Today we talk to Mar, founder and director of animation studio Mar Exposito, who will share with us insights of being an animator in Japan as well as the unique career path of creating your own studio vs joining an big anime studio.Liked this episode? Check out our interview with Joshua, a "foreigner" born and raised in Japan who shares his perspective on being a foreign Japanese native! https://youtu.be/Pp1vdHkhn48--Follow Mar:https://www.https://www.maruexposito.comhttps://www.instagram.com/ma...
Jun 09, 2025•1 hr 8 min
Today we sit with Joshua, who was born and raised in Japan despite his "foreign" appearance. Joshua is a content creator and is passionate about sharing stories like his, of foreigners living in Japan with unique backgrounds and stories that challenge many perspectives of what a "Japanese" person is. He shares his experiences born and raised in Japan and the many challenges he's faced with his identity. Follow Joshua: https://www.instagram.com/jj.jj.7/?hl=en https://www.youtube.com/@joshuasjapan...
Jun 06, 2025•58 min
Meet Shawn, a master shakuhachi player, who sits down to talk to us about the history and cultural significance of one of Japan's most ubiquitous, yet paradoxically unknown instruments.Shawn teaches us about the challenges of learning shakuhachi as well as his thoughts on the recent popularity of the instrument in the west. Stay tuned for a beautiful performance from Shawn at the end of the episode!Follow Shawn: https://www.youtube.com/@TairyuShakuhachi https://www.shawnheadmusic.com/ Follow us ...
May 30, 2025•59 min
Today we are joined by Sunshine, a Rakugo storyteller who dives into the world of Rakugo and what it's like being one of the only foreigners to take on this role. We talk about the tradition of Rakugo storytelling, the apprentice-master dynamic, and the overall apprenticeship experience in the journey to becoming a Rakugo storyteller. Follow Sunshine: https://www.rakugo.lol https://www.instagram.com/katsurasunshine https://www.youtube.com/user/KatsuraSunshine https://www.facebook.com/KatsuraSuns...
May 23, 2025•1 hr 7 min
Joining us today is Nury, a trade and agricultural attaché to the Embassy of Chile, who shares what it's like to bring new products from Chile to Japanese markets and how to navigate trade relations with Japan and all of it's meticulous business practices. Follow Nury: https://jp.linkedin.com/in/nury-disegni-gili-90750754 https://www.chile.gob.cl/japon/en Follow us on our social media: https://www.youtube.com/@unpackingjapan https://www.youtube.com/@unpackingjapanshorts https://www.instagram.com...
May 16, 2025•58 min
Today we talk with Capsule Bunny, a content creator and fashion designer who makes content about Japanese fashion and it's subcultures in Japan. In this episode we take a dive into the world of J fashion and talk about Tenshi Kaiwai, designing clothes, and other unique aspects of Japan's fashion culture.Follow Capsule Bunny:https://www.instagram.com/CapsuleBunnyhttps://www.youtube.com/c/CapsuleBunnyhttps://www.x.com/capsulebutthttps://www.capsulebunny.blogspot.jpCheck out her designs:https://www...
May 09, 2025•53 min
Today we are joined by Sergio, an American welder living and working in Japan. He shares his inspiring journey from U.S. shipyards to becoming the first foreign employee at a Japanese manufacturing company. We talk about his path to learning Japanese, getting the Specified Skilled Worker visa, adapting to life in Japan, and his thoughts on Japanese work culture, language, and society. Follow Sergio and learn about his work:https://www.instagram.com/sergsplurgehttps://wakita-develop.com/wakita/wp...
May 02, 2025•57 min
Meet Nikhil, a content creator from India, who sits down to talk to us about his journey to Japan, becoming fluent in Japanese, and the anime that started it all.Follow Nikhil and his channel:https://www.youtube.com/@Nikhil_kunhttps://www.instagram.com/nikhil__kunJoin Nikhil Kun's WhatsApp Japanese Learning Group:https://chat.whatsapp.com/LggWDlqIVyS52jYGVYFbttFollow us on our social media:https://www.youtube.com/@unpackingjapanshortshttps://www.instagram.com/unpacking_japanhttps://www.tiktok.co...
