanese aesthetics, mono no aware, Japanese philosophy, martial arts philosophy, kobudo Japan, samurai legacy, historical poetry Japan, Zen practice, life and death Japan, minimalist philosophy, cultural Japan podcast, Deep in Japan podcast No Happy Hour #91: 禁止 40 40 Happy Hour #91: 禁止 full 586e86b2-3a34-489d-a464-1d0436f06452 https://deepinjapan.transistor.fm/40 This year, we celebrated the Emperor’s Birthday with a Happy Hour. From the Imperial Household to underground heroes, from banned words to ghost-town virality, this episode has a little something for everyone. We get into the “Naru-chan Kenpo” and how Emperor Naruhito was raised, Japan’s ever-evolving list of broadcast “NG” words, and the country’s real-life superheroes patrolling the streets with trash tongs instead of weapons. Along the way, we explore eerie signs of the Dead Internet, Japan’s obsession with craftsmanship—from luxury stationery to washi-paper headphones—and what it all says about living in an increasingly algorithmic world. So before you throw this one on, buckle up—because things get a little wild.

That Sweet Sauce: 

Request for Support:

Enjoying the show? Please consider supporting us—every little bit helps keep the podcast going. And make sure to join the conversation on Facebook and follow us on Twitter @DogePunk2077. For all inquiries, you can reach us at deep.in.japan.podcast@gmail.com.

Finally, if you are hoping to hear more Deep in Japan music, check out Jeff's SUNO page. 

Thanks for listening! 

]]> This year, we celebrated the Emperor’s Birthday with a Happy Hour. From the Imperial Household to underground heroes, from banned words to ghost-town virality, this episode has a little something for everyone. We get into the “Naru-chan Kenpo” and how Emperor Naruhito was raised, Japan’s ever-evolving list of broadcast “NG” words, and the country’s real-life superheroes patrolling the streets with trash tongs instead of weapons. Along the way, we explore eerie signs of the Dead Internet, Japan’s obsession with craftsmanship—from luxury stationery to washi-paper headphones—and what it all says about living in an increasingly algorithmic world. So before you throw this one on, buckle up—because things get a little wild.

That Sweet Sauce: 

Request for Support:

Enjoying the show? Please consider supporting us—every little bit helps keep the podcast going. And make sure to join the conversation on Facebook and follow us on Twitter @DogePunk2077. For all inquiries, you can reach us at deep.in.japan.podcast@gmail.com.

Finally, if you are hoping to hear more Deep in Japan music, check out Jeff's SUNO page. 

Thanks for listening! 

]]> Sun, 29 Mar 2026 07:34:48 -0700 Deep in Japan Deep in Japan 15377 This year, we celebrated the Emperor’s Birthday with a Happy Hour. From the Imperial Household to underground heroes, from banned words to ghost-town virality, this episode has a little something for everyone. We get into the “Naru-chan Kenpo” and how Emperor Naruhito was raised, Japan’s ever-evolving list of broadcast “NG” words, and the country’s real-life superheroes patrolling the streets with trash tongs instead of weapons. Along the way, we explore eerie signs of the Dead Internet, Japan’s obsession with craftsmanship—from luxury stationery to washi-paper headphones—and what it all says about living in an increasingly algorithmic world. So before you throw this one on, buckle up—because things get a little wild.

That Sweet Sauce: 

Request for Support:

Enjoying the show? Please consider supporting us—every little bit helps keep the podcast going. And make sure to join the conversation on Facebook and follow us on Twitter @DogePunk2077. For all inquiries, you can reach us at deep.in.japan.podcast@gmail.com.

Finally, if you are hoping to hear more Deep in Japan music, check out Jeff's SUNO page. 

Thanks for listening! 

]]> Japan podcast, Deep in Japan, Happy Hour podcast, Emperor Naruhito, Japanese Imperial family, Empress Michiko, Naru-chan Kenpo, Japanese culture, life in Japan, expat Japan, Japanese society, NG words Japan, banned Japanese words, Japanese language etiquette, NHK broadcasting rules, burakumin discrimination Japan, real life superheroes Japan, Japanese vigilantes, trash picking heroes Japan, Tokyo street culture, Osaka street culture, Dead Internet Theory, Japan YouTube views, government propaganda Japan, viral video Japan, Japanese stationery, Japanese craftsmanship, washi paper headphones, Final DX4000, Japanese tech culture, AI in Japan, algorithmic society, keto diet AI, expat life Japan podcast, modern Japan analysis, Japanese trends 2026 Yes Cracking the Crab: Russian Spies in Japan 39 39 Cracking the Crab: Russian Spies in Japan full da7dd22d-2998-4ef1-a7b0-dd6a288d4add https://deepinjapan.transistor.fm/39 In this episode, I’m joined by Dr. James D.J. Brown, Professor of Political Science at Temple University’s Japan Campus and one of the leading experts on Russo-Japanese relations. His research focuses on the history and geopolitics between Japan and Russia, including territorial disputes, diplomacy, and security issues in Northeast Asia.


We discuss his new book, Cracking the Crab: Russian Espionage Against Japan, from Peter the Great to Richard Sorge. The book traces more than three centuries of Russian intelligence activity directed at Japan—from early explorers and castaways gathering information during the era of Japanese isolation, to the famous Soviet spy Richard Sorge and his network in Tokyo before World War II.


Along the way, Brown reveals how espionage shaped the relationship between the two countries, how spies operated in one of the world’s most closed societies, and why Japan was often seen by Russian intelligence as a “crab”—hard on the outside but vulnerable once its shell was cracked.

Links & Resources:

Enjoying the show? Please consider supporting us—every little bit helps keep the podcast going. And make sure to join the conversation on Facebook and follow us on Twitter @DogePunk2077. For all inquiries, you can reach us at deep.in.japan.podcast@gmail.com.

Finally, if you are hoping to hear more Deep in Japan music, check out Jeff's SUNO page. 

Thanks for listening! 

]]> In this episode, I’m joined by Dr. James D.J. Brown, Professor of Political Science at Temple University’s Japan Campus and one of the leading experts on Russo-Japanese relations. His research focuses on the history and geopolitics between Japan and Russia, including territorial disputes, diplomacy, and security issues in Northeast Asia.


We discuss his new book, Cracking the Crab: Russian Espionage Against Japan, from Peter the Great to Richard Sorge. The book traces more than three centuries of Russian intelligence activity directed at Japan—from early explorers and castaways gathering information during the era of Japanese isolation, to the famous Soviet spy Richard Sorge and his network in Tokyo before World War II.


Along the way, Brown reveals how espionage shaped the relationship between the two countries, how spies operated in one of the world’s most closed societies, and why Japan was often seen by Russian intelligence as a “crab”—hard on the outside but vulnerable once its shell was cracked.

Links & Resources:

Enjoying the show? Please consider supporting us—every little bit helps keep the podcast going. And make sure to join the conversation on Facebook and follow us on Twitter @DogePunk2077. For all inquiries, you can reach us at deep.in.japan.podcast@gmail.com.

Finally, if you are hoping to hear more Deep in Japan music, check out Jeff's SUNO page. 

Thanks for listening! 

]]> Wed, 11 Mar 2026 01:30:35 -0700 Deep in Japan Deep in Japan 3681 In this episode, I’m joined by Dr. James D.J. Brown, Professor of Political Science at Temple University’s Japan Campus and one of the leading experts on Russo-Japanese relations. His research focuses on the history and geopolitics between Japan and Russia, including territorial disputes, diplomacy, and security issues in Northeast Asia.


We discuss his new book, Cracking the Crab: Russian Espionage Against Japan, from Peter the Great to Richard Sorge. The book traces more than three centuries of Russian intelligence activity directed at Japan—from early explorers and castaways gathering information during the era of Japanese isolation, to the famous Soviet spy Richard Sorge and his network in Tokyo before World War II.


Along the way, Brown reveals how espionage shaped the relationship between the two countries, how spies operated in one of the world’s most closed societies, and why Japan was often seen by Russian intelligence as a “crab”—hard on the outside but vulnerable once its shell was cracked.

Links & Resources:

Enjoying the show? Please consider supporting us—every little bit helps keep the podcast going. And make sure to join the conversation on Facebook and follow us on Twitter @DogePunk2077. For all inquiries, you can reach us at deep.in.japan.podcast@gmail.com.

Finally, if you are hoping to hear more Deep in Japan music, check out Jeff's SUNO page. 

Thanks for listening! 

]]> James D.J. Brown, Russian espionage Japan, Cracking the Crab, Russian spies in Japan, Soviet espionage Japan, Russia Japan intelligence history, Richard Sorge spy ring, Ozaki Hotsumi espionage, Russo Japanese relations history, Cold War espionage Japan, espionage history Japan, Russian intelligence operations Japan, Soviet spy network Tokyo, Peter the Great Japan exploration, Kamchatka explorers Japan, Kuril Islands Russia Japan history, Japanese counterintelligence history, spy history podcast, espionage podcast episode, Japan Russia geopolitical history, intelligence history East Asia No Tanaka Zakku: From Indian Hackerman to Japanese Citizen 38 38 Tanaka Zakku: From Indian Hackerman to Japanese Citizen full 3ed4782e-2a5c-4efb-8aa0-f0f79b19d561 https://deepinjapan.transistor.fm/38 In this episode, we sit down with Zach Mathis—now commonly known in Japan as Tanaka Zakku—a cybersecurity expert with over two decades of experience working in Japan. Zach recently chose to relinquish his American citizenship and naturalize as a Japanese citizen. When he announced it on Twitter, the post exploded, racking up almost 6 million views.

What was surprising wasn't just the reach, but the reaction. The comments were overwhelmingly positive. Given the rising anti-immigration sentiment in the country and how quickly Japanese ultranationalist elements on Twitter tend to dogpile these kinds of announcements, Zach’s reception was a massive exception to the rule. We had a wide-ranging conversation about how he fell in love with Japan, the reality of the naturalization process, his cybersecurity career, and his twenty-year journey here. Hope you enjoy it!


Links & Resources:

Enjoying the show? Please consider supporting us—every little bit helps keep the podcast going. And make sure to join the conversation on Facebook and follow us on Twitter @DogePunk2077. For all inquiries, you can reach us at deep.in.japan.podcast@gmail.com.

Finally, if you are hoping to hear more Deep in Japan music, check out Jeff's SUNO page. 

Thanks for listening! 

]]> In this episode, we sit down with Zach Mathis—now commonly known in Japan as Tanaka Zakku—a cybersecurity expert with over two decades of experience working in Japan. Zach recently chose to relinquish his American citizenship and naturalize as a Japanese citizen. When he announced it on Twitter, the post exploded, racking up almost 6 million views.

What was surprising wasn't just the reach, but the reaction. The comments were overwhelmingly positive. Given the rising anti-immigration sentiment in the country and how quickly Japanese ultranationalist elements on Twitter tend to dogpile these kinds of announcements, Zach’s reception was a massive exception to the rule. We had a wide-ranging conversation about how he fell in love with Japan, the reality of the naturalization process, his cybersecurity career, and his twenty-year journey here. Hope you enjoy it!


Links & Resources:

Enjoying the show? Please consider supporting us—every little bit helps keep the podcast going. And make sure to join the conversation on Facebook and follow us on Twitter @DogePunk2077. For all inquiries, you can reach us at deep.in.japan.podcast@gmail.com.

Finally, if you are hoping to hear more Deep in Japan music, check out Jeff's SUNO page. 

Thanks for listening! 

]]> Sat, 21 Feb 2026 19:47:10 -0800 Deep in Japan Deep in Japan 5731 In this episode, we sit down with Zach Mathis—now commonly known in Japan as Tanaka Zakku—a cybersecurity expert with over two decades of experience working in Japan. Zach recently chose to relinquish his American citizenship and naturalize as a Japanese citizen. When he announced it on Twitter, the post exploded, racking up almost 6 million views.

What was surprising wasn't just the reach, but the reaction. The comments were overwhelmingly positive. Given the rising anti-immigration sentiment in the country and how quickly Japanese ultranationalist elements on Twitter tend to dogpile these kinds of announcements, Zach’s reception was a massive exception to the rule. We had a wide-ranging conversation about how he fell in love with Japan, the reality of the naturalization process, his cybersecurity career, and his twenty-year journey here. Hope you enjoy it!


Links & Resources:

Enjoying the show? Please consider supporting us—every little bit helps keep the podcast going. And make sure to join the conversation on Facebook and follow us on Twitter @DogePunk2077. For all inquiries, you can reach us at deep.in.japan.podcast@gmail.com.

Finally, if you are hoping to hear more Deep in Japan music, check out Jeff's SUNO page. 

Thanks for listening! 

]]> Japan naturalization, Japanese citizenship process, Tanaka Zakku, Zach Mathis, cybersecurity in Japan, moving to Japan, expat life Japan, giving up US citizenship, obtaining Japanese passport, JLPT N1, Japanese language immersion, international schools Japan, raising kids in Japan, gaijin Twitter, Deep in Japan podcast, living in Japan long term No Happy Hour #90: Bureaucrats, Bears, & Bots 37 37 Happy Hour #90: Bureaucrats, Bears, & Bots full 67e29957-ba1a-42e2-9a44-889737d296fb https://deepinjapan.transistor.fm/37 In this episode, Jay and Trey are joined by special guest Mythic Weeb James Hatheway for a three-hour tour de force through the green room of modern Japan—covering, among other things:

Enjoying the show? Please consider supporting us—every little bit helps keep the podcast going. And make sure to join the conversation on Facebook and follow us on Twitter @DogePunk2077. For all inquiries, you can reach us at deep.in.japan.podcast@gmail.com.

Finally, if you enjoyed the outro, check out Jeff's SUNO page. It's filled with goodies. 

Thanks for listening! 

]]> In this episode, Jay and Trey are joined by special guest Mythic Weeb James Hatheway for a three-hour tour de force through the green room of modern Japan—covering, among other things:

Enjoying the show? Please consider supporting us—every little bit helps keep the podcast going. And make sure to join the conversation on Facebook and follow us on Twitter @DogePunk2077. For all inquiries, you can reach us at deep.in.japan.podcast@gmail.com.

Finally, if you enjoyed the outro, check out Jeff's SUNO page. It's filled with goodies. 

Thanks for listening! 

]]> Sun, 01 Feb 2026 01:38:57 -0800 Deep in Japan Deep in Japan 14085 In this episode, Jay and Trey are joined by special guest Mythic Weeb James Hatheway for a three-hour tour de force through the green room of modern Japan—covering, among other things:

Enjoying the show? Please consider supporting us—every little bit helps keep the podcast going. And make sure to join the conversation on Facebook and follow us on Twitter @DogePunk2077. For all inquiries, you can reach us at deep.in.japan.podcast@gmail.com.

Finally, if you enjoyed the outro, check out Jeff's SUNO page. It's filled with goodies. 

Thanks for listening! 

]]> Japan podcast, Deep in Japan, Happy Hour podcast, Bureaucrats Bears and Bots, life in Japan, modern Japan culture, Japanese bureaucracy, Japan naturalization process, Japanese citizenship consultation, Ministry of Justice Japan, living room audit Japan, hatsumode origin, invented tradition Japan, Japanese New Year shrine visit, railway marketing Japan, rural depopulation Japan, bear attacks Japan, Kuma Arashi, Japanese bears, bear slayers Japan, matagi hunters, AI companions Japan, anime AI Japan, Grok AI Japan, tatemae and honne, hikikomori Japan, loneliness in Japan, Japanese masculinity, Yukio Mishima rule, sake bottle palm, Japanese social hierarchy, expat life Japan, living in Japan reality, Japan behind the scenes, Cool Japan myth, Japan 2026, cultural analysis Japan, Mythic Weeb James Hatheway Yes A Walk on the Wild Side: Japan’s Hidden Lives with Tom Gill 36 36 A Walk on the Wild Side: Japan’s Hidden Lives with Tom Gill full 64e0cc81-dd15-4ecc-be9d-3228253198cf https://deepinjapan.transistor.fm/36 In this episode, we walk the streets of Japan with Tom Gill—anthropologist, longtime Japan resident, and one of the most clear-eyed observers of the country’s marginalized communities. Gill is best known for his decades of fieldwork among day laborers, the homeless, and the urban poor, particularly in places like Tokyo’s San’ya district. Rather than studying Japan from a distance or through official narratives, Gill practices what he calls “being there”—immersing himself in the lives of people most visitors (and many locals) never see. Whether you’re interested in Japan, anthropology, or the uncomfortable realities beneath orderly surfaces, this episode is a reminder that understanding requires proximity—and humility.

Enjoy the show? Please consider supporting us—every little bit helps keep the podcast going.

And make sure to join the conversation on Facebook and follow us on Twitter @DogePunk2077. For all inquiries, you can reach us at deep.in.japan.podcast@gmail.com.

Thanks for listening! 

]]> In this episode, we walk the streets of Japan with Tom Gill—anthropologist, longtime Japan resident, and one of the most clear-eyed observers of the country’s marginalized communities. Gill is best known for his decades of fieldwork among day laborers, the homeless, and the urban poor, particularly in places like Tokyo’s San’ya district. Rather than studying Japan from a distance or through official narratives, Gill practices what he calls “being there”—immersing himself in the lives of people most visitors (and many locals) never see. Whether you’re interested in Japan, anthropology, or the uncomfortable realities beneath orderly surfaces, this episode is a reminder that understanding requires proximity—and humility.

Enjoy the show? Please consider supporting us—every little bit helps keep the podcast going.

And make sure to join the conversation on Facebook and follow us on Twitter @DogePunk2077. For all inquiries, you can reach us at deep.in.japan.podcast@gmail.com.

Thanks for listening! 

]]> Fri, 16 Jan 2026 01:27:57 -0800 Deep in Japan Deep in Japan 9216 In this episode, we walk the streets of Japan with Tom Gill—anthropologist, longtime Japan resident, and one of the most clear-eyed observers of the country’s marginalized communities. Gill is best known for his decades of fieldwork among day laborers, the homeless, and the urban poor, particularly in places like Tokyo’s San’ya district. Rather than studying Japan from a distance or through official narratives, Gill practices what he calls “being there”—immersing himself in the lives of people most visitors (and many locals) never see. Whether you’re interested in Japan, anthropology, or the uncomfortable realities beneath orderly surfaces, this episode is a reminder that understanding requires proximity—and humility.

Enjoy the show? Please consider supporting us—every little bit helps keep the podcast going.

And make sure to join the conversation on Facebook and follow us on Twitter @DogePunk2077. For all inquiries, you can reach us at deep.in.japan.podcast@gmail.com.

Thanks for listening! 

