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Artwork for Unpacking Japan

Unpacking Japan

Produced by ZenStudio
Japan
Tokyo
Osaka
Food Journalism
Cultural Differences
Abe Assassination
Women In Media
Chocolate Ramen
Gender Inequality
Olympics
Media Freedom
Animation
Video Games
Trend Forecasting
Final Fantasy
Mario
Sustainability
Textile Industry
Forest Gardening
Content Creation

Unpacking Japan explores Japanese arts, culture, and business through the lives of foreigners who have made this amazing country their home. While we’ve all seen vlogs and movies showing Japan from a pop culture perspective, Unpacking Japan tells the stories that get left by the wayside—the immigrants, the entrepreneurs, and the artists. Tune in every week for an authentic, inspiring conversation ... more

PublishesDailyEpisodes176Founded3 years ago
Number of ListenersCategory
Society & Culture

Listen to this Podcast

Artwork for Unpacking Japan

Latest Episodes

Meet Alan, owner of Kyojin stewhouse in Shimane, who sits down to talk to us about the challenges of running a restaurant in Japan, and why he pivoted his business to shipping quality frozen food across the country.Follow Alan:

www.kyojin-co... more

Meet Tony, an entrepreneur and travel consultant who sits down to talk to us about his work helping promote tourism in rural Japanese towns. He sits down to talk to us about marketing strategies, complications of overtourism, and his own journey to a... more

YouTube

Meet Victoria, a local ambassador for Bizen, Okayama, who sits down to talk to us about her work promoting tourism for a small Japanese town. She talks about her time on the Rural Revitalization Program, her transition to independent business owner, ... more

YouTube

Meet Kinshasa, an American ballroom commentator, who sits down to talk to us about how underground black queer culture ended up in Tokyo.

Kinshasa tells us about the history and importance of ballroom culture, how queer Japanese women brought it ov... more

YouTube

Key Facts

Accepts Guests
Contact Information
Podcast Host
Number of Listeners
Find out how many people listen to this podcast per episode and each month.

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Recent Guests

Kinshasa Basquiat
Ballroom commentator and cultural ambassador for the queer community in Japan.
Episode: How underground black queer culture ended up in Tokyo
Timothy Connor
Founder and President/CEO of Sinovate, a company that helps foreign brands enter the Japanese market.
Sinovate
Episode: Why Ikea failed in Japan (and what we learned from it)
Yurié Collins
Comedian and actress who returned to Japan to pursue stand-up comedy
Tokyo Comedy Bar
Episode: Tokyo Hoe Tales: How Yurie Collins is bringing stand-up comedy to Japan
James Landino
Game and anime composer
Episode: The insane reality of video game music composers
Craig Mott
A writer and photographer based out of Kamakura
Episode: The writer who brought the world's attention to underrated Japanese cities
Bellamy Brooks
Animator in the anime industry and character designer for 'The Digital Circus'
Tonari Animation
Episode: What people don't understand about the anime industry
Astrid Klein
Founding member of Klein Dyson Architecture in Tokyo, with significant experience in large architectural projects.
Klein Dyson Architecture
Episode: Architect explains Tokyo's unique skyline
Yuriko Tiger
Professional cosplayer, idol, and talento in Japan.
Episode: Professional cosplayers in Japan need to be PERFECT ft. @YURIKOTIGERjp
Jesper Kohl
An economist with extensive experience in Japan and a positive outlook on its economy.
Episode: Economist debunks Japan's "stagnant" economy

Host

Tobias Bieker
Host who presents topics with a keen interest in Japanese culture and the experiences of foreigners. Known for creating a comfortable atmosphere for guests to share their stories.

Reviews

4.8 out of 5 stars from 58 ratings
  • Professionalism

    I have a lot of appreciation for how well Tobias presents himself. He asks questions in a nonjudgmental way like a true journalist. The guests and topics are interesting. I highly recommend!

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    anotherunnecessaryopinion
    United States4 months ago
  • Great podcast on Japan

    Really enjoying the 9 July 25 episode, especially as an ex-JET. Really interesting to hear about the remotes areas of Hokkaido! My one suggestion is that the host sounds a bit quiet and muffled whereas the guest sounds louder and clear. Thank you!

    Apple Podcasts
    4
    Erica Crump
    United Kingdom5 months ago
  • Informative

    The contents themselves are very intriguing and gripping. I will definitely listen to all the episodes!

