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福岡県議会の臨時会に臨む蔵内勇夫議長、17日午後、福岡市福岡県議会の蔵内勇夫議長、自民、が、議長を辞職する考えを示したことが17日、分かった。 Fukuoka prefectural assembly speaker Isao Kurauchi plans to step down amid a high-profile money scandal involving the Liberal Democratic Party group in the assembly of the southwestern Japan prefecture, it was learned Monday.
Fukuoka prefectural assembly speaker Isao Kurauchi plans to step down amid a high-profile money scandal involving the Liberal Democratic Party group in the assembly of the southwestern Japan prefecture, it was learned Monday.
Japan has a reputation for being incredibly safe, but what does “safe” actually mean? The Krewe is joined by Jordan Green, aka AfroInJapan from YouTube & Instagram, to explore safety in Japan beyond just crime, including natural disasters, wildlife, xenophobia, & the considerations travelers & foreign residents should keep in mind. Does Japan live up to it's rep? You be the judge! ------ About the Krewe ------ The Krewe of Japan Podcast is a weekly episodic podcast sponsored by the Japan Society of New Orleans. Check them out every Friday afternoon around noon CST on Apple, Google, Spotify, Amazon, Stitcher, or wherever you get your podcasts. Want to share your experiences with the Krewe? Or perhaps you have ideas for episodes, feedback, comments, or questions? Let the Krewe know by e-mail at kreweofjapanpodcast@gmail.com or on social media (Twitter: @kreweofjapan, Instagram: @kreweofjapanpodcast, Facebook: Krewe of Japan Podcast Page, TikTok: @kreweofjapanpodcast, LinkedIn: Krewe of Japan LinkedIn Page, Blue Sky Social: @kreweofjapan.bsky.social, & the Krewe of Japan Youtube Channel). Until next time, enjoy! ------ Support the Krewe! Offer Links for Affiliates ------ Use the referral links below & our promo code from the episode! Support your favorite NFL Team AND podcast! Shop NFLShop to gear up for football season! Zencastr Offer Link - Use my special link to save 30% off your 1st month of any Zencastr paid plan! ------ Links for Jordan Green/AfroInJapan ------ AfroInJapan on YouTube AfroInJapan on Instagram AfroInJapan's "The Myth of Crime in Japan" ------ JSNO Upcoming Events ------ JSNO Event Calendar Join JSNO Today!
2026.08.14 OA Life in Fukuoka "Vietnamese" #333 LOVE FM 76.1MHz http://lovefm.co.jp/
2026.08.13 OA Life in Fukuoka "Nepali" #333 LOVE FM 76.1MHz http://lovefm.co.jp/
2026.08.12 OA Life in Fukuoka "Korean" #333 LOVE FM 76.1MHz http://lovefm.co.jp/
2026.08.11 OA Life in Fukuoka "Chinese" #332 LOVE FM 76.1MHz http://lovefm.co.jp/
After spending two months in India, I landed in Japan craving one thing: a warm bowl of udon. I'm originally from Kagawa, known as Udon-ken (Udon Prefecture — where udon is practically a way of life), but these days I live in Fukuoka, the city famous around the world for tonkotsu ramen. Here's the surprising part: when I asked people here "udon or ramen?" — the answers weren't what you'd expect from the ramen capital of Japan.In this episode, I take you through Fukuoka's udon culture — the famously soft noodles that locals joke "never run out," the sweet and savory niku udon made with Kyushu's distinctive soy sauce, gobo-ten (burdock root tempura — the topping you'll find everywhere here), and my slightly embarrassing but genius way of ordering at a local udon chain. I also finally share something I was too nervous to talk about while living in Kagawa: what udon really means to people from the Udon Prefecture.
2026.08.10 OA Life in Fukuoka "English" #332 LOVE FM 76.1MHz http://lovefm.co.jp/
Solo travel or group travel: is one really better for seeing Japan? The Krewe welcomes Ryotaro Sakurai back to the podcast to break down the pros and cons of both, from flexibility and independence to planning, convenience, and shared experiences. Plus, Ryotaro gives us a look at Umami Travel, the group tour company he's building and why he thinks there's room for a different kind of Japan travel experience. ------ About the Krewe ------ The Krewe of Japan Podcast is a weekly episodic podcast sponsored by the Japan Society of New Orleans. Check them out every Friday afternoon around noon CST on Apple, Google, Spotify, Amazon, Stitcher, or wherever you get your podcasts. Want to share your experiences with the Krewe? Or perhaps you have ideas for episodes, feedback, comments, or questions? Let the Krewe know by e-mail at kreweofjapanpodcast@gmail.com or on social media (Twitter: @kreweofjapan, Instagram: @kreweofjapanpodcast, Facebook: Krewe of Japan Podcast Page, TikTok: @kreweofjapanpodcast, LinkedIn: Krewe of Japan LinkedIn Page, Blue Sky Social: @kreweofjapan.bsky.social, & the Krewe of Japan Youtube Channel). Until next time, enjoy! ------ Support the Krewe! Offer Links for Affiliates ------ Use the referral links below & our promo code from the episode! Support your favorite NFL Team AND podcast! Shop NFLShop to gear up for football season! Zencastr Offer Link - Use my special link to save 30% off your 1st month of any Zencastr paid plan! ------ Links for Ryotaro & Umami Travel ------ Ryotaro's Japan YouTube Channel Ryotaro on IG Umami Travel Website Kessennuma Knitting INEtoAGAVE (Craft Sake) ------ JSNO Upcoming Events ------ JSNO Event Calendar Join JSNO Today!
2026.08.07 OA Life in Fukuoka "Vietnamese" #332 LOVE FM 76.1MHz http://lovefm.co.jp/
2026.08.06 OA Life in Fukuoka "Nepali" #332 LOVE FM 76.1MHz http://lovefm.co.jp/
2026.08.05 OA Life in Fukuoka "Korean" #332 LOVE FM 76.1MHz http://lovefm.co.jp/
Jonny and Ben were joined by Fukuoka correspondent Daniel Hawkins to kick off our final batch of top flight previews, with Avispa hopefully set for a rise up the table after 'winning the window' (to 30:00). Then we assess the remaining five clubs: Nagasaki (30:00 to 42:00), Kobe (42:00 to 52:45), Cerezo Osaka (52:45 to 1:04:30), Gamba Osaka (1:04:30 to 1:16:55) and Kyoto (1:16:55 to 1:30:25), before Jonny wraps up our preseason coverage with his picks for the five most significant transfers of the summer, and we then wrap up the episode with a game-by-game look at the opening weekend of the new J1 season.
2026.08.04 OA Life in Fukuoka "Chinese" #331 LOVE FM 76.1MHz http://lovefm.co.jp/
2026.08.03 OA Life in Fukuoka "English" #331 LOVE FM 76.1MHz http://lovefm.co.jp/
Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks vs Tohoku Rakuten Golden Eagles 8/21/26 NPB Japan Prediction Today by Ron Crawford.
What goes into kicking off, planning out, & sustaining a podcast? The Krewe presented their lived experiences in podcasting, along with recommendations & tips for aspiring content creators in the US-Japan space, during a workshop on July 30, 2026 at the NAJAS (National Association of Japan-America Societies) National Conference. This episode is that workshop! ------ About the Krewe ------ The Krewe of Japan Podcast is a weekly episodic podcast sponsored by the Japan Society of New Orleans. Check them out every Friday afternoon around noon CST on Apple, Google, Spotify, Amazon, Stitcher, or wherever you get your podcasts. Want to share your experiences with the Krewe? Or perhaps you have ideas for episodes, feedback, comments, or questions? Let the Krewe know by e-mail at kreweofjapanpodcast@gmail.com or on social media (Twitter: @kreweofjapan, Instagram: @kreweofjapanpodcast, Facebook: Krewe of Japan Podcast Page, TikTok: @kreweofjapanpodcast, LinkedIn: Krewe of Japan LinkedIn Page, Blue Sky Social: @kreweofjapan.bsky.social, & the Krewe of Japan Youtube Channel). Until next time, enjoy! ------ Support the Krewe! Offer Links for Affiliates ------ Use the referral links below & our promo code from the episode! Support your favorite NFL Team AND podcast! Shop NFLShop to gear up for football season! Zencastr Offer Link - Use my special link to save 30% off your 1st month of any Zencastr paid plan! ------ Links for NAJAS ------ NAJAS Website NAJAS Conference Website ------ JSNO Upcoming Events ------ JSNO Event Calendar Join JSNO Today!
ເຫດການແຜ່ນດິນໄຫວຮ້າຍແຮງ ໃນປະເທດຍີ່ປຸ່ນ ຊຶ່ງມີຈຸດສູນກາງ (The Epicentre) ຢູ່ໃນແຂວງ Kumamoto, ຊຶ່ງມີຄວາມເລິກປະມານ 10 ກິໂລແມັດ, ແລະເຮັດໃຫ້ເກີດການສັ່ນສະເທືອນຢ່າງຮຸນແຮງ ທົ່ວເກາະ Kyushu ທີ່ສົ່ງຜົນກະທົບ ໄປຫາແຂວງໃກ້ຄຽງຄື Nagasaki, Kagoshima, Fukuoka, Saga ແລະ Miyazaki. ຍັງມີການສັ່ນສະເທືອນຫຼັງແຜ່ນດິນໄຫວ (Aftershocks) ຫຼາຍຄັ້ງ-ຮວມເຖິງຄັ້ງຫນຶ່ງ ທີ່ມີຄວາມຮຸນແຮງຂນາດ 6.1. ຣັດຖະບານເຕືອນຜູ້ຄົນໃຫ້ສັກສາຕົວເອງຈາກອັນຕະຣາຍ ແລະ ຣັດຖະບານ Takaichi ຈະພະຍາຍາມສຸດຄວາມສາມາດ ທີ່ຈະຕອບສນອງ ດ້ວຍເຫື່ອແຮງທັງຫມົດແລະ ໃຫ້ຄວາມສໍາຄັນກັບຊີວິດມະນຸດ ເໜືອທຸກຢ່າງ.
