The bois are back in town! Jon is has finally returned to the UK, and is jet-lagged as all hell. In this episode, we give a quick run-down of the closing of the 2021 Olympic Games, a giant pumpkin fighting a typhoon, and Jon's adventures in international flights. Sources: https://soranews24.com/2021/08/09/tokyo-olympics-comes-to-a-close-with-anime-opening-at-closing-ceremonys-ska-remix%e3%80%90video%e3%80%91/ https://www.tokyoreporter.com/business/tv-asahi-staffers-party-after-closing-ceremony-1...
Aug 12, 2021•25 min
The Geeks & Gaijins Season Finale! It's our final episode on-location in Japan! The sun is shining (too much), the Olympics are in full swing (unfortunately), and there are no fun crimes stories this week (predictably). So join us on a trip back in time to 1984, as Jon regales us with the story of the Glico-Morinaga Extortion Case. Also in this episode: Ghibli Museum fundraising, delicious non-radioactive peaches, and yet another typhoon. Thanks to everyone who's listened in to us over the l...
Jul 29, 2021•56 min
Enter the Nyanopticon With the 2020 Tokyo Olympics finally about to start, Japan continues to be buffered by articles about just how badly things are going. This week features a tag-team of trouble, with Thomas Bach exacerbating the public's anger at the IOC, and Keigo Oyamada being announced as composer for both the Olympic and Paralympic Games opening and closing ceremonies, in spite of a history of abusive behaviour. Before all that though, there's robot cat ears that read your brain waves, a...
Jul 22, 2021•47 min
Alternative Title: Yakucumbers This Week In Japan: - A giant cat appears in Shinjuku - Being vaccinated four times does not improve effectiveness - Police catch cucumber poachers wet-handed - Tottori turns torrential - Japan does not want vaccinated foreigners - Tokyo locks down for the Olympics - The government asks banks to threaten bars - and a lone gunwoman attempts to douse the Olympic flame. Sources: https://soranews24.com/2021/07/05/giant-cat-appears-on-new-3-d-billboard-outside-shinjuku-...
Jul 11, 2021•43 min
Frapp Mapp? Frapan? Anyway, This Week In Japan, enjoy cool masks, get kicked out of politics for your cool mask, and drink away your sorrows with your local prefectures new unique frappucino. Also, Jon visited a sword museum, and Tom watched Zombieland Saga Revenge and OddTaxi. Sources: https://mainichi.jp/english/articles/20210703/p2a/00m/0na/030000c https://soranews24.com/2021/07/03/japanese-politician-skull-reaper-a-ji-sues-city-for-refusing-to-show-his-masked-face/ https://stephano.me/blog/j...
Jul 08, 2021•51 min
Fly me to the Pokemon Sun & Moon. This Week In Japan, you can: fly via Pikachu Airlines (if you're vaccinated), break into a school (if someone else has already broken in), steal toilet paper (if you're the police chief), silence political criticism (if you're Twitter), or not say anything about the Olympics (if you're the Emperor). Sadly, neither Jon or Tom are the Emperor (yet), so they are not allowed to not say anything about the Olympics. Sources: https://soranews24.com/2021/06/24/pikac...
Jul 01, 2021•43 min
I sure do love Jelly Donuts! This Week In Japan: Timmy tries to break into a museum A Crime Trilogy! Tasteful Beef Art Superman steals Jon's Schtick and, of course, more Olympics misery! Yay! Sources: https://soranews24.com/2021/06/18/baby-tanuki-prompts-adorable-standoff-as-it-tries-to-get-into-tokyo-art-museum%e3%80%90videos%e3%80%91/ https://soranews24.com/2021/06/21/wakayama-man-stealing-uniform-from-school-caught-by-mysterious-man-in-restroom-in-middle-of-night/ https://soranews24.com/2021/...
Jun 24, 2021•49 min
Get Bready for another week in Japan! This week, we have a mask even your aunt will want to wear, the end to open-carry crossbows (without a permit), busting open the used recorder black market, and Japan's seeming national inability to have a fat friend. Oh also some rich ****s decide it's cool if a bunch of Japanese people die from a preventable disease, so long as said ****s get their international sports show. Don't you know that the world is built with blood? Sources: https://prtimes.jp/mai...
