Unpacking Japan

In this episode, we chat with Timothy an American entrepreneur and marketing expert who has spent over 30 years living and working in Japan. Timothy shares his journey from arriving with little more than a backpack to building a career in the Japanese business world, including launching his own branding agency. He offers candid insights into Japanese work culture, how trust and relationships shape business, and what it's really like navigating life as a foreign professional in Japan. If you're curious about marketing, career growth, and cultural adaptation in Japan, this episode is for you.Follow Timothy:https://www.instagram.com/timothyconnorhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/timothyconnorhttps://www.synnovate.jp/Follow Us:https://unpacking.jp/https://www.youtube.com/@unpackingjapanhttps://www.youtube.com/@unpackingjapanshortshttps://www.instagram.com/unpacking_japanhttps://www.tiktok.com/@unpackingjapanhttps://www.x.com/unpacking_japanhttps://www.facebook.com/unpackingjapanSubscribe for more in-depth discussions about life in Japan! Interested in working at a global e-commerce company in Osaka? Our parent company ZenGroup is hiring! To learn more, check out https://careers.zen.group/en/

Discover life in a Japanese mountain village through Emily's journey as she reconnects with her roots and embraces rural living. She shares insights on foraging sansai, the cultural significance of wild vegetables, and the vital role of community. Hear about daily adventures with her 93-year-old neighbor, the fascinating 72 micro-seasons project, and the nuances of land access for foraging. Emily highlights the importance of building trust with locals, turning her passion into a meaningful contribution to rural revitalization.

Meet Paul Martin, one of the world's leading Japanese sword experts, who sits down to talk to us about the make and history of Japanese swords, regulations around ownership, and what we can do about Japan's disappearing art of swordmaking.Follow Paul:https://www.thejapanesesword.com/ @Paul_Martin_The_Japanese_Sword  https://www.facebook.com/The.Japanese.Sword/https://www.instagram.com/thejapanesesword/

Today we speak with Andrew, an American who became a foster and adoptive parent in Japan. He opens up about the challenges of navigating Japan’s child welfare system, cultural differences in parenting, and what inspired him to open his home to children in need. Andrew shares his personal journey, misconceptions people often have about adoption in Japan, and how he’s working to change the narrative around fostering and adoption.Follow Andrew:https://www.linkedin.com/in/aneumanFollow Us:https://unpacking.jp/https://www.youtube.com/@unpackingjapanhttps://www.youtube.com/@unpackingjapanshortshttps://www.instagram.com/unpacking_japanhttps://www.tiktok.com/@unpackingjapanhttps://www.x.com/unpacking_japanhttps://www.facebook.com/unpackingjapanSubscribe for more in-depth discussions about life in Japan! Interested in working at a global e-commerce company in Osaka? Our parent company ZenGroup is hiring! To learn more, check out https://careers.zen.group/en/Additional Links for information on adoption:The Family of Adoption: Completely Revised and Updatedhttps://www.goodreads.com/book/show/962764.The_Family_of_Adoption作家デビュー十年で新境地となった、出産を...『朝が来る』辻村深月 | 文春文庫https://books.bunshun.jp/ud/book/num/9784167991333Yokohama Yankee: My Family’s Five Generations as Outsiders in Japan - Deutsches Institut für Japanstudienhttps://www.dijtokyo.org/ja/event/yokohama-yankee-my-familys-five-generations-as-outsiders-in-japan/Intercountry Adoptionhttps://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/Intercountry-Adoption/Intercountry-Adoption-Country-Information/Japan.htmlhttps://hermes-ir.lib.hit-u.ac.jp/hermes/ir/re/19634/keizaikenkyu06104342.pdfHere Comes the Sun: A Journey to Adoption in 8 Chakrashttps://www.goodreads.com/en/book/show/23282195-here-comes-the-sunAdoption and Historical Background in Japanhttps://www.issj.org/adoption-web-en/roots/history/Why Is It Important to Increase Foster Care and Adoption Programs? | The Nippon Foundationhttps://en.nippon-foundation.or.jp/news/articles/2018/20180403-19604.htmlFamily Matters: Promoting Special Adoptions in Japan for the Good of Childrenen.nippon-foundation.or.jphttps://www.nippon.com/en/currents/d00393/戸籍の窓口II 養子縁組・特別養子縁組 | 日本加除出版https://www.kajo.co.jp/c/book/01/0101/49172000001?srsltid=AfmBOopYTAlN_Knqcz3XriqnOzldOi7_iveJSUDJM4kquuRDTCKLnu2q関連書籍 | 子どもたちに家庭をプロジェクトhttps://nf-kodomokatei.jp/book/里親と特別養子縁組https://www.chuko.co.jp/shinsho/2024/10/102826.html

Yurié Collins, a half-Japanese, half-American comedian and actress, shares her journey navigating cultural identities in Japan and the U.S. She discusses her viral TikTok success, the challenges of bilingual stand-up, and the nuances of performing in Japanese. Humorously reflecting on the Tokyo comedy scene, she dives into adapting material for different audiences, including politics and body image. With aspirations to grow her bilingual comedy and create dark comedic content, Yurié proves that laughter can bridge cultural divides.

