Podcasts about asia podcast

Lina Terrell is a translator of Japanese historical texts. Today we are going to talk about her recently released translation of The Legacy of the Ryukyu Kingdom: An Okinawan History (JPIC, 2025) by Takara Kurayoshi, a native of Okinawa. Before Okinawa, the unified and independent Ryukyu Kingdom existed for 400 years. What was this island nation like and what kind of world did it exist in? Author and Okinawa native Takara Kurayoshi plumbs the depths of Okinawa's distant and obscure past.Amy and Lina discuss the Ryukyu Kingdom before it became a part of Japan. They discuss noro priestesses, sea pirates, and trade with China.Lina's favorite books on Japan are:The Roads to Sata: A 2000-Mile Walk through Japan b Alan BoothThe World of the Shining Prince: Court Life in Ancient Japan by Ivan Morris The Books on Asia Podcast is sponsored by Stone Bridge Press. Check out their books on Japan at the publisher's website.Amy Chavez, podcast host, is author of Amy's Guide to Best Behavior in Japan and The Widow, the Priest, and the Octopus Hunter: Discovering a Lost Way of Life on a Secluded Japanese Island.Books on AsiaTwitter: @BooksOnAsiaSubscribe to the BOA podcast at https://linktr.ee/booksonasia

Igor Prusa, Ph.D. is a Czech scholar in Japanese and media studies, currently affiliated with Ambis University Prague and Metropolitan University Prague. He received PhDs in media studies at Prague's Charles University and at the University of Tokyo. His research interests include media scandals in Japan and anti-heroism in popular fiction. Today we're going to talk about his new book, Scandal in Japan: Transgression, Performance and Ritual (Routledge, 2024). He recently started teaching a course at the University of Vienna on the subject.Prusa explains his definition of a scandal, emphasizing its public revelation and media framing. He highlights the Unification Church scandal involving former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, noting its unique trigger by a tragedy and the role of foreign media in revealing information. Prusa also discusses narrative aspects and media event characteristics of Japanese scandals, concluding that while controversies often serve as rituals, they rarely lead to fundamental societal improvements.They then mull over two major Japanese scandals. The first is the Olympus scandal of 2011, exposed by CEO Michael Woodford, which involved hiding company losses for over 20 years through creative accounting and mergers. The scandal was initially covered by outside media, with the Financial Times playing a crucial role. The Nissan scandal, involving CEO Carlos Ghosn, revealed millions in personal financial gains and a conflict between Japanese and French governance. Ghosn's extravagant lifestyle and a planned merger with Renault further fueled public outrage. This conversation also highlights the role of media in scandal coverage and the cultural nuances of whistleblowing in Japan.Lastly, Prusa tells what his 3 favorite books on Japan are:1. Shimbun Kisha (新聞記者) by Isoko Mochizuki  (望月衣塑子). Written in Japanese, this book provides insights into the role of journalists in Japan and how they have helped expose various scandals, including the Moritomo Gakuen and Shiori Ito rape cases. The book inspired a 2019 Japanese film by the same name.2. Media and Politics in Japan edited by Susan Pharr and Ellis Krauss, with a chapter on political scandals by Maggie Farley. This is a classic introduction to understanding the relationship between media and politics in Japan.3. Idols and Celebrity in Japanese Media Culture edited by Patrick Galbraith and Jason Karlin. Offers valuable insights into the role of idols and celebrities in Japanese media and culture, and how scandals can emerge in this context.Be sure to check out Igor Prusa's book Scandal in Japan: Transgression, Performance and Ritual.Visit him on social media at the following links:Academic website: https://mup.academia.edu/IgorPrusaLinkedIn (follow here for the latest Japanese scandals and Prusa's analysis)Facebook The Books on Asia Podcast is sponsored by Stone Bridge Press. Check out their books on Japan at the publisher's website.Amy Chavez, podcast host, is author of Amy's Guide to Best Behavior in Japan and The Widow, the Priest, and the Octopus Hunter: Discovering a Lost Way of Life on a Secluded Japanese Island.Books on AsiaTwitter: @BooksOnAsiaSubscribe to the BOA podcast at https://linktr.ee/booksonasia

In this episode of the Books on Asia podcast, Amy Chavez talks with Baye McNeil talk about being a black minority in Japan, Japanese views of black people, the "African Samurai," the arrival of Commodore Perry in 1854 (who brought a minstrel show with him who performed "blackface"), and some of the media's portrayals of black people in both the US and Japan. He cites the original Calpis beverage label with a blackface character and mentions tropes in Japanese television. He suggests Japanese change the way they tell stories and  use biracial people to represent black people rather than their own representations of black people. He also reflects on teaching English in Japan, the power of propaganda, and the idea of "American exceptionalism."As a writer, columnist, and activist, Baye McNeil writes about diversity and inclusiveness. McNeil is a columnist for The Japan Times (English) where he writes the monthly column called "Black Eye" about the African American experience living in Japan and also writes for Toyokeizai Online (Japanese) where he shares reflections on life and race, as well as profiling people of color who are reshaping Japan's cultural landscape. He is author of two previous books: Hi! My Name is Loco and I am a Racist and Loco in Yokohama, both of which offer accounts of life as a visible minority in Japan. His latest book is Words By Baye, Art By Miki: Crafting a Life Together with Affection, Creativity, and Resilience.Baye's favorite books on Japan are Shogun, Gaijin, and James Clavell's entire series.Be sure to check out Baye's bookWords By Baye, Art By Miki: Crafting a Life Together with Affection, Creativity, and Resilience available on Amazon.Visit him on social media at the following links:Website: www.bayemcneil.comAmazonGoodreadsFacebookLinkedInInstagram The Books on Asia Podcast is sponsored by Stone Bridge Press. Check out their books on Japan at the publisher's website.Amy Chavez, podcast host, is author of Amy's Guide to Best Behavior in Japan and The Widow, the Priest, and the Octopus Hunter: Discovering a Lost Way of Life on a Secluded Japanese Island.Books on AsiaTwitter: @BooksOnAsiaSubscribe to the BOA podcast at https://linktr.ee/booksonasia

Podcast host Amy Chavez talks with Michael Pronko, a Tokyo-based writer of murder, memoir, and music. He is professor of American Literature at Meiji Gakuen University. During his over 20 years in the country, he has written for Newsweek Japan, The Japan Times, and Artscape Japan, and has been featured on NHK TV and Nippon television. He also runs the website Jazz in Japan, which covers the vibrant jazz scene in Tokyo and Yokohama. Today, we're going to talk about Pronko's fiction, as well as his nonfiction books, including his most recently released Tokyo Tempos.Pronko's "Detective Hiroshi" series includes:The Last TrainThe Moving BladeTokyo TrafficTokyo ZangyoAzabu GetawayShitamachi Scam (which we talk about on the podcast today)Pronko's "Tokyo Moments" series includes:Beauty and ChaosTokyo's Mystery DeepensMotions and MomentsTokyo Tempos (which we talk about on the podcast today)Pronko's favorite books on Japan are:Empire of Signs by Roland BarthesThe Anatomy of Dependence by Takeo DoiYou Gotta Have Wa and Tokyo Junkie by Robert WhitingThe Zen books by D.T. Suzuki, and anything by Donald RichieYou can find Michael Pronko online at his website (http://www.michaelpronko.com) and at the following links on social media:AmazonInstagramGoodreadsFacebookLinkedInTwitter (X) @pronkomichael The Books on Asia Podcast is sponsored by Stone Bridge Press. Check out their books on Japan at the publisher's website.Amy Chavez, podcast host, is author of Amy's Guide to Best Behavior in Japan and The Widow, the Priest, and the Octopus Hunter: Discovering a Lost Way of Life on a Secluded Japanese Island.Books on AsiaTwitter: @BooksOnAsiaSubscribe to the BOA podcast at https://linktr.ee/booksonasia

Tennis Asia Podcast gives the rundown of our top 10 players from Asia in the 2024 season, featuring men and women from the singles and doubles circuits. Who will make the top 10 and who just missed out? Listen/watch to find out!