Apr 25, 2025•1 hr 4 min
Meet Dino, a car enthusiast, journalist and vlogger based in Japan, who sits down to talk to us about his journey into the Japanese car scene, why it's so diverse, and how foreigners can participate in Japan's unique car culture. Follow Dino:https://www.youtube.com/@dino_dchttps://dinodc.co/https://www.instagram.com/dino_dalle_carbonarehttps://www.facebook.com/p/Dino-DCFollow us on our social media:https://anchor.fm/s/103c3f63c/podcast/rss https://www.youtube.com/@unpackingjapanshortshttps://www...
Apr 18, 2025•1 hr 2 min
Meet Chinyere, cyber security expert and personal finance consultant. She talks about Japan being extremely behind in cyber security knowledge and other topics. Follow Chinyere: https://thesistafund.com/ https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC7UdPuAihqNSIv8-Eupfjyw https://www.linkedin.com/in/chinyere-okoli-816b2b64 https://www.facebook.com/thesistafund/ Follow us on our social media: https://www.buzzsprout.com/2158416 https://www.youtube.com/@unpackingjapanshorts https://www.instagram.com/unpacking_...
Apr 11, 2025•57 min
Meet Mickael, a half Japanese, half Filipino vlogger, who makes content about life in Japan in Tagalog. He sits down with us to share his story of growing up hafu in Japan, before rediscovering his roots in the Philippines. Follow Mickael on social media: https://www.tiktok.com/@mikasan__ https://www.youtube.com/@mikasan_ https://www.instagram.com/mickaelshimizu_ https://www.facebook.com/mikasaninosaka/ Follow us on our social media: https://youtube.com/@unpackingjapan https://www.instagram.com/...
Apr 04, 2025•48 min
Meet Justin, a singer who has been studying the ancient art of shigin for more than 10 years, after accidentally discovering it one day while living in the Japanese countryside. He sits down with us to share his story of moving from Tennessee to Japan and falling in love with this beautiful, yet incredibly difficult, traditional art form. 00:00 Intro 01:38 The Story of Coming to Japan 02:29 Why Japan? 03:50 Volunteering in Fukushima 09:09 Getting into Shigin 13:00 Singing Shigin 15:24 Improving ...
Mar 28, 2025•1 hr 6 min
Meet Joe Allam, a British filmmaker and a photographer who was so fascinated by Japan that he decided to move to Osaka and restart his entire life in Japan. He sits down to talk with us about what makes Japan so special, how he avoids the Japan content trap, and his own inspirations as a filmmaker. Follow Joe Allam: https://joeallam.co.uk/about/ https://www.youtube.com/AllamJoe https://www.instagram.com/joeallam http://facebook.com/JoeAllamLtd http://twitter.com/joeallam Follow us on our social ...
Mar 21, 2025•1 hr 6 min
Meet Ananya, who sits down with us to share her journey to Japan and unique perspective on living here as a content creator. Ananya makes both educational content to help teach Japanese, as well as comedic skits that reflect her personal experiences in Japan. Follow Ananya: https://www.instagram.com/hiananyaa_ https://www.youtube.com/@hiananyaa https://x.com/hiananyaa https://www.tiktok.com/@hiananya Check out Ananya's Japanese course: https://japanese.hiananya.com/ Follow us on our social media...
Mar 14, 2025•56 min
Meet Felicity, a filmmaker exploring the theme of identity through her documentary work in Japan. She sits down to talk with us about what she's learned about Japanese views on multiculturalism, awareness of queer issues, and the concept of what "home" is. Follow Felicity's work: https://www.instagram.com/wherenextjapan https://www.wherenextjapan.com Follow us on our social media: https://youtube.com/@unpackingjapan https://www.instagram.com/unpacking_japan https://www.x.com/unpacking_japan http...