VOV1 - Theo xác nhận của Chính phủ Nhật Bản, số người thiệt mạng do trận động đất có độ lớn 7,1 xảy ra ngày 28/07 tại khu vực Kyushu, miền Nam nước này đã tăng lên 28 trường hợp. Trong khi đó, công tác cứu trợ đối với cộng đồng người Việt Nam tại khu vực bị ảnh hưởng đang được khẩn trương triển khaiPhát biểu tại một cuộc họp báo sau cuộc họp Nội các bất thường diễn ra sáng nay (30/07, theo giờ địa phương), Chánh Văn phòng Nội các Nhật Bản Kihara Minoru cho biết, tính đến 6 giờ 30 sáng nay, số người thiệt mạng trong trận động đất xảy ra tại Kumamoto đã tăng lên 28 người, bao gồm cả những trường hợp vẫn đang được điều tra nguyên nhân liên quan đến thảm họa.Trong khi đó theo xác nhận của Cơ quan Khí tượng Nhật Bản, kể từ chiều ngày 28/07 - thời điểm xảy ra trận động đất kinh hoàng với độ lớn 7,1 ở khu vực ngoài khơi Kumamoto, đến 11 giờ sáng nay, đã xảy ra tổng cộng 261 hoạt động địa chấn có độ lớn từ 1 - 5, với tâm chấn nằm ở vùng Kumamoto, cũng như các vùng Amakusa và Ashikita. Điều này phản ánh các hoạt động địa chấn đang diễn ra ở mức cao tại khu vực.Chính quyền tỉnh Kumamoto cũng cho biết, đến nay, vẫn còn khoảng 74.800 hộ gia đình chưa có nước sinh hoạt và khoảng 23.000 hộ gia đình chưa có điện. Tỉnh Kumamoto cũng đã thiết lập 415 trung tâm sơ tán tạm thời và tiếp nhận hơn 10.400 người dân.Thông tin về công tác cứu hộ tại hiện trường, Thống đốc tỉnh Kumamoto - ông Kimura Takashi, nói:“Thật đáng tiếc khi số người thiệt mạng vẫn đang tăng lên, nhưng các nỗ lực cứu hộ vẫn đang được tiến hành khẩn trương trên thực địa. Chúng tôi muốn làm hết sức mình để có thể cứu sống thêm càng nhiều người càng tốt, khi đã nhiều giờ trôi qua kể từ khi xảy ra thảm họa”.Về tình hình cộng đồng người Việt Nam tại các khu vực chịu ảnh hưởng bởi động đất, theo xác nhận của Tổng Lãnh sự quán Việt Nam tại Fukuoka, đến hết ngày hôm qua (29/07), chưa ghi nhận có thêm trường hợp công dân Việt Nam thương vong trong trận động đất tại Kumamoto. Về cơ bản, cộng đồng người Việt tại khu vực an toàn, nhưng nhiều người đang cần được hỗ trợ khẩn cấp về nước uống và thực phẩm. Đến nay, Tổng Lãnh sự quán Việt Nam đang đẩy mạnh triển khai công tác cứu trợ đối với cộng đồng, phối hợp với các hội đoàn, nhóm thiện nguyện phân phát hàng cứu trợ tại các vùng chịu ảnh hưởng bởi động đất.Các cơ quan đại diện ngoại giao Việt Nam tại Nhật Bản cũng đã trực tiếp cử cán bộ tới doanh nghiệp và nghiệp đoàn phái cử, cũng như gia đình thực tập sinh Trần Văn Sơn - nạn nhân thiệt mạng trong động đất. Công ty và nghiệp đoàn cam kết sẽ đảm bảo cao nhất quyền lợi bảo hiểm đối với nạn nhân, sớm hoàn thiện các thủ tục để đưa thi hài nạn nhân về nước theo nguyện vọng của gia đình./. VOV Nhật BảnHàng loạt nhà cửa tại Kumamoto đã bị sập đổ do động đất - Ảnh: NHK
VOV1 - Đã có một công dân Việt Nam thiệt mạng do trận động đất có độ lớn 7,1 xảy ra tại khu vực Kyushu- miền Nam Nhật Bản. Hiện nay, các cơ quan đại diện ngoại giao của Việt Nam tại Nhật Bản đang làm việc với các bên liên quan để hỗ trợ nạn nhân và gia đình.Theo xác nhận của các cơ quan đại diện ngoại giao Việt Nam tại Nhật Bản, ngay sau khi động đất xảy ra, Đại sứ quán Việt Nam và các cơ quan lãnh sự đã lập tức liên hệ với các nghiệp đoàn, cơ sở tiếp nhận lao động tại khu vực bị ảnh hưởng, như công ty đóng tàu JMU, công ty đóng tàu Oshima, công ty Furi Report, nghiệp đoàn Tozai Shoko… đang quản lý và tiếp nhận khoảng 1.300 thực tập sinh, người lao động Việt Nam. Đến 0 giờ 29/07 (theo giờ địa phương), Tổng Lãnh sự quán Việt Nam tại Fukuoka đã tiếp nhận thông tin về việc một thực tập sinh Việt Nam đã thiệt mạng do động đất.Nạn nhân được xác nhận là T.V.Sơn, sinh năm 2002, quê quán xã Rạng Động, tỉnh Ninh Bình. Thời điểm xảy ra động đất, nạn nhân bị cẩu cần trục trong nhà máy rơi đè lên người. Dù lực lượng cảnh sát và cứu hộ ngay sau đó đã có mặt để sơ cứu, nhưng nạn nhân được xác nhận đã tử vong. Tại nhà máy nơi nạn nhân làm việc, còn 7 thực tập sinh Việt Nam khác, khi xảy ra động đất đã kịp chạy thoát ra ngoài.Thông tin đầy đủ về vụ việc này, bà Trịnh Thị Mai Phương - Tổng Lãnh sự Việt Nam tại Fukuoka, nói: “Đến thời điểm hiện nay, Tổng Lãnh sự quán vấn đang tiếp tục phối hợp chặt chẽ với các cơ quan chức năng của Nhật Bản và các đầu mối cộng đồng để rà soát tình hình công dân Việt Nam, kịp thời triển khai các biện pháp bảo hộ công dân theo quy định, đồng thời cũng đã duy trì đường dây nóng để tiếp nhận và xử lý ngay các đề nghị hỗ trợ từ người dân. Theo thông tin nắm bắt từ cộng đồng, hiện có một công dân Việt Nam không may tử vong trong trận động đất. Tổng Lãnh sự quán đang phối hợp chặt chẽ với các cơ quan chức năng Nhật Bản, doanh nghiệp tiếp nhận và gia đình nạn nhân để thực hiện các thủ tục cần thiết, bảo đảm đầy đủ quyền và các lợi ích hợp pháp của công dân theo quy định của pháp luật Việt Nam và Nhật Bản”.Cũng theo Tổng Lãnh sự quán Việt Nam tại Fukuoka, trong trận động đất xảy ra tại Kumamoto vào chiều qua, có một nữ công dân Việt Nam đang sống tại thành phố Uki, tỉnh Kumamoto bị thương và phải cấp cứu tại bệnh viện. Tuy nhiên, sức khỏe nạn nhân được xác nhận không nguy hiểm đến tính mạng. Ngoài ra, một số công dân Việt Nam sinh sống, làm việc tại Kumamoto cũng xác nhận có thiệt hại về tài sản, một số người đang phải sơ tán tạm thời tới các khu vực lánh nạn, nhưng do mất điện, mất sóng điện thoại nên việc đi lại hay liên lạc gặp nhiều khó khăn.Đại sứ quán Việt Nam và các cơ quan đại diện của Việt Nam tại Nhật Bản hiện vẫn đang tiếp tục thu thập thông tin về tình hình công dân tại các khu vực xảy ra động đất./.Ngọc Huân/VOV Nhật BảnẢnh minh họa
VOV1 - Ngay sau khi trận động đất có độ lớn 7,1 xảy ra tại khu vực Kyushu - miền Nam Nhật Bản, Chính phủ nước này đã kích hoạt cơ chế ứng phó khẩn cấp, đồng thời khẩn trương triển khai các biện pháp để hạn chế thiệt hại do động đất gây ra.Phát biểu trước báo giới tại Phủ Thủ tướng vào tối nay (28/07), Thủ tướng Takaichi Sanae cho biết, bà đã chỉ thị cho các bộ - ngành liên quan nhanh chóng đánh giá mức độ thiệt hại, phối hợp chặt chẽ với chính quyền các địa phương và nỗ lực hết sức để ứng phó khẩn cấp với thiên tai trên nguyên tắc ưu tiên tính mạng người dân là trên hết, cung cấp kịp thời và chính xác thông tin cho người dân, nhất là đối với công tác sơ tán, đồng thời cam kết sẽ triển khai mọi biện pháp để ứng phó và giảm thiểu thiệt hại.Thủ tướng Takaichi - nói:“Hiện nay, lực lượng cảnh sát và phòng cháy - chữa cháy các địa phương đang nỗ lực cứu hộ, tìm kiếm, cứu nạn. Phủ Nội các cũng đã cử nhóm điều tra đặc biệt đến hiện trường để đánh giá thiệt hại về người và tài sản. Bước đầu đã xác định có nhiều người bị thương, nhiều nơi bị cắt điện và xảy ra hỏa hoạn, nhiều đoạn đường, cầu cống và nhà cửa bị sập. Tôi kêu gọi người dân hãy tìm nơi lánh nạn và có biện pháp an toàn để bảo vệ bản thân. Chính phủ sẽ có những biện pháp hỗ trợ thiết thực, kịp thời”.Trong một diễn biến liên quan, Bộ trưởng Quốc phòng Nhật Bản Shinjiro Koizumi cũng nhấn mạnh, mức độ thiệt hại do động đất đã lan rộng, các đơn vị thuộc Lực lượng Phòng vệ Nhật Bản sẽ đẩy nhanh công tác phối hợp thực hiện cứu người bị nạn, đồng thời phối hợp chặt chẽ với các bộ - ngành và chính quyền địa phương liên quan để đảm bảo sử dụng mọi phương tiện thu thập thông tin, hạn chế thiệt hại, cung cấp thông tin kịp thời và chính xác về việc sơ tán và thiệt hại cho người dân.Sau động đất, ba máy bay chiến đấu F-2 cùng trực thăng của Lực lượng Phòng vệ Trên không đã được điều động để thu thập thông tin liên quan, nhiều sĩ quan liên lạc cũng được phái cử đến hỗ trợ các tỉnh Kumamoto, Fukuoka, Nagasaki và Saga. Hiện nay, Bộ Quốc phòng Nhật Bản cũng đã phái cử khoảng 3.600 binh sĩ thuộc Sư đoàn 8, thuộc Lực lượng Phòng vệ Mặt đất đến các khu vực bị ảnh hưởng tại tỉnh Kumamoto và đang tham gia vào các hoạt động cứu hộ tại các địa điểm như trung tâm thương mại Aeon Mall Kumamoto, hay nhà máy giấy Nippon Yatsushiro.Vào lúc 21 giờ tối nay (theo giờ địa phương), Bộ trưởng Bộ Nội vụ và Truyền thông Nhật Bản Hayashi Yoshimasa cũng tổ chức cuộc họp tại Trụ sở Ứng phó Thảm họa Khẩn cấp, và nhấn mạnh “sẽ quyết tâm mạnh mẽ làm tất cả những gì có thể và tiến lên phía trước với tất cả nguồn lực” để ứng phó với thảm họa.Trước đó, vào lúc 16 giờ 27 phút chiều nay, tại khu vực Kyushyu - miền Nam Nhật Bản đã xảy ra một trận động đất có độ lớn 7,1, với tâm chấn có độ sâu là khoảng 10km. Cơ quan khí tượng Nhật Bản đã phải ban bố cảnh báo sóng thần tại khu vực duyên hải của các địa phương gần tâm chấn. Tính đến 21 giờ tối nay, trận động đất đã làm gần 100 người bị thương, trong đó có nhiều trường hợp được xác nhận trong tình trạng nghiêm trọng, ít nhất 20 - 30 nhân viên (thậm chí có thể có cả khách hàng) đang làm việc tại trung tâm mua sắm Aeon Mall Kumamoto hiện chưa thể liên lạc sau động đất. Sở Cảnh sát Yatsushiro, thuộc tỉnh Kumamoto cũng xác nhận, có nhiều trường hợp chưa thể liên lạc sau vụ gẫy ống khói tại nhà máy giấy Nippon Yatsushiro do động đất. Hiện nay, các lực lượng cứu hộ đang nỗ lực triển khai mọi biện pháp để thu thập thông tin và tìm kiếm người bị nạn. Có thông tin cho rằng, một số nạn nhân trong vụ gẫy ống khói đã được cứu, nhưng chi tiết về tình trạng sức khỏe vẫn đang được xác nhận.Ngọc Huân, Tuấn Nhật/VOV TokyoHiện trường vụ gẫy ống khói tại nhà máy giấy Nippon Yatsushiro, tại tỉnh Kumamoto, khiến nhiều người được xác nhận bị mất liên lạc. Một số nạn nhân trong số đó đã được cứu nhưng chưa có thông tin chi tiết về tình trạng sức khỏe - Ảnh: NHK
2026.07.27 OA Life in Fukuoka "English" #330 LOVE FM 76.1MHz http://lovefm.co.jp/
Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks vs Saitama Seibu Lions 7/26/26 NPB Japan Pick Today by Ron Crawford.
Former LSU standout, NBA veteran, and professional basketball player Johnny O'Bryant III joins the Krewe to discuss his unique connections to Japan, from playing for the Ibaraki Robots in Japan's B.League to founding Noir Caesar, his own manga publishing company. We explore his experiences living and competing in Japan, how a lifelong passion for manga grew into a business, and what it takes to balance life as a professional athlete and entrepreneur. It's a conversation about basketball, Japanese culture, creativity, and chasing passions both on and off the court. ------ About the Krewe ------ The Krewe of Japan Podcast is a weekly episodic podcast sponsored by the Japan Society of New Orleans. Check them out every Friday afternoon around noon CST on Apple, Google, Spotify, Amazon, Stitcher, or wherever you get your podcasts. Want to share your experiences with the Krewe? Or perhaps you have ideas for episodes, feedback, comments, or questions? Let the Krewe know by e-mail at kreweofjapanpodcast@gmail.com or on social media (Twitter: @kreweofjapan, Instagram: @kreweofjapanpodcast, Facebook: Krewe of Japan Podcast Page, TikTok: @kreweofjapanpodcast, LinkedIn: Krewe of Japan LinkedIn Page, Blue Sky Social: @kreweofjapan.bsky.social, & the Krewe of Japan Youtube Channel). Until next time, enjoy! ------ Support the Krewe! Offer Links for Affiliates ------ Use the referral links below & our promo code from the episode! Support your favorite NFL Team AND podcast! Shop NFLShop to gear up for football season! Zencastr Offer Link - Use my special link to save 30% off your 1st month of any Zencastr paid plan! ------ Links for Johnny & Noir Caesar ------ Noir Caesar Website Johnny on IG B.League Website ------ JSNO Upcoming Events ------ JSNO Event Calendar Join JSNO Today!