]]> Tom Gill, Tom Gill anthropologist, Japan anthropology, Japan social issues, homelessness in Japan, poverty in Japan, Japanese society, marginalized communities in Japan, day laborers Japan, San’ya Tokyo, Sanya district Tokyo, urban poverty Japan, social invisibility Japan, Japanese homelessness, anthropology fieldwork, ethnography Japan, social anthropology Japan, life on the streets of Japan, hidden Japan, Japan beyond the surface, Deep in Japan podcast, Japan culture podcast, Japan society podcast, anthropology podcast, Japan studies, living in Japan, Japan inequality, precarity in Japan, labor issues Japan Yes Christmas 2025 DiJ Mixtape 35 35 Christmas 2025 DiJ Mixtape full f0555c0d-f870-48a9-a7ec-574e01ff2ae6 https://deepinjapan.transistor.fm/35 Wishing you all a very Merry Christmas! -J and Trey

TRACK LIST: 

  • [0:00:00] 01. クリスマス・イブ / 山下達郎 (Tatsuro Yamashita)
  • [0:03:24] 02. クリスマスキャロルの頃には / 稲垣潤一 (Junichi Inagaki)
  • [0:07:24] 03. 悲しみは雪のように(1992 single) / 浜田 省吾 (Shogo Hamada)
  • [0:10:58] 04. X'masがいっぱい / 工藤静香 (Shizuka Kudo)
  • [0:14:17] 05. Snow Lie / 岩崎良美 (Yoshimi Iwasaki)
  • [0:17:31] 06. クリスマスまで待てない (雪だるま Version) / 渡辺 美里 (Misato Watanabe)
  • [0:21:14] 07. 最後のHoly Night / 杉山清貴 (Kiyotaka Sugiyama)
  • [0:24:42] 08. Sweet Snow Magic / スターダスト☆レビュー (Stardust Revue)
  • [0:28:02] 09. クリスマスの夜 / 岡村 孝子 (Takako Okamura)
  • [0:31:51] 10. ひとりでX'mas / 今井美樹 (Miki Imai)
  • [0:35:14] 11. 冬のフォトグラフ / 新井正人 (Masahito Arai)
  • [0:39:15] 12. 遠い街のどこかで… / 中山美穂 (Miho Nakayama)
  • [0:43:28] 13. リフトの下で逢いましょう / 南野 陽子 (Yoko Minamino)
  • [0:46:30] 14. スノーフレイクの街角 / 杏里 (Anri)
  • [0:50:01] 15. Last Christmas / 松田 聖子 (Seiko Matsuda)
  • [0:53:47] 16. クリスマスは一緒に / 竹内まりや (Mariya Takeuchi)
  • [0:57:00] 17. Merry X’masをあげたい / 井上昌己 (Shoko Inoue)
  • [1:00:20] 18. Kissin' Christmas (クリスマスだからじゃない) 2023 / 桑田佳祐 & 松任谷由実 (Keisuke Kuwata & Yumi Matsutoya)

Enjoy the show? Please consider supporting us—every little bit helps keep the podcast going.

And make sure to join the conversation on Facebook and follow us on Twitter @DogePunk2077. For all inquiries, you can reach us at deep.in.japan.podcast@gmail.com.

Thanks for listening! 

]]> Wishing you all a very Merry Christmas! -J and Trey

TRACK LIST: 

  • [0:00:00] 01. クリスマス・イブ / 山下達郎 (Tatsuro Yamashita)
  • [0:03:24] 02. クリスマスキャロルの頃には / 稲垣潤一 (Junichi Inagaki)
  • [0:07:24] 03. 悲しみは雪のように(1992 single) / 浜田 省吾 (Shogo Hamada)
  • [0:10:58] 04. X'masがいっぱい / 工藤静香 (Shizuka Kudo)
  • [0:14:17] 05. Snow Lie / 岩崎良美 (Yoshimi Iwasaki)
  • [0:17:31] 06. クリスマスまで待てない (雪だるま Version) / 渡辺 美里 (Misato Watanabe)
  • [0:21:14] 07. 最後のHoly Night / 杉山清貴 (Kiyotaka Sugiyama)
  • [0:24:42] 08. Sweet Snow Magic / スターダスト☆レビュー (Stardust Revue)
  • [0:28:02] 09. クリスマスの夜 / 岡村 孝子 (Takako Okamura)
  • [0:31:51] 10. ひとりでX'mas / 今井美樹 (Miki Imai)
  • [0:35:14] 11. 冬のフォトグラフ / 新井正人 (Masahito Arai)
  • [0:39:15] 12. 遠い街のどこかで… / 中山美穂 (Miho Nakayama)
  • [0:43:28] 13. リフトの下で逢いましょう / 南野 陽子 (Yoko Minamino)
  • [0:46:30] 14. スノーフレイクの街角 / 杏里 (Anri)
  • [0:50:01] 15. Last Christmas / 松田 聖子 (Seiko Matsuda)
  • [0:53:47] 16. クリスマスは一緒に / 竹内まりや (Mariya Takeuchi)
  • [0:57:00] 17. Merry X’masをあげたい / 井上昌己 (Shoko Inoue)
  • [1:00:20] 18. Kissin' Christmas (クリスマスだからじゃない) 2023 / 桑田佳祐 & 松任谷由実 (Keisuke Kuwata & Yumi Matsutoya)

Enjoy the show? Please consider supporting us—every little bit helps keep the podcast going.

And make sure to join the conversation on Facebook and follow us on Twitter @DogePunk2077. For all inquiries, you can reach us at deep.in.japan.podcast@gmail.com.

Thanks for listening! 

]]> Thu, 25 Dec 2025 01:58:23 -0800 Deep in Japan Deep in Japan 4025 Wishing you all a very Merry Christmas! -J and Trey

TRACK LIST: 

  • [0:00:00] 01. クリスマス・イブ / 山下達郎 (Tatsuro Yamashita)
  • [0:03:24] 02. クリスマスキャロルの頃には / 稲垣潤一 (Junichi Inagaki)
  • [0:07:24] 03. 悲しみは雪のように(1992 single) / 浜田 省吾 (Shogo Hamada)
  • [0:10:58] 04. X'masがいっぱい / 工藤静香 (Shizuka Kudo)
  • [0:14:17] 05. Snow Lie / 岩崎良美 (Yoshimi Iwasaki)
  • [0:17:31] 06. クリスマスまで待てない (雪だるま Version) / 渡辺 美里 (Misato Watanabe)
  • [0:21:14] 07. 最後のHoly Night / 杉山清貴 (Kiyotaka Sugiyama)
  • [0:24:42] 08. Sweet Snow Magic / スターダスト☆レビュー (Stardust Revue)
  • [0:28:02] 09. クリスマスの夜 / 岡村 孝子 (Takako Okamura)
  • [0:31:51] 10. ひとりでX'mas / 今井美樹 (Miki Imai)
  • [0:35:14] 11. 冬のフォトグラフ / 新井正人 (Masahito Arai)
  • [0:39:15] 12. 遠い街のどこかで… / 中山美穂 (Miho Nakayama)
  • [0:43:28] 13. リフトの下で逢いましょう / 南野 陽子 (Yoko Minamino)
  • [0:46:30] 14. スノーフレイクの街角 / 杏里 (Anri)
  • [0:50:01] 15. Last Christmas / 松田 聖子 (Seiko Matsuda)
  • [0:53:47] 16. クリスマスは一緒に / 竹内まりや (Mariya Takeuchi)
  • [0:57:00] 17. Merry X’masをあげたい / 井上昌己 (Shoko Inoue)
  • [1:00:20] 18. Kissin' Christmas (クリスマスだからじゃない) 2023 / 桑田佳祐 & 松任谷由実 (Keisuke Kuwata & Yumi Matsutoya)

Enjoy the show? Please consider supporting us—every little bit helps keep the podcast going.

And make sure to join the conversation on Facebook and follow us on Twitter @DogePunk2077. For all inquiries, you can reach us at deep.in.japan.podcast@gmail.com.

Thanks for listening! 

]]> No Happy Hour #89: Ball Wars 34 34 Happy Hour #89: Ball Wars full 9b080383-973c-4dd0-b2c7-2e82765abaab https://deepinjapan.transistor.fm/34 Jay and Trey are at it again! This week, we investigate why Japanese parks are becoming "no-fun zones" with draconian bans on ball games—is the country waging a war on its own children? We also dive into the "Ultimate Waifu" politician Kimi Onoda, and the latest stats showing Japan’s English proficiency plummeting to new lows. And last but certainly not least—the big reveal—Trevor's got a new "Number One Waifu," none other than "Muscle Idol" and Saitama Queen Reika Saiki. Does that make Trevor the King of Saitama? You decide. As always, sauce included: 

Enjoy the show? Please consider supporting us—every little bit helps keep the podcast going.

And make sure to join the conversation on Facebook and follow us on Twitter @DogePunk2077. For all inquiries, you can reach us at deep.in.japan.podcast@gmail.com.

Thanks for listening! 

]]> Jay and Trey are at it again! This week, we investigate why Japanese parks are becoming "no-fun zones" with draconian bans on ball games—is the country waging a war on its own children? We also dive into the "Ultimate Waifu" politician Kimi Onoda, and the latest stats showing Japan’s English proficiency plummeting to new lows. And last but certainly not least—the big reveal—Trevor's got a new "Number One Waifu," none other than "Muscle Idol" and Saitama Queen Reika Saiki. Does that make Trevor the King of Saitama? You decide. As always, sauce included: 

Enjoy the show? Please consider supporting us—every little bit helps keep the podcast going.

And make sure to join the conversation on Facebook and follow us on Twitter @DogePunk2077. For all inquiries, you can reach us at deep.in.japan.podcast@gmail.com.

Thanks for listening! 

]]> Mon, 22 Dec 2025 02:37:43 -0800 Deep in Japan Deep in Japan 12690 Jay and Trey are at it again! This week, we investigate why Japanese parks are becoming "no-fun zones" with draconian bans on ball games—is the country waging a war on its own children? We also dive into the "Ultimate Waifu" politician Kimi Onoda, and the latest stats showing Japan’s English proficiency plummeting to new lows. And last but certainly not least—the big reveal—Trevor's got a new "Number One Waifu," none other than "Muscle Idol" and Saitama Queen Reika Saiki. Does that make Trevor the King of Saitama? You decide. As always, sauce included: 

Enjoy the show? Please consider supporting us—every little bit helps keep the podcast going.

And make sure to join the conversation on Facebook and follow us on Twitter @DogePunk2077. For all inquiries, you can reach us at deep.in.japan.podcast@gmail.com.

Thanks for listening! 

]]> Deep in Japan, podcast, Jaanese muscle idols, Onoda Kimi, Reika Saiki, Queen of Saitama, King of Saitama, podcast, audio quality, family, aging, AI, language translation, cultural beliefs, suicide, mental health, English proficiency, social media, digital detox, foreigners, economics, media influence, Japan, bear attacks, AI, media, immigration, public sentiment, gender dynamics, cultural perceptions, pregnancy, cultural differences, muscle idol, human washing machine, politics, social media, taxation, immigration, Nishinari, Japan, AI music, samurai history, role play, emotional journey, cultural commentary, Japan, podcast, creativity, historical insights, societal issues, 3DPD, 2D yuck Yes Happy Hour #88: The Takaichi Shock 33 33 Happy Hour #88: The Takaichi Shock full a21efe6d-9ee1-41e3-b271-7e0b8bd009ab https://deepinjapan.transistor.fm/33 Please consider supporting us—every little bit helps keep the podcast going. And be sure to join the conversation on X (formerly Twitter) @DogePunk2077 and Facebook. For all inquiries, you can reach us at deep.in.japan.podcast@gmail.com.

Outro: Now or Never by ISSUGI

Thank you. 

]]> Please consider supporting us—every little bit helps keep the podcast going. And be sure to join the conversation on X (formerly Twitter) @DogePunk2077 and Facebook. For all inquiries, you can reach us at deep.in.japan.podcast@gmail.com.

Outro: Now or Never by ISSUGI

Thank you. 

]]> Fri, 12 Dec 2025 14:13:58 -0800 Deep in Japan Deep in Japan 10816 Please consider supporting us—every little bit helps keep the podcast going. And be sure to join the conversation on X (formerly Twitter) @DogePunk2077 and Facebook. For all inquiries, you can reach us at deep.in.japan.podcast@gmail.com.

Outro: Now or Never by ISSUGI

Thank you. 

]]> Yes Happy Hour #87: Synthetic Rabu 31 31 Happy Hour #87: Synthetic Rabu full 44c00ead-5846-4174-bc0a-b648e920fa0e https://deepinjapan.transistor.fm/31 Pour yourself a Strong Zero and strap in. This week’s Happy Hour is a fever dream that starts with public displays of 2D affection and ends with a map of bears and suspicious people in Gifu. We cover the rising price of rice (and the rise of "Pasta Japan"), the legal ramifications of calling your coworker "-chan," and why Tommy Lee Jones is the greatest alien to ever sell canned coffee. Plus, we take a dark dive into the "Hentai Teacher" ring in Aichi and the ultimate compilation of "Truck-kun." Oh, and do stick around for the WORLD PREMIERE of our new original Outro track: テレアモリー・メモリーズ. You're gonna love it.

🥃 LINKS & RESOURCES: 

Enjoying what you hear? Please consider supporting us—every little bit helps keep the podcast going. And be sure to join the conversation on X (formerly Twitter) @DogePunk2077 and Facebook. For all inquiries, you can reach us at deep.in.japan.podcast@gmail.com.

Thank you for listening, fellow traveler of the ear.

🚀🚀 Yoroshiku & rockets 🚀🚀

]]> Pour yourself a Strong Zero and strap in. This week’s Happy Hour is a fever dream that starts with public displays of 2D affection and ends with a map of bears and suspicious people in Gifu. We cover the rising price of rice (and the rise of "Pasta Japan"), the legal ramifications of calling your coworker "-chan," and why Tommy Lee Jones is the greatest alien to ever sell canned coffee. Plus, we take a dark dive into the "Hentai Teacher" ring in Aichi and the ultimate compilation of "Truck-kun." Oh, and do stick around for the WORLD PREMIERE of our new original Outro track: テレアモリー・メモリーズ. You're gonna love it.

🥃 LINKS & RESOURCES: 

Enjoying what you hear? Please consider supporting us—every little bit helps keep the podcast going. And be sure to join the conversation on X (formerly Twitter) @DogePunk2077 and Facebook. For all inquiries, you can reach us at deep.in.japan.podcast@gmail.com.

Thank you for listening, fellow traveler of the ear.

🚀🚀 Yoroshiku & rockets 🚀🚀

]]> Fri, 21 Nov 2025 20:15:08 -0800 Deep in Japan Deep in Japan 10299 Pour yourself a Strong Zero and strap in. This week’s Happy Hour is a fever dream that starts with public displays of 2D affection and ends with a map of bears and suspicious people in Gifu. We cover the rising price of rice (and the rise of "Pasta Japan"), the legal ramifications of calling your coworker "-chan," and why Tommy Lee Jones is the greatest alien to ever sell canned coffee. Plus, we take a dark dive into the "Hentai Teacher" ring in Aichi and the ultimate compilation of "Truck-kun." Oh, and do stick around for the WORLD PREMIERE of our new original Outro track: テレアモリー・メモリーズ. You're gonna love it.

🥃 LINKS & RESOURCES: 

Enjoying what you hear? Please consider supporting us—every little bit helps keep the podcast going. And be sure to join the conversation on X (formerly Twitter) @DogePunk2077 and Facebook. For all inquiries, you can reach us at deep.in.japan.podcast@gmail.com.

Thank you for listening, fellow traveler of the ear.

🚀🚀 Yoroshiku & rockets 🚀🚀

]]> Deep in Japan podcast, Japan news commentary, anime waifu pillow reaction, Japanese sexual harassment laws, chan suffix lawsuit, Kanagawa police scandal, Truck-kun compilation, isekai tropes, rising rice prices Japan, Suntory Boss Coffee jacket, Tommy Lee Jones Japan commercials, Gifu bear sighting map, suspicious person map Japan, Mei and the Kittenbus, Studio Ghibli short films, Cocorade Bakery Ueda, Aichi teacher arrests, Saku City news, synthetic love, vaporwave lyrics, mallsoft aesthetic, Nagano life, Japan comedy podcast Yes Zen War Stories with Brian Daizen Victoria 30 30 Zen War Stories with Brian Daizen Victoria full be6d5f14-7a1f-4e03-a846-4b9db8008ddd https://deepinjapan.transistor.fm/30 In this powerful and far-reaching conversation, we sit down with Brian Daizen Victoria, Zen priest, historian, and author of the landmark work Zen War Stories. Internationally recognized for exposing the entanglement of Japanese Buddhism with wartime ideology, Victoria has spent decades examining the darker, more complicated intersections of religion, nationalism, and violence. But his scholarship extends far beyond Zen. In this episode, he offers a sweeping, context-rich look at the political, cultural, and economic forces that drove the United States and Japan into conflict—forces often flattened or ignored in mainstream narratives.


Together, we dig into some of the most contested and emotionally charged historical questions of the 20th century: Japan’s imperial expansion across Asia, the atrocities committed on the mainland, the debates surrounding the Rape of Nanking, the truth behind Unit 731, the Pearl Harbor attack, the atomic bombings, the Tokyo War Crimes Tribunal, and the complex legacy of the U.S. Occupation. Victoria brings nuance, moral clarity, and a willingness to challenge deeply embedded assumptions—both Western and Japanese—that have shaped public memory for generations.


Along the way, Victoria highlights the groundbreaking work of his wife, Aimee Tsujimoto, whose books Memories of “Furusato” in Tenri Village, Manchuria (2018) and The Truth About Unit 731’s “Youth Corps” (2025) shed new light on Unit 731, survivor testimony, and the lived experience of civilians in Manchuria—crucial pieces of history often overlooked in English-language scholarship.


If you’re seeking deeper context, uncomfortable truths, and a clearer, more historically grounded understanding of the war that reshaped modern Japan and the Pacific world, look no further. This conversation challenges easy answers, confronts painful realities, and invites a more honest reckoning with the past.

Enjoying the Show? Please consider supporting us—every little bit helps keep the podcast going. And be sure to join the conversation on X (formerly Twitter) @DogePunk2077 and Facebook. For all inquiries, you can reach us at deep.in.japan.podcast@gmail.com.

And do check out the outro: 弾き語りカバー(コードは説明欄へ) SAMPO くるり

Thanks for listening, fellow treveler of the ear.

🚀🚀 Yoroshiku and rockets 🚀🚀


]]> In this powerful and far-reaching conversation, we sit down with Brian Daizen Victoria, Zen priest, historian, and author of the landmark work Zen War Stories. Internationally recognized for exposing the entanglement of Japanese Buddhism with wartime ideology, Victoria has spent decades examining the darker, more complicated intersections of religion, nationalism, and violence. But his scholarship extends far beyond Zen. In this episode, he offers a sweeping, context-rich look at the political, cultural, and economic forces that drove the United States and Japan into conflict—forces often flattened or ignored in mainstream narratives.