Paul Martin is a Japanese sword expert who has worked at the British Museum and traveled extensively in Japan to study swords and armor. Martin's new book Japanese Swords and Armor covers 30 famous samurai warriors and their swords, armor, and other artifacts associated with them, from antique sets to modern treasures, each with its own historical and cultural significance. The book was originally published in both Italian and French, and will now be available in English from by Tuttle Publishing in Oct. 2024.He discusses the history and significance of Emperor Go-Toba, who was exiled to the Oki Islands but continued making swords there. The swords he made were marked with a chrysanthemum, which became the basis for the current Imperial seal.In this podcast episode, Paul Martin highlights some of the most notable pieces in his book, including a wooden sword made by Miyamoto Musashi and sword fittings attributed to him. Martin provided recommendations on the best places in Japan to see historical Japanese swords.Empeor Go-Toba was known for his poetry, much of it written while in exile on Oki Island. One particular poem involves the poet banishing the frogs from a nearby pond:"Frogs, croaking in the pond,Go away, banish your noise;In this world of sorrow,There is no need for your song." (translation generated from ChatGPT)This poem highlights Go-Toba's despair and the heavy burden of his exile. The imagery of banishing the frogs from the pond serves as a metaphor for his own banishment and desire for peace amidst his suffering.Paul also talks about the beginning lines of the Tale of the Heike, an epic that recounts the history of the late Heian period, including the life and exile of Go-Toba“The sound of the Gion Shoja temple bells echoes the impermanence of all things; the color of the sala flowers reveals the truth that to flourish is to fall. The proud do not endure, like a passing dream on a night in spring; the mighty fall at last, to be no more than dust before the wind.” Helen Craig McCulloughLastly, Paul's favorite books are:1. They Came to Japan by Michael Cooper, a collection of Jesuit records from the 17th century.2. The Tale of the Heike, (version translated by Helen Craig McCullough) a classic Japanese epic poem that reflects the concept of impermanence.“The sound of the Gion Shoja temple bells echoes the impermanence of all things; the color of the sala flowers reveals the truth that to flourish is to fall. The proud do not endure, like a passing dream on a night in spring; the mighty fall at last, to be no more than dust before the wind.” Helen Craig McCullough3. The documentary "The Emperor's Naked Army Marches On" by Kazuo Hara, which explores the ambiguities of Japanese culture and the horrors of war.Be sure to pick up his book: Japanese Swords and Armor: Masterpieces from Thirty of Japan's Most Famous Samurai Warriors (Tuttle, Oct. 2024)You can follow Paul Martin by clicking on the following links:Website: The Japanese Sword (thejapanesesword.com)YouTube: Paul Martin: The Japanese SwordFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/The.Japanese.SwordInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/thejapanesesword/Twitter: @thejapaneseswrd (https://x.com/thejapaneseswrd)LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/thejapanesesword/ The Books on Asia Podcast is sponsored by Stone Bridge Press. Check out their books on Japan at the publisher's website.Amy Chavez, podcast host, is author of Amy's Guide to Best Behavior in Japan and The Widow, the Priest, and the Octopus Hunter: Discovering a Lost Way of Life on a Secluded Japanese Island.Books on AsiaTwitter: @BooksOnAsiaSubscribe to the BOA podcast at https://linktr.ee/booksonasia

Burritt Sabin was born in New York City and came to Japan as a naval officer in 1975. His professional career in Japan started as a journalist, and he quickly moved into writing and historical research. The first book we're going to discuss today is about Yokohama,  one of the first Japanese ports to open to foreign trade in the 1850s. A Historical Guide to Yokohama: Sketches of the Twice-Risen Phoenix is a window into a time when Japan was rapidly opening up to the world. (The book is in English, despite what the Amazon listing says.)The other book we'll talk about is Kamakura: A Contemplative Guide,which highlights the first samurai capital in the 12th century. Shogun Minamoto no Yoritomo chose this city for the seat of his military government, ushering in the Kamakura Period in 1185.Subjects covered in the podcast:1. Townsend Harris and the opening of Japan (Yokohama)2. The meeting of Sun Yat-sen and Miyazaki Toten in Yokohama3. The Hotel New Grand in Yokohama4. The Great Buddha of Kamakura5. Natsume Soseki's and Suzuki Daisetz's sojourn at Kigen-in, Kamakura6. The Kamakura bunshiSabin also discusses his three favorite books on Japan:1. The Death of Old Yokohama in the Earthquake of 1923 by Otis Manchester PooleA gripping account in real time of a man navigating the post-quake hellscape in an attempt to reach his family.2. Aru Shisei no To: Koshikata wa kanashiku mono kiroku (A Waif of the Streets: Record of a Sad Passage) by Hasegawa ShinHasegawa Shin (1884~1963) recounts growing up in poverty in late-19th century Yokohama, teaching himself to read and write and later becoming a leading popular playwright.3. Sugao Kamakura (The True Face of Kamakura) ed. by Osaragi JiroAn insightful collection of essays on Kamakura by writers who have made the city home.Be sure to check out Burritt Sabin's books A Historical Guide to Yokohama: Sketches of the Twice-Risen Phoenix (2002) and Kamakura: A Contemplative Guide (2021), available on Amazon or at your favorite bookstore. The Books on Asia Podcast is sponsored by Stone Bridge Press. Check out their books on Japan at the publisher's website.Amy Chavez, podcast host, is author of Amy's Guide to Best Behavior in Japan and The Widow, the Priest, and the Octopus Hunter: Discovering a Lost Way of Life on a Secluded Japanese Island.Books on AsiaTwitter: @BooksOnAsiaSubscribe to the BOA podcast at https://linktr.ee/booksonasia

We discuss the incredible first title win in Chengdu for 19-year-old Shang Juncheng, aka Jerry Shang. He becomes the first player born in 2005 or later to win an ATP title, and just the second man from China to win an ATP title. How far can this young talent go? Also discussed is the Hangzhou Open, with a run to the final for Zhang Zhizhen and a semifinal run for Bu Yunchaokete, with Bu entering the top 100 for the first time. How good is Chinese men's tennis right now?! Yasutaka Uchiyama also reached the quarters in Hangzhou. Also discussed are the recently completed Korea Open, this week's China Open, Zhang Shuai breaking her record 24-match losing streak, the return of Naomi Osaka, and the Japan Open featuring Kei Nishikori and Rei Sakamoto. We even made room to discuss the Nonthaburi 4 Challenger and the return of a certain Mr. Hyeon Chung!

Amy Chavez speaks with Lesley Downer, an expert on Japanese culture and history who writes both fiction and non-fiction. Her novels transport readers to the intriguing world of 19th-century Japan, while her non-fiction takes us along  the Narrow Road to the Deep North with poet Matsuo Basho; behind the scenes of the Japanese geisha community; and into the intrigues of the richest family in Japan. In this episode, she discusses her just-released The Shortest History of Japan: From Mythical Origins to Pop Culture Powerhouse, which provides a concise yet detailed account of Japanese history.Lesley highlights the significance of historical figures like Himiko, the shaman queen who unified Yamatai, and Empresses Suiko and Koken, who ruled Japan in their own right. She also touches on the feminist movement in Japan, particularly the contributions of Hiratsuka Raicho and Akiko Yosano. Lastly, she shares insights into her writing career, including her transition from nonfiction to fiction and her research on geisha.Lesley mentions Yosano Akiko's poem "Until Death Do Us Part" ("Shini tanoma") which she wrote before her brother went off to war:Until Death Do Us Partby Yosano AkikoThough my body dies,My soul will remain with you.Until the end of time,Let us pledge to be together,Until death do us part.(translation: ChatGPT 4o)Lesley's three favorite books on Japan:1. Japan Journal, 1855-1861 (1964) by Henry Heusken, which covers the author's experiences during his time as the secretary and interpreter for Townsend Harris, the first U.S. Consul General to Japan.2. As We Saw Them: The First Japanese Embassy to the United States (1979) by Masao Miyoshi, about the first Japanese diplomats who visited the United States in 1860.3. Taiko: An Epic Novel of War and Glory in Feudal Japan  (1992) by Yoshikawa Eiij, a historical novel that tells the story of Toyotomi Hideyoshi, one of Japan's greatest warlords and unifiers during the Sengoku period. The Books on Asia Podcast is sponsored by Stone Bridge Press. Check out their books on Japan at the publisher's website.Amy Chavez, podcast host, is author of Amy's Guide to Best Behavior in Japan and The Widow, the Priest, and the Octopus Hunter: Discovering a Lost Way of Life on a Secluded Japanese Island.For more podcast episodes, visit the Books on Asia website or subscribe to the Books on Asia podcast.