2026.07.20 OA Life in Fukuoka "English" #329 LOVE FM 76.1MHz http://lovefm.co.jp/
Fluent Fiction - Japanese: Chasing Light: A Student's Courage in Fukuoka's Fields Find the full episode transcript, vocabulary words, and more:fluentfiction.com/ja/episode/2026-07-18-22-34-02-ja Story Transcript:Ja: 麦秋の日差しが暖かく包み込み、福岡の美しい浮羽命の棚田に高校生たちが集まりました。En: The warm sun of late spring wrapped around the Fukuoka's beautiful Ukiha Inochi terraced rice fields as high school students gathered.Ja: 彼らは学校の夏休みの研修旅行に来ていました。En: They were there for their school summer trip.Ja: 緑豊かな田んぼが山の斜面に広がり、心を和ませる風景です。En: The lush green rice paddies spread across the mountainside, providing a soothing landscape.Ja: この日の主役は、写真好きの内気な高校生、結城(ゆうき)でした。En: The protagonist of the day was a shy high school student with a love for photography, Yuuki.Ja: 彼女のカメラは、祖父が初めて手渡した宝物です。En: Her camera was a treasure first handed to her by her grandfather.Ja: 祖父の教えを胸に、完璧な写真を撮ることが夢でした。En: With his teachings in her heart, her dream was to take the perfect photo.Ja: 特に、お盆の季節に照らされる田んぼを撮りたいと思っていました。En: She especially wanted to capture the rice fields bathed in the Obon festival light.Ja: 同行していたさくら先生は、集合時間を厳しく管理していました。En: Sakura sensei, who was accompanying them, strictly managed the schedule.Ja: 「夕方までには戻りますよ。En: "We must return by evening.Ja: 時間厳守でお願いします」先生の声が響きます。En: Please be punctual," her voice echoed.Ja: しかし、結城の心は揺らぎます。En: However, Yuuki's heart wavered.Ja: 完璧な写真を撮るためには、夕日が沈むまでここに残らなければならないと知っていました。En: She knew that to capture the perfect photograph, she needed to stay until the sun set.Ja: 結城はどうするべきか悩みました。En: Yuuki pondered what she should do.Ja: 自分の夢を追うためにリスクを冒してでもここに残るか、先生に頼み軽くスケジュールを変更してもらうか。En: Should she take the risk and stay to chase her dream, or ask the teacher to slightly adjust the schedule?Ja: 結局、彼女は一瞬の勇気を振り絞り、さくら先生に相談します。En: In the end, she mustered a moment of courage and consulted Sakura sensei.Ja: 「先生、どうしても夕方の写真が撮りたいんです」さくら先生は少し考え込んだあと、優しく微笑みました。En: "Sensei, I really want to take photos in the evening," she said.Ja: 「いいでしょう。En: Sakura sensei thought for a moment, then smiled gently.Ja: でも、みんなに迷惑をかけないように気を付けてね」夕方になり、棚田は黄金色に染まり始め、やがて灯篭が輝き始めました。En: "Alright, but be sure not to inconvenience everyone else."Ja: その時、結城はカメラを手にし、心地よい風に逆らわずシャッターを押しました。En: As evening came, the terraced rice fields began to glow golden, and the lanterns started to shine.Ja: 祖父の面影を心に浮かべながら、夢中で写真を撮りました。En: At that moment, Yuuki held her camera, pressed the shutter without resisting the pleasant breeze, and captured the scene.Ja: 旅行が終わり、学校での発表の日。En: With her grandfather's memories in mind, she took photos passionately.Ja: 結城は輝く棚田の写真を披露しました。En: When the trip ended, on the presentation day back at school, Yuuki showcased the radiant photos of the terraced fields.Ja: クラスメートたちやさくら先生から熱い拍手を受け、彼女の心に充実感が満ち溢れます。En: She received warm applause from her classmates and Sakura sensei, filling her heart with a sense of fulfillment.Ja: 祖父の遺した教えと、自分の勇気が形になった、あの一枚の写真。En: The teachings her grandfather left behind and her own courage culminated in that single photograph.Ja: この経験を通じて、結城は他人の目を気にせず、自分の夢を追う勇気を得ました。En: Through this experience, Yuuki gained the courage to pursue her dreams without worrying about others' opinions.Ja: 自分の気持ちをもっと自由に表現できるようになり、今では新しい挑戦にも前向きです。En: She could express her feelings more freely, and now she is positive about new challenges.Ja: 美しい棚田の思い出と共に、結城は新しい一歩を踏み出しました。En: With the memories of the beautiful terraced fields, Yuuki took a new step forward. Vocabulary Words:protagonist: 主役shy: 内気なwander: 揺らぐmustered: 振り絞りponder: 悩むbreeze: 風gently: 優しくradiant: 輝くfulfillment: 充実感consulted: 相談inconvenience: 迷惑landscape: 風景fulfilled: 満ち溢れaccompanying: 同行punctual: 時間厳守treasure: 宝物soothing: 和ませるculminated: 形になったresisting: 逆らわずcapture: 撮るpursue: 追うobon: お盆challenges: 挑戦step forward: 一歩を踏み出すend: 終わりpresentation: 発表showcased: 披露applause: 拍手teachings: 教えmemories: 思い出
What role do Japan Societies and Japan-America Societies play in strengthening the relationship between the United States and Japan? In this episode, the Krewe sits down with Dr. Joshua Walker, former President and CEO of the Japan Society in New York, to discuss U.S.-Japan relations, the unique impact organizations of all sizes can have at every level of cultural exchange, and why local interactions remain essential to the partnership between both nations. We also explore what the future may hold for U.S.-Japan relations and how individuals and communities can help shape it. ------ About the Krewe ------ The Krewe of Japan Podcast is a weekly episodic podcast sponsored by the Japan Society of New Orleans. Check them out every Friday afternoon around noon CST on Apple, Google, Spotify, Amazon, Stitcher, or wherever you get your podcasts. Want to share your experiences with the Krewe? Or perhaps you have ideas for episodes, feedback, comments, or questions? Let the Krewe know by e-mail at kreweofjapanpodcast@gmail.com or on social media (Twitter: @kreweofjapan, Instagram: @kreweofjapanpodcast, Facebook: Krewe of Japan Podcast Page, TikTok: @kreweofjapanpodcast, LinkedIn: Krewe of Japan LinkedIn Page, Blue Sky Social: @kreweofjapan.bsky.social, & the Krewe of Japan Youtube Channel). Until next time, enjoy! ------ Support the Krewe! Offer Links for Affiliates ------ Use the referral links below & our promo code from the episode! Support your favorite NFL Team AND podcast! Shop NFLShop to gear up for football season! Zencastr Offer Link - Use my special link to save 30% off your 1st month of any Zencastr paid plan! ------ Links for Joshua & Japan Society ------ Joshua's LinkedIn Joshua's Book -- Japan: Beyond the Genkan (Amazon) Japan Society (NYC) ------ JSNO Upcoming Events ------ JSNO Event Calendar Join JSNO Today!
Two back to back conversations with first-time buyers - one looking for a single family holiday home in or around Tokyo - the other for an investment condo in Fukuoka. We break down costs, listings research, due diligence, purchase procedures and post-settlement management options.
What do you do when you're offered an opportunity that will definitely stretch you but also scares you, and your first instinct is to hand it to someone else, because you feel you're not quite qualified? That's the moment we unpack in this interview with Ai Asakura, Alumni Program Manager for the TOMODACHI Initiative at the U.S.-Japan Council, who I met at an expat meetup in Fukuoka this spring — one with that same eclectic, cross-cultural energy as New York City, where you connect peer to peer with people from all walks of life. Ai is bicultural like me, and she's spent her career building bridges — between Japan and the U.S., and between mentees and the mentors who help shape their paths. But it took her some time to recognize being bicultural as her own superpower, and when she did, it empowered her to say yes to an opportunity most people would've handed to someone with a bigger title.Key TakeawaysLeadership is not a job title: You can be a leader as a mentor, a community organizer, a parent, or a volunteer—impact and initiative matter more than status.Networking is people-to-people connection, not transaction: Powerful “networking” often looks like simply being curious about others and building genuine human relationships.Bicultural identity is a superpower: Living between cultures, as Ai does between Japan and the U.S., creates unique insight, empathy, and the ability to act as a bridge.Opportunities often arrive through community: Ai's major career transitions—from hospitality to translation to TOMODACHI—came through relationships and community involvement.Saying yes can be the real “risky conversation”: Accepting the invitation to represent her region as a mentor felt risky to Ai, but turning it down would have meant betraying the message she gives her mentees about stepping up.Operation TOMODACHI to TOMODACHI Initiative: The humanitarian response to the 2011 Great East Japan earthquake evolved into a long-term leadership and exchange program impacting over 10,000 alumni.Exposure to hope changes trajectories: Young people from disaster-affected regions returned from U.S. programs with renewed hope, agency, and a desire to rebuild their communities.Community work can clarify your own identity: Serving Japanese communities in the U.S. helped Ai reconnect to her Japanese roots and recognize her role as a cultural bridge.Curiosity is a core leadership habit: Being genuinely interested in people—their stories, cultures, and experiences—naturally expands your world and your opportunities.There is still hope in the world: Despite global uncertainty, Ai emphasizes that human-to-human connection, especially across cultures, is a powerful source of hope.FeaturedConnect with Ai Asakura on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ai-asakura0977/Learn about the US-Japan Council: https://www.usjapancouncil.org/Connect with Jamie Lee on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/leejieunjamie/Learn about 1:1 executive coaching with Jamie Lee here: https://www.jamieleecoach.com/applyText me your thoughts on this episode!Enjoy the show? Don't miss an episode, listen and subscribe via Apple Podcasts or Spotify. Leave me a review in Apple Podcasts. Connect with meBook a free hour-long consultation with me. You'll leave with your custom blueprint to confidence, and we'll ensure it's a slam-dunk fit for you before you commit to working with me 1:1. Connect with me on LinkedIn Email me at jamie@jamieleecoach.com
2026.07.13 OA Life in Fukuoka "English" #328 LOVE FM 76.1MHz http://lovefm.co.jp/
Season 7 is here! The Krewe kicks off the new season with language learner & content creator Kyle Metcalf, known for his viral street interviews in Japan where he practices his Japanese through conversation... until he's fluent in Japanese! Kyle joins us to share his Japanese language journey, how real conversations helped him build confidence & move towards fluency goals, practical advice for overcoming the fear of speaking, and what goes on behind the scenes of his popular street interview videos. Whether you're just beginning to learn Japanese or looking for inspiration to take your skills further, this episode is full of insights, encouragement, & plenty of fun stories. ------ About the Krewe ------ The Krewe of Japan Podcast is a weekly episodic podcast sponsored by the Japan Society of New Orleans. Check them out every Friday afternoon around noon CST on Apple, Google, Spotify, Amazon, Stitcher, or wherever you get your podcasts. Want to share your experiences with the Krewe? Or perhaps you have ideas for episodes, feedback, comments, or questions? Let the Krewe know by e-mail at kreweofjapanpodcast@gmail.com or on social media (Twitter: @kreweofjapan, Instagram: @kreweofjapanpodcast, Facebook: Krewe of Japan Podcast Page, TikTok: @kreweofjapanpodcast, LinkedIn: Krewe of Japan LinkedIn Page, Blue Sky Social: @kreweofjapan.bsky.social, & the Krewe of Japan Youtube Channel). Until next time, enjoy! ------ Support the Krewe! Offer Links for Affiliates ------ Use the referral links below & our promo code from the episode! Support your favorite NFL Team AND podcast! Shop NFLShop to gear up for football season! Zencastr Offer Link - Use my special link to save 30% off your 1st month of any Zencastr paid plan! ------ Links for Kyle ------ Kyle on Instagram Kyle on TikTok Kyle on YouTube Kyle's TEDx Talk (YouTube) ------ JSNO Upcoming Events ------ JSNO Event Calendar Join JSNO Today!