Together, we dig into some of the most contested and emotionally charged historical questions of the 20th century: Japan’s imperial expansion across Asia, the atrocities committed on the mainland, the debates surrounding the Rape of Nanking, the truth behind Unit 731, the Pearl Harbor attack, the atomic bombings, the Tokyo War Crimes Tribunal, and the complex legacy of the U.S. Occupation. Victoria brings nuance, moral clarity, and a willingness to challenge deeply embedded assumptions—both Western and Japanese—that have shaped public memory for generations.


Along the way, Victoria highlights the groundbreaking work of his wife, Aimee Tsujimoto, whose books Memories of “Furusato” in Tenri Village, Manchuria (2018) and The Truth About Unit 731’s “Youth Corps” (2025) shed new light on Unit 731, survivor testimony, and the lived experience of civilians in Manchuria—crucial pieces of history often overlooked in English-language scholarship.


If you’re seeking deeper context, uncomfortable truths, and a clearer, more historically grounded understanding of the war that reshaped modern Japan and the Pacific world, look no further. This conversation challenges easy answers, confronts painful realities, and invites a more honest reckoning with the past.

Enjoying the Show? Please consider supporting us—every little bit helps keep the podcast going. And be sure to join the conversation on X (formerly Twitter) @DogePunk2077 and Facebook. For all inquiries, you can reach us at deep.in.japan.podcast@gmail.com.

And do check out the outro: 弾き語りカバー(コードは説明欄へ) SAMPO くるり

Thanks for listening, fellow treveler of the ear.

🚀🚀 Yoroshiku and rockets 🚀🚀


]]> Wed, 19 Nov 2025 01:09:56 -0800 Deep in Japan Deep in Japan 12781 In this powerful and far-reaching conversation, we sit down with Brian Daizen Victoria, Zen priest, historian, and author of the landmark work Zen War Stories. Internationally recognized for exposing the entanglement of Japanese Buddhism with wartime ideology, Victoria has spent decades examining the darker, more complicated intersections of religion, nationalism, and violence. But his scholarship extends far beyond Zen. In this episode, he offers a sweeping, context-rich look at the political, cultural, and economic forces that drove the United States and Japan into conflict—forces often flattened or ignored in mainstream narratives.


Together, we dig into some of the most contested and emotionally charged historical questions of the 20th century: Japan’s imperial expansion across Asia, the atrocities committed on the mainland, the debates surrounding the Rape of Nanking, the truth behind Unit 731, the Pearl Harbor attack, the atomic bombings, the Tokyo War Crimes Tribunal, and the complex legacy of the U.S. Occupation. Victoria brings nuance, moral clarity, and a willingness to challenge deeply embedded assumptions—both Western and Japanese—that have shaped public memory for generations.


Along the way, Victoria highlights the groundbreaking work of his wife, Aimee Tsujimoto, whose books Memories of “Furusato” in Tenri Village, Manchuria (2018) and The Truth About Unit 731’s “Youth Corps” (2025) shed new light on Unit 731, survivor testimony, and the lived experience of civilians in Manchuria—crucial pieces of history often overlooked in English-language scholarship.


If you’re seeking deeper context, uncomfortable truths, and a clearer, more historically grounded understanding of the war that reshaped modern Japan and the Pacific world, look no further. This conversation challenges easy answers, confronts painful realities, and invites a more honest reckoning with the past.

Enjoying the Show? Please consider supporting us—every little bit helps keep the podcast going. And be sure to join the conversation on X (formerly Twitter) @DogePunk2077 and Facebook. For all inquiries, you can reach us at deep.in.japan.podcast@gmail.com.

And do check out the outro: 弾き語りカバー(コードは説明欄へ) SAMPO くるり

Thanks for listening, fellow treveler of the ear.

🚀🚀 Yoroshiku and rockets 🚀🚀


]]> ian Daizen Victoria, Zen War Stories, Zen Buddhism and war, Japanese Buddhism WWII, Japan World War II history, US–Japan relations WWII, Pacific War history, Japanese imperialism, Rape of Nanking history, Nanjing Massacre debate, Unit 731 research, Shiro Ishii Unit 731, biological warfare Japan, Pearl Harbor history, Hiroshima atomic bombing, Nagasaki atomic bombing, Tokyo War Crimes Tribunal, victor’s justice WWII, US Occupation of Japan, GHQ occupation history, Article Nine peace constitution, Japan postwar pacifism, Senkaku Islands dispute, Diaoyu Islands history, Japan China tensions, US Japan alliance, WWII historical narratives, Asian war crimes history, Buddhism nationalism militarism, Aimee Tsujimoto research, Manchuria wartime history, youth corps Unit 731, Japanese war memory, historiography Japan WWII, Deep in Japan Podcast Yes Happy Hour #86: Bear Plow 29 29 Happy Hour #86: Bear Plow full e33a957b-c257-42ed-93fc-49802a87ff10 https://deepinjapan.transistor.fm/29 When genetically-modified bears start targeting foreigners, Jay and Trey load up the Bear Plow—a weaponized Mustang straight out of a fever dream—and hit the road to save Japan. Between the gunfire and snowdrifts we dig into everything that made this strange future possible: Japanese jazz-funk on dusty vinyl, forgotten mecha, flower-power hard-rock, and the very real rise in bear attacks across the country.

It’s part apocalypse, part mixtape, and all Deep in Japan.

Sweet Sauce: 

Music:

Enjoying what you hear? Please consider supporting us—every little bit helps keep the podcast going. And be sure to join the conversation on X (formerly Twitter) @DogePunk2077 and Facebook. For all inquiries, you can reach us at deep.in.japan.podcast@gmail.com.

Thank you for listening, fellow traveler of the ear.

🚀🚀 Yoroshiku & rockets 🚀🚀




]]> When genetically-modified bears start targeting foreigners, Jay and Trey load up the Bear Plow—a weaponized Mustang straight out of a fever dream—and hit the road to save Japan. Between the gunfire and snowdrifts we dig into everything that made this strange future possible: Japanese jazz-funk on dusty vinyl, forgotten mecha, flower-power hard-rock, and the very real rise in bear attacks across the country.

It’s part apocalypse, part mixtape, and all Deep in Japan.

Sweet Sauce: 

Music:

Enjoying what you hear? Please consider supporting us—every little bit helps keep the podcast going. And be sure to join the conversation on X (formerly Twitter) @DogePunk2077 and Facebook. For all inquiries, you can reach us at deep.in.japan.podcast@gmail.com.

Thank you for listening, fellow traveler of the ear.

🚀🚀 Yoroshiku & rockets 🚀🚀




]]> Mon, 03 Nov 2025 16:35:05 -0800 Deep in Japan Deep in Japan 17394 When genetically-modified bears start targeting foreigners, Jay and Trey load up the Bear Plow—a weaponized Mustang straight out of a fever dream—and hit the road to save Japan. Between the gunfire and snowdrifts we dig into everything that made this strange future possible: Japanese jazz-funk on dusty vinyl, forgotten mecha, flower-power hard-rock, and the very real rise in bear attacks across the country.

It’s part apocalypse, part mixtape, and all Deep in Japan.

Sweet Sauce: 

Music:

Enjoying what you hear? Please consider supporting us—every little bit helps keep the podcast going. And be sure to join the conversation on X (formerly Twitter) @DogePunk2077 and Facebook. For all inquiries, you can reach us at deep.in.japan.podcast@gmail.com.

Thank you for listening, fellow traveler of the ear.

🚀🚀 Yoroshiku & rockets 🚀🚀




]]> bear plow, deep in japan podcast, jay and trey, japanese bears, ai bears, sanseito, cyberpunk japan, tokyo apocalypse, strong zero, japanese jazz funk, roujin z, flower travelin band, japanese rock, japanese funk vinyl, beam de kantsu, beam penetration, japanese mecha, osaka expo, japan news, bear attacks japan, japanese culture podcast, sci fi japan, post apocalyptic japan, japanese movies, japanese music, dude wipes, japanese hunters, japan survival tips, tokyo night drive, mustang japan, gaijin hero, japanese cyberpunk rap, podcast soundtrack, japanese technology, satire japan, japanese philosophy, robot revolution, dystopian japan No Happy Hour #85: The Shit Nozzle 28 28 Happy Hour #85: The Shit Nozzle full 188350cb-ffa0-4f7f-9dc5-27e88d5322e3 https://deepinjapan.transistor.fm/28 In this philosophically unhinged episode, Jeff and Trevor fire up the nozzle and let it spray. From the euphoric delusion of “god mode” to the cosmic absurdity of heaven and hell, the boys spiral into deep reflection on meaning, mortality, and the strange comfort of digital immortality. Things only get weirder when they dive into Ghost of Yōtei — part samurai saga, part therapy session — before crashing headfirst into the online flame war that erupted after one of them dared to post about Japan’s potential first female prime minister, Sanae Takaichi. Cue the nationalists, the bots, and the philosophical meltdown of post-truth culture. It’s chaotic, hilarious, and weirdly profound — The Shit Nozzle in its purest form.

Enjoying the Show? Please consider supporting us—every little bit helps keep the podcast going. And be sure to join the conversation on X (formerly Twitter) @DogePunk2077 and Facebook. For all inquiries, you can reach us at deep.in.japan.podcast@gmail.com.

Thanks for listening, fellow treveler of the ear.

🚀🚀 Yoroshiku and rockets 🚀🚀

]]> In this philosophically unhinged episode, Jeff and Trevor fire up the nozzle and let it spray. From the euphoric delusion of “god mode” to the cosmic absurdity of heaven and hell, the boys spiral into deep reflection on meaning, mortality, and the strange comfort of digital immortality. Things only get weirder when they dive into Ghost of Yōtei — part samurai saga, part therapy session — before crashing headfirst into the online flame war that erupted after one of them dared to post about Japan’s potential first female prime minister, Sanae Takaichi. Cue the nationalists, the bots, and the philosophical meltdown of post-truth culture. It’s chaotic, hilarious, and weirdly profound — The Shit Nozzle in its purest form.

Enjoying the Show? Please consider supporting us—every little bit helps keep the podcast going. And be sure to join the conversation on X (formerly Twitter) @DogePunk2077 and Facebook. For all inquiries, you can reach us at deep.in.japan.podcast@gmail.com.

Thanks for listening, fellow treveler of the ear.

🚀🚀 Yoroshiku and rockets 🚀🚀

]]> Sun, 12 Oct 2025 20:25:40 -0700 Deep in Japan Deep in Japan 10786 In this philosophically unhinged episode, Jeff and Trevor fire up the nozzle and let it spray. From the euphoric delusion of “god mode” to the cosmic absurdity of heaven and hell, the boys spiral into deep reflection on meaning, mortality, and the strange comfort of digital immortality. Things only get weirder when they dive into Ghost of Yōtei — part samurai saga, part therapy session — before crashing headfirst into the online flame war that erupted after one of them dared to post about Japan’s potential first female prime minister, Sanae Takaichi. Cue the nationalists, the bots, and the philosophical meltdown of post-truth culture. It’s chaotic, hilarious, and weirdly profound — The Shit Nozzle in its purest form.

Enjoying the Show? Please consider supporting us—every little bit helps keep the podcast going. And be sure to join the conversation on X (formerly Twitter) @DogePunk2077 and Facebook. For all inquiries, you can reach us at deep.in.japan.podcast@gmail.com.

Thanks for listening, fellow treveler of the ear.

🚀🚀 Yoroshiku and rockets 🚀🚀

]]> Deep in Japan, The Shit Nozzle, Japan podcast, Japanese culture, Sanae Takaichi, female prime minister Japan, Ghost of Yotay, Ghost of Tsushima, Assassin’s Creed, Bertrand Russell, Message to Future Generations, AI apocalypse, artificial intelligence risk, post-truth era, nationalism in Japan, Japanese politics, god mode lifestyle, philosophical podcast, comedy podcast Japan, expat life Japan, Trevor and Jeff, Deep in Japan Happy Hour, modern samurai, Japanese gaming, Japan news, Japanese society, cultural commentary, bilingual rap, Japanese hip hop, philosophy and humor, AI and society, existential podcast, Strong Zero conversations, Japan satire, truth and illusion, cosmic comedy, Japan discussion, indie podcast, Deep in Japan Podcast Yes Happy Hour #84: 薬物をやろう 27 27 Happy Hour #84: 薬物をやろう full c8274d5a-13c8-4a23-9658-60848702f311 https://deepinjapan.transistor.fm/27 This week, Jeff and Trevor tumble down a matcha ice cream–soaked rabbit hole of Japan news, global oddities, and nonsense that somehow connects (like conspiracy yarn on a corkboard… but stickier, and with more Strong Zero).


Man Marries AI Chatbot

Asahi reports that we’ve officially crossed into sci-fi territory: a man in Japan has tied the knot with an AI chatbot. What does this mean for love, tech, and the future of human relationships?

👉 Read more


7-11 Japan Rolls Out Robots

From stocking shelves to cleaning floors, robots are increasingly taking over tasks in convenience stores. Is this the beginning of our robot overlord era—or just another reason to avoid the register guy who judges your midnight Strong Zero runs?

👉 Details via SoraNews24


Tangent Topics & Shenanigans

Outro Music:

Enjoying the Show? Please consider supporting us—every little bit helps keep the podcast going. And be sure to join the conversation on X (formerly Twitter) @DogePunk2077 and Facebook. For all inquiries, you can reach us at deep.in.japan.podcast@gmail.com.

Thank you for listening, fellow traveler of the ear.

🚀🚀 Yoroshiku and rockets 🚀🚀

]]> This week, Jeff and Trevor tumble down a matcha ice cream–soaked rabbit hole of Japan news, global oddities, and nonsense that somehow connects (like conspiracy yarn on a corkboard… but stickier, and with more Strong Zero).


Man Marries AI Chatbot

Asahi reports that we’ve officially crossed into sci-fi territory: a man in Japan has tied the knot with an AI chatbot. What does this mean for love, tech, and the future of human relationships?

👉 Read more


7-11 Japan Rolls Out Robots

From stocking shelves to cleaning floors, robots are increasingly taking over tasks in convenience stores. Is this the beginning of our robot overlord era—or just another reason to avoid the register guy who judges your midnight Strong Zero runs?

👉 Details via SoraNews24


Tangent Topics & Shenanigans

Outro Music:

Enjoying the Show? Please consider supporting us—every little bit helps keep the podcast going. And be sure to join the conversation on X (formerly Twitter) @DogePunk2077 and Facebook. For all inquiries, you can reach us at deep.in.japan.podcast@gmail.com.

Thank you for listening, fellow traveler of the ear.

🚀🚀 Yoroshiku and rockets 🚀🚀

]]> Sun, 21 Sep 2025 19:08:13 -0700 Deep in Japan Deep in Japan 11963 This week, Jeff and Trevor tumble down a matcha ice cream–soaked rabbit hole of Japan news, global oddities, and nonsense that somehow connects (like conspiracy yarn on a corkboard… but stickier, and with more Strong Zero).


Man Marries AI Chatbot

Asahi reports that we’ve officially crossed into sci-fi territory: a man in Japan has tied the knot with an AI chatbot. What does this mean for love, tech, and the future of human relationships?

👉 Read more


7-11 Japan Rolls Out Robots

From stocking shelves to cleaning floors, robots are increasingly taking over tasks in convenience stores. Is this the beginning of our robot overlord era—or just another reason to avoid the register guy who judges your midnight Strong Zero runs?

👉 Details via SoraNews24


Tangent Topics & Shenanigans

Outro Music:

Enjoying the Show? Please consider supporting us—every little bit helps keep the podcast going. And be sure to join the conversation on X (formerly Twitter) @DogePunk2077 and Facebook. For all inquiries, you can reach us at deep.in.japan.podcast@gmail.com.

Thank you for listening, fellow traveler of the ear.

🚀🚀 Yoroshiku and rockets 🚀🚀

]]> Japan news, weird Japan, Japanese oddities, man marries AI chatbot, AI marriage Japan, 7-11 Japan robots, Japanese convenience store robots, Strong Zero Japan, Osaka demo, Japan gives town to Africa, This is a pen meme, SoraNews AI gags, Bullzone Chiemi, SassySister YouTube, Jeff and Trevor podcast, Deep in Japan podcast, Japan culture podcast, Japanese humor, Japan weird news, Japan technology news, Japanese trends, funny Japan stories, Japan relationships AI, Japan robots convenience stores, Japan podcast comedy Yes Identity Struggles with Anne Crescini 24 24 Identity Struggles with Anne Crescini full 95f0d430-010f-4404-b862-d512f67b681a https://deepinjapan.transistor.fm/24 Anne Crescini returns to the podcast to open up about one of the most personal and difficult parts of her life in Japan: raising children caught between cultures. 

Anne and her husband are both American, but their kids were born and raised in Japan. On the surface, they were “fully Western,” yet in the classroom and in society, they were constantly marked as different. That tension led to deep identity struggles, feelings of isolation, and even 不登校 (school refusal).


In this candid conversation, Anne shares what it’s like for her daughter to grow up wanting to “just be invisible,” the stigma attached to looking like a foreigner/outsider, and the toll of always being seen as “other.” We also explore the broader issues of belonging, identity, and how children navigate growing up between worlds.


Related Articles:
娘が不登校、「教育者の子なのに」 言語学者が打ち明けた動揺と転機 (The Asahi Shimbun).
Naturalized linguist in Japan laments recent political trend to blame foreigners (The Mainichi Shimbun) 


Enjoying the Show? Please consider supporting us—every little bit helps keep the podcast going. And be sure to join the conversation on X (formerly Twitter) @DogePunk2077 and Facebook. For all inquiries, you can reach us at deep.in.japan.podcast@gmail.com.

Outro Music:
消せない光.  
Zelda's Lofi Kingdom

Yoroshiku and rockets. 🚀

]]> Anne Crescini returns to the podcast to open up about one of the most personal and difficult parts of her life in Japan: raising children caught between cultures. 

Anne and her husband are both American, but their kids were born and raised in Japan. On the surface, they were “fully Western,” yet in the classroom and in society, they were constantly marked as different. That tension led to deep identity struggles, feelings of isolation, and even 不登校 (school refusal).


In this candid conversation, Anne shares what it’s like for her daughter to grow up wanting to “just be invisible,” the stigma attached to looking like a foreigner/outsider, and the toll of always being seen as “other.” We also explore the broader issues of belonging, identity, and how children navigate growing up between worlds.


Related Articles:
娘が不登校、「教育者の子なのに」 言語学者が打ち明けた動揺と転機 (The Asahi Shimbun).
Naturalized linguist in Japan laments recent political trend to blame foreigners (The Mainichi Shimbun) 


Enjoying the Show? Please consider supporting us—every little bit helps keep the podcast going. And be sure to join the conversation on X (formerly Twitter) @DogePunk2077 and Facebook. For all inquiries, you can reach us at deep.in.japan.podcast@gmail.com.