Help Ghost Maps win in the Asia Podcast Awards! Vote for us in the People's Choice Vote, under the Best Fictional Podcast category: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/AsiaPodcastAwards2024PplChoice We're up against some fierce—and amazing—competition, so every one of you counts! Vote now: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/AsiaPodcastAwards2024PplChoice Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

A look ahead at the qualifying tournament for the 2024 US Open. Can players like Bu Yunchaokete, Coleman Wong, Sara Saito, Alex Eala and Hong Seong-chan qualify for their first slam main draw?

Amy Chavez talks with Robert Whiting about his recently released book Gangsters, Fraudsters, Dreamers & Spies: The Outsiders Who Shaped Modern Japan (Tuttle, April, 2024). They talk about strong women characters such as an Australian bar hostess named Maggie who became famous for using scissors to cut off customers' neckties  and a female yakuza gangster who carried a revolver in her purse. And if you think Japan doesn't have a drug problem, think again. Whiting talks about North Korean drug smuggling and its contribution to a surging number of meth users. Lastly, while most tourists to Japan can't help but be impressed by Japanese taxi drivers who wear white gloves and deliver impeccably polite service, things weren't always that way in Japan. In fact, taxi drivers used to be rude and dirty, and the job was so loathsome that Japanese wives were embarrassed to tell people their husbands were taxi drivers! Whiting tells us about the MK Taxi company that was started by a Korean who was determined to change all that.At the end of the podcast, Whiting tells us what he's reading right now:The Coldest Winter: America and the Korean War, by David HalberstamCareless Love: The Unmaking of Elvis Presley, by Peter Guralnick The Books on Asia Podcast is sponsored by Stone Bridge Press. Check out their books on Japan at the publisher's website.Amy Chavez, podcast host, is author of Amy's Guide to Best Behavior in Japan and The Widow, the Priest, and the Octopus Hunter: Discovering a Lost Way of Life on a Secluded Japanese Island.For more podcast episodes, visit the Books on Asia website or subscribe to the Books on Asia podcast.

Eddie and Alastair discuss Japanese star Kei Nishikori's remarkable run at the Canadian Masters event in Montreal, where he beat Stefanos Tsitsipas on the way to the quarterfinals. Also on the agenda: -Moyuka Uchijima gets her first-ever WTA 1000 win; disappointment for Naomi Osaka. -Coleman Wong of Hong Kong finishes runner-up at the Lincoln Challenger; China's Bu Yunchaokete reaches the semis. -Wei Sijia makes semis in Landisville -A look ahead at the Cary Challenger and the Cincinnati Open

Eddie and Alastair reflect on Zheng Qinwen's amazing tournament that saw her take out the top player in the world and clinch a gold medal for China. Also covered are: -Olympic silver for ZZZ and Wang Xinyu. -Hong Seongchan's excellent run in Washington, including his career-best win over Karen Khachanov. -Preview of the Canadian Open, including a blockbuster tie between Naomi Osaka and Ons Jabeur. -A round-up of the ATP Challenger events, including good results for Jason Tseng and Coleman Wong. -Young Chinese up-and-comer Wei Sijia wins back-to-back ITF titles -A look ahead at the Lincoln Challenger

In this episode of the Books on Asia podcast, host Amy Chavez talks to author John Stevens about his new book The Lotus Moon: Art and Poetry of Buddhist Nun Otagaki Rengetsu (Floating World Editions, Aug. 2023).Book's Features:The most comprehensive English-language presentation of the work of famed nun and artist Ōtagaki Rengetsu (1791-1875)• Presents 90 of Rengetsu's painting and pottery works in over 242 full-color photos• Written by Professor John Stevens, the foremost Western authority on Rengetsu• Includes Japanese kana, romanization, and English translations, with commentary for all entries• Provides an intimate portrait of the life and work of one of the most remarkable women in Japanese culture• Offers insights into significant thematic and cultural concerns of 19th-century Japanese art Be sure to pick up John's book, which you can find either online or at Floating World Editions from their website. You can hear our previous podcast with John Stevens and find out more about his remarkable career as well as  the Rengetsu exhibition in Barcelona, Spain, at BOA Episode 21: John Stevens—A Lifetime of PublishingThe Books on Asia Podcast is sponsored by Stone Bridge Press. Check out their books on Japan at the publisher's website. Amy Chavez, podcast host, is author of Amy's Guide to Best Behavior in Japan and The Widow, the Priest, and the Octopus Hunter: Discovering a Lost Way of Life on a Secluded Japanese Island.For more podcast episodes, visit the Books on Asia website or subscribe to the Books on Asia podcast.

Eddie and Alastair look ahead to all of the singles and doubles events at the upcoming Paris Olympics. As well as discussing the prospects for players like Zheng Qinwen, Zhang Zhizhen, and Rohan Bopanna, they talk about what the Olympics means in tennis, past Olympics winners, and how there might not be any tennis tournaments in Korea were it not for the Seoul Olympics. They also talk about the tennis going on elsewhere, particularly the success for Jerry Shang, Alex Eala and Bu Yunchaokete.

Die Asia Podcast Awards stehen vor der Tür und es ist jetzt möglich, sich dafür zu bewerben. Wenn du einen Podcast aus dem asiatischen Raum hast, ist dies deine Chance. Auch wenn die meisten unserer Hörerinnen und Hörer keinen asiatischen Podcast betreiben, möchten wir euch trotzdem informieren, was auf der anderen Seite der Welt passiert. In dieser Episode bringen wir euch die neuesten Podcast-News und halten euch auf dem Laufenden über die spannenden Entwicklungen bei den Asia Podcast Awards. Was können wir für unsere Events im deutschsprachigen Raum mitnehmen? News: Podcast Day Asia 2024 in Kuala LumpurQuellen:https://radiodaysasia.com/https://podnews.net/press-release/asia-podcast-awards-2024Über uns: https://podcastcreator.de/ueberuns/Website: https://podcastcreator.de/Blog: https://podcastcreator.de/blog/Social Media:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/podcast.creator/Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@podcast.creatorThreads: https://www.threads.net/@podcast.creatorKontaktiere Michael unter:Website: https://dasgeht.at/kontaktInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/dasgeht.at/Threads: https://www.threads.net/@michaelczesunKontaktiere Gio unter:Website: https://www.sogehtpodcast.de/kontaktInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/sogehtpodcast/Threads: https://www.threads.net/@sogehtpodcastDisclaimer: Um Transparenz zu gewährleisten, kennzeichnen wir unseren Podcast als Dauerwerbesendung, da wir in unseren Folgen über Tools, Unternehmen und andere Dinge sprechen, die die Podcast-Szene betreffen und die wir nutzen und empfehlen.Test

「Asia Podcast Awards 2024」の募集が開始されました。今日はこのニュースを紹介します。

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Eddie and Alastair preview the men's and women's draws for the 2024 Wimbledon Championships. Wimbledon is about to start and we've got some pretty interesting draws. Eddie and Alastair discuss the prospects for numerous Asian players, including Naomi Osaka, Elena Rybakina, Zheng Qinwen, Zhang Zhizhen, Jerry Shang, Sumit Nagal, Alexander Bublik, Kei Nishikori, Kwon Soonwoo, and many more! We even get into the doubles draws.