Mar 07, 2025•55 min
Meet AV star June Lovejoy, who sits down with us to break down all the misconceptions about the Japanese porn industry, and explore what life is like for workers in this profession. June shares their own personal experiences, their thoughts on the good and bad of the industry, and the ways it continues to change. Follow June: https://www.instagram.com/junelovejoyy https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC5o8__B2BXoqFf0Et1fMSrQ https://x.com/june__lovejoy https://www.tiktok.com/@junelovejoy https://www....
Feb 28, 2025•1 hr 6 min
Meet Donna Burke, a singer and voice actress in Japan most widely known as the voice of the Shinkansen. She sits down to talk to us about her 30-year career in Japan, from wedding singer to starring in franchises like Metal Gear, Silent Hill, and Tokyo Ghoul, as well as her life as an entrepreneur. Follow Donna: https://www.donnaburke.com/ https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCwl3O6yIEVSY49XwOS1QTpA https://www.instagram.com/thedonnaburke https://www.x.com/TheDonnaBurke https://www.facebook.com/donn...
Feb 21, 2025•59 min
Meet Jheadear, a factory worker and content creator from the Philippines, who sits down to talk to us about the process of applying to become a technical trainee in Japan. We discuss her daily routines and workflow, her challenges in adapting to Japanese culture and work environment, as well as her work as an influencer helping her fellow Filipinos secure work placements in Japan. Follow Jheadear https://www.youtube.com/@jeadelosreyes3720 https://www.tiktok.com/@jeadelosreyes Follow us on our so...
Feb 14, 2025•49 min
Meet Jad, cofounder of Integral AI, a software developing a system called universal simulations, in order to help advance AGI (artificial general intelligence). He sits down to talk with us about the future of AI, and if we really can develop it in a way that benefits humanity. Follow Jad & Intergral AI https://www.x.com/jad_tarifi https://www.integral.ai Follow us on our social media: https://youtube.com/@unpackingjapan https://www.instagram.com/unpacking_japan https://www.x.com/unpacking_j...
Feb 07, 2025•1 hr
Meet Ricchaado, a comedian from the UK most known for his exaggerated skits about his experiences as a black foreigner in Japan. He sits down to talk to us about the inspirations behind his famous characters Momo-chan and Mr. Hashimoto, his other business endeavors, how Japanese and Western viewers see his content differently, and more. Follow Ricchaado: https://www.instagram.com/ricchaadotv https://www.youtube.com/@RicchaadoTV https://www.x.com/ricchaado https://www.facebook.com/Ricchaado-10461...
Jan 31, 2025•1 hr 10 min
Meet Dr. Miaka, a veterinarian at Kobe Animal Kingdom, who sits down to talk with us about her daily life taking care of the zoo's wide variety of animals, as well as discuss animal rights in Japan, the role of zoos in science and conservation, and how her zoo recreates the natural habitats of its animals. Follow Dr. Miaka and the Kobe Animal Kingdom: https://www.instagram.com/@zoovetjapan https://www.kobe-oukoku.com/en Follow us on our social media: https://youtube.com/@unpackingjapan https://w...
Jan 24, 2025•1 hr 22 min
For our 100th episode we are joined by one of Japan's most recognizable foreign content creators, pitch accent specialist, and writer, Dogen! In this long awaited interview, Dogen talks about his creative process, inspirations, and challenges he has faced through his journey in Japan, in creative writing, and content creation. Follow Dogen: https://www.youtube.com/@Dogen https://www.x.com/dogen https://www.patreon.com/dogen Follow us on our social media: https://youtube.com/@unpackingjapan https...
Jan 17, 2025•1 hr 41 min
Meet Luna, a maid witch at Afilia Magic Kingdom, who sits down to talk with us about what it's really like to work at a maid cafe in Akihabara. Follow Luna: https://www.x.com/luna_afilia https://www.tiktok.com/@luna_afilia https://www.youtube.com/@luna_afilia Check out Afilia Magic Kingdom EN: https://linktr.ee/afilia.kingdom JP: https://linktr.ee/afilia_kingdom Follow us on our social media: https://youtube.com/@unpackingjapan https://www.instagram.com/unpacking_japan https://www.x.com/unpackin...
