Podcasts about Japanese

Donald Trump says he is withdrawing the National Guard from the Democrat-led cities of Chicago, Los Angeles and Portland after the Supreme Court blocked the deployment of troops for policing duties. But the president said federal forces would "come back" if crime rates go up.Also: President Volodymyr Zelensky says only 10 per cent of a peace deal with Russia remains to be agreed, but Ukraine is not prepared to sign a "weak agreement" that would prolong the war. We speak to a Syrian refugee who spent years living in Europe but is now ready to move home. The discoveries that could solve the mystery of a medieval Welsh cemetery. And a campaign to build more toilets for women in the Japanese parliament. Photo credit: Reuters.The Global News Podcast brings you the breaking news you need to hear, as it happens. Listen for the latest headlines and current affairs from around the world. Politics, economics, climate, business, technology, health – we cover it all with expert analysis and insight. Get the news that matters, delivered twice a day on weekdays and daily at weekends, plus special bonus episodes reacting to urgent breaking stories. Follow or subscribe now and never miss a moment. Get in touch: globalpodcast@bbc.co.uk

RAF Liberator bombing operations in India, Burma, and Thailand remain one of the least explored air campaigns of the Second World War. Flying long-range missions from Bengal, RAF crews attacked Japanese targets across Southeast Asia, including the infamous Thailand-Burma Railway, under demanding and often dangerous conditions. In this episode of the WW2 Podcast, I am talking to historian Matt Poole, author of Far East RAF Liberators: Roy Andrews and 215 Squadron. Together, we explore this campaign through the experiences of Roy Andrews, a Royal Australian Air Force wireless operator and air gunner who flew with RAF 215 Squadron on B-24 Liberator bombers during the final months of the war. Between October 1944 and April 1945, Roy Andrews flew bombing, strafing, and air-sea rescue missions over Burma and Thailand. By viewing the wider RAF air war through the lens of one airman, this episode examines long-range Liberator operations, low-level attacks, and daily life on a forward airfield in India, offering a personal perspective on an often overlooked chapter of the Second World War.   patreon.com/ww2podcast  