Eddie and Alastair discuss: -Zhang Zhizhen's run to the semis in Halle, defeating Medvedev and reaching a new career high and seeding at Wimbledon. -Naomi Osaka and Zheng Qinwen's performances -New ATP rule changes mean good news for Kwon Soonwoo -Jerry Shang, Sumit Nagal, Jang Su-jeong -A look ahead at Wimbledon qualies

This review of Roland Garros comes a bit later than planned but it feels an appropriate time to release this one since all the players of Asian nations have been knocked out the singles. Nonetheless it's been an eventful tournament with much to talk about, including: -An incredible match from Naomi Osaka against Iga Swiatek. -The end of Moyuka Uchijima's incredible run against Sabalenka. -Disappointment for Zheng Qinwen and Rybakina. -The return of Kei Nishikori and Kwon Soonwoo. -Zhang Zhizhen aka ZZZ in singles and doubles. -A look at players in action in the Challengers, including Jason Tseng, Gerard Campana Lee, Alex Eala, and Beibit Zhukayev. -And more!!

Eddie and Alastair review the recently completed Roland-Garros qualifying tournament (including more success - again - for Moyuka Uchijima!), and preview the French Open main draw which starts on Sunday. What are the prospects for the Asian players such as Zheng Qinwen, Zhang Zhizhen, Kei Nishikori and Elena Rybakina? They also cover some of the Asian players' performances in the recently completed ATP Challengers and ATP 250 events. 

Eddie and Alastair review an eventful week in Asian tennis, including: -Taipei Challenger success for Adam Walton, and decent runs for Hsu Yu-hsiou and Ilya Marchenko. Nam Ji-sung and Ray Ho win doubles. -Italian Open: Zheng Qinwen and Zhang Zhizhen's runs to the quarterfinals in Rome. -Moyuka Uchijima's incredible title triumph in Madrid, her third title in three consecutive weeks, and new Japanese number 1. -The return of Sumit Nagal in Bordeaux and Geneva. -Shang Juncheng aka Jerry Shang reaches semis in Bordeaux; top-100 debut; prospects for French Open. -A look ahead to qualifying for Roland-Garros.

Eddie and Alastair discuss an eventful week in Asian tennis, including: -The Italian Open in Rome, featuring the Tennis Asia supermatch between Naomi Osaka and Zheng Qinwen, as well as success for Zhang Zhizhen over Ben Shelton. -A review of the Wuxi Challenger where Bu Yunchaokete had a great week. -A look ahead to the Taipei Challenger. -The machine that is Moyuka Uchijima, who apparently can't stop winning even across multiple continents! -The return of Kwon Soonwoo and success in Tunis for Gerard Campana Lee. -Fukuoka: Jang Su-jeong proves us wrong, and the return of Zarina Diyas.

-Eddie and Alastair review the recently completed Guangzhou ATP Challenger event, covering Bu Yunchaokete, Adam Walton and a superb week for Tristan Schoolkate -A look ahead to the Wuxi Challenger -W100 in Gifu: the champion Moyuka Uchijima on the rise, and Jang Su-jeong exceeding expectations -A review of the the Madrid Open featuring Yulia Putintseva and Elena Rybakina -A look ahead to W75 events in Fukuoka and Luan, with returns for Wang Qiang and Zarina Diyas

A lot covered in this episode, including: - The ATP Challenger events in Shenzhen and Guangzhou - The Philippines' teenage tennis sensation Alex Eala makes history at the Madrid Open - Chinese hopeful Jerry Shang's 4-hour battle against Corentin Moutet and controversial loss to Davidovich Fokina - Disappointment for Zheng Qinwen in Madrid - Japan's doubles star Ena Shibahara's run at the W100 singles event in Tokyo, as well as doubles success for Jang Su-jeong and Kimberly Birrell - The return of China's former WTA top-20 player Wang Qiang as a champion on the tour

Eddie and Alastair review the recently completed Gwangju Challenger, and Eddie gives his predictions for Shenzhen. Also discussed are Sumit Nagal's UK visa conundrum, the WTA 500 in Stuttgart (particularly Zheng Qinwen and Elena Rybakina), and the upcoming Madrid Open.

Eddie and Alastair discuss last week's Busan Open, the ATP Challenger 125 event, and Eddie gives his predictions for Gwangju.

Amy Chavez has been a columnist for The Bali Times, HuffPo, and The Japan Times (the latter 23 years). She founded Books on Asia in May 2018. Her articles have been published in newspapers and magazines around the world including Japan, the UK, the US, Canada, Taiwan, Indonesia, and New Zealand. She lives in Japan. Her latest book is The Widow, The Priest and the Octopus Hunter: Discovering a Lost Way of Life on a Secluded Japanese Island available at Bookshop.org  (an online bookshop that puts you in touch with local bookstores who procure your purchase for pick-up) for those in the US. You should also be able to find the book at Kinokuniya and The Laughing Oyster Bookshop in B.C. Canada, for all our B.C. canuck buddies out there.LINKS:The Facebook Page for the bookAmy on Twitter: @JapanLite and  @BooksOnAsiaBooks on Asia Podcast is here or subscribePLEASE SUPPORT THE SHOW: The Deep in Japan Podcast is completely independent and crowd-funded, so if you like what you hear, please give a thought to supporting the show at https://www.patreon.com/deepinjapanMUSIC:The intro was my original mashup of Fist of the North Star, a few anime sound bites, some kabuki, a cheap recording of my son's Buzz Lightyear toy, and “Dubstep" from BenSound.The outro was "Kanzan Bakuzen Bouzen" by "that old bad enka singer" Chiharu Matsuyama. Apparently, he was a well-coiffed renai baller back in the 80s though. Got something to say? You can find me at the following:www.facebook.com/groups/deepinjapan/ deep.in.japan.podcast@gmail.comAs always, thanks for listening!

Global forces are pushing the world into a new period in which rules will have tochange fundamentally. In these uncertain yet exciting times, Asia is poised to leadthe way. In this episode of the Future of Asia Podcast, Chris Bradley, a director of theMcKinsey Global Institute (MGI), and Jeongmin Seong, a partner at MGI, discuss arecent report that looks at the new era being brought in by global disruptiveevents—a transition that will require major changes. They particularly focus on Asia,detailing how the region sits at the center of these changes. Asia will be significantlyaffected by the shifts, but they will open new opportunities that can enable the regionto thrive.See www.mckinsey.com/privacy-policy for privacy information

New business building is becoming a top priority for CEOs, often in response to changing consumer demands. How can companies navigate the complexities to achieve scale? In this episode of the Future of Asia Podcast, two of McKinsey's senior partners discuss new business building and the patterns that they see emerging in the field. Markus Berger-de León, who helps clients grow and improve new and existing businesses, and Nimal Manuel, who serves telecommunications and public sector clients on strategy, marketing and sales, and digital transformations, talk about the opportunities arising for new business building. They highlight how companies that adopt the best methodologies and practices and forge partnerships can build and scale successful new businesses.See www.mckinsey.com/privacy-policy for privacy information

Author and travel-writer Angus Waycott talks about his  8-day walk around Sado Island off Niigata Prefecture in the Japan Sea. He gives us in-depth accounts of: a mujina (tanuki-worshipping) cult, funa-ema (literally "ship horse pictures"), exile (including those of Zeami and Buddhist priest Nichiren), and the controversy behind the Kinzan gold mine and its "slave labor," all topics that he recorded in his book Sado: Japan's Island in Exile, originally published by Stone Bridge Press in 1996 and re-issued as an e-book by the author 2012 and 2023.Book Description: "Given the choice, no-one ever went to Sado. For more than a thousand years, this island in the Sea of Japan was a place of exile for the deposed, disgraced or just plain distrusted — ex-emperors, aristocrats, poets, priests and convicted criminals alike. This book rediscovers the exiles' island, explores the truth about its notorious gold mine, tracks down a vanishing badger cult, and drops in on the home of super-drummer band Kodo. Along the way, it paints a vivid picture of one of Japan's most intriguing backwaters, now emerging from a long exile of its own."About the AuthorAngus Waycott is an author and travel writer whose books have been published in the UK, USA, Japan and the Netherlands. He has been the voice of TV news broadcasts, commercials, and award-winning documentaries, voiced "character" parts in game software and anime productions, and worked as a copywriter, publisher, teacher, translator, lighting designer, and staircase builder. His books are Sado: Japan's Isand in Exile, Paper Doors: Japan from Scratch (2012), The Winterborne Journey: along a small crack in the planet (2023), and National Parks of Western Europe (2012). Check out his short video on Sado Island.The Books on Asia Podcast is sponsored by Stone Bridge Press. Check out their books on Japan at the publisher's website. Amy Chavez, podcast host, is author of Amy's Guide to Best Behavior in Japan and The Widow, the Priest, and the Octopus Hunter: Discovering a Lost Way of Life on a Secluded Japanese Island.Subscribe to the Books on Asia podcast.