Jun 17, 2021•51 min
This Week In Japan: Dancing Cats, Pickle Shop Spitting, & A Sleep-Depriving Schedule Sources: https://soranews24.com/2021/06/03/the-japanese-train-station-famous-for-mysterious-dancing-cats/ https://www.tokyoreporter.com/crime/american-english-teacher-suspected-of-smuggling-cannabis-oil/ https://soranews24.com/2021/06/04/osaka-man-charged-with-spitting-in-front-of-same-pickle-shop-for-most-of-2020/ https://soranews24.com/2021/06/05/japanese-government-plans-removal-of-around-2485-miles-worth...
Jun 09, 2021•42 min
Learn one simple trick to beat all the girls in an entrance exam! Feminists HATE it!* This Week In Japan, we have: Levi AttackOnTitan cleans up! Illegal Maid Cafes! Murdeerer has sentence suspended And controversey over high school entrance exams rocks the nation! All this, and more, for one week only (apart from the sexism, that's pretty much constant) in Japan! (*The trick is to be a dude) Sources: https://soranews24.com/2021/05/29/talking-attack-on-titan-anime-character-robot-vacuum-promises-...
Jun 03, 2021•53 min
Content warning for Homophobia, Transphobia, and general anti-LGBT bigotry starting at 14:45. Skip to 20:15. Editor's Note: Jon's Japanese tongue twister does not mean "The customer next to me is eating white peaches". Instead, it means "The customer next to me is eating lots of persimmons". This Week In Japan: The legendary missing python has been discovered in an unexpected location, a train driver takes world's riskiest sh*t, Japanese officials debate LGBT discrimination, foreigners banned fr...
May 27, 2021•51 min
Wah-ah-ah-ah. This Week In Japan: Demon Slayer, so hot right now Kindergarten Cop The code is more like guidelines, anyway It takes queue Robocide in Shinjuku? And, inevitably, the mess that is Japan, covid, vaccines, and... the Olympics. Sources: https://soranews24.com/2021/05/14/brain-breaking-photos-from-a-super-otakus-birthday-shrine-to-her-favorite-anime-character/ https://soranews24.com/2021/05/13/osaka-elementary-school-becomes-first-in-japan-to-have-a-police-box-established-on-campus/htt...
May 20, 2021•49 min
Snake? Snake! Snaaaaaaaaake! In other news, Japan makes the same bad puns as us, a tower that should not exist hasn't been demolished yet, cake is sporty now, and drying clothes on a wacky wavy inflatable-arm tube man. I promise no drugs were involved in this. I know, I'm dissappointed too. Sources: https://allabout-japan.com/en/article/9527/ https://mainichi.jp/english/articles/20210507/p2a/00m/0na/007000c https://www.tokyoreporter.com/business/nakagin-capsule-tower-could-be-headed-demolition/ ...
May 13, 2021•49 min
Sources: https://mainichi.jp/english/articles/20210502/p2a/00m/0li/001000c https://soranews24.com/2021/04/30/japanese-cat-enjoys-walks-in-the-rain-with-his-adorable-tiny-umbrella%E3%80%90photos%E3%80%91/ https://soranews24.com/2021/04/29/japan-to-open-its-first-ever-esports-gym-in-tokyo-with-options-to-pay-for-professional-training/ https://www.tokyoreporter.com/crime/national-diet-upping-security-amid-report-of-peeping-tom/ https://www.tokyoreporter.com/crime/kyoto-woman-accused-of-stalking-pol...
May 06, 2021•46 min
This week in Japan: Another one bites the dust, a wild not-so-jiggly-puff appears!, mascot marketing, a real-life harem anime protagonist, what's the deal with airline food?, and the Rise of the Planet of the Boars! Sources: https://soranews24.com/2021/04/23/let-godzilla-do-the-cleaning-with-the-new-godzilla-dust-mop-cover/ https://soranews24.com/2021/04/26/kyoto-police-investigating-cream-puff-attack-on-bentley/ https://soranews24.com/2021/04/23/theres-still-time-to-vote-for-your-favorite-sanri...