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Saohsmt
    Japan6 months ago
  • Nice

    Good podcast to learn abut expat life in Japan.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    ぴーちゃん\(^o^)/
    Japan2 years ago
  • Has potential

    Some of the guests seem potentially interesting, but the podcast is let down by the host regularly interrupting and the very annoying continuous background music, both of which make this a difficult listen

    Apple Podcasts
    2
    Gloopy Puff
    United Kingdom2 years ago

Listeners Say

Key themes from listener reviews, highlighting what works and what could be improved about the show.

Listeners appreciate the professionalism and journalistic approach of the host, often praising the authenticity and depth of the discussed topics.
Many find the stories of guests intriguing and representative of the expat experience in Japan, which resonates with their interests.
Some feedback points to audio quality concerns, suggesting room for improvement in sound balancing between host and guests.

Chart Rankings

How this podcast ranks in the Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube charts.

Apple Podcasts
#128
Poland/Society & Culture
Apple Podcasts
#148
Japan/Society & Culture
Apple Podcasts
#175
Saudi Arabia/Society & Culture

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

How underground black queer culture ended up in Tokyo
Q: Whenever I see guests from the queer community, some of the comments always come back, 'Japan doesn't need that kind of Western concept.' Why do you say this is wrong?
If you look back in Japanese history, bisexuality and these concepts existed before Western influence. It's about accepting different identities, not forcing views on others.
How underground black queer culture ended up in Tokyo
Q: Did you have an idea of what you wanted to do? How you wanted to build your life, your career?
I had no idea actually. And truth be told, I'm still figuring it out. But I just knew that I have more of a fighting chance here.
How to solve Japan's overtourism problem ft. YamaTrips
Q: How do those local rural areas develop their sightseeing opportunities?
Tony discusses the need for balance, emphasizing that rural areas must promote unique experiences while avoiding paths that lead to reaching overtourism.
How to solve Japan's overtourism problem ft. YamaTrips
Q: How does that actually work?
Tony explains the process involves initially networking with local entities and developing partnerships with foreign counterparts to initiate exchange programs.
The challenges of tourism for a small Japanese town
Q: What brought you to Japan and how did you end up in Okayama?
Victoria discusses her initial attraction to Japan through pop culture and how her partner encouraged her to move there.

Audience Metrics

Listeners, social reach, demographics and more for this podcast.

Listeners per Episode
Gender Skew
Location
Interests
Professions
Age Range
Household Income
Social Media Reach

Frequently Asked Questions About Unpacking Japan

What is Unpacking Japan about and what kind of topics does it cover?

Content focuses on the intricacies of Japanese life as experienced by foreigners, offering a profound insight into various aspects of arts, culture, and business within Japan. Episodes feature interviews with diverse guests, from entrepreneurs and artists to those navigating unique cultural experiences, thus capturing authentic personal narratives that often go unnoticed in mainstream depictions of Japan. This podcast stands out for its depth, tackling not just popular themes but also lesser-known stories, particularly of those who enrich Japan with their unique backgrounds and perspectives.

Where can I find podcast stats for Unpacking Japan?

Rephonic provides a wide range of podcast stats for Unpacking Japan. We scanned the web and collated all of the information that we could find in our comprehensive podcast database. See how many people listen to Unpacking Japan and access YouTube viewership numbers, download stats, audience demographics, chart rankings, ratings, reviews and more.

How many listeners does Unpacking Japan get?

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What are the audience demographics for Unpacking Japan?

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How many subscribers and views does Unpacking Japan have?

To see how many followers or subscribers Unpacking Japan has on Spotify and other platforms such as Castbox and Podcast Addict, simply upgrade your account. You'll also find viewership figures for their YouTube channel if they have one.

Which podcasts are similar to Unpacking Japan?

These podcasts share a similar audience with Unpacking Japan:

1. Abroad in Japan
2. The Austin and Arthur Show
3. 世界とつながる|IU-Connectの公式 Podcast
4. 6 Minute English
5. Jiggy's Japanglish Podcast

How many episodes of Unpacking Japan are there?

Unpacking Japan launched 3 years ago and published 176 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

How do I contact Unpacking Japan?

Our systems regularly scour the web to find email addresses and social media links for this podcast. We scanned the web and collated all of the contact information that we could find in our podcast database. But in the unlikely event that you can't find what you're looking for, our concierge service lets you request our research team to source better contacts for you.

Where can I see ratings and reviews for Unpacking Japan?

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What guests have appeared on Unpacking Japan?

Recent guests on Unpacking Japan include:

1. Kinshasa Basquiat
2. Timothy Connor
3. Yurié Collins
4. James Landino
5. Craig Mott
6. Bellamy Brooks
7. Astrid Klein
8. Yuriko Tiger

To view more recent guests and their details, simply upgrade your Rephonic account. You'll also get access to a typical guest profile to help you decide if the show is worth pitching.

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