In this episode of the Books on Asia podcast, host Amy Chavez talks with author and translator Frederik L. Schodt, who has written/translated many books on Japan including The Osamu Tezuka Story, Manga, Manga!: The The World of Japanese Comics, The Astro Boy Essays, and My Heart Sutra: The World in 260 Characters (read our review).But the two books we're going to talk about today are his historical non-fiction books Professor Risley and the Imperial Japanese Troupe: How an American Acrobat Introduced Circus to Japan and Japan to the West, and Native American in the Land of the Shogun: Ranald MacDonald and the Opening of Japan. Both books, published by our sponsor Stone Bridge Press, are accounts of American men who pioneered US-Japan relations. Schodt talks about "Professor" Risley, an early acrobat of the mid-nineteenth century who starts his own circus that he takes to Japan. His trademark move involved juggling his two small sons with his feet. See an example of what is now known as the Risley Act in this video we found on Youtube:https://youtu.be/VkFIkXXyDVc?si=zXfmUyeW9QBrwM_oRisley later starts a Japanese circus that he takes touring around the world. The other book we discuss is Schodt's biography of Native American Ranald MacDonald, who makes his way to Japan during the Edo period and ends up not just teaching English but having a hand in negotiations with Commodore Perry and the opening of Japan.About the AuthorFrederik L. Schodt is a writer, translator, and conference interpreter based in the San Francisco Bay area. He has written widely on Japanese history, popular culture, and technology. His writings on manga, and his translations of them, helped trigger the current popularity of Japanese comics in the English-speaking world. He was awarded the Special Category of the Asahi Shimbun's prestigious Osamu Tezuka Culture Award, and in 2009, he was awarded the Order of the Rising Sun, Gold Rays with Rosette, for his work helping to promote Japan's popular culture overseas.You can find him at his Website, on Twitter(X) @fschodt  and on Facebook.The Books on Asia Podcast is sponsored by Stone Bridge Press. Check out their books on Japan at the publisher's website. Amy Chavez, podcast host, is author of Amy's Guide to Best Behavior in Japan and The Widow, the Priest, and the Octopus Hunter: Discovering a Lost Way of Life on a Secluded Japanese Island.Subscribe to the Books on Asia podcast.

In this episode, we chat with Korea-based photographer Noe Alonzo. Over the years Noe has established himself as a talented photographer, capturing the the urban areas of South Korea and Japan at night. He talks about his content creation journey and how he took photography from being a hobby to a professional endeavor.  Noe shares his experiences and talks about how creators can evolve in what they do.  Check out my other podcast, the Supernatural Japan Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/no/podcast/supernatural-japan/id1616675498 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/652187626755803 Twitter: https://twitter.com/MadForMaple Instagram (travel and life): https://instagram.com/jlandkev Instagram (nature stuff): https://instagram.com/shizenwildlife YouTube: http://youtube.com/@busankevin  Follow Noe Alonzo: Website: https://noealz.com/ X: https://twitter.com/noealz Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/noealz

In this episode of the BOA podcast, host Amy Chavez talks with John Ross, a New Zealand writer based in Taiwan. Ross has spent three decades in Asia, starting as a freelance photojournalist then becoming an English teacher and author. His works include Formosan Odyssey: Taiwan, Past and Present, You Don't Know China: Twenty-Two Enduring Myths Debunked, and Taiwan in 100 Books. He co-founded  Camphor Press, a publishing house focused on East Asia called and co-hosts Formosa Files, a weekly podcast on the history of Taiwan.John Ross lives in a small town in Taiwan, known as the birthplace of the inventor of instant noodles: Momofuku Ando. Ross explains why he moved to Taiwan in 1994 and how his plans for writing a book about the Mongolian manbeast was waylaid as he instead embarked on an epic journey in 1999 that became Formosan Odyssey: Taiwan, Past and Present. This first book is about travel, history, and small-town life in Taiwan.Amy and John talk about Japan's occupation of Taiwan and the legacies the Japanese left behind such as education, infrastructure, and railroads. Ross talks about Taiwan's long history of attempted colonization by the Dutch, French, and Ming Loyalists.Next, Ross talks about Taiwan in 100 Books, how he chose the volumes that tell the story of Taiwan through their interesting backstories, controversial texts, and fabulist authors who brought the first information about Taiwan to readers around the world.In You Don't Know China: Twenty-Two Enduring Myths Debunked Ross explicates common misunderstood facts about various topics, including the Great Wall, Chinese medicine, fortune cookies, eating dogs, and Lord Macartney's mission to China in 1793.Lastly, Amy and John talk about other authors, their books, and what led John Ross, Michael Cannings, and Mark Swofford to form Camphor Press in February 2014. Ross, in charge of acquisitions, talks about filling the void between academic and big box presses. He gives kudos to other small presses such as Earnshaw Books, Stone Bridge Press, and Blacksmith Books, who are all invested in bringing quality books to readers.Amy introduces some Camphor Press books based on her own library. John adds some more titles to her list, including two by winner of the Nobel Prize for Literature Pearl S. Buck: The Exile: Portrait of an American Mother, and Fighting Angel: Portrait of a Soul.John talks about the lost art of the travelogue and how the 1990s and the internet destroyed what should be an enduring genre.They discuss great travel writers such as Heinrich Harrer, Bill Bryson, and Ernest Hemingway.John and Amy talk about how the travel genre is changing and where it is headed. Amy also mentions Alex Kerr's upcoming book Hidden Japan: An Astonishing World of Thatched Villages, Ancient Shrines and Primeval Forests (Sept. 2023, but you can pre-order here) and how the author advises people to not go to these places, but rather be happy reading about them instead.John Ross's favorite travelogues are:Seven Years in Tibet by Heinrich HarrerLand of Jade: A journey through India Through Northern Burma to China (1996), by Bertil LintnerIn the Footsteps of Genghis Khan, by John DeFrancisRoss's three Favorite Books on Japan are:On the Narrow Road to the Deep North: Journey into a Lost Japan by Leslie DownerIn Search of Japan's Hidden Christians, by John DougillCharinko by Tom Gibb (an upcoming Camphor Press title)Be sure to check out John Ross's books at the Camphor Press website or via Amazon. You can also visit him on social media at the following links:Taiwan in 100 BooksCamphor Press (Sign up for the Camphor Press Newsletter by scrolling to the bottom of that page)Formosa Files PodcastThe Books on Asia Podcast is sponsored by Stone Bridge Press, publisher of fine books on Asia for over 30 years. Subscribe to the Books on Asia Podcast. Subscribe to the BOA podcast at https://linktr.ee/booksonasia

International educator and podcaster, Kevin O'Shea brings you some interesting takes on a long life living abroad in Asia. The Just Asia Podcast profiles fascinating expats living across Asia doing amazing things. He talks to people in Japan, South Korea, China, Malaysia and more. Listen to their stories and be inspired by the lives they lead.   Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/just-asia/id1674193428   Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2qBwXhrGswVKwd7HlwwP8E   Amazon Music: https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/daa3e5dd-7705-459a-8232-cc887772e096/just-asia   Stitcher: https://www.stitcher.com/show/1071669   Google Podcasts: https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9hbmNob3IuZm0vcy9kYjViZjUwMC9wb2RjYXN0L3Jzcw       © Kevin O'Shea 2023

International educator and podcaster, Kevin O'Shea brings you some interesting takes on a long life living abroad in Asia. The Just Asia Podcast profiles fascinating expats living across Asia doing amazing things. He talks to people in Japan, South Korea, China, Malaysia and more. Listen to their stories and be inspired by the lives they lead.  Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/just-asia/id1674193428 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2qBwXhrGswVKwd7HlwwP8E Amazon Music: https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/daa3e5dd-7705-459a-8232-cc887772e096/just-asia Stitcher: https://www.stitcher.com/show/1071669 Google Podcasts: https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9hbmNob3IuZm0vcy9kYjViZjUwMC9wb2RjYXN0L3Jzcw © Kevin O'Shea 2023