2026.07.06 OA Life in Fukuoka "English" #327 LOVE FM 76.1MHz http://lovefm.co.jp/
VOV1 - Mưa lớn kéo dài liên tiếp trong nhiều ngày vừa qua tại các khu vực phía Nam Nhật Bản chưa có dấu hiệu chấm dứt, khu vực này lại tiếp tục chuẩn bị đón nhận một cơn bão mạnh khác, làm gia tăng nguy cơ có thể xảy ra thảm họa thiên tai.Do ảnh hưởng của một khối khí mùa mưa hoạt động mạnh, cùng với những hiện tượng thời tiết cực đoan xảy ra khi các dải mây mưa tích điện nối tiếp nhau xuất hiện, gây ra những trận mưa cực lớn ở mức độ thiên tai nghiêm trọng trong thời gian dài tại các khu vực phía Nam Nhật Bản.Tính đến trước lúc 5 giờ sáng nay (06/07, theo giờ địa phương), lượng mưa đo được tại nhiều khu vực ở phía bắc Kyushu và vùng Chugoku đạt 30 mm trong vòng một giờ. Dự kiến trong những giờ tới, khối khí lạnh mùa mưa sẽ duy trì trạng thái đứng yên, mang theo lượng mưa lớn đến nhiều khu vực phía Tây và Nam Nhật Bản. Đặc biệt, có nguy cơ xảy ra mưa rất lớn cục bộ với lượng mưa lên đến 50 mm/giờ, kèm theo dông bão, ở phía Bắc Kyushu.Dự báo trong 24 giờ sau đó tính đến sáng ngày mai (07/07), lượng mưa ở các khu vực phía Bắc Kyushu có thể lên tới 80 mm/giờ. Do lượng mưa kéo dài trong suốt nhiều ngày qua, mặt đất ở nhiều khu vực, đặc biệt là phía Bắc Kyushu, được xác nhận đã trở nên không ổn định. Cơ quan Khí tượng Nhật Bản đang kêu gọi người dân hết sức cảnh giác trước nguy cơ sạt lở đất, tình trạng ngập lụt ở các vùng trũng thấp, cũng như mực nước sông dâng cao, đồng thời khuyến cáo người dân cảnh giác trước nguy cơ xảy ra sét đánh, gió giật mạnh, và lốc xoáy…Trước đó, vào hôm qua (05/07), chính quyền các tỉnh Kumamoto, Saga, Fukuoka, Oita …, đã phải ban bố cảnh báo thiên tai nguy hiểm ở cấp độ 4 - cấp nghiêm trọng thứ 2 trong thang cảnh báo 5 cấp của Nhật Bản, đồng thời yêu cầu hàng trăm nghìn người dân sơ tán khẩn cấp để đảm bảo an toàn.Trong khi tình hình mưa lũ vẫn đang tiếp tục kéo dài và diễn biến phức tạp, Nhật Bản lại chuẩn bị phải đón nhận “hiểm họa kép” khi một cơn bão khác (bão số 9) - được dự báo là cơn bão lớn và có cường độ mạnh, đang di chuyển theo hướng phía Tây trên biển phía Nam Nhật Bản. Bắt đầu kể từ ngày 09/07 trở đi, tại các khu vực thuộc Okinawa và Amami, dự kiến sẽ có biển động dữ dội, tình trạng thời tiết xấu, mưa lớn…, sẽ tiếp tục xảy ra ở nhiều nơi. Cơ quan khí tượng Nhật Bản đang khuyến cáo người dân tại các khu vực chịu ảnh hưởng của mưa lũ và dọc đường đi của cơn bão số 9 cần liên tục theo dõi các bản tin khẩn cấp để chủ động sơ tán nhằm đảm bảo an toàn./. Ngọc Huân/VOV Nhật BảnTrong khi mưa lớn vẫn tiếp diễn ở nhiều nơi, Nhật Bản lại chuẩn bị đón nhận cơn bão số 9 khiến nhiều khu vực đối mặt với nguy cơ thiên tai có thể xảy ra - Ảnh: Jiji Press.
SURPRISE! Season 7 is almost here! The Krewe has been grinding away, putting together a jam-packed line-up of spectacular guests & intriguing episode topics. This preview is packed with sneak peeks at what's to come in Season 7. Some snippets include: - Interviewing Kyle Metcalf in English about interviewing people in Japan until he's fluent in Japanese - Discovering the roles of Japan Societies big & small with Dr. Joshua Walker - Exploring the intersection of manga & basketball with pro basketball player & entrepreneur Johnny O'Bryant III - Debating the benefits of solo travel vs group travel with YouTuber & travel expert Ryotaro Sakurai of LifeBridge & Umami Travel - Finding out if Japan really is safe with Jordan Green aka AfroInJapan - Unearthing opportunities for intercultural exchange through the Fullbright Program with Dr. Rose Honegger - Indulging in some Kabuki theatre with Larry Kominz - Tapping into the creativity of cosplay with Maria of Oz Costumes - Teaching Japanese through the J-LEAP Program with Aina Kondo - Hitting the hiking trails of Tohoku with Quinlan of Go North Japan This is only HALF of what's to come this season... we got a lot more still in the works but gotta keep that unwrapped! So stay tuned for our season 7 premiere on July 10, 2026 and stick around for the rest of the season to find out what else we have in store on Season 7 of Krewe of Japan Podcast!! ------ About the Krewe ------ The Krewe of Japan Podcast is a weekly episodic podcast sponsored by the Japan Society of New Orleans. Check them out every Friday afternoon around noon CST on Apple, Google, Spotify, Amazon, Stitcher, or wherever you get your podcasts. Want to share your experiences with the Krewe? Or perhaps you have ideas for episodes, feedback, comments, or questions? Let the Krewe know by e-mail at kreweofjapanpodcast@gmail.com or on social media (Twitter: @kreweofjapan, Instagram: @kreweofjapanpodcast, Facebook: Krewe of Japan Podcast Page, TikTok: @kreweofjapanpodcast, LinkedIn: Krewe of Japan LinkedIn Page, Blue Sky Social: @kreweofjapan.bsky.social, & the Krewe of Japan Youtube Channel). Until next time, enjoy! ------ Support the Krewe! Offer Links for Affiliates ------ Use the referral links below & our promo code from the episode! Support your favorite NFL Team AND podcast! Shop NFLShop to gear up for football season! Zencastr Offer Link - Use my special link to save 30% off your 1st month of any Zencastr paid plan! ------ JSNO Upcoming Events ------ JSNO Event Calendar Join JSNO Today!
Saitama Seibu Lions vs Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks 7/2/26 NPB Japan Betting Tips by Ron Crawford.
THE Sales Japan Series by Dale Carnegie Training Tokyo, Japan
Many companies complain that their salespeople cannot sell, but the real problem is often poor sales management, weak onboarding, unrealistic targets, and almost no proper coaching. In Japan, where hiring English-speaking, globally minded salespeople has become harder, wasting sales talent is not just inefficient. It is expensive, avoidable, and strategically dangerous. Salespeople do not magically become productive. They need realistic targets, consistent sales training, active coaching, and managers who know how to build capability rather than just demand numbers. Why do companies waste salespeople? Companies waste salespeople when they hire them, pressure them, under-train them, and then blame them when they fail. The salesperson may look useless, but the system around them may be the real culprit. In industries such as recruitment, real estate, insurance, technology, and professional services, the "up or out" mentality is common. Throw enough people into the machine, set high targets, and keep the few who survive. That approach may have worked when there were plenty of candidates available, but Japan's labour market is tighter, younger talent is scarcer, and bilingual salespeople are harder to find. As of the post-pandemic period, companies cannot afford to treat salespeople like disposable parts. They need a development model, not a meat grinder. Do now: Audit your sales exits. Before calling people failures, check whether onboarding, coaching, target-setting, and manager support failed first. Why is hiring salespeople in Japan becoming harder? Hiring salespeople in Japan is harder because the supply of internationally exposed, English-speaking young talent has shrunk and domestic Japanese firms now compete for the same people. Multinationals no longer have the bilingual talent field to themselves. Japanese students studying overseas, especially in the United States, declined significantly from earlier peaks, and COVID-19 disrupted international mobility even further. The pattern also changed: fewer students completed long, four-year immersion experiences, while more chose shorter overseas programmes. That matters because multinational firms in Japan often seek candidates who can speak English, understand Western business culture, and operate confidently across borders. Meanwhile, Japanese domestic companies have become more attractive and more aggressive in hiring these same people. So, if you want a bilingual salesperson in Tokyo, Osaka, Nagoya, or Fukuoka, brace for impact. Do now: Stop assuming talent is plentiful. Build a sales development engine that turns promising people into productive producers. What is broken about sales training in Japanese companies? Sales training in many Japanese companies is broken because On-the-Job Training exists in name, but not in real coaching practice. The company may believe development is happening, while the salesperson receives little meaningful guidance. The old OJT model relied on bosses having time to observe, coach, correct, and demonstrate. Today, many sales managers are drowning in email, meetings, CRM updates, forecasting, internal reporting, and their own player-manager targets. Coaching gets squeezed out. Nobody wants to admit that reality, so the organisation maintains a tatemae — the polite surface story — that young salespeople are being trained. Meanwhile, the honne — the actual truth — is that they are often left to struggle alone. In sales, that gap becomes missed revenue, low morale, and higher turnover. Do now: Measure actual coaching hours, not training slogans. If managers are not coaching weekly, the OJT system is probably fiction. How should sales targets be set fairly? Sales targets should be set using evidence, tenure, sales cycle length, market conditions, and comparable performance data — not numbers pulled out of the ether. Unrealistic targets crush confidence and accelerate resignations. A first-year salesperson, a veteran account manager, and a newly hired bilingual sales rep cannot be judged by the same blunt target logic. Leaders need a "Day One" view: when did the person start, what pipeline stage are they at, what territory did they inherit, and how are they performing compared with colleagues at the same stage? This approach is far more scientific than the wet-finger-in-the-air method. In Japan, where trust-building and decision cycles can be slower, target-setting must reflect reality. Pressure matters, but fantasy numbers create despair, not performance. Do now: Build a Ground Zero-style performance tracker. Compare people by stage, role, market, and ramp-up time before setting targets. Why does regular sales training improve revenue quickly? Regular sales training improves revenue quickly because sales is one of the few training areas where better behaviour can directly affect pipeline, conversion, deal size, and repeat business. When salespeople ask better questions, handle objections better, and follow a better process, results can move fast. Even experienced salespeople collect bad habits like barnacles on an oil tanker. They cut corners, talk too much, skip discovery, rush proposals, forget follow-up discipline, or assume they know what the customer wants. New salespeople need core skills; veterans need recalibration. In Japan, where buyers value trust, detail, patience, and relationship continuity, weak sales habits are especially costly. Training should not be a one-off event. It should be repeated, observed, coached, and reinforced in the field. Do now: Train regularly, then coach application. Knowledge in a classroom is not enough; changed behaviour in front of clients is the point. Why don't more companies train their salespeople properly? Many companies avoid proper sales training because sales managers fear exposure, Learning and Development teams protect their turf, and leaders underestimate the cost of mediocre training. The result is false economy. Sales managers may resist external training because they are supposed to be developing their people already. Admitting the need for help can feel like admitting failure. Some Learning and Development teams prefer to run training internally to justify their role or save budget. The problem is that bad training, generic training, or mediocre training is expensive because it fails to change behaviour. The bigger cost sits elsewhere: lost deals, wasted salaries, low productivity, recruitment fees, management time, and damaged morale. Training looks expensive only when leaders ignore the cost of not training. Do now: Calculate the real cost of sales turnover and underperformance. Then compare that number with the cost of serious training. Conclusion: how do leaders stop wasting salespeople? The answer is not rocket science: train them. Japan's shrinking bilingual talent pool, tougher hiring market, and weakening OJT habits mean companies cannot afford to burn through salespeople and pretend the problem is individual weakness. Some people may not be suited to sales, certainly. But many so-called "rejects" have simply been failed by poor systems, absent coaching, and fantasy targets. Leaders who rescue these salespeople, give them proper tools, set realistic expectations, and coach them consistently can build a serious competitive advantage. While rivals keep firing, replacing, and complaining, disciplined companies can train, retain, and win. FAQs Are bad salespeople always the real problem? No, poor sales performance often reflects weak management, poor onboarding, unrealistic targets, or lack of training. Leaders should examine the system before blaming the individual salesperson. Why is recruiting bilingual salespeople in Japan difficult? Recruiting bilingual salespeople in Japan is difficult because internationally exposed talent is scarcer and domestic firms now compete strongly for those candidates. Multinationals need to invest more seriously in development and retention. Does OJT still work for sales training? OJT only works when managers actually coach, observe, correct, and reinforce skills. If managers are too busy to coach, OJT becomes a slogan rather than a development method. How often should salespeople receive training? Salespeople should receive regular training and ongoing coaching, not a one-off workshop. New salespeople need fundamentals, while veterans need refreshers to remove bad habits. What is the fastest way to stop wasting sales talent? The fastest way is to combine realistic targets, structured training, weekly coaching, and better manager accountability. This gives salespeople a fair chance to become productive. Author bio Dr. Greg Story, Ph.D. in Japanese Decision-Making, is President of Dale Carnegie Tokyo Training and Adjunct Professor at Griffith University. He is a two-time winner of the Dale Carnegie "One Carnegie Award" and recipient of the Griffith University Business School Outstanding Alumnus Award. As a Dale Carnegie Master Trainer, Greg is certified to deliver globally across leadership, communication, sales, and presentation programmes, including Leadership Training for Results. He has written several books, including three best-sellers — Japan Business Mastery, Japan Sales Mastery, and Japan Presentations Mastery — along with Japan Leadership Mastery and How to Stop Wasting Money on Training. His works have been translated into Japanese, including Za Eigyō(ザ営業), Purezen no Tatsujin(プレゼンの達人), Torēningu de Okane o Muda ni Suru no wa Yamemashō(トレーニングでお金を無駄にするのはやめましょう), and Gendaiban "Hito o Ugokasu" Rīdā(現代版「人を動かす」リーダー). Greg also publishes daily business insights on LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter, and hosts six weekly podcasts. On YouTube, he produces The Cutting Edge Japan Business Show, Japan Business Mastery, and Japan's Top Business Interviews, followed by executives seeking success strategies in Japan.
