Join Season 2 of Zack & Jen as they talk about different aspects of Japanese culture, living in Japan, and being Japanese gaijin. Series consist of random cultural phenomenons, places, people, what they're watching, maybe some Japanese true crime?? All from a foreigner's perspective. This is a Japanese world and all of us expats are just living in it. Let's build a community together.
In this week's episode of What're We Watching, Zack & Jen invite special guest Alex on to chat about the first two episodes of the new Disney+ Loki series! Alex is a casual Marvel fan and is also an expat living in Tokyo; there are definitely overlapping commonalities with Z&J. Join and listen to ZJ&A talk about Loki, likes & dislikes, their predictions and knowledge about this new Marvel installment.
Zack & Jen explain Season 2's structure and segments, then talk about the city of Fukuoka! A brief history, famous foods, traditions, and things to do in the lovely city in Kyushu. Listen, enjoy, and maybe your next trip will be to Fukuoka?!
June 2nd, news for the week of May 23 | It's the Season Finale! What can you expect for Season two? What flower thrives during rainy season? What's going on the with vaccine?! Do you do the Noodle dance? Get all the answers at Zack & Jen Japan!
It's sumo time and the livin's easy…if you like chanko-nabe all day errday. Today's minisode is in honor of the Tokyo Spring Grand Sumo Tournament that just ended on May 23rd. Learn some sumo facts; you won't want to miss this not-so-mini-sode on Zack & Jen Japan. We also announce our new instagram! Follow us on @zackandjenjapan
Shortening the weekly new pods, only important topics moving forward!! For example: that cutie Hoshino Gen getting married and Demon Slayer news. Like we said, only the important stuff…and OKAY vaccine news too!! More events this week so check out this short episode of our weekly news series.
It's still a major bummer that vaccines are taking so long to get distributed here butt we are hopeful that more will get approved, come up from the rear and save the day! Zack makes a cheeky Tokyo International Players plug and it's official, we've entered the rainy season in western & central parts of Japan. Make sure to listen at the crack of dawn to Zack & Jen Japan! (‿|‿)
Another episode in the What're We Watching Series and this time it's a Japanese film! The newly released movie by Netflix: Ride or Die, is based on a manga called Gunjo and should definitely not be missed. Make sure to watch it before tuning in and see who you agree with; Zack & Jen have opposing opinions when it comes to Kiko Mizuhara. The word of the pod is CHAOTIC, which is what Z&J are sometimes anyway, so can relate to this crazy crazy movie a bit. Join in and enjoy~
Today May 10th, along with a Kyoto temple building a branch in the cosmos bringing a new Space Buddha, we talk about the past week's news: COVID OBVI, the SOE is SO-Extended, and GUNPLAstic is getting a chemical recycling makeover. Virtual events up the wazoo, all here on Zack & Jen Japan.
Part two is coming at you with the remaining holidays of GWEEK - Greenery day & Children's day. Shout out to all the trees and kids on these days, woot woot, go you. Zack & Jen will be off on the Week of Gold so take care, be safe and see you on the flip side.
Testing, Attention please: Here's our 10 cents on the new SOE, Our 2 cents is free… Free just like some of the events in the Events segment since nothing is open in Tokyo, Osaka, Kyoto and Hyogo. Also, a volcano erupted *wow* that's kinda cool Motha Nature , am I right. Talking about mothers, Zack & Jen talk about new supa cool boy band that's all about the mothers in our lives - “Aloma” which is a play on “I love mama”, intrigued?? You should be! Listen in on Zack & Jen Japan!
On today's Minisode, Zack & Jen explore the first two holidays of Bitcoin week, no wait, Doge Week, yes. It is GOLD and it's coming up fast! Join and enjoy the history, the date switches, and the tumultuous times of Showa Day and Kenpo Kinenbi. Listen in to find out what that is o0o0o0oh
Talks of going from Quasi-mode(o) to real-life State of Emergency mode for Tokyo and Osaka. Demon Slayer is not as welcome in the US as an R-rating is slapped onto it. Super interesting article that Zack goes over while Jen ponders why the Olympic village is only going to serve 5 dishes? What?? Also, it's Earth Week and Tokyo Pride Week is coming up, buckle up Earth and LGBTQ+ community, Z&J love you. Join for all the love, confusion, and other drugs (not real drugs; do you know that movie?) Leggo.
Tokyo and other prefectures are following suit and joining the quasi-emergency measures as of Monday April 12th, to try and avoid such high numbers that Osaka is currently experiencing. Male lawmakers wear pregnancy suits. Why? Idk ask them. Nuclear news. Attack on Titan. FLOWERS FLOWERS FLOWERS SPRING TIME SAKURA GONE - a poem by Jen. So fun. Join us at Zack and Jen Japan!
Ya'll this is a long WWW, but there is just so much to talk about for WANDA VISION. Have you seen it? If you haven't go watch it and then come back and join Zack & Jen on what they thought of the Marvel series. It's LOTS of nostalgia packed into a very well produced show and Zack & Jen have all the feels that are rightly appro-po for it. Join us!
Zack & Jen have a Quasi- good time talking about some progressive topics and issues that have been picking up around Japan recently. Lots of LGBTQ+ and gender equality issues that they just love to fill the time with. Also, obvi COVID news; check out what Osaka, Hyogo, and Miyagi are planning to do to combat the inevitable (probably inevitable) rebound to Level 4. Also, got some spring events to share if you missed out on that small window of sakura season this year, fleeting is the only way to describe it. Join us at ZACK & JEN JAPAN!!