Apr 29, 2021•49 min
There's a surprising amount of original content in this one. Is any of it any good? That remains to be seen. Or...heard, I guess. It's a podcast, innit. This Week In Japans features baby otters, infinite cats, creepy clothes crime, a lucky bag blind buffet, police shooting a man upon request, and radioactive water. Mmmm, tingly! Also, Jon plans how to make the Olympics safe (from covid, at least), because no-one else seems to be doing it. How hard can it possible be? Sources: https://mainichi.jp...
Apr 22, 2021•54 min
This Week In Japan: Guest Starring The Geek Tom as The Snack Breaker. If last week's fishy flavour left you a little salty, you'll be happy to hear that this week features a menagerie of morsels, a fountain of food, a... cornicopia of... consumables? Anyway, in This Week In Japan, a man fights a crab, there are vending machines for sweet potatoes, and an Okinawan woman goes on hunger strike to protect her family's bones. This Week In Japan: What else did you expect, really? Sources: https://main...
Apr 13, 2021•42 min
It's time to dress to impress in This Week In Japan. We've got the hottest Harry Potter holders, suspicious suits, stolen schools, fugu fun, and sexist boats. Yeah, you heard me. Sexist Boats. I wish I was making this up. Sources: https://soranews24.com/2021/04/01/japanese-schoolkids-to-be-able-to-carry-their-books-in-official-harry-potter-randoseru-backpacks/ https://soranews24.com/2021/04/05/japanese-police-searching-for-man-who-stole-1-1-million-yen-in-tiny-fish/ https://soranews24.com/2021/0...
Apr 07, 2021•50 min
Haha, you were expecting an elaborate ruse to celebrate April 1st, but it was us: Geeks & Gaijins! Is not doing an April Fools prank technically an April Fools prank in and of itself? Would that be a paradox? Does anyone actually care? Sources: https://mainichi.jp/english/articles/20210326/p2a/00m/0bu/018000c https://mainichi.jp/english/articles/20210327/p2a/00m/0sc/021000c https://mainichi.jp/english/graphs/20210326/hpe/00m/0na/001000g/ https://soranews24.com/2021/03/23/foreign-citizen-arre...
Apr 01, 2021•46 min
Here we go again... This Week In Japan, we celebrate the opening of Super Nintendo World, Disaster Survival Dogs, Train Phones, and a victory for LGBT rights. We do not celebrate another high-profile figure planning the Olympics saying something dumb and sexist. Like, have you guys considered just not? Just take the whole thing around the back of the barn, already. Sources: https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2021/03/18/business/corporate-business/mario-super-nintendo-world/ https://soranews24.com...
Mar 25, 2021•39 min
The day I stop making cat puns is the day I die. Anyway, this week we check in with our favourite baby Panda, Japan's Ainu population, government workers bus schedules, and the noble house cat (or is that castle cat?). Oh also the second coming of Christ has arrived, but it's less fire-and-brimstone, and more fur-and-branches. Basically, congratulations to Monty Python's Life of Brian for being the most accurate religion. Sources: https://mainichi.jp/english/articles/20210311/p2a/00m/0na/053000c...
Mar 17, 2021•44 min
Cedar? I hardly knew her! This Week In Japan, a billionaire wants to send you into space, the Joker runs for election, Trump calls about your insurance, and a man declares war on feet. Our main story this week is about Japan's National Illness: Hayfever! Prepare for a surprise history lesson as we unravel how a rarely-heard-of condition exploded into an epidemic. Sources: https://soranews24.com/2021/03/05/heres-how-to-sign-up-to-be-one-of-the-8-people-to-circle-the-moon-with-yusaku-maezawa/ http...
Mar 11, 2021•47 min
I for one welcome our new feline fuedal lords. In This Week In Japan: A cat owns a castle Frogs play pranks on cops Don't buy Japanese pizza Vaccinations are going to be a problem and the government is very concerned about names. Sources: https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2019/01/08/national/cat-lord-floating-castle-okayama-boosts-tourism-west-japan-rain-disaster/ https://mainichi.jp/english/articles/20210224/p2a/00m/0na/027000c https://soranews24.com/2021/03/01/frogs-trick-fukuoka-police-into-f...