Die heutige Reise geht ins japanische Kaiserreich im 17. Jahrhundert. Weil die Shogune Edo (heute bekannt als Tokyo) zu ihrem politischen Machtzentrum gemacht haben, verwandelt sich dieses einst unbedeutende Fischerdorf in eine raffinierte Residenzstadt. Mit allem, was dazu gehört. Das Besondere: Japan schottet sich in dieser Zeit fast komplett von der Außenwelt ab. Schädliche Einflüsse aus dem Ausland – dazu zählen die Shogune auch das Christentum – sollen draußen bleiben. Umso bemerkenswerter ist die Tatsache, dass unser Fremdenführer in dieser Folge kein Japaner ist, wie man das vermuten würde. Sondern ein ostwestfälischer Pfarrerssohn. Du hast Feedback oder einen Themenvorschlag für Joachim und Nils? Dann melde dich gerne bei Instagram: @wasbishergeschah.podcastQuellen:Engelbert Kaempfer: Heutiges Japan (= The History of Japan). Hrsg. von Wolfgang Michel und Barend J. Terwiel. 2 Bde. München 2001. Akira Naito: Edo, the City That Became Tokyo. An Illustrated History. Tokyo 2003.Timon Screech: Tokyo Before Tokyo. Power and Magic in the Shogun's City of Edo. London 2020. Beatrice M. Bodart-Bailey: Kaempfer's Japan. Tokugawa Culture Observed. Honolulu 1999. Wolfgang Michel: Prostratio und Pickelheringsreigen – Engelbert Kaempfers Erlebnisse im Schloss zu Edo und deren Hintergrund. Japanische Gesellschaft für Germanistik (Hrsg.): Asiatische Germanistentagung in Fukuoka. Tokyo 2000, 124–134.++ Du willst Teil der WBG-Community auf Steady werden und werbefrei hören? Hier gehts lang! ++++ Bookbeat 60 Tage kostenlos nutzen mit dem Code "geschichte26" : https://wbgprods.com/bookbeat ++++ 115 Euro bei deinem Stromtarif sichern mit dem Code "WBG115": bei Octopus Energy ++++ Livetour 2027: Jetzt Tickets sichern ++ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
2026.06.29 OA Life in Fukuoka "English" #326 LOVE FM 76.1MHz http://lovefm.co.jp/
Linktree: https://linktr.ee/AnalyticJoin The Normandy For Ad-Free NME, Additional Bonus Audio And Visual Content For All Things Nme+! Join Here: https://ow.ly/msoH50WCu0K In this segment of Notorious Mass Effect, Analytic Dreamz delivers a concise breakdown of Stray Kids' major announcements: the release of their new single “RUN IT,” the upcoming EP THIS & THAT, and the full details of the RUN IT World Tour.Analytic Dreamz covers the June 24, 2026 release of “RUN IT,” the first pre-release track from the 8-track EP THIS & THAT arriving August 7, 2026. The discussion explores the music video's black-and-white minimalist aesthetic and the group's shift toward a darker, more mature visual direction.The segment also examines the RUN IT World Tour, including five Seoul shows at KSPO Dome in July and August, historic Japan dates where Stray Kids will become the first overseas male artist to headline Tokyo National Stadium, plus confirmed stops in Nagoya, Osaka, Fukuoka, Hong Kong, Taipei, Bangkok, and Singapore. Analytic Dreamz recaps the record-breaking dominATE Tour stats, festival appearances, concert film success, and the group's continued Billboard dominance. Perfect for Stay and K-pop fans seeking clear, up-to-date information.Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy
Welcome back to Open The Voice Gate! Case (https://twitter.com/_inyourcase) and Mike (https://twitter.com/fujiiheya) are back with an update on the comings and goings of Dragongate.Case and Mike get back together to discuss the curious case of Dragongate's 2026, now a month away from Kobe World 2026, and after a troublesome double-header in Fukuoka. They talk about the few events from the shows and go in-depth on whether wrestlers are better off than they were a year ago, before concluding with Mike's First Osaka Pro thoughts. Our podcast provider, Red Circle, offers the listeners the option to sponsor the show. Click on “Sponsor This Podcaster” at https://redcircle.com/shows/open-the-voice-gate and you can donate a single time, or set up a monthly donation to Open The Voice Gate!Please Rate and Review Open The Voice Gate on the podcast platform of your choice and follow us on Twitter at https://twitter.com/openvoicegate.Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy
I moved to Fukuoka and this is my honest review of life here so far. There's a lot to love, but there are also a few things that don't quite work for me yet. In this episode I share both — not as a travel guide, but as someone actually living here day to day. If you've ever wondered what it feels like to settle into a new city in Japan, I hope this gives you a real sense of it.
The Dazai no Sochi--the head of the Yamato government in Kyushu--was a powerful position, with a lot of autonomy with lucrative opportunities. The people in this position were often powerful members of the court capable of representing the sovereign. They would often go on to become quite powerful in their own right. So who were the movers and shakers that held this prestigious position during Uno no Sarara's reign? This episode, we take a look at those who held the position and those who supported them. For more, check out our blogpost: https://sengokudaimyo.com/podcast/episode-151 PS: Hang around to the end (or check the end of the transcript) for information on some possible updates coming to the show. Rough Transcript Welcome to Sengoku Daimyo's Chronicles of Japan. My name is Joshua and this is Episode 151: The Dazai no Sochi of the late 7th century Tsukushi no Masaru was busy. A new boss was coming in, and he wanted to make sure everything was prepared. The Dazai may have been about as far as one could get from the capital and still be in Yamato, but it was also the first—and sometimes only—encounter some would have with the archipelago, so there was no excuse to be slacking off. Of course, this was hardly his first new boss, though for as long as he'd been on the job, each one could well be his last. He was getting a bit long in the tooth, after all. Twenty-nine years was a long time to be working in the same position. As Masaru paused, he thought back on some of the people he'd served. There was Soga no Akae—he was ambitious. Apparently he'd been in some rather compromising positions before coming out, but he'd done well enough when he went back. Shame that he backed the wrong horse. That did bring a chuckle to old Masaru's throat, though. He remembered when Prince Kurikuma had come out there, to the the Dazai, , and there were still people around who told stories of him. When those Afumi court stooges had showed up to try and conscript the barrier guards, Prince Kurikuma and his sons just stared them down. Everyone had been afraid that it would end in bloodshed, or at least that there would be consequences for defying the court, but Kurikuma was adamant, and the messenger had left with his tail firmly between his legs. Then there was Shima. By the time he came, Masaru already knew how everything was supposed to work. He may not have been in charge, but that wasn't his ambition. It was enough for him to be good at what he did. He didn't need to go all the way to the Palace and deal with the politics there—there were enough politics out here already. Shima, though, he was clearly suited for that Palace life. He was a capable administrator, but Masaru could tell he was ambitious. When he left, everyone knew that he would be going on to bigger and better things. And now there was another Prince coming out. So they would get the government offices prepared and greet him with proper fanfare. They'd bring him in and hold the ceremonies, and then they would get down to work. A stream of officers would present him with what they were working on and what had to happen. Masaru would be there to help make sure that everything was running smoothly and nothing got too out of hand. And that was the way things worked out on the edge of the realm. Welcome back to Sengoku Daimyo. We are still covering the reign of Uno no Sarara, and, similar to last episode, we are going to continue to talk about the people who made up Yamato at this time. This episode, more specifically, we are going to be turning away from the capital, in Asuka, and looking all the way over to Tsukushi—modern Kyushu—and at the people who served as Dazai no Sochi, or head of the local government out there, as well as the bureaucrats and staff that worked for them—at least as far we know. Many of them went on to have considerable careers that took them well beyond Kyushu. At the same time, we'll take a look at some of the things that happened under their rule as what Aston translates as the "Viceroy of Tsukushi". After that, I have a special announcement about the podcast at the end of the episode, so if you are interested in learning more about what we plan on doing, please listen all the way to the end to hear about some plans for the future. And with that out of the way, let's begin. So we are talking about the position of Dazai no Sochi or the Viceroy of Tsukushi. Often these people are referred to only as being of the "Tsukushi no Dazai" or the "Tsukushi no Ohomochi". The term "Sochi" appears later, and we first see this term applied to Prince Kawachi, in 689. It seems to show up with two different characters, which might be a term from the later Taihou code that was retroactively applied or may refer to an evolution of the position over time. I'm honestly not sure. There is still plenty of confusion over what was meant in some of the references. We've discussed this position before on the podcast: This was the sovereign's representative to the world outside of the archipelago. Not only did the Dazai no Sochi oversee all of Tsukushi—all of Kyushu— and extensive defensive forces stationed there and in the outlying islands, but they oversaw all diplomatic and trade missions to and from the archipelago. Envoy missions would come to Tsushima, where they would get a local pilot and send word ahead. They would then be received at the government center, the Dazai, near modern Fukuoka and Hakata bay. For most envoys, this was as close as they would ever get to Yamato proper. They would offload their goods there and be put up at the government supplied quarters in Wogohori. They would be wined and dined there, entertained as appropriate to their status, while word was sent on to the capital. In rare cases, envoys would be sent on another journey through the inland sea to Naniwa, and then on to Asuka, but otherwise their journey would end at the Dazaifu. Any return gifts would come back with the correspondence from the capital, and thus be handed out to the envoys and their escorts before the mission was sent back home to Silla, Tamna, or wherever they had come from. Being the middle man in this operation offered a lot of power and authority, but it also would have been quite lucrative. While diplomatic missions brought gifts for the court, they also brought trade goods, of which the Dazai no Sochi could have first pick. This is on top of the fact that this position often came with a stipend equaling the labor of hundreds of individuals. Many of the Dazai no Sochi would serve limited terms, eventually returning to Asuka, where we see them take on powerful positions. Take, for example, our first Dazai no Sochi, Tajihi no Mabito no Shima. Tajihi no Shima was born, we are told, in or around 624 to Tajihi no Maro and a daughter of Ohotomo no Hirafu. Tajihi no Maro, Shima's father was a powerful noble in the court of Ohoama, aka Temmu Tennou, and he had enough standing that he was one of the named individuals who provided eulogies for Ohoama on the occasion of his passing. The Tajihi family were quite well placed: they were descendants of Hinokuma no Takata no Miko, aka Senka Tennou, Shima's great-grandfather. This earned them the kabane of "Mabito", or "True Person" because of their royal lineage. Tajihi no Shima was placed in charge of the Dazai from at least 682. His predecessor that we know about is Prince Yagaki, who was dismissed around 676, and we don't know who filled the gap between him and Shima. Shima had quite the run. We don't know exactly when he returned to the court in Asuka, but it cannot have been later than 689, when we see Awada no Mahito in the position. A year later, in 690, Shima was made Udaijin, or minister of the right. That's a huge deal and we will talk about that in a bit, but what did Shima actually oversee during his tenure as Dazai no Sochi? We have quite a few events attributed to him, this reign. In 686, we see the Tsukushi no Dazai sending tribute in the form of human beings: Common men and women of Goguryeo, Baekje, and Silla, along with 62 priests and nuns. We aren't told where these men and women came from, but I suspect that they were refugees or captives from all the fighting on the peninsula. That they were given as tribute suggests to me that they were enslaved—or at the very least they were not free. If they were uneducated, they were likely put to work as labor, perhaps building out the new capital or opening new farmlands. Later we see the various missions from Silla around the death of Ohoama, and the back and forth that went on, there, and in 688 the Tsukushi no Dazai entertained Kara, a Minister of Tamna, aka modern Jeju island, who had been sent by the king of that small country. You may recall that Tamna, while late to the game, may have been one of the last holdouts of an early Japonic speaking people outside of the archipelago. Being the Tsukushi no Dazai, Shima would not have only been concerned with foreign envoys, but also with two other groups of Hayato—specifically the Ohosumi no Hayato and the Ata no Hayato. Little is known about them, other than that Yamato considered them to be distinct ethnic and cultural groups living in the far south of Kyushu. We've talked before about how southern Kyushu maintained a significantly different material culture through Kofun period until more recent times. We also have indication that they had a distinctive shield and even art style—the famous "Hayato shields" appear to have been appropriated by the court, along with a contingent of Hayato men that were expected to act as an exotic guard for the sovereign and the court. The earliest reliable evidence we have for them is a record from 682. There are some questions as to whether or not they were related to the groups previously called Kumaso or even the Tsuchigumo, but there is no clear historical or archaeological evidence linking them other than the common cultural finds in Kyushu more generally. The Ata and Ohosumi Hayato may have been distinct clans or lineage groups living in Ohosumi and the area of modern Satsuma. We have a record in 687 of the Ata no Hayato attending Ohoama's funeral and presenting a eulogy. The chiefs who came brought 337 others—a sizeable contingent—and they were all given presents by the court. Later, we would see presents given out to 174 Hayato by Shima's successor in the Dazai, Awada no Mahito, and then in 692 we know that the court sent priests to preach Buddhism to Ata and Ohosumi. In 695, Hayato of Ohosumi were entertained in the capital, and they even held a wrestling match for the Queen and her attendants in the area west of Asukadera, by the site of the famous Tsuki tree. So the