In 2021 John Rucynski--who has been living in Japan on and off since 1994--self-published A Passion for Japan through Blue Sky Publishing. In this anthology, which includes 31 writers, he asks not why the writers came to Japan but why they stayed. Here is a list of the essays and writers included, from the Table of ContentsShodō: Finding My Way in The Way of WritingKaren Hill AntonOne Year with the Guardians of the PhoenixCarmen Săpunaru TămașMatsuri MadnessDavid M. WeberWadaiko: Drumming to Our Own BeatDaniel LilleyFollow the Sound of the Drums: My Passion for EisaJudy KambaraA Love of Indie Music and a Seat behind the GoalAdrianne Verla UchidaSumo and MeTim CraigA Pushover for SumoKatrina WattsBaseball, Blogging, and BelongingTrevor RaichuraComing Home: The Search for Belonging in Rural JapanVictoria YoshimuraLooking for the Good Life: Living as a Local In a Zero Waste VillageLinda Mengxi DingGaijin in the Garden: Where Ganbaru is GoldenRobert McLaughlinFrom Bruce Lee to The Way of TeaRandy Channell SoeiFrom the Land of the Indomitable Lions to the Land of the Blue Samurai: A Personal StorySamuel NforThe Long Road from Clay to Pot, and What I Learned along the WayIrina HolcaThe Man Who Stepped into YesterdayEdward J. TaylorKumano Leap – Local Heritage Adopts a Wandering Soul: Q & A with Mike RhodesMike RhodesLife Lessons Learned in Japan's MountainsWes Lang“Banzai!” on a Spanish Island: Playing Chess in Japan's ColorsSimon BibbyWho, Me?! Volleyball Refereeing in JapanGreg RouaultPassion in a Community: Finding My Japan through JALTWayne MalcolmCome Sail Away: Finding My Passion on the Ship for World YouthJohn RucynskiThe Inner Game of the Japanese: Going Back Home with TennisHaru YamadaWho Am I? In Search of My IdentityMargaret C. KimMy Love for Traditional Rituals and Customs of JapanHiya MukherjeeDiscovering Japanese Fusion of Religions on the Pilgrimage Island of ShikokuSteve McCartyFeeling at Home with the Great Literary MastersVicky Ann RichingsToo Many Novels I Want to Translate: Q & A With Emily BalistrieriEmily BalistrieriLiterature and Legacy: Stories of Hansen's Disease in JapanKathryn M. TanakaRoof Spotting in JapanWendy BiglerA Passion for the Place: Swept Off My Feet by a Japanese FarmhouseRebecca OtowaThe book is available exclusively onAmazon USA / Amazon JapanFollow the book on Instagram, Facebook, and Goodreads.At the end of the podcast, Amy asks John what his top 3 books on Japan are and why. He gives 4:You Gotta Have Wa, by Robert WhitingThe Roads to Sata, by Alan BoothCool Japan, by Tim CraigPure Invention, by Matt AltJohn Rucynski, editor of A Passion for Japan: A Collection of Personal Narratives, is originally from upstate New York and has been living in Japan on and off since 1994. He is currently associate professor in the Center for Language Education at Okayama University. His main research interest is the role of humor in language acquisition and intercultural communicative competence, and he has edited two volumes on this topic.The Books on Asia Podcast is sponsored by Stone Bridge Press, publisher of quality books on Japan and Asia for over 30 years. Go to their website at https://www.stonebridge.com/

There is a notable distinction between Western and Chinese social media, and this difference is worth studying for companies wanting to ensure brand success. In China specifically, brands wishing to successfully market their products to the general public need to expertly navigate the complex, ever-evolving Chinese social media landscape. This is where this episode's special guest comes in!Join us in our conversation about Chinese social media and marketing with Olivia Plotnick, the Founder of Wai Social, a company responsible for curating and executing intentional social media strategies for clients.Olivia's unparalleled insight into China marketing allows us to ask important questions about the culture surrounding Chinese social media. For instance, how companies speak about their wine brands online sends a message to Chinese consumers—so, with which values should they align their captions and comments to guarantee optimal engagement and revenue?In addition, what apps are most popular in China as opposed to other countries? And what social and cultural guidelines should wine companies follow online?Sign up for their newsletter hereMore about Wai Social: www.waisocial.comFollow Olivia on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/olivia-plotnick/Since 2016, Bottled in China brings you into the food and drink scene through conversations with the some of the most happening personalities. Hosted by Emilie Steckenborn, the show is your one spot for all things food, beer, wine and spirits from across the world. Connect with us on LinkedIn or Instagram @bottled.in.china Podcast available on iTunes, Spotify , online or wherever you listen to your episodes!

International educator and podcaster, Kevin O'Shea brings you some interesting takes on a long life living abroad in Asia. From the quirky facets of life in Japan to living under covid restrictions in China. Kevin talks about food, travel, raising 3rd culture kids, gardening, teaching at international schools, and a lot more. International living has a lot of ups and sometimes downs. Next stop…Malaysia for even more food, travel, and life adventures!   Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/just-asia/id1674193428   Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2qBwXhrGswVKwd7HlwwP8E

In this episode of the Books on Asia Podcast, host Amy Chavez sits down with writer, translator, and professor of Japanese at Western Michigan University, Jeffrey Angles. He is the first non-native poet writing in Japanese to win the Yomiuri Prize for Literature, a highly coveted prize for poetry. His translation of the modernist classic The Book of the Dead by Shinobu Orikuchi won both the Miyoshi Award and the Scaglione Prize for translation. He is with us today to talk about his translation of the just-released book by Hiromi Ito, The Thorn Puller. Hiromi Ito, author of The Thorn Puller (Toge-nuki Jizo: Shin Sugamo Jizo engi) came to national attention in Japan in the 1980s for her groundbreaking poetry about pregnancy, childbirth, and female sexuality. After relocating to the U.S. in the 1990s, she began to write about the immigrant experience and biculturalism. In recent years, she has focused on the ways that dying and death shape human experience.

Sarah Coomber is the author of The Same Moon (Camphor Press, 2020), a memoir about what happened when she traded out her wrecked Minnesota life for two years in rural Japan. The Same Moon is possibly the only book about the Japan Exchange and Teaching Program (JET) experience written from a woman's point of view. Sarah joined the program in 1996, when the government-sponsored program was in its infancy.In this episode of the Books on Asia Podcast, she talks about being a single woman in Japan at that time, expectations at work, and how things have changed, or not, since then. Finally she gives some advice on what women should consider before moving to Japan to teach English.At the very end of the podcast, Sarah shares with us her top three books on Japan:1. Shogun, by James Clavell2. The Accidental Office Lady: An American Woman in Corporate Japan by Laura Kriska3. A Half-Step Behind: Japanese Women Today, by Jane Condon Author Bio: Sarah Coomber has  worked in public relations, journalism, science writing and advocacy, and has taught English at the college level. She has an MFA in creative writing from Eastern Washington University, a master's in mass communication from the University of Minnesota, and level-four certification in the Seiha School of koto. A resident of Minnesota, she writes, manages communications projects, coaches other writers, and teaches yoga.Find her online at her website or sign up for her newsletter. You'll also find her at the following social media links:Twitter: @CoomberSarahInstagram: @sarahcoomberwriterFacebook: @sarahcoomberwriterLinkedIn: @sarahcoomber

The Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception Theme: The Third Joyful Mystery: the Nativity Scripture readings: Mt 1:18-2:23, Luke 2:1-21 Next episode 12/25/22: The Nativity of Our Lord Saint Nick article (and sorry again about my butchering of "Myra"): https://www.ncregister.com/blog/let-s-stop-celebrating-st-nicholas-punching-arius?amp History of Asia Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/history-of-asia/id1565212636  