Outro Music:
消せない光.  
Zelda's Lofi Kingdom

Yoroshiku and rockets. 🚀

]]> Fri, 12 Sep 2025 18:09:00 -0700 Deep in Japan Deep in Japan 4987 Anne Crescini returns to the podcast to open up about one of the most personal and difficult parts of her life in Japan: raising children caught between cultures. 

Anne and her husband are both American, but their kids were born and raised in Japan. On the surface, they were “fully Western,” yet in the classroom and in society, they were constantly marked as different. That tension led to deep identity struggles, feelings of isolation, and even 不登校 (school refusal).


In this candid conversation, Anne shares what it’s like for her daughter to grow up wanting to “just be invisible,” the stigma attached to looking like a foreigner/outsider, and the toll of always being seen as “other.” We also explore the broader issues of belonging, identity, and how children navigate growing up between worlds.


Related Articles:
娘が不登校、「教育者の子なのに」 言語学者が打ち明けた動揺と転機 (The Asahi Shimbun).
Naturalized linguist in Japan laments recent political trend to blame foreigners (The Mainichi Shimbun) 


Enjoying the Show? Please consider supporting us—every little bit helps keep the podcast going. And be sure to join the conversation on X (formerly Twitter) @DogePunk2077 and Facebook. For all inquiries, you can reach us at deep.in.japan.podcast@gmail.com.

Outro Music:
消せない光.  
Zelda's Lofi Kingdom

Yoroshiku and rockets. 🚀

]]> identity struggles, hafu identity Japan, mixed race Japan, biracial Japan, Anne Crescini, hafu podcast, growing up hafu, hafu children Japan, Japanese school system, futoko Japan, Japanese identity, belonging in Japan, racism in Japan, multicultural Japan, foreign parents Japan, invisible in Japan, Japanese society diversity, raising hafu kids, hafu experiences, Japan podcast Yes Turning Japanese with Anne Crescini 25 25 Turning Japanese with Anne Crescini full fd6372f4-ad05-4924-8130-50f193944281 https://deepinjapan.transistor.fm/25 Originally aired in February 2024, this episode features Anne Crescini, an American-born linguist who had recently acquired Japanese nationality. Anne shares the story of what it meant to become a naturalized Japanese citizen, the identity shifts that came with it, and the unexpected backlash she faced on Twitter. From love of country to questions of belonging, nationalism, and social media outrage, Anne opens up about the personal cost—and deeper meaning—of “turning Japanese.”

Enjoying the Show? — Please consider supporting us—every little bit helps keep the podcast going. And be sure to join the conversation on X (formerly Twitter) @DeepinJapanPod and Facebook. For all inquiries, you can reach us at deep.in.japan.podcast@gmail.com.

Yoroshiku and rockets. 🚀

]]> Originally aired in February 2024, this episode features Anne Crescini, an American-born linguist who had recently acquired Japanese nationality. Anne shares the story of what it meant to become a naturalized Japanese citizen, the identity shifts that came with it, and the unexpected backlash she faced on Twitter. From love of country to questions of belonging, nationalism, and social media outrage, Anne opens up about the personal cost—and deeper meaning—of “turning Japanese.”

Enjoying the Show? — Please consider supporting us—every little bit helps keep the podcast going. And be sure to join the conversation on X (formerly Twitter) @DeepinJapanPod and Facebook. For all inquiries, you can reach us at deep.in.japan.podcast@gmail.com.

Yoroshiku and rockets. 🚀

]]> Fri, 12 Sep 2025 18:02:08 -0700 Deep in Japan Deep in Japan 5580 Originally aired in February 2024, this episode features Anne Crescini, an American-born linguist who had recently acquired Japanese nationality. Anne shares the story of what it meant to become a naturalized Japanese citizen, the identity shifts that came with it, and the unexpected backlash she faced on Twitter. From love of country to questions of belonging, nationalism, and social media outrage, Anne opens up about the personal cost—and deeper meaning—of “turning Japanese.”

Enjoying the Show? — Please consider supporting us—every little bit helps keep the podcast going. And be sure to join the conversation on X (formerly Twitter) @DeepinJapanPod and Facebook. For all inquiries, you can reach us at deep.in.japan.podcast@gmail.com.

Yoroshiku and rockets. 🚀

]]> turning japanese podcast, anne crecini, japanese citizenship, naturalized japanese citizen, becoming japanese, identity in japan, foreigner in japan, hafu identity, mixed race japan, japan nationalism, japan immigration, foreign residents japan, backlash twitter japan, social media harassment japan, belonging in japan, japan culture podcast, japan identity struggles, naturalization japan, racism in japan, japanese society and outsiders Yes Rural Reflections with Marshall Hughes 23 23 Rural Reflections with Marshall Hughes full 02890882-e100-4e2f-aee7-16e60870f90f https://deepinjapan.transistor.fm/23 In this episode of Deep in Japan, I sit down with Marshal Hughes, author of Rural Reflections: What 11 Years in Provincial Japan Taught Me. His book offers a vivid and heartfelt portrait of rural Japanese life, capturing the charm, the challenges, and the cultural surprises of teaching and living in communities far from the neon glow of Tokyo. Our conversation goes beyond the pages of his book, as Marshal shares insights from his 35 years in Japan, reflecting on his early days as an adventurous international English teacher, the cultural differences that were sometimes charming, puzzling, or deeply challenging, the joys and struggles of rural community life in places most tourists never see, the ways his time in Japan shaped his identity, relationships, and sense of belonging, and what writing Rural Reflections taught him about memory, change, and the power of storytelling. More than just a book talk, this episode is a meditation on cultural exchange, human connection, and what it means to make a life in a place that is both foreign and, over time, deeply familiar.

Enjoying the Show? Please consider supporting us—every little bit helps keep the podcast going. And be sure to join the conversation on X (formerly Twitter) @DogePunk2077 and Facebook. For all inquiries, you can reach us at deep.in.japan.podcast@gmail.com.


And don't forget to support EVISBEATS, who supplied the musical outro: “いい時間”. 

Thanks for listening, fellow travelers of the ear. 

🚀🚀 Yoroshiku and rockets 🚀🚀

]]> In this episode of Deep in Japan, I sit down with Marshal Hughes, author of Rural Reflections: What 11 Years in Provincial Japan Taught Me. His book offers a vivid and heartfelt portrait of rural Japanese life, capturing the charm, the challenges, and the cultural surprises of teaching and living in communities far from the neon glow of Tokyo. Our conversation goes beyond the pages of his book, as Marshal shares insights from his 35 years in Japan, reflecting on his early days as an adventurous international English teacher, the cultural differences that were sometimes charming, puzzling, or deeply challenging, the joys and struggles of rural community life in places most tourists never see, the ways his time in Japan shaped his identity, relationships, and sense of belonging, and what writing Rural Reflections taught him about memory, change, and the power of storytelling. More than just a book talk, this episode is a meditation on cultural exchange, human connection, and what it means to make a life in a place that is both foreign and, over time, deeply familiar.

Enjoying the Show? Please consider supporting us—every little bit helps keep the podcast going. And be sure to join the conversation on X (formerly Twitter) @DogePunk2077 and Facebook. For all inquiries, you can reach us at deep.in.japan.podcast@gmail.com.


And don't forget to support EVISBEATS, who supplied the musical outro: “いい時間”. 

Thanks for listening, fellow travelers of the ear. 

🚀🚀 Yoroshiku and rockets 🚀🚀

]]> Mon, 01 Sep 2025 17:06:29 -0700 Deep in Japan Deep in Japan 10223 In this episode of Deep in Japan, I sit down with Marshal Hughes, author of Rural Reflections: What 11 Years in Provincial Japan Taught Me. His book offers a vivid and heartfelt portrait of rural Japanese life, capturing the charm, the challenges, and the cultural surprises of teaching and living in communities far from the neon glow of Tokyo. Our conversation goes beyond the pages of his book, as Marshal shares insights from his 35 years in Japan, reflecting on his early days as an adventurous international English teacher, the cultural differences that were sometimes charming, puzzling, or deeply challenging, the joys and struggles of rural community life in places most tourists never see, the ways his time in Japan shaped his identity, relationships, and sense of belonging, and what writing Rural Reflections taught him about memory, change, and the power of storytelling. More than just a book talk, this episode is a meditation on cultural exchange, human connection, and what it means to make a life in a place that is both foreign and, over time, deeply familiar.

Enjoying the Show? Please consider supporting us—every little bit helps keep the podcast going. And be sure to join the conversation on X (formerly Twitter) @DogePunk2077 and Facebook. For all inquiries, you can reach us at deep.in.japan.podcast@gmail.com.


And don't forget to support EVISBEATS, who supplied the musical outro: “いい時間”. 

Thanks for listening, fellow travelers of the ear. 

🚀🚀 Yoroshiku and rockets 🚀🚀

]]> rural japan, japan countryside, japanese culture, english teacher in japan, teaching abroad japan, marshal hughes, rural reflections book, deep in japan podcast, life in japan, cultural exchange japan, expatriate life japan, japan rural communities, japan travel beyond tokyo, living in japan 35 years, japanese traditions, rural japanese schools, japan memoir, cross cultural experiences japan, international teacher japan, japanese community life Yes Happy Hour #83: Erozuke, Lost in the Goon Cave 22 22 Happy Hour #83: Erozuke, Lost in the Goon Cave full d40a1acb-1cb7-4e39-837e-eacb03188ac4 https://deepinjapan.transistor.fm/22 ⚠️ Trigger Warning: This episode will almost certainly offend you. If you possess even a shred of conventional morality or a functioning conscience, for the sake of your own health and sanity, you may want to skip it.

This week, Jeff and Trevor plunge headfirst into the neon abyss of the Goon Cave, armed with nothing but questionable translations, half-finished cocktails, and a deep suspicion of gacha machines. We explore a ヤンキーソング about a man’s doomed life choices, speculate on whether bamboo spears are the ultimate anti-geriatric-robbery tool, and marvel at the inexplicable fact that the world’s oldest manga has been reincarnated as… a bra. Yes, a bra.


Somewhere between sake capsules that dispense like Pokémon and the unstoppable meme-force known as 自己防衛おじさん, we also attempt the cultural crime of translating Gen Z slang about gooning and edging into Japanese. It’s high art, low content, and entirely unsafe for public consumption. In other words: just another day in the Happy Hour multiverse.

The Sweet Sauce: 

Enjoying the Show? Please consider supporting us—every little bit helps keep the podcast going. And be sure to join the conversation on X (formerly Twitter) @DogePunk2077 and Facebook. For all inquiries, you can reach us at deep.in.japan.podcast@gmail.com.

Thanks for listening, fellow travelers of the ear. 

🚀🚀 Yoroshiku and rockets 🚀🚀

]]> ⚠️ Trigger Warning: This episode will almost certainly offend you. If you possess even a shred of conventional morality or a functioning conscience, for the sake of your own health and sanity, you may want to skip it.

This week, Jeff and Trevor plunge headfirst into the neon abyss of the Goon Cave, armed with nothing but questionable translations, half-finished cocktails, and a deep suspicion of gacha machines. We explore a ヤンキーソング about a man’s doomed life choices, speculate on whether bamboo spears are the ultimate anti-geriatric-robbery tool, and marvel at the inexplicable fact that the world’s oldest manga has been reincarnated as… a bra. Yes, a bra.


Somewhere between sake capsules that dispense like Pokémon and the unstoppable meme-force known as 自己防衛おじさん, we also attempt the cultural crime of translating Gen Z slang about gooning and edging into Japanese. It’s high art, low content, and entirely unsafe for public consumption. In other words: just another day in the Happy Hour multiverse.

The Sweet Sauce: 

Enjoying the Show? Please consider supporting us—every little bit helps keep the podcast going. And be sure to join the conversation on X (formerly Twitter) @DogePunk2077 and Facebook. For all inquiries, you can reach us at deep.in.japan.podcast@gmail.com.

Thanks for listening, fellow travelers of the ear. 

🚀🚀 Yoroshiku and rockets 🚀🚀

]]> Fri, 29 Aug 2025 05:20:56 -0700 Deep in Japan Deep in Japan 12808 ⚠️ Trigger Warning: This episode will almost certainly offend you. If you possess even a shred of conventional morality or a functioning conscience, for the sake of your own health and sanity, you may want to skip it.

This week, Jeff and Trevor plunge headfirst into the neon abyss of the Goon Cave, armed with nothing but questionable translations, half-finished cocktails, and a deep suspicion of gacha machines. We explore a ヤンキーソング about a man’s doomed life choices, speculate on whether bamboo spears are the ultimate anti-geriatric-robbery tool, and marvel at the inexplicable fact that the world’s oldest manga has been reincarnated as… a bra. Yes, a bra.


Somewhere between sake capsules that dispense like Pokémon and the unstoppable meme-force known as 自己防衛おじさん, we also attempt the cultural crime of translating Gen Z slang about gooning and edging into Japanese. It’s high art, low content, and entirely unsafe for public consumption. In other words: just another day in the Happy Hour multiverse.

The Sweet Sauce: 

Enjoying the Show? Please consider supporting us—every little bit helps keep the podcast going. And be sure to join the conversation on X (formerly Twitter) @DogePunk2077 and Facebook. For all inquiries, you can reach us at deep.in.japan.podcast@gmail.com.

Thanks for listening, fellow travelers of the ear. 

🚀🚀 Yoroshiku and rockets 🚀🚀

]]> Happy Hour podcast, Lost in the Goon Cave, Japanese slang, gooning in Japanese, edging translation, 自己防衛おじさん, gacha capsule sake Tokyo, Japanese rice wine liqueur, world’s oldest manga bra, Japanese lingerie art history, ヤンキーソング, なかのよしのり, 男の人生を唄った, からだに悪いこと, 老後の田舎暮らし, 竹槍強盗防止, Japanese absurd news, weird Japan podcast, Japanese culture comedy, surreal podcast Japan Yes The Last Yakuza with Jake Adelstein 21 21 The Last Yakuza with Jake Adelstein full 1b259877-fe6e-49ad-9632-3d1d076bed79 https://deepinjapan.transistor.fm/21 Originally aired in January 2025, this episode of Deep in Japan features my conversation with investigative journalist Jake Adelstein about his book The Last Yakuza. The book follows Makoto Saigo, a half-American, half-Japanese man whose failed rock star dreams led him into the world of the yakuza. Through Saigo’s story, Jake explores the history, codes, and brutal realities of Japan’s underworld.

Enjoying the show? Please consider supporting us—every little bit helps keep the podcast going. And be sure to join the conversation on X (formerly Twitter) @DeepinJapanPod and Facebook. For all inquiries, you can reach us at deep.in.japan.podcast@gmail.com.

The outro, Hotel Gokudo, can be found here on Jeff's Suno page. Trevor's can be found here. 

Thanks for listening, fellow travelers of the ear. 

Yoroshiku and rockets. 🚀

]]> Originally aired in January 2025, this episode of Deep in Japan features my conversation with investigative journalist Jake Adelstein about his book The Last Yakuza. The book follows Makoto Saigo, a half-American, half-Japanese man whose failed rock star dreams led him into the world of the yakuza. Through Saigo’s story, Jake explores the history, codes, and brutal realities of Japan’s underworld.

Enjoying the show? Please consider supporting us—every little bit helps keep the podcast going. And be sure to join the conversation on X (formerly Twitter) @DeepinJapanPod and Facebook. For all inquiries, you can reach us at deep.in.japan.podcast@gmail.com.

The outro, Hotel Gokudo, can be found here on Jeff's Suno page. Trevor's can be found here. 

Thanks for listening, fellow travelers of the ear. 

Yoroshiku and rockets. 🚀

]]> Tue, 19 Aug 2025 03:58:55 -0700 Deep in Japan Deep in Japan 6898 Originally aired in January 2025, this episode of Deep in Japan features my conversation with investigative journalist Jake Adelstein about his book The Last Yakuza. The book follows Makoto Saigo, a half-American, half-Japanese man whose failed rock star dreams led him into the world of the yakuza. Through Saigo’s story, Jake explores the history, codes, and brutal realities of Japan’s underworld.

Enjoying the show? Please consider supporting us—every little bit helps keep the podcast going. And be sure to join the conversation on X (formerly Twitter) @DeepinJapanPod and Facebook. For all inquiries, you can reach us at deep.in.japan.podcast@gmail.com.

The outro, Hotel Gokudo, can be found here on Jeff's Suno page. Trevor's can be found here. 

Thanks for listening, fellow travelers of the ear. 

Yoroshiku and rockets. 🚀

]]> Yes Tokyo Vice with Jake Adelstein 20 20 Tokyo Vice with Jake Adelstein full b8f46a91-97b6-434e-9153-e329e1ac29de https://deepinjapan.transistor.fm/20 Originally released in May 2022, this episode features my conversation with author and investigative journalist Jake Adelstein about his book Tokyo Vice and the hit TV series it inspired. As the first American reporter assigned to the crime beat at Japan’s largest newspaper, the Yomiuri Shimbun, Jake pulls back the curtain on the yakuza, systemic corruption, and the hidden side of Japanese society. We dive into the stories that shaped Tokyo Vice, the challenges of reporting in Japan, and the high risks—and hard-earned rewards—of pursuing the truth.

Enjoying the Show? Please consider supporting us—every little bit helps keep the podcast going. And be sure to join the conversation on X (formerly Twitter) @DogePunk2077 and Facebook. For all inquiries, you can reach us at deep.in.japan.podcast@gmail.com.

Thanks for listening, fellow travelers of the ear. 

🚀🚀 Yoroshiku and rockets 🚀🚀

]]> Originally released in May 2022, this episode features my conversation with author and investigative journalist Jake Adelstein about his book Tokyo Vice and the hit TV series it inspired. As the first American reporter assigned to the crime beat at Japan’s largest newspaper, the Yomiuri Shimbun, Jake pulls back the curtain on the yakuza, systemic corruption, and the hidden side of Japanese society. We dive into the stories that shaped Tokyo Vice, the challenges of reporting in Japan, and the high risks—and hard-earned rewards—of pursuing the truth.

Enjoying the Show? Please consider supporting us—every little bit helps keep the podcast going. And be sure to join the conversation on X (formerly Twitter) @DogePunk2077 and Facebook. For all inquiries, you can reach us at deep.in.japan.podcast@gmail.com.

Thanks for listening, fellow travelers of the ear. 