Hayato would have been another group that Shima no doubt dealt with on a somewhat regular basis in his capacity as Dazi no Sochi—and then later on when he returned to Asuka and took up his new role as Udaijin. And as I mentioned, that appointment was a Big Deal. The position of Udaijin had been vacant since Nakatomi no Kane, one of the infamous leaders of the Afumi court, was non-consensually removed from the position—and this plane of existence—when he was executed in 672, at the closure of the Jinshin no Ran. After that, Ohoama appears to have been gun-shy about sharing power with anyone outside the royal family. The position had been left vacant for about 18 years. So what made Uno no Sarara take up Shima as Minister of the Right? And what about the Minister of the Left, or the Sadaijin? Well, we don't have a Sadaijin, but we do have a Dajodaijin in the form of Prince Takechi, Ohoama's first-born son. The Dajodaijin was the Prime Minister in charge of the entire Dajokan, the Council of State, made up of the ministers of the left and right and the 8 bureaus of the government. The Sadaijin and Udaijin served under the Dajodaijin, in that hierarchical order, with the Sadaijin generally being considered higher in precedence. So it looks like, in this case, they had the Dajodaijin, Prince Takechi to run the Council and Shima, as Udaijin would have been responsible for ensuring the administration of the eight bureaus was properly carried out. That Shima was appointed just under Prince Takechi again shows the power and influence he likely had and the trust he must have had from Uno no Sarara. Remember, the Crown Prince, Kusakabe, had died before he could take the throne. Uno was enthroned as Queen, while the Crown Prince, Karu, was still a minor. Whereas Ohoama had his wife and many sons to help him run things, Uno no Sarara was running thin. As had been seen with Prince Ohotsu, there was always the threat that one of Ohoama's other sons could be propped up on the throne. Uno had to look after Karu's birthright, but there was no guarantee that he would make it to adulthood in times before modern medicine. It appears that Prince Takechi was actually considered the next in line, just in case something happened to Karu before he could ascend the throne, which makes sense that Prince Takechi was also trusted as Dajo Daijin. Shima's place as Udaijin must have been indicative of similar trust that he would look after the royal family's interests. This was no doubt helped by the role he played as Dazai no Sochi. As Udajin, Tajihi no Shima went on to have a rather incredible career. He was given 4 cho of land for his residence. This appears to be around 10 acres or so—a not inconsiderable amount of land, and it probably refers to the amount of land he was granted in the new Fujiwara capital city. Later, in the Nara capital of Heijo-kyo, Prince Nagaya's residence was about that size and Fujiwara no Nakamaro's residence is thought to have been about twice that. This would have given Shima space for multiple buildings, sprawling gardens, servants quarters, quarters for his wives and children, and much more. Tajihi no Shima would continue in his role as Udaijin, and would eventually, be promoted to the position of Sadaijin, a post he held only briefly, as he passed away almost a year later. He was not forgotten, however. It is thought that he was the model for one of the suitors of Kaguya Hime in the famous story of Taketori Monogatari—the tale of the Bamboo Cutter. Taketori Monogatari, also known as Kaguya Hime Monogatari, is considered the oldest known story in the Monogatari form. It was probably written in the late 9th or early 10th century, with references to it appearing in works as early as 909 CE. This suggests that Tajihi no Shima and others were still remembered, at least in part, over a century later. Shima is also thought to have been the patron of the famous poet, Kakinomoto no Hitomaro, one of the famous 36 immortal poets. We'll have to include Hitomaro in a later episode, though we might come back to him after this reign, as he isn't mentioned in the Chronicles, but we do have some fragmentary biographical information thanks to his inclusion in the Man'yoshu. In fact, he's probably one of the most famous poets in the Man'yoshu who is not otherwise mentioned. We are told that he was the court poet during the reign of Uno no Sarara, so it makes sense that Shima may have very well been his patron and helped him get his start. Now while Shima was back in Asuka, making it big in the court, the position of Tsukushi no Dazai had to be filled, and we are told that the mantle was taken up by Awada no Mahito no Ason. This name is a bit tricky, as it seems to have two kabane: Mahito and Ason. Since his father is said to have been Kasuga no Awada no Omi no Kudara, the assumption seems to be that "Mahito" was his name, rather than his kabane. Although it was likely pronounced "Mabito" at the time, I'm going to go with the modern pronunciation of "Mahito" in part to distinguish it from the kabane. A quick side note: When reading names from this period, we usually see the kabane coming right after the family name, as the kabane is basically a rank for the family and not the individual. But we do occasionally see the kabane tacked on at the end of a name, as in Awada no Mahito's case. I would also like to quickly draw your attention to his father's name: Kudara. That can also be read as Baekje. Was this an indication that his father or an ancestor came from the continent, perhaps from Baekje? Or just that he had close ties to that kingdom? I couldn't find anything specific, but it seems interesting that he was put in place at the Dazai, where dealing with the continent would have been an important part of his duties. Awada no Mahito was not just a noble of the court, and even if his father was of Baekje descent, that may not have been the main thing that gained him the position. It may have also had to do with an earlier incident. We are told that in 653 Mahito was one of those who traveled with the 2nd envoy to the Tang court as a scholar monk. He would later return to secular life, but that experience must have been a big feather in his cap, helping him land a good position at court. In fact, in 685, we are told that he was Jikikwoushi rank—a fairly respectable position for anyone at the time—and he apparently tried to get his father raised to the same rank as he was. Aston translates the record as saying he was willing to give his rank to his father, but it is unclear to me if this means he was offering to give up his rank altogether. At the very least it seems that he felt awkward outranking his father—a good, filial attitude, it would seem. However, Ohoama didn't care. In the past, rank may have been given to entire families, but now the court was giving rank to individuals, and the rank Mahito had earned was his, not his father's. And so his request was denied. Four years later, Ohoama was gone and Awada no Mahito was sent to the Tsukushi no Dazai. We are told that he was in that position as of 689. If that was the position of Dazai no Sochi, however, he didn't hold it for long, as Prince Kawachi was raised up to that position that same year, and here we have a bit of a conundrum. Mahito is only mentioned as "Tsukushi no Dazai" while Prince Kawachi is specifically mentioned, at least twice, as Tsukushi no Dazai no Sochi. There are some who suggest that Mahito may have been the Dazai Daini, an assistant to the Dazai no Sochi—effectively the second-in-command it would appear. This makes some sense, when you consider it, and he may even have been acting Dazai no Sochi until Prince Kawachi was appointed. Of course, because our records are quite lackluster, and we are never actually told when Tajihi no Shima left the position, it is possible that Awada no Mahito was actually the Dazai Sochi for many years leading up to 689, and that Shima had returned to Asuka some time ago. This is the problem with the way things are written—sometimes they mention a name and sometimes just a position, and rarely do they mention when someone stepped down. Still, Mahito oversaw a few things that we can be somewhat sure about as they happened after he is first mentioned in the position, though it was all in the same year. For one thing, he is the one who presented gifts to the 174 Hayato in the first month of 689. This included cloth, ox hides, and deerskins. He was also there when the Queen sent relief to the Barrier Wardens whose terms were up. These were the Sakimori, a position set up to defend the archipelago and repel any potential invasions. I would assume they were regularly rotated out, especially if they were expected to man the fortifications out on some of the islands. It is interesting that we don't often see them referenced, so it isn't clear to me why the reference was made here—it may have just been a note in one of the sources the Chroniclers were using. Later that same year, we also see garments being given out—likely meaning official court clothing—to the Tsukushi Dazai and others. This was probably to bring them all in line with the latest formal wear being used in the court in Asuka. We also know that in the 6th month of that year they entertained the Silla envoys, who were given various presents. And then, two months later, Mahito is out and Prince Kawachi comes in. At the same time that Prince Kawachi is being made the Dazai no Sochi, our previous Dazai no Sochi, Tajihi no Shima, had his rank and fief increased. I doubt this was a coincidence, and it is one of the things that, for me, lends credence to the idea that Shima had just then returned to Asuka and Prince Kawachi was his replacement, suggesting that Mahito had really just been in an acting capacity while the change over was taking place. Unfortunately, if we were looking for more information about Prince Kawachi's background, we would be disappointed. Although he is a prince, probably descended from Nunakura, aka Bidatsu Tennou, we don't have a lot about him. He—or someone with the same name, since we do see these Princely titles get reused, it seems—is found in the reign of Ohoama traveling with Ohotomo no Yasumaro and Fujiwara no Ohoshima to go entertain Gim Jisyang of Silla. Later we see a Prince Kawachi delivering eulogies during Ohoama's funeral. That suggests he held an important position, and that he was somewhat familiar with the continent, but we don't get a whole lot more. Our next evidence is when he was appointed to the post of Dazai no Sochi in 689, a position he would hold until his death in 694—which may also explain why we just don't see too much of him in the record. A promising career may have been cut short, as happened all too often back in that day and age. Still, as Dazai no Sochi, he had plenty to keep him busy. Not a month after he arrived, Isonokami no Maro and Ishikawa no Mishina arrived at the head of a delegation. They were there to deliver patents of rank to members of the Tsukushi government and to inspect the fortifications at the edge of the archipelago. These were the same fortifications being manned by the newly arrived Sakimori. Speaking of the members of the Tsukushi government, it took a lot of people to make the Dazaifu work, not just the Sochi giving people orders about what they should do. There were numerous assistants helping to keep everything running. Some of them would have just been dealing with the Sochi's own residence, while others were clerks, guards, and more. It really was a miniature version of the court in Asuka, and would have required a lot of people to tend to it. And we know of at least one of them: Tsukushi no Fubito no Masaru, whose imagined thoughts we heard at the top of the episode. In 691, Masaru was recognized for 29 years of service as a secretary to the Tsuksuhi no Dazai. Twenty-nine years in place suggests to me that he would have likely been one of the longest serving members of the Tsukushi government center. He would have known where all the bodies were buried—perhaps quite literally. While the Dazai no Sochi was often a temporary appointment, sometimes just for a few years, they would have likely leaned on Masaru for his expertise. This is just like how modern government appointees like ambassadors may come and go, including for political reasons, but they rely on permanent staff, including a lot of locals, to provide the institutional knowledge they need to do their jobs. One can assume that if Masaru had been successful for 29 years he knew how things were supposed to work. And so I hope that his superiors made sure to remember that when Secretary's day rolled around. Prince Kawachi didn't make it 29 years, but he made it five. He might have gone even longer, but he died in office in 694 and was posthumously raised in rank for his service. History is full of stories, but in real life, the stories don't always follow the expected narratives. As much as we'd like to think otherwise, good, moral people do not always triumph and sometimes those who do awful things are never punished. And some times stories come to abrupt ends. Of course, looking back, it just is what it is. Prince Kawachi's life becomes little more than a footnote. And yet, what if he had gone on? Would he have followed Tajihi no Shima to help become one of the grand ministers of the court? Unfortunately, we will never know. He could have been a rising star, but we just know about his passing. Five months after Prince Kawachi's untimely death, he was followed in the post by Prince Mino. Prince Mino would continue in the position, it seems, through the end of the reign in 697—or at least nobody else was appointed until 700, when Isonokami no Maro—apparently the same one who had previously come out to inspect the fortifications during Prince Kawachi's tenure—was appointed. Although he came into the position in the next reign, we'll still touch on him, as he was another notable figure at this time. Looking back at Prince Mino, however, we seem to run into a problem—there are too many Princes Mino in the record. If you just use the English translations, you'll find several references to Prince Mino, but if you look at the original text, you'll see that there are at least three different spellings. For one it means "Beautiful Field" and another is just "Three Fields". A third "Mino" is spelled with characters that don't necessarily create obvious meaning, and may just be a phonetic spelling. It is possible that all of these Princes Mino are the same. Spelling wasn't standard, and different characters could be used for the same name. On the other hand, we have one set of characters being used to describe a Prince Mino who supported Ohoama during the Jinshin no Ran, while another, the "Three Fields" Prince Mino, describes one of the sons of Prince Kurikuma, who was with his father in Tsukushi when the Afumi court came calling. Since travel wasn't necessarily an overnight endeavor—unless you were Ohoama, rushing through the mountains to the east—it would seem that the Prince Mino in Tsukushi is unlikely to be the same one as the Prince Mino who joined Ohoama's forces back in the Home