Deep Dive from The Japan Times

In Episode 3 of Recultured, we discuss what happens when the government lifts Japan's state of emergency, and the country attempts to adjust to a "new normal." Pop group NiziU’s song “Make You Happy” provides an upbeat soundtrack for the summer, and hints at bigger changes underway. Guests on this episode: Aya Nogami, international music consultant Chris Broad, YouTuber and podcaster, Abroad in Japan  Hannah Lee, writer for Arama Japan James Hadfield, Japan Times culture writer Jay Kogami, writer for All Digital Music and Music Ally Japan Seimei Kawai, co-founder of Trekkie Trax Ronald Taylor, writer for Arama Japan and Japan Times contributor Music discussed in this episode: "Make You Happy" by NiziU — Japan's summer anthem "Racing into the Night" by Yoasobi — Japan's stay-at-home song "I'm Good" by Hilltop Hoods — Shaun's pick of the pandemic  "Savage" by Megan Thee Stallion — Alyssa's pent-up energy release Sponsor: Recultured is brought to you by Food-e, Tokyo's first gourmet restaurant delivery service. Food-e delivers from some of Tokyo's finest restaurants, such as Nobu Tokyo and The Oak Door Steakhouse, to homes, offices and parties. Premium dining — now at your fingertips and available exclusively at www.food-e.jp. Credits: This episode was hosted by Shaun McKenna and Alyssa I. Smith. It was written by Patrick St. Michel and Oscar Boyd, with extra help from our intern Tadasu Takahashi. It was produced by Oscar Boyd. Our theme music was by LLLL, and this episode was recorded at the Temple University Japan Campus in Sangenjaya, Tokyo. Illustrations by Ming Ong. Announcements: Sign up to the Deep Dive mailing list and be notified every time a new episode comes out. Get in touch with us at deepdive@japantimes.co.jp. Support the show! Rate us, review us and share this episode with a friend if you've enjoyed it. Follow us on Twitter, and give us feedback. This episode of Deep Dive may be supported by advertising based on your location. Advertising is sourced by Audioboom and is not affiliated with The Japan Times.

In Episode 4 of Recultured, we look to the movie releases of Ufotable's "Demon Slayer" and Kyoto Animation's "Violet Evergarden" for hope, as we wait out the long winter for a vaccine and brighter days in 2021. Guests on this episode: Hannah Lee, writer for Arama Japan Kim Morrissy, Anime News Network Tokyo correspondent Lauren Rose Kocher, co-founder Zaiko PTE Matt Schley, Japan Times anime writer Sponsor: Recultured is brought to you by Food-e, Tokyo's first gourmet restaurant delivery service. Food-e delivers from some of Tokyo's finest restaurants, such as Nobu Tokyo and The Oak Door Steakhouse, to homes, offices and parties. Premium dining — now at your fingertips and available exclusively at www.food-e.jp.  Credits: This episode was hosted by Shaun McKenna and Alyssa I. Smith. It was written by Patrick St. Michel and Oscar Boyd, with extra help from our intern Tadasu Takahashi. It was produced by Oscar Boyd. Our theme music was by LLLL, the sound of Tokyo, and this episode was recorded at the Temple University Japan Campus in Sangenjaya, Tokyo. Illustrations by Ming Ong. Announcements: Sign up to the Deep Dive mailing list and be notified every time a new episode comes out. Get in touch with us at deepdive@japantimes.co.jp. Support the show! Rate us, review us and share this episode with a friend if you've enjoyed it. Follow us on Twitter, and give us feedback. This episode of Deep Dive may be supported by advertising based on your location. Advertising is sourced by Audioboom and is not affiliated with The Japan Times.

Send us your stories about what got you through the challenges of 2020. It could be new hobbies you started, different things you discovered online, unexpected moments that brought you happiness, or things you did for other people. Record a voice memo on your phone — the inbuilt app is totally fine — and tell us your story along with your name and where you're recording from.  Once you're done, just email your recording to deepdive@japantimes.co.jp with the subject line “So long, 2020.”  We’d love to get those by Wednesday, December 23 to play around the New Year.