🚀🚀 Yoroshiku and rockets 🚀🚀

]]> Tue, 19 Aug 2025 03:28:58 -0700 Deep in Japan Deep in Japan 7387 Originally released in May 2022, this episode features my conversation with author and investigative journalist Jake Adelstein about his book Tokyo Vice and the hit TV series it inspired. As the first American reporter assigned to the crime beat at Japan’s largest newspaper, the Yomiuri Shimbun, Jake pulls back the curtain on the yakuza, systemic corruption, and the hidden side of Japanese society. We dive into the stories that shaped Tokyo Vice, the challenges of reporting in Japan, and the high risks—and hard-earned rewards—of pursuing the truth.

Enjoying the Show? Please consider supporting us—every little bit helps keep the podcast going. And be sure to join the conversation on X (formerly Twitter) @DogePunk2077 and Facebook. For all inquiries, you can reach us at deep.in.japan.podcast@gmail.com.

Thanks for listening, fellow travelers of the ear. 

🚀🚀 Yoroshiku and rockets 🚀🚀

]]> Tokyo Vice, Jake Adelstein, Tokyo Vice podcast, Tokyo Vice HBO series, Yomiuri Shimbun, Japanese crime, yakuza, Japan corruption, investigative journalism Japan, true crime Japan, Japanese mafia, Japanese underworld, Tokyo crime, crime reporting Japan, Deep in Japan podcast, Japan society, Japanese culture, Tokyo nightlife, Japanese police, organized crime Japan, Tokyo Vice interview, Jake Adelstein interview, Japan true crime podcast, Japan investigative journalism Yes Happy Hour #82: Bitch Rice 19 19 Happy Hour #82: Bitch Rice full 49b60292-d3b9-4130-8c6a-11dacf1975bb https://deepinjapan.transistor.fm/19 Summary: The episode is an unscripted, free-flowing conversation that moves between light personal stories and heavier social commentary. It opens with anecdotes about a family trip to Sado Island and musings on the challenges of learning Japanese, then widens into discussion of rising anti-foreigner sentiment in Japan, often linked to economic strain and overtourism. The hosts explore recent political rhetoric, everyday annoyances like crowded trains, and how these reflect broader cultural shifts. They also touch on natural disasters such as earthquakes and extreme summer heat, the expanding role of AI in media and daily life, and slices of Japanese history and culture. The result is a candid, wide-ranging dialogue that blends lived experience with sharp observations about contemporary Japan.

Sweet Sauce: 

Enjoying the Show? Please consider supporting us—every little bit helps keep the podcast going. And be sure to join the conversation on X (formerly Twitter) @DogePunk2077 and Facebook. For all inquiries, you can reach us at deep.in.japan.podcast@gmail.com.

Thanks for listening, fellow travelers of the ear. 

🚀🚀 Yoroshiku and rockets 🚀🚀

Yoroshiku and rockets. 🚀

]]> Summary: The episode is an unscripted, free-flowing conversation that moves between light personal stories and heavier social commentary. It opens with anecdotes about a family trip to Sado Island and musings on the challenges of learning Japanese, then widens into discussion of rising anti-foreigner sentiment in Japan, often linked to economic strain and overtourism. The hosts explore recent political rhetoric, everyday annoyances like crowded trains, and how these reflect broader cultural shifts. They also touch on natural disasters such as earthquakes and extreme summer heat, the expanding role of AI in media and daily life, and slices of Japanese history and culture. The result is a candid, wide-ranging dialogue that blends lived experience with sharp observations about contemporary Japan.

Sweet Sauce: 

Enjoying the Show? Please consider supporting us—every little bit helps keep the podcast going. And be sure to join the conversation on X (formerly Twitter) @DogePunk2077 and Facebook. For all inquiries, you can reach us at deep.in.japan.podcast@gmail.com.

Thanks for listening, fellow travelers of the ear. 

🚀🚀 Yoroshiku and rockets 🚀🚀

Yoroshiku and rockets. 🚀

]]> Sat, 09 Aug 2025 03:39:32 -0700 Deep in Japan Deep in Japan 13669 Summary: The episode is an unscripted, free-flowing conversation that moves between light personal stories and heavier social commentary. It opens with anecdotes about a family trip to Sado Island and musings on the challenges of learning Japanese, then widens into discussion of rising anti-foreigner sentiment in Japan, often linked to economic strain and overtourism. The hosts explore recent political rhetoric, everyday annoyances like crowded trains, and how these reflect broader cultural shifts. They also touch on natural disasters such as earthquakes and extreme summer heat, the expanding role of AI in media and daily life, and slices of Japanese history and culture. The result is a candid, wide-ranging dialogue that blends lived experience with sharp observations about contemporary Japan.

Sweet Sauce: 

Enjoying the Show? Please consider supporting us—every little bit helps keep the podcast going. And be sure to join the conversation on X (formerly Twitter) @DogePunk2077 and Facebook. For all inquiries, you can reach us at deep.in.japan.podcast@gmail.com.

Thanks for listening, fellow travelers of the ear. 

🚀🚀 Yoroshiku and rockets 🚀🚀

Yoroshiku and rockets. 🚀

]]> Sado Island, Strong Zero, Japan politics, anti-foreigner sentiment, Japanese nationalism, overtourism in Japan, Japanese culture, Japanese history, earthquakes in Japan, Japan heatwave, AI in Japan, Japanese language learning, Japanese trains, Japan travel, Japanese society, Japan news, Deep in Japan Podcast, Japanese right-wing politics, Japanese immigration debate, Japan tourism Yes ZEN TERROR and the Dark Side of Dharma - Part 2 18 18 ZEN TERROR and the Dark Side of Dharma - Part 2 full e2a58676-201e-47c7-bcc3-dc1f754195b5 https://deepinjapan.transistor.fm/18 This is Part 2 of a two-part series with historian and Sōtō Zen priest Brian Daizen Victoria, discussing his groundbreaking book Zen Terror in Prewar Japan. In this episode, we dive deeper into the unsettling reality that Zen—often romanticized as a path of peace and detachment—was, in 1930s Japan, deeply entangled with ultranationalist ideology and acts of domestic terrorism. Through the story of Inoue Nisshō and his band of “patriotic youth,” Victoria reveals how spiritual rhetoric and militarist fervor collided in dangerous and surprising ways. If you haven’t heard Part 1 yet, click here to listen.

Enjoying the Show? Please consider supporting us—every little bit helps keep the podcast going. And be sure to join the conversation on X (formerly Twitter) @DogePunk2077 and Facebook. For all inquiries, you can reach us at deep.in.japan.podcast@gmail.com.

Like the outro? Check it here at Jeff's SUNO playlist. Thanks for listening, fellow travelers of the ear. 

🚀🚀 Yoroshiku and rockets 🚀🚀

]]> This is Part 2 of a two-part series with historian and Sōtō Zen priest Brian Daizen Victoria, discussing his groundbreaking book Zen Terror in Prewar Japan. In this episode, we dive deeper into the unsettling reality that Zen—often romanticized as a path of peace and detachment—was, in 1930s Japan, deeply entangled with ultranationalist ideology and acts of domestic terrorism. Through the story of Inoue Nisshō and his band of “patriotic youth,” Victoria reveals how spiritual rhetoric and militarist fervor collided in dangerous and surprising ways. If you haven’t heard Part 1 yet, click here to listen.

Enjoying the Show? Please consider supporting us—every little bit helps keep the podcast going. And be sure to join the conversation on X (formerly Twitter) @DogePunk2077 and Facebook. For all inquiries, you can reach us at deep.in.japan.podcast@gmail.com.

Like the outro? Check it here at Jeff's SUNO playlist. Thanks for listening, fellow travelers of the ear. 

🚀🚀 Yoroshiku and rockets 🚀🚀

]]> Thu, 24 Jul 2025 22:17:23 -0700 Deep in Japan Deep in Japan 6694 This is Part 2 of a two-part series with historian and Sōtō Zen priest Brian Daizen Victoria, discussing his groundbreaking book Zen Terror in Prewar Japan. In this episode, we dive deeper into the unsettling reality that Zen—often romanticized as a path of peace and detachment—was, in 1930s Japan, deeply entangled with ultranationalist ideology and acts of domestic terrorism. Through the story of Inoue Nisshō and his band of “patriotic youth,” Victoria reveals how spiritual rhetoric and militarist fervor collided in dangerous and surprising ways. If you haven’t heard Part 1 yet, click here to listen.

Enjoying the Show? Please consider supporting us—every little bit helps keep the podcast going. And be sure to join the conversation on X (formerly Twitter) @DogePunk2077 and Facebook. For all inquiries, you can reach us at deep.in.japan.podcast@gmail.com.

Like the outro? Check it here at Jeff's SUNO playlist. Thanks for listening, fellow travelers of the ear. 

🚀🚀 Yoroshiku and rockets 🚀🚀

]]> Zen Terror, Brian Daizen Victoria, Deep in Japan, Japan, Zen Buddhism, Terrorism Yes ZEN TERROR and the Dark Side of Dharma with Brian Daizen Victoria 1 1 ZEN TERROR and the Dark Side of Dharma with Brian Daizen Victoria full c36ba561-7c45-44d8-839d-3e533c07cdd9 https://deepinjapan.transistor.fm/1 In this episode, I speak with Brian Daizen Victoria—Sōtō Zen priest, historian, and author of Zen Terror in Prewar Japan—to uncover a disturbing and often deliberately forgotten chapter in Buddhist history. We explore how Zen, far from being the purely peaceful tradition many imagine, became entangled with ultranationalism and domestic terrorism in 1930s Japan. Along the way, we dive headfirst into one of the most controversial questions in modern Japanese history: Was Emperor Hirohito responsible for Japan’s war crimes? Listen and judge for yourself.

Enjoying the show? Please consider supporting us—every little bit helps keep the podcast going. And be sure to join the conversation on X (formerly Twitter) @DeepinJapanPod and Facebook. For all inquiries, you can reach us at deep.in.japan.podcast@gmail.com.

Thanks for listening, fellow travelers of the ear. 

Yoroshiku and rockets. 🚀

]]> In this episode, I speak with Brian Daizen Victoria—Sōtō Zen priest, historian, and author of Zen Terror in Prewar Japan—to uncover a disturbing and often deliberately forgotten chapter in Buddhist history. We explore how Zen, far from being the purely peaceful tradition many imagine, became entangled with ultranationalism and domestic terrorism in 1930s Japan. Along the way, we dive headfirst into one of the most controversial questions in modern Japanese history: Was Emperor Hirohito responsible for Japan’s war crimes? Listen and judge for yourself.

Enjoying the show? Please consider supporting us—every little bit helps keep the podcast going. And be sure to join the conversation on X (formerly Twitter) @DeepinJapanPod and Facebook. For all inquiries, you can reach us at deep.in.japan.podcast@gmail.com.

Thanks for listening, fellow travelers of the ear. 

Yoroshiku and rockets. 🚀

]]> Thu, 24 Jul 2025 22:17:11 -0700 Deep in Japan Deep in Japan 6188 In this episode, I speak with Brian Daizen Victoria—Sōtō Zen priest, historian, and author of Zen Terror in Prewar Japan—to uncover a disturbing and often deliberately forgotten chapter in Buddhist history. We explore how Zen, far from being the purely peaceful tradition many imagine, became entangled with ultranationalism and domestic terrorism in 1930s Japan. Along the way, we dive headfirst into one of the most controversial questions in modern Japanese history: Was Emperor Hirohito responsible for Japan’s war crimes? Listen and judge for yourself.

Enjoying the show? Please consider supporting us—every little bit helps keep the podcast going. And be sure to join the conversation on X (formerly Twitter) @DeepinJapanPod and Facebook. For all inquiries, you can reach us at deep.in.japan.podcast@gmail.com.

Thanks for listening, fellow travelers of the ear. 

Yoroshiku and rockets. 🚀

]]> Japan, Zen, Terror, Brian Victoria, WW2, Hirohito, Showa No Happy Hour #81: Strong Zero Bucket 17 17 Happy Hour #81: Strong Zero Bucket full 5af10da8-6a55-46e1-8013-c2184efb957a https://deepinjapan.transistor.fm/17 Enjoying the show? Please consider supporting us—every little bit helps keep the podcast going.

Be sure to join the conversation on X (formerly Twitter) @DeepinJapanPod and Facebook. For inquiries, reach us anytime at deep.in.japan.podcast@gmail.com.

Finally, don't forget to follow us on SUNO to keep up with all the latest fire, including tracks like:  

_______________

Ah, yes—another self-styled podcast wandering through the thematic wreckage of contemporary Japan, like two backpackers lost in Don Quixote’s subconscious. What we have here is a pastiche of loosely strung anecdotes, cultural musings, and intoxicated speculation dressed up as commentary. The result? A cacophony of low-stakes banter occasionally brushing against relevance, only to promptly wipe its greasy fingers on the fabric of critical discourse.


Let’s begin with tonal balance, or more accurately, the deliberate sabotage of it. This episode careens from the potentially rich terrain of Japan’s aging demographic crisis and the alarming uptick in ultranationalist rhetoric, straight into an imagined consumer product called a Gundam Strong Zero bucket. If this tonal whiplash is intended as postmodern juxtaposition—Baudrillard’s hyperreality rendered in podcast form—it fails to commit. Instead, it reeks of intellectual cowardice: the hosts flirt with meaning only to retreat behind irony and “lol” culture whenever things get heavy. One might call it epistemological blue-balling.


The hosts’ conversational style, as gleaned from the summary, resembles the digital equivalent of late-stage barroom philosophy: free-associative, casually self-deprecating, and hopelessly drunk on its own cleverness. Their stories—diet-induced mental fog, AI-generated chips—aren’t stories at all, but rather symptoms of content-brain: the condition where everything must be flattened into anecdote, digested as comedy, and stripped of political or historical consequence.


And oh, the cultural analysis—or what passes for it. There’s mention of Japan’s aging population and ultranationalism, both of which beg for sober treatment. These are not just “topics”—they’re existential conditions of the Japanese state. To mention them in passing before pivoting to Tenga products and crisp pizza burgers is the podcasting equivalent of quoting Foucault in a BuzzFeed listicle. The failure isn’t that these topics are raised; it’s that they’re raised and dropped like disposable party props at a WeWork-sponsored philosophy salon.


There’s an attempt, feeble and twitching, to explore AI’s impact on creativity and truth—a topic that demands serious ontological engagement. But rather than invoking thinkers like McLuhan (“the medium is the message”) or considering the algorithmic collapse of authorship, the hosts opt instead for… what? A chip story? One can only assume “AI-generated chips” refers to some half-baked techno-fable—perhaps an edible metaphor, though it sounds more like content-padding for the TikTok generation. One longs for an engagement with Stiegler’s pharmacology or even a nod to Murakami’s recursive realism, but alas—we are served banter over ballast.


To address whether this podcast contributes to the cultural discourse or merely generates noise, one must consider intention. If this is satire, it is toothless; if it is sincerity, it is incoherent. It floats in the purgatory between the two, where “vibes” reign and critique is neutered by constant self-referential detachment. It wants to be both the drunk uncle and the TED Talk, but ends up as neither.


And as for influence? In the broader landscape of Japanese cultural commentary—currently crowded with shallow influencers, sensationalist YouTubers, and click-hungry content farms—this podcast makes a valiant effort to blend into the static. But perhaps there is unintentional genius here. Maybe this is McLuhan’s hot medium gone cold, a non-space of commentary so disjointed, so aggressively unserious, that it reflects our fractured infosphere better than any earnest sociological thesis ever could.


But don’t mistake this for a compliment.

]]> Enjoying the show? Please consider supporting us—every little bit helps keep the podcast going.

Be sure to join the conversation on X (formerly Twitter) @DeepinJapanPod and Facebook. For inquiries, reach us anytime at deep.in.japan.podcast@gmail.com.

Finally, don't forget to follow us on SUNO to keep up with all the latest fire, including tracks like:  

_______________

Ah, yes—another self-styled podcast wandering through the thematic wreckage of contemporary Japan, like two backpackers lost in Don Quixote’s subconscious. What we have here is a pastiche of loosely strung anecdotes, cultural musings, and intoxicated speculation dressed up as commentary. The result? A cacophony of low-stakes banter occasionally brushing against relevance, only to promptly wipe its greasy fingers on the fabric of critical discourse.


Let’s begin with tonal balance, or more accurately, the deliberate sabotage of it. This episode careens from the potentially rich terrain of Japan’s aging demographic crisis and the alarming uptick in ultranationalist rhetoric, straight into an imagined consumer product called a Gundam Strong Zero bucket. If this tonal whiplash is intended as postmodern juxtaposition—Baudrillard’s hyperreality rendered in podcast form—it fails to commit. Instead, it reeks of intellectual cowardice: the hosts flirt with meaning only to retreat behind irony and “lol” culture whenever things get heavy. One might call it epistemological blue-balling.


The hosts’ conversational style, as gleaned from the summary, resembles the digital equivalent of late-stage barroom philosophy: free-associative, casually self-deprecating, and hopelessly drunk on its own cleverness. Their stories—diet-induced mental fog, AI-generated chips—aren’t stories at all, but rather symptoms of content-brain: the condition where everything must be flattened into anecdote, digested as comedy, and stripped of political or historical consequence.


And oh, the cultural analysis—or what passes for it. There’s mention of Japan’s aging population and ultranationalism, both of which beg for sober treatment. These are not just “topics”—they’re existential conditions of the Japanese state. To mention them in passing before pivoting to Tenga products and crisp pizza burgers is the podcasting equivalent of quoting Foucault in a BuzzFeed listicle. The failure isn’t that these topics are raised; it’s that they’re raised and dropped like disposable party props at a WeWork-sponsored philosophy salon.


There’s an attempt, feeble and twitching, to explore AI’s impact on creativity and truth—a topic that demands serious ontological engagement. But rather than invoking thinkers like McLuhan (“the medium is the message”) or considering the algorithmic collapse of authorship, the hosts opt instead for… what? A chip story? One can only assume “AI-generated chips” refers to some half-baked techno-fable—perhaps an edible metaphor, though it sounds more like content-padding for the TikTok generation. One longs for an engagement with Stiegler’s pharmacology or even a nod to Murakami’s recursive realism, but alas—we are served banter over ballast.


To address whether this podcast contributes to the cultural discourse or merely generates noise, one must consider intention. If this is satire, it is toothless; if it is sincerity, it is incoherent. It floats in the purgatory between the two, where “vibes” reign and critique is neutered by constant self-referential detachment. It wants to be both the drunk uncle and the TED Talk, but ends up as neither.


And as for influence? In the broader landscape of Japanese cultural commentary—currently crowded with shallow influencers, sensationalist YouTubers, and click-hungry content farms—this podcast makes a valiant effort to blend into the static. But perhaps there is unintentional genius here. Maybe this is McLuhan’s hot medium gone cold, a non-space of commentary so disjointed, so aggressively unserious, that it reflects our fractured infosphere better than any earnest sociological thesis ever could.


But don’t mistake this for a compliment.