Provinces. So let's make the assumption that Prince Mino—Prince "Three Fields" Mino—is one person and the others are separate. What do we know about him? Well, he appears to have had experience with Tsukushi and the government out there, since he would be the son of Prince Kurikuma, a former Tsukushi Dazai no Sochi. We talked about Prince Kurikuma before, back in numerous episodes, but particularly in episodes 128 and Episode 144, as well as references in betweend. Prince Kurikuma was not only a significant factor in the outcome of the Jinshin no Ran, denying the Afumi court the resources of all of the defenders at the Tsukushi fortifications, he shows up in local legends in Tsukushi still today. So he definitely seems to have had an impact on the region. It also suggests that Prince Mino had connections in the area through his father. After his father's posting as Dazai no Sochi ended, Prince Mino appears to have returned with him to Asuka. He is described as a key member in Ohoama's court. He was one of the Princes mentioned in the audience at the Daigokuden in 681, when Ohoama instituted the commission to bring together the various court sources that we presume would eventually lead to the creation of the Chronicles—the Nihon Shoki and the Kojiki. Later, he become a daibu, a high official, of the Household Bureau, responsible for the household of the sovereign, the sumera no mikoto. This meant the upkeep of the palace, the kitchens, and the various servants waiting on the sovereign and his family. This also means that he was likely close to the movers and shakers of the court. One of the projects under his purview appears to have been the laying out of a new palace and a new capital city. In 682 he headed up the investigations at the place called Nihiki, determining that it would be a good location for what would eventually become Fujiwara-kyo—a project still underway in Queen Uno's reign. He was also sent out to Shinano two years later to look for a site for a second capital. It ended up not happening, but he spent a couple months and eventually came back with a map of the region. It may be that the Fujiwara-kyo project took up a lot of Mino's time and effort, because we then don't hear from him for another decade, during which Ohama passed away and so much more happened. Assuming he was still involved with the Fujiwara capital project, however, we see that in 691 there was a ceremony held for the tranquility of the new capital—a Chin-sai or, what we would today call a "Ji-chin-sai". This is a "land pacification ceremony" done when breaking ground on a new building or other project. So it looks like planning and land clearing had taken some 10 years, but it was finally ready to get started. Later that same year we hear of them laying out the residences of high ranking nobles, like the Udaijin, Tajihi no Shima, and we also see the Queen inspecting the roads. Then, a year later in 692, they were holding the land pacification ceremony for the new palace. The queen would move into the new palace in the very last months of 694. But by that time, Prince Mino was on to his next assignment. He had been appointed Tsukushi Dazai no Sochi earlier that year following the death of Prince Kawachi. Not much more is said of Tsukushi for the next three years of the reign, but we do see the Hayato visiting Asuka, presumably with Prince Mino's assistance. We don't have a clear idea of when Prince Mino retired—it's certainly not in the Nihon Shoki—but we know that he did because he was succeeded in the role by none other than Isonokami no Maro, who would take up the position in 700. Prince Mino, on the other hand, returned to the court, where he would eventually pass away in the year 708. And that was the last Dazai no Sochi who held the position during this reign, but I do want to talk about the one who came after Prince Mino just a bit—though more because this was an up-and-coming court noble whom we should be watching. Isonokami no Maro was born, by all accounts, in the year 640. Despite his name he was actually born to a family that we know somewhat well from much earlier on: The Mononobe. In fact, his father is apparently Mononobe no Muraji no Umaro, and he appears to be descended from the main line of the Mononobe family, which had declined ever since Mononobe no Moriya had been defeated and killed by Soga no Umako and others. And it seems that the Mononobe curse of being on the losing side in a contest for power hit Maro during the Jinshin no Ran, because we see him, at that time referenced as Mononobe no Muraji no Maro, along with two servants, or Toneri, serving Prince Ohotomo—aka Koubun Tennou—up to the very end. In fact, when Ohotomo fled and the Afumi court deserted him, only Mononobe no Maro and the servants stayed with him when he eventually strangled himself. And one would think that would be it. You were with the rival for the throne in the most contentious fight in recent memory. You couldn't protect him and you were on the wrong side. Sure, Ohoama was going to pardon you because he couldn't just rid himself of half of the court and hope things would still run smoothly—that would be a surefire recipe for disaster, and nobody wanted the government crippled like that. However, you can't imagine that those on the losing side would be given any position of trust or authority. And yet, in 676, we see that Mononobe no Maro was sent to Silla. And he wasn't just helping out: he was sent as the chief envoy of Ohoama's court. That is quite the turnaround in four years, and we don't really know why, but it has been speculated that Ohoama was actually impressed. While other members of the Afumi court fled and abandoned Ohotomo to his enemies, Maro and the two toneri with him did not, staying with Ohotomo until the bitter end, and likely conveying what had happened to the other side once it was all over. That kind of loyalty was impressive, especially back then. It is also thought that Maro may have benefited from the fact that Enoi no Okimi, who was also descended from the Mononobe family, fought on the side of Ohoama. This is a common scenario we see throughout Japanese history, where different members of the same family fight on different sides of a conflict, often meaning that no matter who wins the family can still claim to have been on the winning side. When Okimi passed away in 676 he was posthumously recognized as the ujigami, or clan head, of the Mononobe, leading some to suspect that a bit of his shine may have rubbed off on Maro as well. In 684, when the various kabane were being rectified by Ohoama's court, the Mononobe no Muraji were included as Ason, or Asaomi. There is some thought that around this time is when Maro changed his name to Isonokami, which is a name that was previously used by members of the Mononobe, including one of the brothers to Mononobe no Moriya. We see him mentioned as Isonokami no Maro in 686, as one of those giving a eulogy for Ohoama: specifically he gives the eulogy on behalf of the Houkan, or Nori no Tsukasa, the Judicial officers. He is mentioned right after Fuse no Miushi, whom we talked about last episode, who would go on to become a Dainagon and, later, Udaijin, or Minister of the Right. The first connection between Isonokami no Maro and Tsukushi was in 689, and we noted it earlier—he came out to inspect the fortifications as well as to hand out patents of rank to the court officials working out there on the edge of the realm. He would return to Asuka in time to be a part of Uno no Sarara's official enthronement ceremonies. There he is named Mononobe no Maro, and is in charge of the shields. Given what we know of the role of the Mononobe as the early soldiers of the court, it makes sense that he would play this role, and that they would use the name Mononobe rather than Isonokami. In the same way, the ritual was conducted by Fujiwara no Ohoshima, but he is recorded as Nakatomi no Ohoshima, probably because these were roles specifically for the Mononobe and Nakatomi, rather than for the Isonokami and the Fujiwara. This is another thing that can be quite frustrating when researching Japanese history—names can change at the drop of a hat, and people often had various ancestral names and titles that could be pulled out for various political or ceremonial reasons. If you don't have the history or understand the nuance it can be easy to just think that it is a different person altogether. And when you don't have much information, sometimes you have to ask yourself which is it? Maro would stay close to Queen Uno, even accompanying her to Ise shrine, and then, in the following reign, he would succeed Prince Mino as Dazai no Sochi in the year 700. It isn't clear, however, if he left for the Dazaifu immediately, since in 701 he is noted as having been promoted from the office of Chunagon to Dainagon, and in that same year he went with Royal Prince Osakabe to pay respects at the house of the late Udaijin, Tajihi no Shima, who had just passed away. He then left for Tsukushi in 702—or possibly headed back. But in 703, he was once again back in Asuka, paying condolences on the death of the next Udaijin, Abe no Miushi—aka Fuse no Miushi, the same one whom Maro had pronounced a Eulogy with during the funeral ceremonies for Ohoama. Isonokami no Maro would go on to take the mantle of Udaijin, and then eventually Sadaijin as well. He would be raised up to the second rank, along with the famous Fujiwara no Fubito, who took the vacated position of Udaijin. This meant that technically Maro was the senior of the two, though many people think that Fujiwara no Fubito held most of the actual power. Regardless of that, Isonokami no Maro nonetheless would go on to become the highest ranking court noble before his eventual death in 717. At that point he was 78 years old, by the reckoning of the day, and he had seen multiple sovereigns, several bloody conflicts, and the creation of two permanent capitals—Fujiwara kyo and Heijo kyo, in modern Nara. He went from being a supporter in the Afumi court, on the wrong side of the Jinshin no Ran to become the highest ranking court noble in the land. He would be granted the head of the Mononobe family and would continue to prosper as Isonokami. It was truly a remarkable career over an incredible span of time. And there you have it. A look at some of those that were sent out to the Dazaifu in Tsukushi. In later years, the post of Dazai no Sochi would be seen more as a burden than a blessing, but at this point it was still a lucrative and powerful position. Several of those involved in the Dazaifu or who held the position as Dazai no Sochi would go on to even more powerful positions back in Asuka. Whilst this posting did move you further away from the politics—perhaps not always a bad thing—it also put you atop a structure where one had considerable power, authority, and autonomy, at least at this point. Next episode we'll get back to the court in Asuka and take a look at a little more of what is going on. Before I end this, however, a quick administrative note about the podcast. This creation is a labor of love. It was started largely as a way to get myself to regularly dive into the Chronicles and really see what was going on. In particular, I was excited about the Asuka period, because I don't think we really have enough of a sense of what life was like and what was going on back then. It was clearly a very dynamic time, and yet we tend to see it through the lens of later Nara and Heian court culture, which was still very much evolving. The stories that I *didn't* know about were what drew me to this project, and I hope that we've all learned a bit more as the project has continued. And we are reaching the end of the area that is covered by the main Chronicles, the Kojiki, the Nihon Shoki, and the Sendai Kuji Hongi, which have been our main guides through this period. But that doesn't mean we are bringing things to a close. Next we have the Shoku Nihongi and many other grecords, and I am going to keep up with the project and the schedule as best I can. In fact, it looks like I may be able to devote even more time to it in the near future as some drastic life changes are coming for me, such that I will no longer be working a 9-to-5 job while also trying to get this podcast out like clockwork twice a month—not to mention my other passion, teaching traditional Japanese martial arts here in the DC region at a local not-for-profit dojo. This is happening as we are also in the process of building a house, traveling, and more. But it does mean that we are going to be looking into alternative sources of funding beyond just donations. We are eternally grateful to everyone who has donated, but I may end up doing something that I've been putting off for a while: allowing advertisements. I want to do this so that we can continue to offer this for podcast for free, but hosting, staying up to date on sources, etc. does cost money. I'm not looking to make a huge profit, but if we can at least get the podcast paying for itself, that would be a good start. Before I do that I'll look to find a way that we can get subscribers on Patreon and elsewhere ad-free copy. I just need to figure that out, but once I do, I'll let you all know. So there you have it. We aren't going to stop the podcast, but we may be adding a bit more to it in the future. I hope, though, that we can do more beyond the historical chronicles. For instance, did you know that we have an English translation of a 17th century cookbook up on our website, SengokuDaimyo.com? I would love to redact those recipes and maybe provide some cooking videos for anyone who would want to try them. A shoutout to Max Miller of Tasting History, who reached out to us about using a couple of our translations for his episodes on historical Japanese cooking – Max is a great guy and his series and cookbook are well worth following. But there's a lot more to explore: one of my favorites so far that we've tried is "keiran", or "eggs": doughy balls filled with brown sugar and cooked in a miso based soup. I don't know if there is anything like that still being served in Japan, but it's a strange and pleasant recipe and I would love to do that again and record it for everyone to try. All of this is in the works, and nothing will change immediately, but I wanted to keep you all in the loop. Thank you so much for listening, I can't tell you how much it means. And of course, as always, if you like what we are doing, please tell your friends and feel free to rate us wherever you listen to podcasts. If you feel the need to do more, and want to help us keep this going, we have information about how you can donate on Patreon or through our KoFi site, ko-fi.com/sengokudaimyo, or find the links over at our main website, SengokuDaimyo.com/Podcast, where we will have some more discussion on topics from this episode. Also, feel free to reach out to our Sengoku Daimyo Facebook page. You can also email us at the.sengoku.daimyo@gmail.com. Thank you, also, to Ellen for their work editing the podcast. And that's all for now. Thank you again, and I'll see you next episode on Sengoku Daimyo's Chronicles of Japan.