Meet Emirichu, a popular artist and content creator known for her storytelling, animations, and deeply personal yet humorous content.From her unexpected start as a teacher to moving across the world, Emirichu opens up about adapting to life in Japan and how her art and voice have changed along the way. We also explore her anime influences, her love of fan culture, and what being an artist means to her.--Follow Emirichu:https://www.youtube.com/@Emirichuhttps://www.instagram.com/emirichuuhttps://www.X.com/EmirichuYThttps://www.twitch.tv/emirichuythttps://www.youtube.com/@SpilledInkytFollow Us:https://unpacking.jp/https://www.youtube.com/@unpackingjapanhttps://www.youtube.com/@unpackingjapanshortshttps://www.instagram.com/unpacking_japanhttps://www.tiktok.com/@unpackingjapanhttps://www.x.com/unpacking_japanhttps://www.facebook.com/unpackingjapan

On today's episode we talk to James, a video game music composer, to talk all about his musical journey and how it lead him to composing music for games and anime in Japan. We go over what it's like working as a western composer in Japan, joining a big company vs being independent, what makes a good song, and all the things a composer thinks about when creating music for video games.Follow James & listen to his music:https://www.jameslandino.comhttps://www.instagram.com/jameslandinohttps://www.youtube.com/jameslandinohttps://www.twitch.tv/jameslandinohttps://X.com/jameslandinohttps://www.facebook.com/jameslandinomusic/https://music.apple.com/jp/artist/james-landino/677816776https://soundcloud.com/jameslandinohttps://open.spotify.com/artist/6xMMOflXnoIA3grU3seMjh?si=18L0en3qTUW_CkSl4FTbMwFollow Us:https://unpacking.jp/https://www.youtube.com/@unpackingjapanhttps://www.youtube.com/@unpackingjapanshortshttps://www.instagram.com/unpacking_japanhttps://www.tiktok.com/@unpackingjapanhttps://www.x.com/unpacking_japanhttps://www.facebook.com/unpackingjapanSubscribe for more in-depth discussions about life in Japan! Interested in working at a global e-commerce company in Osaka? Our parent company ZenGroup is hiring! To learn more, check out https://careers.zen.group/en/

In this episode of Unpacking Japan, we sit down with Chris Pellegrini, a leading expert on shochu and awamori, and the founder of Honest Drinks. Chris shares his journey from Vermont to Japan, how he fell in love with Japan’s traditional distilled spirits, and why shochu deserves more recognition globally.Follow Christopher:https://honkakuspirits.com/https://www.instagram.com/christopherpellegrinihttps://www.facebook.com/pellegrinichristopherFollow Us:https://unpacking.jp/https://www.youtube.com/@unpackingjapanhttps://www.youtube.com/@unpackingjapanshortshttps://www.instagram.com/unpacking_japanhttps://www.tiktok.com/@unpackingjapanhttps://www.x.com/unpacking_japanhttps://www.facebook.com/unpackingjapanSubscribe for more in-depth discussions about life in Japan! Interested in working at a global e-commerce company in Osaka? Our parent company ZenGroup is hiring! To learn more, check out https://careers.zen.group/en/

Today we talk to Tristan, a historian and professor based in Nagoya, Japan. Tristan specializes in the history of Japanese urban development and infrastructure, and shares fascinating insights into how and why Tokyo is built the way it is. From Edo-era planning to post-war reconstruction and subway development, we explore how history has shaped the Tokyo we know today.Follow Tristan:https://x.com/tristangrunowFollow Us:https://unpacking.jp/https://www.youtube.com/@unpackingjapanhttps://www.youtube.com/@unpackingjapanshortshttps://www.instagram.com/unpacking_japanhttps://www.tiktok.com/@unpackingjapanhttps://www.x.com/unpacking_japanhttps://www.facebook.com/unpackingjapanSubscribe for more in-depth discussions about life in Japan! Interested in working at a global e-commerce company in Osaka? Our parent company ZenGroup is hiring! To learn more, check out https://careers.zen.group/en/

In this episode of Unpacking Japan, we sit down with Malachi, a stadium MC born and raised in Hokkaido, Japan, who shares what it was like growing up as a foreign-looking local in Japan. Malachi talks about finding his identity, navigating life in Japan, and how he eventually ended up as an MC at major sporting events across the country. We also dive into his experience on The Bachelorette Japan, and how it changed his life.Follow Malachi:https://malachievans.com/https://www.instagram.com/bigmalachihttps://localdream.jp/archives/3312Follow Us:https://unpacking.jp/https://www.youtube.com/@unpackingjapanhttps://www.youtube.com/@unpackingjapanshortshttps://www.instagram.com/unpacking_japanhttps://www.tiktok.com/@unpackingjapanhttps://www.x.com/unpacking_japanhttps://www.facebook.com/unpackingjapanSubscribe for more in-depth discussions about life in Japan! Interested in working at a global e-commerce company in Osaka? Our parent company ZenGroup is hiring! To learn more, check out https://careers.zen.group/en/