]]> Sun, 13 Jul 2025 23:53:40 -0700 Deep in Japan Deep in Japan 11822 Enjoying the show? Please consider supporting us—every little bit helps keep the podcast going.

Be sure to join the conversation on X (formerly Twitter) @DeepinJapanPod and Facebook. For inquiries, reach us anytime at deep.in.japan.podcast@gmail.com.

Finally, don't forget to follow us on SUNO to keep up with all the latest fire, including tracks like:  

_______________

Ah, yes—another self-styled podcast wandering through the thematic wreckage of contemporary Japan, like two backpackers lost in Don Quixote’s subconscious. What we have here is a pastiche of loosely strung anecdotes, cultural musings, and intoxicated speculation dressed up as commentary. The result? A cacophony of low-stakes banter occasionally brushing against relevance, only to promptly wipe its greasy fingers on the fabric of critical discourse.


Let’s begin with tonal balance, or more accurately, the deliberate sabotage of it. This episode careens from the potentially rich terrain of Japan’s aging demographic crisis and the alarming uptick in ultranationalist rhetoric, straight into an imagined consumer product called a Gundam Strong Zero bucket. If this tonal whiplash is intended as postmodern juxtaposition—Baudrillard’s hyperreality rendered in podcast form—it fails to commit. Instead, it reeks of intellectual cowardice: the hosts flirt with meaning only to retreat behind irony and “lol” culture whenever things get heavy. One might call it epistemological blue-balling.


The hosts’ conversational style, as gleaned from the summary, resembles the digital equivalent of late-stage barroom philosophy: free-associative, casually self-deprecating, and hopelessly drunk on its own cleverness. Their stories—diet-induced mental fog, AI-generated chips—aren’t stories at all, but rather symptoms of content-brain: the condition where everything must be flattened into anecdote, digested as comedy, and stripped of political or historical consequence.


And oh, the cultural analysis—or what passes for it. There’s mention of Japan’s aging population and ultranationalism, both of which beg for sober treatment. These are not just “topics”—they’re existential conditions of the Japanese state. To mention them in passing before pivoting to Tenga products and crisp pizza burgers is the podcasting equivalent of quoting Foucault in a BuzzFeed listicle. The failure isn’t that these topics are raised; it’s that they’re raised and dropped like disposable party props at a WeWork-sponsored philosophy salon.


There’s an attempt, feeble and twitching, to explore AI’s impact on creativity and truth—a topic that demands serious ontological engagement. But rather than invoking thinkers like McLuhan (“the medium is the message”) or considering the algorithmic collapse of authorship, the hosts opt instead for… what? A chip story? One can only assume “AI-generated chips” refers to some half-baked techno-fable—perhaps an edible metaphor, though it sounds more like content-padding for the TikTok generation. One longs for an engagement with Stiegler’s pharmacology or even a nod to Murakami’s recursive realism, but alas—we are served banter over ballast.


To address whether this podcast contributes to the cultural discourse or merely generates noise, one must consider intention. If this is satire, it is toothless; if it is sincerity, it is incoherent. It floats in the purgatory between the two, where “vibes” reign and critique is neutered by constant self-referential detachment. It wants to be both the drunk uncle and the TED Talk, but ends up as neither.


And as for influence? In the broader landscape of Japanese cultural commentary—currently crowded with shallow influencers, sensationalist YouTubers, and click-hungry content farms—this podcast makes a valiant effort to blend into the static. But perhaps there is unintentional genius here. Maybe this is McLuhan’s hot medium gone cold, a non-space of commentary so disjointed, so aggressively unserious, that it reflects our fractured infosphere better than any earnest sociological thesis ever could.


But don’t mistake this for a compliment.

]]> Yes The Good Gaijin with Mike Burke & Ted Bonnah PhD 16 16 The Good Gaijin with Mike Burke & Ted Bonnah PhD full d8b654c8-0130-4fff-956e-2b77aa01ee80 https://deepinjapan.transistor.fm/16 *This episode was originally published in March 2021

Remember our friend Ted Bonnah, PhD? I’m republishing our podcasts together and putting out a call for support. Ted, a single father navigating a challenging transition to life in Vancouver, could use a hand. You can contribute by donating to his GoFundMe or picking up a copy of his latest book, Heisei Ghosts.

Enjoying the show? Please consider supporting us—every little bit helps keep the podcast going. And be sure to join the conversation on X (formerly Twitter) @DeepinJapanPod and Facebook. For all inquiries, you can reach us at deep.in.japan.podcast@gmail.com.


Thanks for listening—and for being part of the Deep in Japan community!

]]> *This episode was originally published in March 2021

Remember our friend Ted Bonnah, PhD? I’m republishing our podcasts together and putting out a call for support. Ted, a single father navigating a challenging transition to life in Vancouver, could use a hand. You can contribute by donating to his GoFundMe or picking up a copy of his latest book, Heisei Ghosts.

Enjoying the show? Please consider supporting us—every little bit helps keep the podcast going. And be sure to join the conversation on X (formerly Twitter) @DeepinJapanPod and Facebook. For all inquiries, you can reach us at deep.in.japan.podcast@gmail.com.


Thanks for listening—and for being part of the Deep in Japan community!

]]> Sat, 12 Jul 2025 00:58:56 -0700 Deep in Japan Deep in Japan 4766 *This episode was originally published in March 2021

Remember our friend Ted Bonnah, PhD? I’m republishing our podcasts together and putting out a call for support. Ted, a single father navigating a challenging transition to life in Vancouver, could use a hand. You can contribute by donating to his GoFundMe or picking up a copy of his latest book, Heisei Ghosts.

Enjoying the show? Please consider supporting us—every little bit helps keep the podcast going. And be sure to join the conversation on X (formerly Twitter) @DeepinJapanPod and Facebook. For all inquiries, you can reach us at deep.in.japan.podcast@gmail.com.


Thanks for listening—and for being part of the Deep in Japan community!

]]> Japan, Mike Burke, Ted Bonnah PdD, Good Gaijin, Deep in Japan Yes Chatting Under a Metaphorical Sanjo Bridge with Ted Bonnah PhD 15 15 Chatting Under a Metaphorical Sanjo Bridge with Ted Bonnah PhD full f352bf36-e74c-4d4b-a707-a3e6d4ed6676 https://deepinjapan.transistor.fm/15 *This episode was originally published in August 2021

Remember our friend Ted Bonnah, PhD? I’m republishing our podcasts together and putting out a call for support. Ted, a single father navigating a challenging transition to life in Vancouver, could use a hand. You can contribute by donating to his GoFundMe or picking up a copy of his latest book, Heisei Ghosts.

Enjoying the show? Please consider supporting us—every little bit helps keep the podcast going. And be sure to join the conversation on X (formerly Twitter) @DeepinJapanPod and Facebook. For all inquiries, you can reach us at deep.in.japan.podcast@gmail.com.


Thanks for listening—and for being part of the Deep in Japan community!

]]> *This episode was originally published in August 2021

Remember our friend Ted Bonnah, PhD? I’m republishing our podcasts together and putting out a call for support. Ted, a single father navigating a challenging transition to life in Vancouver, could use a hand. You can contribute by donating to his GoFundMe or picking up a copy of his latest book, Heisei Ghosts.

Enjoying the show? Please consider supporting us—every little bit helps keep the podcast going. And be sure to join the conversation on X (formerly Twitter) @DeepinJapanPod and Facebook. For all inquiries, you can reach us at deep.in.japan.podcast@gmail.com.


Thanks for listening—and for being part of the Deep in Japan community!

]]> Sat, 12 Jul 2025 00:57:11 -0700 Deep in Japan Deep in Japan 5997 *This episode was originally published in August 2021

Remember our friend Ted Bonnah, PhD? I’m republishing our podcasts together and putting out a call for support. Ted, a single father navigating a challenging transition to life in Vancouver, could use a hand. You can contribute by donating to his GoFundMe or picking up a copy of his latest book, Heisei Ghosts.

Enjoying the show? Please consider supporting us—every little bit helps keep the podcast going. And be sure to join the conversation on X (formerly Twitter) @DeepinJapanPod and Facebook. For all inquiries, you can reach us at deep.in.japan.podcast@gmail.com.


Thanks for listening—and for being part of the Deep in Japan community!

]]> Japan, Special Education, Deep in Japan Yes Power Harassment with Ted Bonnah PhD 14 14 Power Harassment with Ted Bonnah PhD full f0f647f0-7ae3-46ed-af39-08364b3d5cc9 https://deepinjapan.transistor.fm/14 *This episode was originally published in October 2020

Remember our friend Ted Bonnah, PhD? I’m republishing our podcasts together and putting out a call for support. Ted, a single father navigating a challenging transition to life in Vancouver, could use a hand. You can contribute by donating to his GoFundMe or picking up a copy of his latest book, Heisei Ghosts.

Enjoying the Show? Please consider supporting us—every little bit helps keep the podcast going. And be sure to join the conversation on X (formerly Twitter) @DogePunk2077 and Facebook. For all inquiries, you can reach us at deep.in.japan.podcast@gmail.com.

Thanks for listening, fellow treveler of the ear.

🚀🚀 Yoroshiku and rockets 🚀🚀

]]> *This episode was originally published in October 2020

Remember our friend Ted Bonnah, PhD? I’m republishing our podcasts together and putting out a call for support. Ted, a single father navigating a challenging transition to life in Vancouver, could use a hand. You can contribute by donating to his GoFundMe or picking up a copy of his latest book, Heisei Ghosts.

Enjoying the Show? Please consider supporting us—every little bit helps keep the podcast going. And be sure to join the conversation on X (formerly Twitter) @DogePunk2077 and Facebook. For all inquiries, you can reach us at deep.in.japan.podcast@gmail.com.

Thanks for listening, fellow treveler of the ear.

🚀🚀 Yoroshiku and rockets 🚀🚀

]]> Sat, 12 Jul 2025 00:52:40 -0700 Deep in Japan Deep in Japan 3976 *This episode was originally published in October 2020

Remember our friend Ted Bonnah, PhD? I’m republishing our podcasts together and putting out a call for support. Ted, a single father navigating a challenging transition to life in Vancouver, could use a hand. You can contribute by donating to his GoFundMe or picking up a copy of his latest book, Heisei Ghosts.

Enjoying the Show? Please consider supporting us—every little bit helps keep the podcast going. And be sure to join the conversation on X (formerly Twitter) @DogePunk2077 and Facebook. For all inquiries, you can reach us at deep.in.japan.podcast@gmail.com.

Thanks for listening, fellow treveler of the ear.

🚀🚀 Yoroshiku and rockets 🚀🚀

]]> Japan, Power Harassment, パワハラ, Deep in Japan Yes Happy Hour #80 - Cringe Puppets 13 13 Happy Hour #80 - Cringe Puppets full cec7303a-bc03-46fa-9378-e1864d22c6f5 https://deepinjapan.transistor.fm/13 Welcome to Happy Hour, where the weird gets weirder, the deep gets deeper, and the news smells faintly of Strong Zero and grilled takoyaki. In this delightfully unhinged episode, we’re throwing it all into the blender—from the absurd chaos of クレクレタコラ and psychedelic escapism of H.R. Pufnstuf, to Osaka’s unstoppable granny idol group Obachaaan dropping heat in “Overpower.” We dive into the U.S.-Japan defense drama, Miyachi’s latest banger, and a bizarre fraud arrest involving a man sweating his way into trouble.

Sweet Sauce: 

Enjoying the Show? Please consider supporting us—every little bit helps keep the podcast going. And be sure to join the conversation on X (formerly Twitter) @DogePunk2077 and Facebook. For all inquiries, you can reach us at deep.in.japan.podcast@gmail.com.

Thanks for listening, fellow treveler of the ear.

🚀🚀 Yoroshiku and rockets 🚀🚀

]]> Welcome to Happy Hour, where the weird gets weirder, the deep gets deeper, and the news smells faintly of Strong Zero and grilled takoyaki. In this delightfully unhinged episode, we’re throwing it all into the blender—from the absurd chaos of クレクレタコラ and psychedelic escapism of H.R. Pufnstuf, to Osaka’s unstoppable granny idol group Obachaaan dropping heat in “Overpower.” We dive into the U.S.-Japan defense drama, Miyachi’s latest banger, and a bizarre fraud arrest involving a man sweating his way into trouble.

Sweet Sauce: 

Enjoying the Show? Please consider supporting us—every little bit helps keep the podcast going. And be sure to join the conversation on X (formerly Twitter) @DogePunk2077 and Facebook. For all inquiries, you can reach us at deep.in.japan.podcast@gmail.com.

Thanks for listening, fellow treveler of the ear.

🚀🚀 Yoroshiku and rockets 🚀🚀

]]> Sun, 29 Jun 2025 17:02:09 -0700 Deep in Japan Deep in Japan 11550 Welcome to Happy Hour, where the weird gets weirder, the deep gets deeper, and the news smells faintly of Strong Zero and grilled takoyaki. In this delightfully unhinged episode, we’re throwing it all into the blender—from the absurd chaos of クレクレタコラ and psychedelic escapism of H.R. Pufnstuf, to Osaka’s unstoppable granny idol group Obachaaan dropping heat in “Overpower.” We dive into the U.S.-Japan defense drama, Miyachi’s latest banger, and a bizarre fraud arrest involving a man sweating his way into trouble.

Sweet Sauce: 

Enjoying the Show? Please consider supporting us—every little bit helps keep the podcast going. And be sure to join the conversation on X (formerly Twitter) @DogePunk2077 and Facebook. For all inquiries, you can reach us at deep.in.japan.podcast@gmail.com.

Thanks for listening, fellow treveler of the ear.

🚀🚀 Yoroshiku and rockets 🚀🚀

]]> クレクレタコラ, H.R. Pufnstuf, McDonaldland, Strong Zero, Obachaaan, OVERPOWER, MIYACHI, GOING HOME, FeedSpot, King of Kanto, Japan in Texas, Texas Daddy, Comfort Women statue, Yakuza shooting, Nagano, MF DOOM, Tatsuro Yamashita, Keiko Fuji, 藤圭子, Mr. Sato, Amazing Facemask, Japan defense spending, U.S.-Japan relations, helicopter arrest, Osaka idols, The Great Ice Wall, Ryan Boundless, cringe puppet, Japanese summer fraud, communist protesters, retro TV, city pop, psychedelic, Happy Hour, Deep in Japan Podcast Yes Jon Hesse: Naturalized Japanese Citizen & Politician 12 12 Jon Hesse: Naturalized Japanese Citizen & Politician full 025b0877-fc4a-41fb-840a-6c02935dc5c6 https://deepinjapan.transistor.fm/12 This episode originally aired in September 2023.

In this episode, I sit down with Jon Heese, a former bar owner who naturalized and became a four-time elected political representative in Japan. Born in Saskatchewan and raised in a Mennonite family, Jon’s path took him from rural Canada to the political halls of the Tsukuba Assembly. Whether you’re interested in life abroad, Japanese politics, or enjoy a good story of reinvention, this episode is not to be missed. To learn more about Jon and his story, click here. 


Enjoying the Show? Please consider supporting us—every little bit helps keep the podcast going. And be sure to join the conversation on X (formerly Twitter) @DogePunk2077 and Facebook. For all inquiries, you can reach us at deep.in.japan.podcast@gmail.com.

Thank you for listening, fellow traveler of the ear.

🚀🚀 Yoroshiku and rockets 🚀🚀

]]> This episode originally aired in September 2023.

In this episode, I sit down with Jon Heese, a former bar owner who naturalized and became a four-time elected political representative in Japan. Born in Saskatchewan and raised in a Mennonite family, Jon’s path took him from rural Canada to the political halls of the Tsukuba Assembly. Whether you’re interested in life abroad, Japanese politics, or enjoy a good story of reinvention, this episode is not to be missed. To learn more about Jon and his story, click here. 


Enjoying the Show? Please consider supporting us—every little bit helps keep the podcast going. And be sure to join the conversation on X (formerly Twitter) @DogePunk2077 and Facebook. For all inquiries, you can reach us at deep.in.japan.podcast@gmail.com.

Thank you for listening, fellow traveler of the ear.

🚀🚀 Yoroshiku and rockets 🚀🚀

]]> Mon, 23 Jun 2025 01:08:13 -0700 Deep in Japan Deep in Japan 10452 This episode originally aired in September 2023.

In this episode, I sit down with Jon Heese, a former bar owner who naturalized and became a four-time elected political representative in Japan. Born in Saskatchewan and raised in a Mennonite family, Jon’s path took him from rural Canada to the political halls of the Tsukuba Assembly. Whether you’re interested in life abroad, Japanese politics, or enjoy a good story of reinvention, this episode is not to be missed. To learn more about Jon and his story, click here. 


Enjoying the Show? Please consider supporting us—every little bit helps keep the podcast going. And be sure to join the conversation on X (formerly Twitter) @DogePunk2077 and Facebook. For all inquiries, you can reach us at deep.in.japan.podcast@gmail.com.

Thank you for listening, fellow traveler of the ear.

🚀🚀 Yoroshiku and rockets 🚀🚀

]]> Japan, Naturalized Japanese Citizen, 日本帰化 Yes Hiking, Biking, and Boar Fighing with John Rucynski 11 11 Hiking, Biking, and Boar Fighing with John Rucynski full 93801895-4854-4408-b14f-148da8821d64 https://deepinjapan.transistor.fm/11 John Rucynski returns for his third appearance on the Deep in Japan Podcast, and this time we hit the trail—literally. In this lighthearted yet insightful episode, we follow John through his many adventures hiking across Japan, including the ancient Kumano Kodo pilgrimage route, an unexpected encounter with a wild boar (spoiler: he got gored by the boar), and a cross-country bike ride for charity.


Along the way, we reflect on omotenashi (Japanese hospitality), the cultural and spiritual dimensions of pilgrimage, and what to consider when planning your own multi-day hike or long-distance ride. Pro tip: take care of your rear end—it might lock up on you.


We also dive into Craig Mod’s new book, Things Become Other Things, and his reflections on walking and transformation in Japan, as discussed in his recent appearance on the Rich Roll Podcast.


Featured links from John:

Mentioned in this episode:

🎧 Outro Music:

Enjoying the Show? Please consider supporting us—every little bit helps keep the podcast going. And be sure to join the conversation on X (formerly Twitter) @DogePunk2077 and Facebook. For all inquiries, you can reach us at deep.in.japan.podcast@gmail.com.

Thank you for listening, fellow traveler of the ear.

🚀🚀 Yoroshiku and rockets 🚀🚀

]]> John Rucynski returns for his third appearance on the Deep in Japan Podcast, and this time we hit the trail—literally. In this lighthearted yet insightful episode, we follow John through his many adventures hiking across Japan, including the ancient Kumano Kodo pilgrimage route, an unexpected encounter with a wild boar (spoiler: he got gored by the boar), and a cross-country bike ride for charity.