Tous les matins, à 7H10 et 9H45, on vous donne les bonnes nouvelles du jour.
I moved from Osaka — but why Fukuoka? In this episode, I walk you through the 8 reasons I chose my new home. I didn't just pick a city. I thought carefully about the lifestyle I wanted, what makes me feel happy day to day, and what I wasn't willing to give up. Fresh local food, nature within walking distance, no bears on the hiking trails, and a city that's lively without being overwhelming . Fukuoka checked a lot of boxes. If you've ever thought about where you'd want to live, or what your ideal everyday life would look like, I think you'll enjoy this one.
In a more adventurous episode, I challenge myself to cycle alone from Seoul, South Korea all the way to the coastal city of Busan, and eventually end up in Fukuoka, Japan. Can I do it? Can I make it to the end without destroying my body? Join me to find out.In this episode, I'll be sharing my experience of the cycle trip, including planning, advice for those who want to take on similar challenges, and sharing useful vocabulary for English learners along the way.I highly recommend watching the video version on YouTube or Spotify for this episode since I'll be sharing almost 1 hour of footage from my cycling, so you can enjoy the beautiful scenery while I talk.Show notes page - https://levelupenglish.school/podcast380/
With the 2026 FIFA World Cup just around the corner, Dan Orlowitz re-joins the Krewe to preview Japan's tournament outlook. We break down Samurai Blue's final roster, key players to watch, group-stage matchups, and what a successful World Cup would look like for Japan. Plus, Dan shares his predictions for the tournament's biggest surprises, disappointments, and who he thinks will be lifting the trophy when it's all said and done. Whether you're a diehard soccer fan or a once-every-four-years World Cup viewer, this episode is the perfect primer before kickoff. ------ About the Krewe ------ The Krewe of Japan Podcast is a weekly episodic podcast sponsored by the Japan Society of New Orleans. Check them out every Friday afternoon around noon CST on Apple, Google, Spotify, Amazon, Stitcher, or wherever you get your podcasts. Want to share your experiences with the Krewe? Or perhaps you have ideas for episodes, feedback, comments, or questions? Let the Krewe know by e-mail at kreweofjapanpodcast@gmail.com or on social media (Twitter: @kreweofjapan, Instagram: @kreweofjapanpodcast, Facebook: Krewe of Japan Podcast Page, TikTok: @kreweofjapanpodcast, LinkedIn: Krewe of Japan LinkedIn Page, Blue Sky Social: @kreweofjapan.bsky.social, & the Krewe of Japan Youtube Channel). Until next time, enjoy! ------ Support the Krewe! Offer Links for Affiliates ------ Use the referral links below & our promo code from the episode! Support your favorite NFL Team AND podcast! Shop NFLShop to gear up for football season! Zencastr Offer Link - Use my special link to save 30% off your 1st month of any Zencastr paid plan! ------ Past KOJ Sports-Related Episodes ------ Bridging Communities Through MLB Players Trust ft. Amy Hever & Chris Capuano (S6E18) Japanese Soccer on the World Stage ft. Dan Orlowitz (S6E6) Meet the J.League ft. Dan Orlowitz (S6E4) Kendo: The Way of the Sword ft. Alexander Bennett, 7th Dan in Kendo (S4E16) The Life of a Sumotori ft. 3-Time Grand Champion Konishiki Yasokichi (S4E10) Talking Sumo ft. Andrew Freud (S1E8) ------ About Dan Orlowitz ------ Dan's Socials & Writings J-Talk Podcast ------ JSNO Upcoming Events ------ JSNO Event Calendar Join JSNO Today!
In The Narrowing Sea: Fukuoka, Pusan, and the Rise and Fall of an Imperial Region (U California Press, 2025), Hannah Shepherd examines the shared histories of Pusan and Fukuoka over the eight decades from Japan's forced opening of Korea's ports in 1876 to the end of the Korean War in 1953. One city was Korean, the other Japanese; one was a burgeoning colonial port, the other a provincial city buoyed by imperial expansion. Wars, colonization, and capitalist industrialization forged intimate connections between the two, knitting together an imperial region that transcended its maritime boundaries. Drawing on both Japanese and Korean archives, and emphasizing the concept of imperial urbanization, Shepherd challenges traditional views of empire and urban growth and shows how local networks, migration, and capital flows shaped the region's exploitative and uneven geographies. The waters between Fukuoka and Pusan narrowed through intensified interactions that continued even after the end of empire, creating enduring legacies for the postwar and postcolonial eras. Dr. Hannah Shepherd is Assistant Professor of History at Yale University. Dr. Samee Siddiqui is Assistant Professor of World History at Drury University. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/history
Dane Laffrey is a Tony Award-winning designer, creative and producer based in New York City. He studied at Australia's National Institute of Dramatic Art and resided in Sydney from 2002 - 2006. On Broadway he's designed the set for The Lost Boys (Palace) Maybe Happy Ending (Belasco) which won the 2025 Tony Award for Best Musical and for which Dane won Tony, Drama Desk Awards and Henry Hewes Awards, Parade (Jacobs) which won the 2023 Tony Award for Best Revival of a Musical; set and costumes for Charles Dickens' A Christmas Carol (Nederlander), which he co-conceived with director Michael Arden and for which he is nominated for Hewes and Tony Awards; the 2018 Tony-winning revival of Lynn Ahren's and Stephen Flaherty's Once On This Island (Circle in the Square) for which he received Henry Hewes, Drama Desk and Tony Award nominations; set and costumes for the acclaimed Deaf West revival of Duncan Sheik and Steven Sater's Spring Awakening (Brooks Atkinson); set for the Broadway premiere of Sam Shepard's Fool For Love (Friedman). In New York, around the US, and internationally Dane has designed world premiere plays and musicals by writers including Todd Almond, Will Aronson and Hue Park, Nell Benjamin, Rachel Bonds, Nilo Cruz, Lindsey Ferrentino, David Greenspan, Noah Haidle, Lucas Hnath, Sam Hunter, Sarah Jones, Tom Kitt, Michael John LaChiusa, Dan LeFranc, Matthew Lopez, Craig Lucas, Charles L. Mee, Alan Menken, Kim Rosenstock, Martin Sherman, Jenny Schwartz, Stephen Schwartz and Jen Silverman. Dane's work in New York has been seen at theatres including Roundabout Theatre Company, Manhattan Theatre Club, Lincoln Center Theatre, The Public Theatre, Second Stage Theatre, Atlantic Theatre Company, Transport Group, MCC, Playwrights Horizons, B.A.M. Harvey, Vineyard Theatre, The Joyce, SoHo Rep., Labyrinth, The New Group and Rattlestick Playwrights Theatre, among others. His work has been seen at major theaters around the US including Center Theatre Group, The Geffen Playhouse, The Goodman, The Humana Festival, The Hollywood Bowl, The Old Globe, Huntington Theatre Company, Arena Stage, Dallas Theatre Center, Actor's Theatre of Louisville, Williamstown Theatre Festival, Baltimore Center Stage, Deaf West / Wallis Annenberg Center, Shakespeare Theatre D.C., Denver Center Theatre Company, Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park, South Coast Rep., Baltimore Center Stage, Seattle Rep., Woolly Mammoth, Two River Theatre, Goodspeed Musicals, The Studio Theatre D.C, Yale Opera, Long Wharf Theatre, Chautauqua Theatre Company, Signature Theatre Company, and others. Internationally, Dane has worked in Hamburg, Tokyo, Osaka, Fukuoka, Oslo and throughout Australia. Dane has served on the advisory committee for Lincoln Center Theatre's LCT3 and as a guest artist / guest designer at Yale School of Music, The Juilliard School, NYU, Carnegie-Mellon University, Interlochen Arts Academy, The University of Western Sydney and NIDA. He has served on the faculty of Purchase College. Dane won a 2017 Obie Award for Sustained Excellence of Set and Costume design and has been nominated for 3 Tony Awards, 3 Drama Desk Awards, an Outer Critics Circle Award, 9 American Theatre Wing Henry Hewes Design Awards, 5 Ovation Awards (winning 2), and a Sydney Theatre Award, as well as numerous regional accolades. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
John Pollock and Wai Ting review WWE Raw featuring a contract signing between Roman Reigns and Jacob Fatu, the Oba Femi Open Challenge, and Sol Ruca's official debut.XL: John & Wai discuss the latest departures from WWE, highlights from Wrestling Dontaku in Fukuoka, a new GHC heavyweight champion & more.The XL Edition continues at POSTwrestlingCafe.com with News of the Day and Feedback, ad-free and timestamped.Chelsea Green undergoes a heart procedureNew Day, Tonga Loa & JC Mateo exit WWENJPW Wrestling Dontaku Shane Haste wins GHC Heavyweight ChampionshipJohn Cena added to BacklashNXT & AEW Dynamite lineupsPOST Wrestling Café Schedule:Monday: Rewind-A-Raw XLTuesday: Hulk Hogan – Real American Ep. 2Wednesday: Rewind-A-Dynamite XL Thursday: Rewind-A-Wai – WCW SuperBrawl IIFriday: Daredevil Born Again Season 2, Season Finale Friday: Rewind-A-SmackDown XLSaturday: Collision CourseFREE Shows:Monday: Rewind-A-RawTuesday: upNXTWednesday: Rewind-A-DynamiteThursday: Pollock & Thurston Friday: Rewind-A-SmackDownSaturday: WWE Backlash Our thanks to Quince: quince.com/postwrestlingAd Inquiries: info@truenativemedia.comPhoto Courtesy: WWE Rewind-A-Raw Theme by Colby John: https://soundcloud.com/colbyjohnBluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/postwrestling.comX: http://www.twitter.com/POSTwrestlingInstagram: http://www.instagram.com/POSTwrestlingFacebook: http://www.facebook.com/POSTwrestlingYouTube: http://www.youtube.com/POSTwrestlingSubscribe: https://postwrestling.com/subscribePatreon: http://postwrestlingcafe.comForum: https://forum.postwrestling.comDiscord: https://postwrestling.com/discordSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.