Our guest is Sheila A. Smith, a senior fellow for Japan studies at the Council on Foreign Relations, and the author of books including “Japan Rearmed: The Politics of Military Power” and “Japan's New Politics and the U.S.-Japan Alliance.” Sheila joined us from Washington earlier this week to give her take on what a Biden presidency might mean for Japan going forward, where the U.S. and Japan might find new areas for cooperation, and the growing pressure on the alliance from an increasingly demanding China. Read more: After sending congratulatory note, Suga ponders his approach to Biden (Satoshi Sugiyama and Jesse Johnson, The Japan Times) Suga says he got Biden's backing on Senkakus in first phone talks (Satoshi Sugiyama, The Japan Times) Blunt claim on Senkakus overshadows progress in China-Japan meeting (Satoshi Sugiyama, The Japan Times) Japan’s ‘misunderstanding’ about a Biden administration (Shin Kawashima, The Japan Times) Japan looks to past ties with Trump and Biden for glimpses of the future (Eric Johnston, The Japan Times) After unpredictable Trump, Biden may keep Japan in trade quagmire (Kyodo via The Japan Times) On this episode:  Sheila A. Smith: Twitter | Website Oscar Boyd: Twitter | Articles | Instagram Announcements: Sign up to the Deep Dive mailing list and be notified every time a new episode comes out. Get in touch with us at deepdive@japantimes.co.jp. Support the show! Rate us, review us and share this episode with a friend if you've enjoyed it. Follow us on Twitter, and give us feedback. This episode of Deep Dive may be supported by advertising based on your location. Advertising is sourced by Audioboom and is not affiliated with The Japan Times. Photo: Then U.S. Vice President Joe Biden delivers a speech in front of people affected by the March 11 earthquake and tsunami, at Sendai Airport on Aug. 23, 2011. | KYODO

Our guest today is Alex Kerr, best known for his books “Lost Japan” and “Dogs and Demons.” Through his work in Shikoku’s Iya Valley and Kyoto’s teahouse districts, Alex has become one of the country’s pioneers of new models of heritage-based and sustainable tourism.  On this episode we’ll be discussing what a sustainable future for Japan’s tourism could look like, and whether Covid-19 offers a space to reflect and reimagine the industry, or whether the country will regress to old habits and unsustainable practices as soon as it’s over.  Read more:  Foreign visitors drop 99% from year earlier for sixth straight month (The Japan Times) Getting the wheels back on Japan's travel industry (Alex Martin, The Japan Times) Tourism's effect on historic cities and sites in focus as global conference kicks off in Kyoto (Eric Johnston, The Japan Times) Japan is struggling to deal with the foreign tourism boom (Philip Brasor, The Japan Times) Photo Essay: Tokyo without tourists (Oscar Boyd, The Japan Times) Pandemic derails Abe's strategy to revive regional Japan with tourism (Reuters) On this episode:  Alex Kerr: Chiiori Trust | Website Oscar Boyd: Twitter | Articles | Instagram Finding the Heart Sutra Alex Kerr's new book "Finding the Heart Sutra" will be published Nov. 26, 2020, by Penguin. This book brings together Buddhist teaching, talks with friends and mentors, and acute cultural insights to probe the universe of thought contained within the "Heart Sutra." Announcements: Sign up to the Deep Dive mailing list and be notified every time a new episode comes out. Get in touch with us at deepdive@japantimes.co.jp. Support the show! Rate us, review us and share this episode with a friend if you've enjoyed it. Follow us on Twitter, and give us feedback. This episode of Deep Dive may be supported by advertising based on your location. Advertising is sourced by Audioboom and is not affiliated with The Japan Times. Photo: Pre-pandemic, tourists walk along Matsubara-dori street approaching Kiyomizu Temple in Kyoto. | BLOOMBERG