Jan 10, 2025•56 min
Meet Byron, founder of Kasamatsu Farms, who shares with us his journey from salaryman in Tokyo to farmer in the Japanese countryside, embracing permaculture and sustainable agriculture. Follow Byron: https://kasamatsu-farms.com/ https://www.instagram.com/kasamatsufarms Follow us on our social media: https://youtube.com/@unpackingjapan https://www.instagram.com/unpacking_japan https://www.x.com/unpacking_japan https://www.tiktok.com/@unpackingjapan https://youtube.com/@unpackingjapanshorts Subscr...
Jan 03, 2025•1 hr 15 min
Meet Nick, founder of Japan Remotely, who sits down to talk with us about his work helping clients find the perfect living situation in Japan, and his insights on the challenges of turning Japan into a long-term home. Follow Nick: https://japanremotely.com https://www.instagram.com/japanremotely/ Follow us on our social media: https://youtube.com/@unpackingjapan https://www.instagram.com/unpacking_japan https://www.x.com/unpacking_japan https://www.tiktok.com/@unpackingjapan https://youtube.com/...
Dec 28, 2024•1 hr 7 min
Meet Mr. Nippon, a half Japanese and half German YouTuber in Japan, who sits down to talk with us about his experiences interviewing Germans on their immigrant journey, and what life in Japan is like for them. Follow Mr. Nippon: https://www.mrnippon.com https://www.youtube.com/@MrNippon https://www.instagram.com/misuta_nippon https://www.discord.com/invite/KmXZENZJej Follow us on our social media: https://youtube.com/@unpackingjapan https://www.instagram.com/unpacking_japan https://www.x.com/unp...
Dec 20, 2024•1 hr 1 min
Meet Rob, an engineer for open source environmental data project Safecast, who sits down to talk to us about his work on the Fukushima disaster cleanup, as well as his own sustainable living in the mountains of Nara. Check out Rob's work: https://bgeigiezen.safecast.jp https://about.me/robouden Follow us on our social media: https://youtube.com/@unpackingjapan https://www.instagram.com/unpacking_japan https://www.x.com/unpacking_japan https://www.tiktok.com/@unpackingjapan https://youtube.com/@u...
Dec 16, 2024•48 min
Meet Fanny, A.K.A Nynyhon, a model who has lived in Japan for 10 years and who has found success as a streamer and content creator. Fanny sits down with us to discuss her path to Twitch streamer and the intricacies of a career as a model in Japan, from easy part-time gig for foreigners to sustainability as a full-time job. Follow Fanny: https://www.twitch.tv/nynyhon https://www.instagram.com/nynyhon https://www.youtube.com/@Nynyhon https://x.com/Nynyhon_ https://www.boutiquenynyhon.com/ Follow u...
Dec 06, 2024•57 min
Meet Marc, Consul General of the Netherlands in Osaka, who sits down to talk with us about what we can expect to see at the Dutch pavilion during next year's highly anticipated Expo 2025 Osaka, and all of the work and themes being put into its development. Follow Marc and the Consulate: https://www.netherlandsandyou.nl/your-country-and-the-netherlands/japan https://www.instagram.com/nlinjapan https://www.youtube.com/@NLinJapan https://www.facebook.com/NLinJapan https://www.facebook.com/OrandainJ...
Nov 29, 2024•1 hr 8 min
Meet John Gauntner, the world's leading non-Japanese sake expert, who sits down to talk with us about understanding good sake, the growing market around the world, and his own journey to Japan and how he became THE sake guy. Follow John Gaunter: https://www.instagram.com/johngauntner/ https://x.com/johngauntner https://sake-world.com/ https://sake-world.com/store/books/ Follow us on our social media: https://youtube.com/@unpackingjapan https://www.instagram.com/unpacking_japan https://www.x.com/...
Nov 22, 2024•1 hr 3 min