Along the way, we reflect on omotenashi (Japanese hospitality), the cultural and spiritual dimensions of pilgrimage, and what to consider when planning your own multi-day hike or long-distance ride. Pro tip: take care of your rear end—it might lock up on you.


We also dive into Craig Mod’s new book, Things Become Other Things, and his reflections on walking and transformation in Japan, as discussed in his recent appearance on the Rich Roll Podcast.


Featured links from John:

Mentioned in this episode:

🎧 Outro Music:

Enjoying the Show? Please consider supporting us—every little bit helps keep the podcast going. And be sure to join the conversation on X (formerly Twitter) @DogePunk2077 and Facebook. For all inquiries, you can reach us at deep.in.japan.podcast@gmail.com.

Thank you for listening, fellow traveler of the ear.

🚀🚀 Yoroshiku and rockets 🚀🚀

]]> Sun, 15 Jun 2025 17:24:36 -0700 Deep in Japan Deep in Japan 9032 John Rucynski returns for his third appearance on the Deep in Japan Podcast, and this time we hit the trail—literally. In this lighthearted yet insightful episode, we follow John through his many adventures hiking across Japan, including the ancient Kumano Kodo pilgrimage route, an unexpected encounter with a wild boar (spoiler: he got gored by the boar), and a cross-country bike ride for charity.


Along the way, we reflect on omotenashi (Japanese hospitality), the cultural and spiritual dimensions of pilgrimage, and what to consider when planning your own multi-day hike or long-distance ride. Pro tip: take care of your rear end—it might lock up on you.


We also dive into Craig Mod’s new book, Things Become Other Things, and his reflections on walking and transformation in Japan, as discussed in his recent appearance on the Rich Roll Podcast.


Featured links from John:

Mentioned in this episode:

🎧 Outro Music:

Enjoying the Show? Please consider supporting us—every little bit helps keep the podcast going. And be sure to join the conversation on X (formerly Twitter) @DogePunk2077 and Facebook. For all inquiries, you can reach us at deep.in.japan.podcast@gmail.com.

Thank you for listening, fellow traveler of the ear.

🚀🚀 Yoroshiku and rockets 🚀🚀

]]> Japan, Kumano Kodo, Hiking Japan, Boar, Inoshishi, 熊野古道, 日本, ハイキング Yes Kūkai the Universal with Professor Steve McCarty 10 10 Kūkai the Universal with Professor Steve McCarty full 14cc75b0-937d-4bba-9b29-7bf388b464ad https://deepinjapan.transistor.fm/10 *This episode originally aired in February 2023

In this episode, we welcome back Professor Steve McCarty for a deep dive into Kūkai the Universal, a historical novel by Ryōtarō Shiba, translated by Akiko Takemoto. Together, we explore the life, vision, and spiritual legacy of Kūkai (Kōbō Daishi), one of Japan’s most influential Buddhist figures.


Steve McCarty, originally from Boston, holds a master’s degree in Asian religions from the University of Hawaiʻi and has spent 40 years living and teaching in Japan. A full professor for more than two decades, he currently lectures at Osaka Jogakuin University and JICA, where he educates international officials about Japanese society and culture. He writes extensively on Japanese religion, bilingualism, and intercultural education.


🔗 Explore his work: Japanned – Steve McCarty’s site

🎧 Outro: “Over the Mountain” by Buddhist hip-hop artist and former guest Gomyo Kevin Seperic. Support Gomyo’s family at GoFundMe – Kaori’s Treatment, and make sure to buy the album.

Enjoying the Show? Please consider supporting us—every little bit helps keep the podcast going. And be sure to join the conversation on X (formerly Twitter) @DogePunk2077 and Facebook. For all inquiries, you can reach us at deep.in.japan.podcast@gmail.com.

Thank you for listening, fellow traveler of the ear.

🚀🚀 Yoroshiku and rockets 🚀🚀

]]> *This episode originally aired in February 2023

In this episode, we welcome back Professor Steve McCarty for a deep dive into Kūkai the Universal, a historical novel by Ryōtarō Shiba, translated by Akiko Takemoto. Together, we explore the life, vision, and spiritual legacy of Kūkai (Kōbō Daishi), one of Japan’s most influential Buddhist figures.


Steve McCarty, originally from Boston, holds a master’s degree in Asian religions from the University of Hawaiʻi and has spent 40 years living and teaching in Japan. A full professor for more than two decades, he currently lectures at Osaka Jogakuin University and JICA, where he educates international officials about Japanese society and culture. He writes extensively on Japanese religion, bilingualism, and intercultural education.


🔗 Explore his work: Japanned – Steve McCarty’s site

🎧 Outro: “Over the Mountain” by Buddhist hip-hop artist and former guest Gomyo Kevin Seperic. Support Gomyo’s family at GoFundMe – Kaori’s Treatment, and make sure to buy the album.

Enjoying the Show? Please consider supporting us—every little bit helps keep the podcast going. And be sure to join the conversation on X (formerly Twitter) @DogePunk2077 and Facebook. For all inquiries, you can reach us at deep.in.japan.podcast@gmail.com.

Thank you for listening, fellow traveler of the ear.

🚀🚀 Yoroshiku and rockets 🚀🚀

]]> Fri, 06 Jun 2025 17:41:56 -0700 Deep in Japan Deep in Japan 4275 *This episode originally aired in February 2023

In this episode, we welcome back Professor Steve McCarty for a deep dive into Kūkai the Universal, a historical novel by Ryōtarō Shiba, translated by Akiko Takemoto. Together, we explore the life, vision, and spiritual legacy of Kūkai (Kōbō Daishi), one of Japan’s most influential Buddhist figures.


Steve McCarty, originally from Boston, holds a master’s degree in Asian religions from the University of Hawaiʻi and has spent 40 years living and teaching in Japan. A full professor for more than two decades, he currently lectures at Osaka Jogakuin University and JICA, where he educates international officials about Japanese society and culture. He writes extensively on Japanese religion, bilingualism, and intercultural education.


🔗 Explore his work: Japanned – Steve McCarty’s site

🎧 Outro: “Over the Mountain” by Buddhist hip-hop artist and former guest Gomyo Kevin Seperic. Support Gomyo’s family at GoFundMe – Kaori’s Treatment, and make sure to buy the album.

Enjoying the Show? Please consider supporting us—every little bit helps keep the podcast going. And be sure to join the conversation on X (formerly Twitter) @DogePunk2077 and Facebook. For all inquiries, you can reach us at deep.in.japan.podcast@gmail.com.

Thank you for listening, fellow traveler of the ear.

🚀🚀 Yoroshiku and rockets 🚀🚀

]]> Yes How to Be a Professional Foreigner in Japan with Professor Steve McCarty 9 9 How to Be a Professional Foreigner in Japan with Professor Steve McCarty full 7185e373-db41-45b5-a2b0-55a77bfee763 https://deepinjapan.transistor.fm/9 *This episode originally aired in January 2021

Professor Steve McCarty shares his journey of living in Japan, reflecting on encounters with cultural icons like Alan Watts and Donald Keene. He explores how to balance assimilation with authenticity, consult and negotiate cross-culturally, and maintain both public and private selves in an international family. With local stories, insights on Buddhism, and reflections on what makes real haiku possible in any language, this episode offers practical wisdom for anyone navigating life abroad.

Enjoying the Show? Please consider supporting us—every little bit helps keep the podcast going. And be sure to join the conversation on X (formerly Twitter) @DogePunk2077 and Facebook. For all inquiries, you can reach us at deep.in.japan.podcast@gmail.com.

Thanks for listening, fellow treveler of the ear.

🚀🚀 Yoroshiku and rockets 🚀🚀

]]> *This episode originally aired in January 2021

Professor Steve McCarty shares his journey of living in Japan, reflecting on encounters with cultural icons like Alan Watts and Donald Keene. He explores how to balance assimilation with authenticity, consult and negotiate cross-culturally, and maintain both public and private selves in an international family. With local stories, insights on Buddhism, and reflections on what makes real haiku possible in any language, this episode offers practical wisdom for anyone navigating life abroad.

Enjoying the Show? Please consider supporting us—every little bit helps keep the podcast going. And be sure to join the conversation on X (formerly Twitter) @DogePunk2077 and Facebook. For all inquiries, you can reach us at deep.in.japan.podcast@gmail.com.

Thanks for listening, fellow treveler of the ear.

🚀🚀 Yoroshiku and rockets 🚀🚀

]]> Fri, 06 Jun 2025 17:34:31 -0700 Deep in Japan Deep in Japan 5835 *This episode originally aired in January 2021

Professor Steve McCarty shares his journey of living in Japan, reflecting on encounters with cultural icons like Alan Watts and Donald Keene. He explores how to balance assimilation with authenticity, consult and negotiate cross-culturally, and maintain both public and private selves in an international family. With local stories, insights on Buddhism, and reflections on what makes real haiku possible in any language, this episode offers practical wisdom for anyone navigating life abroad.

Enjoying the Show? Please consider supporting us—every little bit helps keep the podcast going. And be sure to join the conversation on X (formerly Twitter) @DogePunk2077 and Facebook. For all inquiries, you can reach us at deep.in.japan.podcast@gmail.com.

Thanks for listening, fellow treveler of the ear.

🚀🚀 Yoroshiku and rockets 🚀🚀

]]> Japan, Professional Foreigner, Gaijin Yes A Lecture On Japanese Prehistory with Professor Steve McCarty 8 8 A Lecture On Japanese Prehistory with Professor Steve McCarty full b125e4a1-d8ce-470f-905d-c38305f12179 https://deepinjapan.transistor.fm/8 *This episode originally aired in June 2020

Where did Japan come from—and how did its people see the world around them? In this episode of the Deep in Japan Podcast, professor and storyteller Steve McCarty takes us on a journey through 30,000 years of Japanese history and mythology. From the earliest humans and the rise of the Imperial line to the cultural heights of the Heian Period, he weaves together archaeology, legend, and spiritual insight.


Along the way, you’ll hear myths as powerful as anything in Greek tragedy—stories that shaped how the Japanese understood nature, gods, and themselves. The episode climaxes with a breathtaking vision of sacred mountains seen as a maṇḍala—an entire spiritual landscape you could walk through.


If you’re curious about where Japan’s unique worldview came from—or just love a good origin story—this one’s for you.


Enjoying the Show? Please consider supporting us—every little bit helps keep the podcast going. And be sure to join the conversation on X (formerly Twitter) @DogePunk2077 and Facebook. For all inquiries, you can reach us at deep.in.japan.podcast@gmail.com.

Thanks for listening, fellow treveler of the ear.

🚀🚀 Yoroshiku and rockets 🚀🚀

]]> *This episode originally aired in June 2020

Where did Japan come from—and how did its people see the world around them? In this episode of the Deep in Japan Podcast, professor and storyteller Steve McCarty takes us on a journey through 30,000 years of Japanese history and mythology. From the earliest humans and the rise of the Imperial line to the cultural heights of the Heian Period, he weaves together archaeology, legend, and spiritual insight.


Along the way, you’ll hear myths as powerful as anything in Greek tragedy—stories that shaped how the Japanese understood nature, gods, and themselves. The episode climaxes with a breathtaking vision of sacred mountains seen as a maṇḍala—an entire spiritual landscape you could walk through.


If you’re curious about where Japan’s unique worldview came from—or just love a good origin story—this one’s for you.


Enjoying the Show? Please consider supporting us—every little bit helps keep the podcast going. And be sure to join the conversation on X (formerly Twitter) @DogePunk2077 and Facebook. For all inquiries, you can reach us at deep.in.japan.podcast@gmail.com.

Thanks for listening, fellow treveler of the ear.

🚀🚀 Yoroshiku and rockets 🚀🚀

]]> Fri, 06 Jun 2025 17:27:46 -0700 Deep in Japan Deep in Japan 4952 *This episode originally aired in June 2020

Where did Japan come from—and how did its people see the world around them? In this episode of the Deep in Japan Podcast, professor and storyteller Steve McCarty takes us on a journey through 30,000 years of Japanese history and mythology. From the earliest humans and the rise of the Imperial line to the cultural heights of the Heian Period, he weaves together archaeology, legend, and spiritual insight.


Along the way, you’ll hear myths as powerful as anything in Greek tragedy—stories that shaped how the Japanese understood nature, gods, and themselves. The episode climaxes with a breathtaking vision of sacred mountains seen as a maṇḍala—an entire spiritual landscape you could walk through.


If you’re curious about where Japan’s unique worldview came from—or just love a good origin story—this one’s for you.


Enjoying the Show? Please consider supporting us—every little bit helps keep the podcast going. And be sure to join the conversation on X (formerly Twitter) @DogePunk2077 and Facebook. For all inquiries, you can reach us at deep.in.japan.podcast@gmail.com.

Thanks for listening, fellow treveler of the ear.

🚀🚀 Yoroshiku and rockets 🚀🚀

]]> Japan, Prehistory No Bridging the Humor Barrier with John Rucynski Jr. 6 6 Bridging the Humor Barrier with John Rucynski Jr. full 81629e20-5287-450b-806d-258ccb47fd4a https://deepinjapan.transistor.fm/6 *This episode was originally aired in November 2022.

What happens when a pun falls flat across cultures? Why does sarcasm get lost in translation? And can you actually teach someone to understand satire in a second language?


In this episode, we once again sit down with educator, researcher, author, and world-renouned pun-slinger John Rucynski Jr., co-editor of Bridging the Humor Barrier: Humor Competency Training in English Language Teaching, to explore the surprisingly complex world of teaching humor to English language learners. John walks us through:

  • The mysterious “humor barrier” and why it trips up so many language learners
  • Why jokes, sarcasm, and satire are more than just classroom distractions—they’re essential tools for cultural fluency
  • How educators around the world are helping students “get the joke” in English
  • How humor ties into sociopragmatic competence, cross-cultural adaptation, and… yes, even junior high textbooks

We also talk about stuff John may not have been fully prepared for—like where he plans to bury bones someday. Funny, right? Whether you’re a language teacher, a linguist, or just someone who’s ever bombed a joke abroad, I hope this episode will give you something to smile—and think—about.


📚 Grab the book: Bridging the Humor Barrier is available in paperback, hardcover, and ebook from Multilingual Matters. 


Enjoying the Show? Please consider supporting us—every little bit helps keep the podcast going. And be sure to join the conversation on X (formerly Twitter) @DogePunk2077 and Facebook. For all inquiries, you can reach us at deep.in.japan.podcast@gmail.com.

Thanks for listening, fellow treveler of the ear.

🚀🚀 Yoroshiku and rockets 🚀🚀

]]> *This episode was originally aired in November 2022.

What happens when a pun falls flat across cultures? Why does sarcasm get lost in translation? And can you actually teach someone to understand satire in a second language?


In this episode, we once again sit down with educator, researcher, author, and world-renouned pun-slinger John Rucynski Jr., co-editor of Bridging the Humor Barrier: Humor Competency Training in English Language Teaching, to explore the surprisingly complex world of teaching humor to English language learners. John walks us through:

  • The mysterious “humor barrier” and why it trips up so many language learners
  • Why jokes, sarcasm, and satire are more than just classroom distractions—they’re essential tools for cultural fluency
  • How educators around the world are helping students “get the joke” in English
  • How humor ties into sociopragmatic competence, cross-cultural adaptation, and… yes, even junior high textbooks

We also talk about stuff John may not have been fully prepared for—like where he plans to bury bones someday. Funny, right? Whether you’re a language teacher, a linguist, or just someone who’s ever bombed a joke abroad, I hope this episode will give you something to smile—and think—about.


📚 Grab the book: Bridging the Humor Barrier is available in paperback, hardcover, and ebook from Multilingual Matters. 


Enjoying the Show? Please consider supporting us—every little bit helps keep the podcast going. And be sure to join the conversation on X (formerly Twitter) @DogePunk2077 and Facebook. For all inquiries, you can reach us at deep.in.japan.podcast@gmail.com.

Thanks for listening, fellow treveler of the ear.

🚀🚀 Yoroshiku and rockets 🚀🚀

]]> Wed, 04 Jun 2025 22:26:48 -0700 Deep in Japan Deep in Japan 4485 *This episode was originally aired in November 2022.

What happens when a pun falls flat across cultures? Why does sarcasm get lost in translation? And can you actually teach someone to understand satire in a second language?


In this episode, we once again sit down with educator, researcher, author, and world-renouned pun-slinger John Rucynski Jr., co-editor of Bridging the Humor Barrier: Humor Competency Training in English Language Teaching, to explore the surprisingly complex world of teaching humor to English language learners. John walks us through:

  • The mysterious “humor barrier” and why it trips up so many language learners
  • Why jokes, sarcasm, and satire are more than just classroom distractions—they’re essential tools for cultural fluency
  • How educators around the world are helping students “get the joke” in English
  • How humor ties into sociopragmatic competence, cross-cultural adaptation, and… yes, even junior high textbooks

We also talk about stuff John may not have been fully prepared for—like where he plans to bury bones someday. Funny, right? Whether you’re a language teacher, a linguist, or just someone who’s ever bombed a joke abroad, I hope this episode will give you something to smile—and think—about.


📚 Grab the book: Bridging the Humor Barrier is available in paperback, hardcover, and ebook from Multilingual Matters. 


Enjoying the Show? Please consider supporting us—every little bit helps keep the podcast going. And be sure to join the conversation on X (formerly Twitter) @DogePunk2077 and Facebook. For all inquiries, you can reach us at deep.in.japan.podcast@gmail.com.

Thanks for listening, fellow treveler of the ear.

🚀🚀 Yoroshiku and rockets 🚀🚀

]]> Japan, Humor, ESL, Teaching Through Humor Yes A Passion for Japan with John Rucynki Jr. 7 7 A Passion for Japan with John Rucynki Jr. full 8884dce4-22a0-443e-8eba-2d7b359dae2f https://deepinjapan.transistor.fm/7 *This episode was originally aired in July 2022.

They came for a year and stayed for a lifetime. In this episode, we once again sit down with educator, researcher, author, and world-renouned pun-slinger, John Rucynski Jr., to discuss his latest anthology, A Passion for Japan: A Collection of Personal Narratives, a deeply human mosaic of stories from 31 contributors who didn’t just survive the culture shock of moving to Japan—they thrived in it.

If you enjoy listening to John and want to learn more, be sure to pick up a copy of his book, available here from the publisher. You can also find it on Amazon and other online booksellers.


Like what you hear? Please consider supporting the show by becoming a patron at Patreon.com. And if you'd like to reach out to us for a chat, you can find us on Twitter @DeepinJapanPod or email us at deep.in.japan.podcast@gmail.com

Thank you for listening! 

]]> *This episode was originally aired in July 2022.