Gearoid Reidy, a senior editor at Bloomberg, joins us to discuss whether we might see a new state of emergency and the hope provided by the recent news about vaccines. Read more: Tokyo reports record-breaking daily cases as capital prepares for highest alert level (Ryusei Takahashi, The Japan Times) COVID-19 updates (The Japan Times) Hokkaido raises alert level for Sapporo as virus surge continues (The Japan Times) 84% concerned about record coronavirus cases in Japan, poll finds (The Japan Times)  How the Moderna and Pfizer coronavirus vaccines stack up (The Japan Times) Japan approves bill to offer all residents free COVID-19 vaccines (The Japan Times) Japan was expecting a coronavirus explosion. Where is it? (Gearoid Reidy) On this episode: Gearoid Reidy: Twitter | Articles Oscar Boyd: Twitter | Articles | Instagram Announcements: Sign up to the Deep Dive mailing list and be notified every time a new episode comes out. Get in touch with us at deepdive@japantimes.co.jp. Support the show! Rate us, review us and share this episode with a friend if you've enjoyed it. Follow us on Twitter, and give us feedback. This episode of Deep Dive may be supported by advertising based on your location. Advertising is sourced by Audioboom and is not affiliated with The Japan Times. Photo: Mask-wearing pedestrians are reflected in a board in Tokyo. | AFP-JIJI

The Ainu are Japan's indigenous population and Japan Times contributor Mara Budgen has been meeting with them to better understand their remaining culture, the difficulties they face, and to learn about the ongoing efforts to preserve their language. Sponsor: This episode is sponsored by Kokoro Care Packages, delivering curated care packages from Japan, filled with locally made, premium-quality, artisanal Japanese foods. It's the perfect thing to give for Christmas, to treat yourself if you're missing Japan, or to discover something new if you’re living here. For Deep Dive listeners, use the code "DEEPDIVE" to get a 10% discount off your first order of a subscription purchase at kokorocares.com. Read more:  The Ainu language and the global movement for indigenous rights (Mara Budgen and Francesco Bassetti, The Japan Times) Japan's Ainu recognition bill: What does it mean for Hokkaido's indigenous people? (Sakura Murakami, The Japan Times) Japan enacts law recognizing Ainu as indigenous, but activists say it falls short of U.N. declaration (The Japan Times) Kaneto Kawamura Ainu Museum (Lonely Planet)  New Ainu culture complex generating little buzz outside Hokkaido (The Japan Times) On this episode: Mara Budgen:  Twitter | Website Oscar Boyd: Twitter | Articles | Instagram Announcements: Sign up to the Deep Dive mailing list and be notified every time a new episode comes out. Get in touch with us at deepdive@japantimes.co.jp. Support the show! Rate us, review us and share this episode with a friend if you've enjoyed it. Follow us on Twitter, and give us feedback. This episode of Deep Dive may be supported by advertising based on your location. Advertising is sourced by Audioboom and is not affiliated with The Japan Times. Photo: Hisae Kawamura sings an Ainu folktale at the Kaneto Kawamura Ainu Museum in Asahikawa, Hokkaido. | Oscar Boyd

In his research, Dan discovers the long history of cannabis in Japan, talks to groups campaigning for the legalization of medical marijuana and the people selling CBD as a relaxation agent during these ever so slightly stressful times. Read/hear more: Is Japan ready to embrace CBD? (Dan Buyanovsky, The Japan Times) Cannabis — The fabric of Japan (Jon Mitchell, The Japan Times) Japan’s First Lady Touts Revival of Hemp Culture (The Wall Street Journal) Green Zone Japan Japanese Magenese — "Real Stoner" (YouTube) Mega-G and Dogma — "High Brand" (YouTube) Man in battle against cancer leads Japanese fight for medical use of marijuana (Tomoko Otake, The Japan Times) Japan sees record 4,300 cannabis offenders in 2019 (The Japan Times) Five U.S. states pass legal marijuana measures (Bloomberg via The Japan Times) On this episode: Dan Buyanovsky: Website | Instagram Oscar Boyd: Twitter | Articles | Instagram Announcements: Sign up to the Deep Dive mailing list and be notified every time a new episode comes out. Get in touch with us at deepdive@japantimes.co.jp. Support the show! Rate us, review us and share this episode with a friend if you've enjoyed it. Follow us on Twitter, and give us feedback. This episode of Deep Dive may be supported by advertising based on your location. Advertising is sourced by Audioboom and is not affiliated with The Japan Times. Photo: CBD is added to coffee at Tokyo's CBD Coffee | Dan Buyanovsky