Mar 04, 2021•48 min
Ha Ha. Nice. Sources: https://soranews24.com/2021/02/20/kyoto-slammed-for-manga-telling-people-not-to-talk-at-restaurants/ https://mainichi.jp/english/articles/20210208/p2a/00m/0na/007000c https://www.tokyoreporter.com/crime/tokyo-police-man-used-telegram-to-order-boy-to-rob-convenience-store/ https://www.computerworld.com/article/2693820/telegram-not-dead-stop-alive--evolving-in-japan-stop.html https://mainichi.jp/english/articles/20210222/p2g/00m/0na/062000c https://mainichi.jp/english/article...
Feb 25, 2021•43 min
Well Japan was aquaking, the cats were all ashaking, pictures she was taking, while he was lawbreaking, the decision they were making, now Mori was aflaking, It's This Week In Japan! Sources: https://twitter.com/UnseenJapanSite/status/1361049616087572482 https://www.reddit.com/r/Damnthatsinteresting/comments/lk26ah/cats_in_a_71_magnitude_earthquake_in_japan_on_feb/ https://mainichi.jp/english/articles/20210213/p2a/00m/0li/016000c https://soranews24.com/2021/02/14/21-year-old-nara-woman-arrested-...
Feb 18, 2021•43 min
What's the story with BakaMori, wouldn't you like to know? This Week In Japan features fat deer, Pokemon hacking, and the Olympic Sexism Saga. Sources: https://mainichi.jp/english/articles/20210202/p2a/00m/0na/027000c https://mainichi.jp/english/articles/20210208/p2g/00m/0na/076000c https://soranews24.com/2021/02/06/japanese-politician-piggybacks-on-demon-slayers-popularity-by-exploiting-copyright-loophole/ https://soranews24.com/2021/02/05/man-arrested-in-japan-for-selling-modified-pokemon-to-s...
Feb 11, 2021•52 min
Nothing is certain, except Food, Death, Death-Food, and Children. Although, maybe not that last one, actually. We're working on it. Sources: https://soranews24.com/2021/01/28/japanese-twitter-barks-with-laughter-over-dogfood-ads-bizarre-choice-of-photo/ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0u0h_NL6Z_8 https://soranews24.com/2021/01/29/guesthouse-owner-arrested-for-slashing-guest-who-sprinkled-too-much-pepper-on-his-own-food/ https://mainichi.jp/english/articles/20210201/p2a/00m/0na/024000c https://ma...
Feb 04, 2021•43 min
In this Week In Japan, people who make money based off other people's work argue that other people shouldn't be allowed to make money off other's people work. Also Doggos, Shoplifting, and more Olympics nonsense. Sources: https://soranews24.com/2021/01/21/maximum-shiba-dog-in-japans-first-day-in-the-snow-is-a-hyper-expression-of-pure-joy%E3%80%90vid%E3%80%91/ https://mainichi.jp/english/articles/20210122/p2a/00m/0na/042000c#cxrecs_s https://mainichi.jp/english/articles/20210122/p2a/00m/0na/01300...
Jan 29, 2021•45 min
Welcome to Japan! No-one really knows what's going on, only that everyone's miserable. But don't worry, because we have robot pet cafes, beer (with spelling errors), cherry blossoms (for a couple of weeks), and the 2021 Olympics (note: may not actually contain Olympics). What a magical place! Sources: https://soranews24.com/2021/01/15/we-take-a-trip-to-japans-lovot-robot-cafe-cuddle-with-a-bot-and-learn-how-to-love/ https://soranews24.com/2021/01/14/sapporo-decides-to-sell-new-japanese-beer-with...
Jan 21, 2021•44 min
Oh boy do we have a doosey of an episode for you today. We got pandas, we got Pokemon, we got premium tuna, and, last but not least, the ghost of Joseph Stalin makes a special guest appearance! Only on the Geeks & Gaijins This Week In Japan Podcast TM! Sources: https://aws-smile-birth.com/index_e.html https://mainichi.jp/english/articles/20210111/p2a/00m/0na/014000c https://soranews24.com/2021/01/07/real-life-team-rocket-pokemon-popsicle-fraud-gets-man-arrested-in-japan/ https://soranews24.c...
Jan 14, 2021•42 min