In a new episode of the McKinsey Future of Asia Podcast, Gillian Tan, Chief Sustainability Officer of the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS), speaks with host Bharath Sattanathan, partner based in McKinsey's Singapore office, as they discuss how Asia can take tangible steps to transition to a net-zero economy—and the role of finance in enabling it. Drawing on key takeaways from MAS's Transition finance towards net-zero: Scaling blended finance conference, Gillian and Bharath highlight the need for a fundamental rethink of public finance, and the evolving role of finance regulators in the net-zero transition.See www.mckinsey.com/privacy-policy for privacy information

In this episode of the Books on Asia podcast, podcast host and island-dweller Amy Chavez and Gifu countryside villager Iain Maloney discuss their experiences living in Japan's countryside. Iain's book The Only Gaijin in the Village: A Year Living in Rural Japan is dedicated to the subject of himself moving to the the countryside with his Japanese wife, while Amy in her latest book The Widow, the Priest and the Octopus Hunter: Discovering a Lost Way of Life on a Secluded Japanese Island documents the countryside-living experience with an emphasis on the Japanese people she lives among. See what similarities and differences these authors reveal in this "shared experience" of moving to Japan's countryside.Some helpful vocabulary for this episode:gaijin: a non-Japanese personhoncho: the head of a local neighborhood area or associationchonaikai: Neighborhood Associationkairanban: a notebook sponsored by the Neighborhood Association that acts as a communication tool and is passed from house to house to inform of local events. One reads the notice, checks off they've read it, then the notebook is walked to the next person's house and turned over to them.akiya: an empty or abandoned houseakiya taisaku: measures taken to fill empty houses with tenantsfudosan: real estate agentmurahachibu: ostracization, non-acceptance of outsidershanko: one's seal or stamp used on official documents (mortgages, legal documents, etc.)danka: a parishoner or member of a Buddhist templeshimatsukuriinkai: similar to a town hall meeting as applied to an islandAmy starts off asking Iain what influenced his decision to move to Japan's countryside. They  discuss the odd lack of livestock, which is one of the first things Westerners associate with the bucolic countryside.Amy then asks Iain how he and his wife went about selecting a house, if they had to fix it up themselves, and about the process of moving in. They compare houses, repairs, especially toilets. Iain talks about the things that confounded their real estate agent when they were house hunting. Amy explains the much more complicated process of moving to the island where she lives.Amy talks about having moved to Shiraishi Island by herself, and how she later brought a foreign husband into the mix, and asks Iain what aspects make it easier or more difficult to move to the countryside with a Japanese spouse. They talk about the pros and cons of being "accepted" into a Japanese community, including ostracism (murahachibu), which also applies to Japanese people. They also discuss good foreigner/bad foreigner stereotypes that exist for non-Japanese. Amy talks about how she grew to understand the real issues behind murahachibu.Each village is different and every area has its own customs, rules, and ways of doing things, so Amy and Iain compare Neighborhood Associations, the volunteer fire department, and taking part in town-hall meetings as well as dealing with neighbors, their indirectness and how the power of suggestion plays a role in Japanese society.They talk about akiya taisaku attempts to lure Japanese people into countryside living, and Amy talks about the people who helped her integrate into her community.Lastly, Iain's names his favorite books as related to Japan's countryside:Inaka: Portraits of Rural Life in Japan (an anthology)Lost Japan, by Alex KerrUnbeaten Tracks in Japan, by Isabella BirdKanazawa, by David joinerThe Easy Life in Kamusari by Shion Miura (transl. Juliet W. Carpenter)The Books on Asia Podcast is sponsored by Stone Bridge Press. Check out their books on Japan at www.stonebridge.com.Your podcast host is Amy Chavez, author of Amy's Guide to Best Behavior in Japan, and The Widow, the Priest and the Octopus Hunter: Discovering a Lost Way of Life on a Secluded Japanese Island.Don't miss out on upcoming episodes with Asia's best authors and translators by subscribing to the Books on Asia podcast.

Amy Chavez has been a columnist for The Bali Times, HuffPo, and The Japan Times (the latter 23 yrs). She founded Books on Asia in May 2018. Her articles have been published in newspapers and magazines around the world including Japan, the UK, US, Canada, Taiwan, Indonesia and New Zealand. She lives in Japan. Her latest book is The Widow, The Priest and the Octopus Hunter: Discovering a Lost Way of Life on a Secluded Japanese Island available at Bookshop.org  (an online bookshop that puts you in touch with local bookstores who procure your purchase for pick-up) for those in the US. You should also be able to find the book at Kinokuniya and The Laughing Oyster Bookshop in B.C. Canada, for all our B.C. cannuck buddies out there. LINKS: The Facebook Page for the bookAmy on Twitter: @JapanLite and  @BooksOnAsiaBooks on Asia Podcast is here or subscribePLEASE SUPPORT THE SHOW: The Deep in Japan Podcast is completely independent and crowd-funded, so if you like what you hear, please give a thought to supporting the show at https://www.patreon.com/deepinjapanMUSIC: The intro was my own original mashup of Fist of the North Star, a few anime sound bites, some kabuki, a cheap recording of my son's Buzz Lightyear toy, and “Dubstep" from BenSound.The outro was "Kanzan Bakuzen Bouzen" by "that old bad enka singer" Chiharu Matsuyama. Apparently, though, he was a well-coiffed renai baller back in the 80s tho -- check it. Got something to say? You can find me at the following:www.facebook.com/groups/deepinjapan/ deep.in.japan.podcast@gmail.comAs always, thanks for listening!Support the show

Podcast host Amy Chavez talks to Robert Weis, curator of the Luxembourg Natural History Museum's upcoming exhibit, “Spirit of Shizen – The Nature of Japan through 72 Seasons,” running from July 1 to August 31, 2022. An accompanying catalogue, in the form of an anthology, will be published featuring essays by prominent writers on Japan's seasons.Amy starts off the show asking  Weis, a paleontologist, how he ended up curating the exhibition “Spirit of Shizen” Weis explains his childhood fascination with fossils, his work at the museum, and his love for Japan. He says Mark Horvane, a Kyoto-based garden designer, was an adviser to the exhibition.Amy expounds upon the meaning of "72-microseasons" as outlined in Mark Horvane's essay of the same title included in the museum catalogue/anthology.While some Japanese arts and activities have obvious links to nature, such as  Ikebana flower arrangement, bonsai, gardens or cherry-blossom viewing, Weis notes that other links may not be so obvious, such as those in haiku poetry, Japanese sweets, or even the passing of time. These tie-ins to the seasons will brought into focus via workshops, demonstrations, and a publication that focuses on Japanese culture and nature.Workshops include a Miksang contemporary photography workshop with John Einarsen, a calligraphy session by Japanese artist Rie Takeda, an exploration into the tea ceremony by Bruce Hamana, and a workshop on the seasons as related to Zen, presented by French Buddhist nun and author Kankyo Tannier. A movie, produced by Felicity Tillack especially for the exhibition, will delve into the seasons of Kyoto, and a gastronomic event coordinated with a local Japanese restaurant will look at the role of the seasons in Japanese cuisine. Visitors can enjoy a mock tea-house with tatami mats or enjoy tea in the museum's garden."Spirit of Shizen" (shizen means "nature" in Japanese), also offers an accompanying catalog/anthology of essays penned by prominent writers on Japan. The publication will be available in the Museum Store and as an online purchase.Following is the contents of the publication, which is divided into four parts, with Pico Iyer penning an introductory essay for each section/season."Spirit of Shizen" AnthologyTable of ContentsAUTUMN – Radiant Wistfulness, by Pico IyerMomiji-gari - Tracking Down the Colored Leaves, by Rebecca OtowaA Late Autumn Walk in Nara, by Robert WeisNaturally Attuned to the Seasons, by Edward LevinsonThe Japanese 72 Micro-seasons, by Mark HovaneWINTER – Blue Invigoration, by Pico IyerFirst Winter in Ohara, by Patrick ColganOntakesan - Seasonal Elements of a Sacred Japanese Mountain, by Jann WilliamsKigo: Seasonal Words and Seasonality in Haiku, by Kawaharada MayumiNature is Culture, by Sébastien RaizerSPRING – Pink-and-white Flutter, by Pico IyerPetals on a Wet Black Bough, by Amanda HugginsSakura, by Naoko AbeSeasons of the Seto Inland Sea, by Amy ChavezThe Beauty of Japanese Gardens, by Yuri UgayayaSUMMER – Festivals in the Sultry Nights, by Pico IyerThe Message in the Garden, by Marc Peter KeaneAwareness of the Seasons in the Tea Ceremony (Chanoyu), by Bruce HamanaMosses for the Ages, by Karen Lee TawarayamaNotes on Ikebana, by Mark HovaneTsuyu – Between the Sheets, by Edward J. TaylorWeis advises that there are no coronavirus restrictions right now for visiting Luxembourg or the museum.At the end of the show, Amy asks Weis to name his favorite books on Japan:The Lady and the Monk: Four Seasons in Kyoto, by Pico IyerSouth of the Border, West of the Sun, by Haruki MurakamiThe Japanese Chronicles, by Nicolas BouvierAbout Robert WeisRobert Weis is the author of over thirty scientific publications about Jurassic fossils. He has nourished a deep interest in Eastern Asian cultures, and especially Japan, since his childhood. He practices Zen meditation and the art of Bonsai and is especially interested in Japanese garden culture. Accounts on his Japanese travels can be found on his blog theroutetokyoto.com. He is the curator of the exhibition “Spirit of Shizen – The Nature of Japan through 72 seasons,” to be held at the Luxembourg Natural History Museum during summer 2022. He is also a travel writer for Luxembourg's travel magazine "DIARIES OF." His book Rocklines: A Geopoetic Journey across the Minett Unesco Biosphere, co-authored with Italian geopoet Davide S. Sapienza, will be on release in July 2022.The Books on Asia Podcast is sponsored by Stone Bridge Press. Check out their books on Japan at www.stonebridge.com.Your podcast host is Amy Chavez, author of Amy's Guide to Best Behavior in Japan, and The Widow, the Priest and the Octopus Hunter: Discovering a Lost Way of Life on a Secluded Japanese Island.Don't miss out on upcoming episodes with Asia's best authors and translators by subscribing to the Books on Asia podcast.