Welcome to the first WWW episode! Zack & Jen do love giving the news but sometimes it's fun to share their thoughts on something they've watched. Warning: this episode contains SPOILERS about the Behind Her Eyes series. Z&J watched it on Netflix Japan but it should be available in the US & UK regions as well. Have you seen it? Tune in and listen to see who you agree with? Who do you think is the real victim and why? Let us know, What're YOU Watching at zackandjenjapan@gmail.com!
This pod will jab you with lots of vaccine news in this one. Also, Zack & Jen can't pronounce "anonymity", apologies in advanced for that one. But there is a word of the week, Zack is very extra with this. Tune in to find out what happened the week of 3/22.
BUMPTIOUS is the word of the pod. Wanna know what it means? Tune in because Zack and Jen are now sponsored by Merriam-Webster, JK, they wish! Listen in instead for vaccine news, some SOE stuff, earthquakes and big wins for the LGBTQ community! Lots of great stuff to talk about here at Zack & Jen Japan!
PANDAS AND COVID: the untold story. It's been a year since Zack and Jen started working from home and the topic of COVID is still TOP NEWS. SO MUCH COVID news in this one, brace yourself. Although, we really do talk about Pandas for a bit so listen in for that if COVID ain't your thang, we get it. The Seigo Suga Saga continues, more scandal continues in the Cabinet; senior officials in the Telecommunication division are getting charged with a lot of criticism...who know's if they'll end up in a cell :trollface: Tune in!
Put up your decorations, get out your hina dolls, eat some red, white & green things, and prepare yourself for all things GIRLS. It's Girls day ladies!! The auspicious day of March 3rd goes by many names and we name them all in this minisode! Who knew playing with dolls could turn into a holiday tradition?! Princess Okiko did ;) learn about her and other historical facts about this very special day.
State of Emergency is lifted for 6 prefectures except Tokyo and surrounding prefectures are still under it until March 7th. The Go-To Travel Campaign won't start up for a while, Suga's Press Secretary decides to leave her position, she took too much "suga" (¥74,000 worth) from Seigo and this coming week is the 10th anniversary of the 3/11 Great East Earthquake and Fukushima disaster. Join us, your fellow friendly expats in a conversation about the news...yeah we're cool... :D
COVID numbers in Tokyo go below 200! We get a new Minister of Loneliness! Zack makes fun of how Jen say's "won" and everything is PANTASTIC. TUNE IN!
February 23rd is another glorious holiday coming up and we want to tell you why! Emperor Naruhito turns 2 years old!! JK but on the throne he does. He actually turns 61 this year but sadly won't be celebrating with the public (again, womp :/). Listen in as we talk a lil history, a lil processions, and a lotta former Emperor Akihito! A love letter from Zack
Correction: this is actually a "Solosode"! What's a Solosode you ask? It's one part of Zack & Jen Japan! Sometimes things happen and schedules get in the way of the making of Z & J Japan. No fear, Jen is here to talk your ear(z) off about Nozawa Onsen. Have you ever been? Do you want to go? Listen to how Jen's weekend went in the onsen and ski town in Nagano Prefecture and decide for yourself ;)
Oh what a surprise, an 83-year old man made a sexist comment and doesn't feel bad about it. Don't know what or who this man is? Tune in to listen to Zack & Jen groan about how Japanese politics is so dated or day-DEAD JK but there needs to be some new, young, female blood running things. Speaking of females running things, the beloved Malaysian State Counsellor Aung San Suu Kyi gets arrested in a coup on Feb. 1st and there was a huge protest at the Foreign Ministry in Tokyo about it, did hear about it? see it? participate in it? February has begun, spring has sprung, Mori-san should bite his tongue; hear it all on Zack & Jen Japan!
Learn a little bit about the festivities of Setsubun (which literally means "Seasonal Division") that will be on February 2nd, 2021! Learn why we throw beans at dads, eat very large sushi, and cross dress (not really the last one but kinda?) Super fun stuff; listen in for a minisode with Z&J. Don't forget to let us know how you've BEAN by emailing us at zackandjenjapan@gmail.com along with what you want to hear in the next minisode.
From a new campaign called MOKUSHOKU to a scandal in the Japanese Diet! Join Z & J for a light week where we cover all topics relevant to your life here. There are resources out there if you've been impacted by COVID so tune in and listen to what happened the week of January 25th.
Learn a little bit about the history of the famous anime franchise GUNDAM! Zack & Jen take a mini trip down to Yokohama to visit the newly built, outdoor Mobile Suit Gundam which has 25 moving parts and will totally blow your mind! Join us for another short minisode about this not-so-mini GUNDAM adventure.
How have you been during SOE #2? Join Zack & Jen for a little fireside news chat. Listen to Jen use the word “precedent” incorrectly and to Zack talk about a cheeky-famichiki. Lots of laughs with interesting news topics that may impact your life here in Japan!
Happy New Year or Akemashite omedetou from Zack & Jen! Listen in for the first episode of 2021 as Zack & Jen give you a rundown of the news articles read from this week in Japan.
Let's talk about Hatsumode (first shrine/temple visit of the year) and especially the bow-clap-bow-bop-swirl sequence necessary for it!
The news and events of Japan for the week of December 14 and upcoming weekend events happening in Tokyo.
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