They came for a year and stayed for a lifetime. In this episode, we once again sit down with educator, researcher, author, and world-renouned pun-slinger, John Rucynski Jr., to discuss his latest anthology, A Passion for Japan: A Collection of Personal Narratives, a deeply human mosaic of stories from 31 contributors who didn’t just survive the culture shock of moving to Japan—they thrived in it.

If you enjoy listening to John and want to learn more, be sure to pick up a copy of his book, available here from the publisher. You can also find it on Amazon and other online booksellers.


Like what you hear? Please consider supporting the show by becoming a patron at Patreon.com. And if you'd like to reach out to us for a chat, you can find us on Twitter @DeepinJapanPod or email us at deep.in.japan.podcast@gmail.com

Thank you for listening! 

]]> Wed, 04 Jun 2025 03:03:06 -0700 Deep in Japan Deep in Japan 4773 *This episode was originally aired in July 2022.

They came for a year and stayed for a lifetime. In this episode, we once again sit down with educator, researcher, author, and world-renouned pun-slinger, John Rucynski Jr., to discuss his latest anthology, A Passion for Japan: A Collection of Personal Narratives, a deeply human mosaic of stories from 31 contributors who didn’t just survive the culture shock of moving to Japan—they thrived in it.

If you enjoy listening to John and want to learn more, be sure to pick up a copy of his book, available here from the publisher. You can also find it on Amazon and other online booksellers.


Like what you hear? Please consider supporting the show by becoming a patron at Patreon.com. And if you'd like to reach out to us for a chat, you can find us on Twitter @DeepinJapanPod or email us at deep.in.japan.podcast@gmail.com

Thank you for listening! 

]]> Yes Dr. Debito 3: Racism and Discrimination in Japan 4 4 Dr. Debito 3: Racism and Discrimination in Japan full 6916f400-5794-4778-ade9-86fbea9ea2b8 https://deepinjapan.transistor.fm/4 Originally aired in September of 2016, this episode is the third installment of a three-part series featuring Dr. Arudou Debito, a naturalized Japanese citizen and author of Embedded Racism: Japan’s Visible Minorities and Racial Discrimination. Due to its enduring relevance and popularity, this series has become a cult classic among listeners of the Deep in Japan podcast.  


Episode Overview: Dr. Debito delves into the systemic nature of racism in Japan, drawing from his personal experiences and extensive research. Key topics discussed include:

  • The Otaru Hot Springs Case: Dr. Debito recounts his legal battle against a bathhouse in Otaru, Hokkaido, which denied entry to foreigners, highlighting issues of racial discrimination and the challenges faced by visible minorities in Japan. 
  • Concept of “Embedded Racism”: He introduces the idea that racism in Japan is not always overt but is deeply ingrained in societal structures and norms, affecting policies and everyday interactions.
  • Naturalization and Identity: Dr. Debito shares his journey of becoming a Japanese citizen and the complexities of identity and acceptance in a society that often equates nationality with ethnicity. 
  • Legal and Social Frameworks: The discussion addresses the absence of comprehensive anti-discrimination laws in Japan and their implications for minority communities.

Additional Resources: For those interested in exploring these topics further, Dr. Debito’s book, Embedded Racism, offers an in-depth analysis of racial discrimination in Japan. His website, debito.org, serves as a comprehensive resource on human rights and social justice issues in Japan. 


Enjoying the Show? Please consider supporting us—every little bit helps keep the podcast going. And be sure to join the conversation on X (formerly Twitter) @DogePunk2077 and Facebook. For all inquiries, you can reach us at deep.in.japan.podcast@gmail.com.

Thanks for listening, fellow treveler of the ear.

🚀🚀 Yoroshiku and rockets 🚀🚀

]]> Originally aired in September of 2016, this episode is the third installment of a three-part series featuring Dr. Arudou Debito, a naturalized Japanese citizen and author of Embedded Racism: Japan’s Visible Minorities and Racial Discrimination. Due to its enduring relevance and popularity, this series has become a cult classic among listeners of the Deep in Japan podcast.  


Episode Overview: Dr. Debito delves into the systemic nature of racism in Japan, drawing from his personal experiences and extensive research. Key topics discussed include:

  • The Otaru Hot Springs Case: Dr. Debito recounts his legal battle against a bathhouse in Otaru, Hokkaido, which denied entry to foreigners, highlighting issues of racial discrimination and the challenges faced by visible minorities in Japan. 
  • Concept of “Embedded Racism”: He introduces the idea that racism in Japan is not always overt but is deeply ingrained in societal structures and norms, affecting policies and everyday interactions.
  • Naturalization and Identity: Dr. Debito shares his journey of becoming a Japanese citizen and the complexities of identity and acceptance in a society that often equates nationality with ethnicity. 
  • Legal and Social Frameworks: The discussion addresses the absence of comprehensive anti-discrimination laws in Japan and their implications for minority communities.

Additional Resources: For those interested in exploring these topics further, Dr. Debito’s book, Embedded Racism, offers an in-depth analysis of racial discrimination in Japan. His website, debito.org, serves as a comprehensive resource on human rights and social justice issues in Japan. 


Enjoying the Show? Please consider supporting us—every little bit helps keep the podcast going. And be sure to join the conversation on X (formerly Twitter) @DogePunk2077 and Facebook. For all inquiries, you can reach us at deep.in.japan.podcast@gmail.com.

Thanks for listening, fellow treveler of the ear.

🚀🚀 Yoroshiku and rockets 🚀🚀

]]> Thu, 29 May 2025 20:23:25 -0700 Deep in Japan Deep in Japan 4102 Originally aired in September of 2016, this episode is the third installment of a three-part series featuring Dr. Arudou Debito, a naturalized Japanese citizen and author of Embedded Racism: Japan’s Visible Minorities and Racial Discrimination. Due to its enduring relevance and popularity, this series has become a cult classic among listeners of the Deep in Japan podcast.  


Episode Overview: Dr. Debito delves into the systemic nature of racism in Japan, drawing from his personal experiences and extensive research. Key topics discussed include:

  • The Otaru Hot Springs Case: Dr. Debito recounts his legal battle against a bathhouse in Otaru, Hokkaido, which denied entry to foreigners, highlighting issues of racial discrimination and the challenges faced by visible minorities in Japan. 
  • Concept of “Embedded Racism”: He introduces the idea that racism in Japan is not always overt but is deeply ingrained in societal structures and norms, affecting policies and everyday interactions.
  • Naturalization and Identity: Dr. Debito shares his journey of becoming a Japanese citizen and the complexities of identity and acceptance in a society that often equates nationality with ethnicity. 
  • Legal and Social Frameworks: The discussion addresses the absence of comprehensive anti-discrimination laws in Japan and their implications for minority communities.

Additional Resources: For those interested in exploring these topics further, Dr. Debito’s book, Embedded Racism, offers an in-depth analysis of racial discrimination in Japan. His website, debito.org, serves as a comprehensive resource on human rights and social justice issues in Japan. 


Enjoying the Show? Please consider supporting us—every little bit helps keep the podcast going. And be sure to join the conversation on X (formerly Twitter) @DogePunk2077 and Facebook. For all inquiries, you can reach us at deep.in.japan.podcast@gmail.com.

Thanks for listening, fellow treveler of the ear.

🚀🚀 Yoroshiku and rockets 🚀🚀

]]> Yes Dr. Debito 2: Racism and Discrimination in Japan 3 3 Dr. Debito 2: Racism and Discrimination in Japan full 3c250ab1-da52-421f-99f5-8848c06396fa https://deepinjapan.transistor.fm/3 Originally aired in September of 2016, this episode is the second installment of a three-part series featuring Dr. Arudou Debito, a naturalized Japanese citizen and author of Embedded Racism: Japan’s Visible Minorities and Racial Discrimination. Due to its enduring relevance and popularity, this series has become a cult classic among listeners of the Deep in Japan podcast.  


Episode Overview: Dr. Debito delves into the systemic nature of racism in Japan, drawing from his personal experiences and extensive research. Key topics discussed include:

  • The Otaru Hot Springs Case: Dr. Debito recounts his legal battle against a bathhouse in Otaru, Hokkaido, which denied entry to foreigners, highlighting issues of racial discrimination and the challenges faced by visible minorities in Japan. 
  • Concept of “Embedded Racism”: He introduces the idea that racism in Japan is not always overt but is deeply ingrained in societal structures and norms, affecting policies and everyday interactions.
  • Naturalization and Identity: Dr. Debito shares his journey of becoming a Japanese citizen and the complexities of identity and acceptance in a society that often equates nationality with ethnicity. 
  • Legal and Social Frameworks: The discussion addresses the absence of comprehensive anti-discrimination laws in Japan and their implications for minority communities.

Additional Resources: For those interested in exploring these topics further, Dr. Debito’s book, Embedded Racism, offers an in-depth analysis of racial discrimination in Japan. His website, debito.org, serves as a comprehensive resource on human rights and social justice issues in Japan. 


Enjoying the Show? Please consider supporting us—every little bit helps keep the podcast going. And be sure to join the conversation on X (formerly Twitter) @DogePunk2077 and Facebook. For all inquiries, you can reach us at deep.in.japan.podcast@gmail.com.

Thanks for listening, fellow treveler of the ear.

🚀🚀 Yoroshiku and rockets 🚀🚀

Thanks for listening! 

]]> Originally aired in September of 2016, this episode is the second installment of a three-part series featuring Dr. Arudou Debito, a naturalized Japanese citizen and author of Embedded Racism: Japan’s Visible Minorities and Racial Discrimination. Due to its enduring relevance and popularity, this series has become a cult classic among listeners of the Deep in Japan podcast.  


Episode Overview: Dr. Debito delves into the systemic nature of racism in Japan, drawing from his personal experiences and extensive research. Key topics discussed include:

  • The Otaru Hot Springs Case: Dr. Debito recounts his legal battle against a bathhouse in Otaru, Hokkaido, which denied entry to foreigners, highlighting issues of racial discrimination and the challenges faced by visible minorities in Japan. 
  • Concept of “Embedded Racism”: He introduces the idea that racism in Japan is not always overt but is deeply ingrained in societal structures and norms, affecting policies and everyday interactions.
  • Naturalization and Identity: Dr. Debito shares his journey of becoming a Japanese citizen and the complexities of identity and acceptance in a society that often equates nationality with ethnicity. 
  • Legal and Social Frameworks: The discussion addresses the absence of comprehensive anti-discrimination laws in Japan and their implications for minority communities.

Additional Resources: For those interested in exploring these topics further, Dr. Debito’s book, Embedded Racism, offers an in-depth analysis of racial discrimination in Japan. His website, debito.org, serves as a comprehensive resource on human rights and social justice issues in Japan. 


Enjoying the Show? Please consider supporting us—every little bit helps keep the podcast going. And be sure to join the conversation on X (formerly Twitter) @DogePunk2077 and Facebook. For all inquiries, you can reach us at deep.in.japan.podcast@gmail.com.

Thanks for listening, fellow treveler of the ear.

🚀🚀 Yoroshiku and rockets 🚀🚀

Thanks for listening! 

]]> Tue, 27 May 2025 23:24:16 -0700 Deep in Japan Deep in Japan 6774 Originally aired in September of 2016, this episode is the second installment of a three-part series featuring Dr. Arudou Debito, a naturalized Japanese citizen and author of Embedded Racism: Japan’s Visible Minorities and Racial Discrimination. Due to its enduring relevance and popularity, this series has become a cult classic among listeners of the Deep in Japan podcast.  


Episode Overview: Dr. Debito delves into the systemic nature of racism in Japan, drawing from his personal experiences and extensive research. Key topics discussed include:

  • The Otaru Hot Springs Case: Dr. Debito recounts his legal battle against a bathhouse in Otaru, Hokkaido, which denied entry to foreigners, highlighting issues of racial discrimination and the challenges faced by visible minorities in Japan. 
  • Concept of “Embedded Racism”: He introduces the idea that racism in Japan is not always overt but is deeply ingrained in societal structures and norms, affecting policies and everyday interactions.
  • Naturalization and Identity: Dr. Debito shares his journey of becoming a Japanese citizen and the complexities of identity and acceptance in a society that often equates nationality with ethnicity. 
  • Legal and Social Frameworks: The discussion addresses the absence of comprehensive anti-discrimination laws in Japan and their implications for minority communities.

Additional Resources: For those interested in exploring these topics further, Dr. Debito’s book, Embedded Racism, offers an in-depth analysis of racial discrimination in Japan. His website, debito.org, serves as a comprehensive resource on human rights and social justice issues in Japan. 


Enjoying the Show? Please consider supporting us—every little bit helps keep the podcast going. And be sure to join the conversation on X (formerly Twitter) @DogePunk2077 and Facebook. For all inquiries, you can reach us at deep.in.japan.podcast@gmail.com.

Thanks for listening, fellow treveler of the ear.

🚀🚀 Yoroshiku and rockets 🚀🚀

Thanks for listening! 

]]> Yes Dr. Debito 1: Racism and Discrimination in Japan 2 2 Dr. Debito 1: Racism and Discrimination in Japan full 4a396f19-a44f-44ba-bb7e-371446a400fb https://deepinjapan.transistor.fm/2 Originally aired in August of 2016, this episode is the first installment of a three-part series featuring Dr. Arudou Debito, a naturalized Japanese citizen and author of Embedded Racism: Japan’s Visible Minorities and Racial Discrimination. Due to its enduring relevance and popularity, this series has become a cult classic among listeners of the Deep in Japan podcast.  


Episode Overview: Dr. Debito delves into the systemic nature of racism in Japan, drawing from his personal experiences and extensive research. Key topics discussed include:

  • The Otaru Hot Springs Case: Dr. Debito recounts his legal battle against a bathhouse in Otaru, Hokkaido, which denied entry to foreigners, highlighting issues of racial discrimination and the challenges faced by visible minorities in Japan. 
  • Concept of “Embedded Racism”: He introduces the idea that racism in Japan is not always overt but is deeply ingrained in societal structures and norms, affecting policies and everyday interactions.
  • Naturalization and Identity: Dr. Debito shares his journey of becoming a Japanese citizen and the complexities of identity and acceptance in a society that often equates nationality with ethnicity. 
  • Legal and Social Frameworks: The discussion addresses the absence of comprehensive anti-discrimination laws in Japan and their implications for minority communities.

Additional Resources: For those interested in exploring these topics further, Dr. Debito’s book, Embedded Racism, offers an in-depth analysis of racial discrimination in Japan. His website, debito.org, serves as a comprehensive resource on human rights and social justice issues in Japan. 

Music: The outro was "虹” (niji | raindobw) by SHAKKAZOMBIE. Listen here. 


Enjoying the Show? Please consider supporting us—every little bit helps keep the podcast going. And be sure to join the conversation on X (formerly Twitter) @DogePunk2077 and Facebook. For all inquiries, you can reach us at deep.in.japan.podcast@gmail.com.

Thanks for listening, fellow treveler of the ear.

🚀🚀 Yoroshiku and rockets 🚀🚀



]]> Originally aired in August of 2016, this episode is the first installment of a three-part series featuring Dr. Arudou Debito, a naturalized Japanese citizen and author of Embedded Racism: Japan’s Visible Minorities and Racial Discrimination. Due to its enduring relevance and popularity, this series has become a cult classic among listeners of the Deep in Japan podcast.  


Episode Overview: Dr. Debito delves into the systemic nature of racism in Japan, drawing from his personal experiences and extensive research. Key topics discussed include:

  • The Otaru Hot Springs Case: Dr. Debito recounts his legal battle against a bathhouse in Otaru, Hokkaido, which denied entry to foreigners, highlighting issues of racial discrimination and the challenges faced by visible minorities in Japan. 
  • Concept of “Embedded Racism”: He introduces the idea that racism in Japan is not always overt but is deeply ingrained in societal structures and norms, affecting policies and everyday interactions.
  • Naturalization and Identity: Dr. Debito shares his journey of becoming a Japanese citizen and the complexities of identity and acceptance in a society that often equates nationality with ethnicity. 
  • Legal and Social Frameworks: The discussion addresses the absence of comprehensive anti-discrimination laws in Japan and their implications for minority communities.

Additional Resources: For those interested in exploring these topics further, Dr. Debito’s book, Embedded Racism, offers an in-depth analysis of racial discrimination in Japan. His website, debito.org, serves as a comprehensive resource on human rights and social justice issues in Japan. 

Music: The outro was "虹” (niji | raindobw) by SHAKKAZOMBIE. Listen here. 


Enjoying the Show? Please consider supporting us—every little bit helps keep the podcast going. And be sure to join the conversation on X (formerly Twitter) @DogePunk2077 and Facebook. For all inquiries, you can reach us at deep.in.japan.podcast@gmail.com.

Thanks for listening, fellow treveler of the ear.

🚀🚀 Yoroshiku and rockets 🚀🚀



]]> Sat, 17 May 2025 13:33:25 -0700 Deep in Japan Deep in Japan 5229 Originally aired in August of 2016, this episode is the first installment of a three-part series featuring Dr. Arudou Debito, a naturalized Japanese citizen and author of Embedded Racism: Japan’s Visible Minorities and Racial Discrimination. Due to its enduring relevance and popularity, this series has become a cult classic among listeners of the Deep in Japan podcast.  


Episode Overview: Dr. Debito delves into the systemic nature of racism in Japan, drawing from his personal experiences and extensive research. Key topics discussed include:

  • The Otaru Hot Springs Case: Dr. Debito recounts his legal battle against a bathhouse in Otaru, Hokkaido, which denied entry to foreigners, highlighting issues of racial discrimination and the challenges faced by visible minorities in Japan. 
  • Concept of “Embedded Racism”: He introduces the idea that racism in Japan is not always overt but is deeply ingrained in societal structures and norms, affecting policies and everyday interactions.
  • Naturalization and Identity: Dr. Debito shares his journey of becoming a Japanese citizen and the complexities of identity and acceptance in a society that often equates nationality with ethnicity. 
  • Legal and Social Frameworks: The discussion addresses the absence of comprehensive anti-discrimination laws in Japan and their implications for minority communities.

Additional Resources: For those interested in exploring these topics further, Dr. Debito’s book, Embedded Racism, offers an in-depth analysis of racial discrimination in Japan. His website, debito.org, serves as a comprehensive resource on human rights and social justice issues in Japan. 

Music: The outro was "虹” (niji | raindobw) by SHAKKAZOMBIE. Listen here. 


Enjoying the Show? Please consider supporting us—every little bit helps keep the podcast going. And be sure to join the conversation on X (formerly Twitter) @DogePunk2077 and Facebook. For all inquiries, you can reach us at deep.in.japan.podcast@gmail.com.

Thanks for listening, fellow treveler of the ear.

🚀🚀 Yoroshiku and rockets 🚀🚀



]]> Racism, Japan, Debito, Otaru, Visible Minority, Ethnicity, Discrimination Yes