Amy asks Poulton to explain the difference between reading Noh plays and seeing a Noh performance. Poulton goes into great detail on the subject, including why and how the same Noh play covered in a few pages of text becomes a one-and-a-half hour play when performed. He quotes from Arthur Waley's The Noh Plays of Japan to explain the concept of length and time.He further introduces Kan'ami and Zeami, father and son, who elevated the art of Noh to what it has become and discusses the Tokugawa Shogunate's influence on Noh and gagaku (court music). Poulton notes that the flute, drum, and howling in Noh are designed to help take the audience into a different time and space. This is especially important to plays that focus on stories of ghosts, demons, and natural spirits (such as those of trees and plants).Noh performances are known for their ability to induce drowsiness and even sleep among the audience. Poulton explains how this induced hypnotic state can effectively transport the audience to a liminal awareness between reality and dreams."There is a transcendental boredom to Noh. We have to slow down our consciousnesses to get into the space of the performance. Time and space expand into infinity and eternity and this is how we can contact those things." —Cody PoultonNext Poulton expands on the structure of Noh plays and the use of dreams as devices in two well-known performances: "Hagoromo," an encounter of a human being and a supernatural creature, and "Yamamba" the mountain crone (See BOA Podcast 14: Yamamba: Japanese Mountain Witch with Rebecca Copeland and Linda Erlich). He explains the role of Noh masks and costumes. He further comments on "Funabenke" a demon play.Amy mentions "Takasago" and its continued reference in modern-day Japan.  Poulton responds that Noh often has a liturgical purpose, a way of blessing or commemorating an event similar to a requiem, and gives three modern examples of Japanese tragedies linked to Noh plays. He sum up his comments with:When bad things happen, we go back to ceremony, to ritual, to try to give shape to our feelings, and Noh is a beautiful device for doing that.Next is a discussion about the author Izumi Kyōka and how he came from a long line of Noh musicians and artists. Kyoka himself wrote plays about the supernatural and became a model of the counterculture of the 1960s in Japan. His uncle, Matsumoto Kintaro, was a famous Noh actor of the Meiji period. Poulton mentions the plays "Uta andon" and "Ama.""Saigyozakura" (Saigyo's Cherry Tree) is a play about the poet's trip to a temple to get away from the crowds at cherry-viewing time in search of a quiet and peaceful place to view the trees. But the cherry tree he finds at the temple chastises Saigyo for being a party pooper, telling him that people partying under the blossoms are celebrating his and the other trees' beauty. Poulton uses this as an example of how flowers and trees come to life and talk back to the humans via Noh plays.Lastly, Amy asks Poulton to recommend some books for those wanting to learn more about the Japanese performing arts:History of Japanese Theatre (Cambridge University Press, 2016), edited by Jonah SalzTraditional Japanese Theater (Columbia University Press), edited by Karen BrazellJapanese No Dramas (Penguin Classics, 1993) by Royall TylerKabuki Plays on Stage (4 Vols) (University of Hawaii Press, 2002-3) by James R. Brandon and Samuel L. LeiterBackstage at the Bunraku (Weatherhill, 1985) by Barbara C. AdachiThe Columbia Anthology of Modern Japanese Drama (Columbia University Press, 2017), co-edited by M Cody Poulton with Thomas Rimer, Mitsuya Mori, et al.Anthology of Japanese Short Stories (Oxford University Press, 2010), edited by Theadore W Goosen, which includes the story "Portrait of an Old Geisha" by Okamoto Kanoko (trans. Cody Poulton)About Cody Poulton:Cody Poulton taught Japanese literature, theater, and culture in the Department of Pacific and Asian Studies at the University of Victoria, Canada, for thirty-two years before retiring in 2021. Active as a translator of Japanese fiction and drama, he is author of Spirits of Another Sort: The Plays of Izumi Kyōka (2001) and A Beggar's Art: Scripting Modernity in Japan, 1900-1930. He is also co-editor, with Mitsuya Mori and J. Thomas Rimer, of The Columbia Anthology of Modern Japanese Drama and a contributing editor to History of Japanese Theatre. He is editor and chief translator of Citizens of Tokyo: Six Plays by Oriza Hirata (2019) and co-editor, with Barbara Geilhorn, Peter Eckersall, and Andreas Regelsberger, of Okada Toshiki and Japanese Theatre (2021).The Books on Asia Podcast is sponsored by Stone Bridge Press. Check out their books on Japan at www.stonebridge.com. Read a BOA review of their publication Yamamba: In Search of the Japanese Mountain Witch (edited by Rebecca Copeland and Linda C Ehrlich).Your podcast host is Amy Chavez, author of Amy's Guide to Best Behavior in Japan, and The Widow, the Priest and the Octopus Hunter: Discovering a Lost Way of Life on a Secluded Japanese Island.Don't miss out on upcoming episodes with Asia's best authors and translators by subscribing to the Books on Asia podcast.

In this episode of the Books on Asia Podcast, sponsored by Stone Bridge Press, podcast host Amy Chavez talks with novelist David Joiner about his new novel that takes place in Kanazawa, in Japan's Ishikawa Prefecture.The novel introduces the city of Kanazawa, its connection to the famous Japanese literary master Izumi Kyōka, and its setting for the novel. The story revolves around an American married to a Japanese, and the Japanese family's dynamics. Highlighted are some of the differences between traditional and modern Japan and the foreigner's place in it.Finally, Amy asks Joiner what his 3 favorite books on Japan are, and he elaborates on his choices:1. Snow Country and Sound of the Mountain, both by Yasunari Kawabata.2. Dawn to the West by Donald Keene3. Roads to Sata, by Alan BoothRead a review of David Joiner's novel Kanazawa by Tina DeBellegarde.The Books on Asia Podcast is sponsored by Stone Bridge Press. Check out their books on Japan at the publisher's website. Amy Chavez, podcast host, is author of Amy's Guide to Best Behavior in Japan and the upcoming The Widow, the Priest, and the Octopus Hunter: Discovering a Lost Way of Life on a Secluded Japanese Island (May, 2022) Subscribe to the Books on Asia podcast.