As Halloween approaches, author, Bram Stoker Award nominee and host of the podcast "Uncanny Japan," Thersa Matsuura joins us to share her fascination with the Japanese supernatural, and reads us her version of one of Japan's most famous ghost stories, "Okiku and the Nine Plates." Sponsor: This episode is sponsored by Democrats Abroad Japan, a volunteer organization that helps Americans overseas register to vote. If you're a U.S. voter living abroad and haven't received your absentee ballot, or are afraid the one you've sent won't arrive in time, you're still in luck. An emergency backup ballot is your second chance! Head to VoteFromAbroad.org/fwab to learn how you can fill out and send in your backup ballot per your state's guidelines. Read/hear more: Yuurei: Japanese Ghosts from Protective to Wrathful (Uncanny Japan) 10 days of J-horror: Films to get your fill of screams and scares (Mark Schilling, The Japan Times) 'Japanese Ghost Stories': The ghostly ascent of Lafcadio Hearn's tales of the supernatural (Damian Flanagan, The Japan Times) Unsolved mysteries: Japanese fans of the occult are engaged in a never-ending search for the truth (Alex Martin, The Japan Times) The story of Yotsuya Kaidan — The Ghost of Oiwa (Uncanny Japan) On this episode: Thersa Matsuura: Twitter | Podcast & Website Oscar Boyd: Twitter | Articles | Instagram Announcements: Sign up to the Deep Dive mailing list and be notified every time a new episode comes out. Get in touch with us at deepdive@japantimes.co.jp. Support the show! Rate us, review us and share this episode with a friend if you've enjoyed it. Follow us on Twitter, and give us feedback. This episode of Deep Dive may be supported by advertising based on your location. Advertising is sourced by Audioboom and is not affiliated with The Japan Times. Photo: Utagawa Kuniyoshi's "Haunted Old Palace at Soma" (ca. 1845-46), in which a sorceress draws forth a giant skeleton to attack a warrior. | Private Collection

Japan has an uncomfortable relationship with tattoos, which are associated with the yakuza and the criminal underworld of Japan. We’re joined by Japan Times contributor and former columnist Alice Gordenker, who hopes to challenge that stereotype, through a new documentary she’s produced called “Horimono: Japan’s Tattoo Pilgrimage,” which follows the annual pilgrimage of the Choyukai, a group united by their full-body tattoos. We discuss Alice’s film, misconceptions about tattoos in Japan, and how tattoos turned from celebrated body art of the Edo Period to something thought of as a criminal accessory. Sponsor: This episode is sponsored by Democrats Abroad Japan, a volunteer organization that helps Americans overseas register to vote. If you're a U.S. voter living abroad and haven't received your absentee ballot, or are afraid the one you've sent won't arrive in time, you're still in luck. An emergency backup ballot is your second chance! Head to VoteFromAbroad.org/fwab to learn how you can fill out and send in your backup ballot per your state's guidelines. Watch the film: “Horimono: Japan’s Tattoo Pilgrimage,” can be watched on Vice News' YouTube Channel. Read more:  Japan's top court rules tattoo artists don't need medical license (The Japan Times) Find tattoo friendly establishments in Japan (Tattoo Friendly) Tokyo man fired by sushi restaurant over tattoo rumor seeks damages (The Japan Times) Loved abroad, hated at home: The art of Japanese tattooing (Jon Mitchell, The Japan Times) Jomon revival: Interest in Japan’s indigenous hunter-gatherers grows (Alex Martin, The Japan Times) On this episode: Alice Gordenker: Twitter | Articles | Website Oscar Boyd: Twitter | Articles | Instagram Announcements: Sign up to the Deep Dive mailing list and be notified every time a new episode comes out. Get in touch with us at deepdive@japantimes.co.jp. Support the show! Rate us, review us and share this episode with a friend if you've enjoyed it. Follow us on Twitter, and give us feedback. This episode of Deep Dive may be supported by advertising based on your location. Advertising is sourced by Audioboom and is not affiliated with The Japan Times. Photo: “Praying for Hits in the Waterfall of Answered Prayers” (1863) Utagawa Kunisada I (Toyokuni III). Courtesy of Isehara