As we wrap up 2025, we're celebrating two big milestones: 10 years and 500 episodes of exploring the Bible together! To mark the occasion, we're strolling down memory lane to see how it all began. How does a side project recorded in a closet turn into a decade-long global conversation? In this episode, producer Lindsey Ponder interviews Jon, Tim, and other team members about how the show came to be, its growth over time, and how it continues to shape us, even as it helps hundreds of thousands of listeners experience the Bible as a unified story that leads to Jesus. FULL SHOW NOTESFor detailed, chapter-by-chapter summaries and referenced resources, check out the full show notes for this episode.CHAPTERSIntro (0:00-2:22)Before the Mic (2:22-11:17)The Closet Under the Stairs (11:17-19:35)A Growing Audience and Team (19:35-22:29)The Podcast in Other Languages (22:29-30:03)Hearing From Listeners, Plus Jon and Tim on What Motivates Them (30:03-44:15)OFFICIAL EPISODE TRANSCRIPTView this episode's official transcript.REFERENCED RESOURCESHeaven & Earth videoGenesis 1-11 videoGenesis 12-50 videoThe Messiah videoThe Law podcast seriesGod and Money podcast episodeRevelation Premiere live eventProyecto Biblia Pódcast (Spanish localized podcast)Japanese localized podcast (Apple | Spotify)SHOW MUSIC“The Way Forward” by Richie Kohan“Selah ft. Bobcat” by Lofi Sunday“Blue Sky ft. TBabz” by Lofi Sunday“She'll Be Coming Round the Mountain” by Kashido“date night” by Lofi Sunday, Cassidy Godwin“Bird In Hand” by Foreknown ft. JGivens“Eden Dreaming ft. sxxnt.” by Lofi Sunday"Defender (Remix)" by TENTSBibleProject theme song by TENTSSHOW CREDITSProduction of today's episode is by Jon Collins, producer, and Cooper Peltz, managing producer. Tyler Bailey is our supervising engineer, who also edited today's episode and provided the sound design and mix. JB Witty writes the show notes. The host and creative producer of this episode is Lindsey Ponder. Special thanks to all those interviewed: Jon Collins, Tim Mackie, Robert Perez, Dan Gummel, Tyler Bailey, Anna Wyche, Angela Keuter, and audience members Matthew, David, Emily, and Ausha.Powered and distributed by Simplecast.  Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Episode 1865 - brought to you by our incredible sponsors: BUBS Naturals - For a limited time only, get 20% OFF at ⁠BUBSNaturals.com⁠ Collagen Peptides by using code HARDFACTOR at checkout RIDGE - Take advantage of Ridge's Biggest Sale of the Year and GET UP TO 47% Off by going to ⁠https://www.Ridge.com/HARDFACTOR⁠ #Ridgepod DaftKings - Download the DraftKings Casino app, sign up with code HARDFACTOR, and spin your favorite slots! The Crown is Yours - Gambling problem? Call one eight hundred GAMBLER Lucy - Level up your nicotine routine with Lucy. Go to Lucy.co/HARDFACTOR and use promo code (HARDFACTOR) to get 20% off your first order. Lucy has a 30-day refund policy if you change your mind Timestamps: (00:00:00) - Auld Lang Syne (00:03:25) - What happened in 1865 (00:05:50) - Our NYE Plans (00:08:15) - Stefon Diggs accused of choking and slapping his personal chef (00:23:55) - RIP Isiah Whitlock Jr.  Shiiiiiit!! (00:25:50) - Billion-dollar Porta Potty company filing for bankruptcy (00:29:20) - Japanese woman ditches fiancé to marry her AI companion (00:39:40) - Famous fiddler falsely identified as a pedophile by Google AI Thank you for listening and supporting the pod! go to patreon.com/HardFactor to join our community, get access to discord chat, bonus pods, and much more - but Most importantly: HAGFD!! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Download for Mobile | Podcast Preview | Full Timestamps Older Twitch VODs are now being uploaded to the new channel: https://www.youtube.com/@CastleSuperBeastArchive Dispatch Spoilercast ends at 01;42;12 Arkham Combat Wants You To Be As Calm As Batman "You Don't Get To Tell Me No" One Guy vs IMDB SBFP Humour is One Bit, Deconstructed Backlog Beated: The Recap Watch live: twitch.tv/castlesuperbeast Go to http://factormeals.com/castle50off and use code castle50off to get 50% off your first Factor box PLUS free breakfast for 1 year. Click this link https://www.boot.dev?promo=CASTLESUPERBEAST and use my code CASTLESUPERBEAST to get 25% off your first payment for boot.dev. Rainbow Six Siege Is Being Hacked, As Players Are Gifted 2 Billion Credits While Ban Logs Are Spammed With Digs At Ubisoft Hellversus is UNOFFICIAL "Helltaker" fighting game。 Michał Kiciński, one of the co-founders of CD PROJEKT, and the co-founder of GOG, has acquired GOG from CD PROJEKT "River City Ransom: Underground" is being delisted on Steam. Bad Bitch Blasters "Players hate them, and they won't even try to look for them until they absolutely have to." Japanese game developers discuss the pitfalls of tutorials To any VO actors bleeding IMDb credits, this clown is deleting all dubbing or localized credits since they don't wanna see dub actors listed in main credits. https://bsky.app/profile/prozdishere.bsky.social/post/3mb5ldyg7f22j GANG OF DRAGON Steam page updated with new screenshots  

CNN confirms that a missile strike hit for the White House, Japanese politics implodes, a grunge music tragedy and strange local traditions make mainstream in our extra episode of leftovers from the previous 1990's ephemera. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Could Japanese pitcher Tatsuya Imai end up in Atlanta? In the latest episode of Hammer Territory, Stephen Tolbert and Shawn Coleman discuss the latest rumblings around Imai and why the Braves could be a strong fit as the deadline to sign Imai quickly approaches. Hammer Territory is your home of Atlanta Braves coverage on the Foul Territory Network.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Phones: 1-213-267-7787 (USA), +44 2081 036051 (UK) On episode 386 of The Neutral Corner Boxing Podcast, host Michael Montero reviews the circus fight between Jake Paul and Anthony Joshua, which "AJ" won by knockout after a slow start. Montero also gives his thoughts on who the 2025 Fighter of the Year is: does Terence Crawford deserve it, or are people overlooking far more deserving candidates? Who were the biggest winners and losers in boxing this year? Who wins an all-Japanese showdown between Naoya Inoue and Junto Nakatani if they fight next year? https://youtube.com/live/5NWjiXGvazc

Photo: Youth royalty from the Colorado River Indian Tribes stamp the Ireichō – or Book of Names – in Parker, Ariz. on October 25, 2025. (Gabriel Pietrorazio / KJZZ) The internment of Japanese Americans during World War II is among the chapters of U.S. history that the Trump administration is actively working to erase. It is part of a sweeping campaign to remove so-called “disparaging” signs and markers of the country's past and focus only on “American greatness”. In the final installment of his series on the camps, KJZZ's Gabriel Pietrorazio visits the Colorado River Indian Tribes (CRIT) to see how others are making sure victims are highlighted in – not erased from – the history books. Inside a strip mall owned by the tribe, hundreds flock to its museum in Parker, Ariz. Director Valerie Welsh-Tahbo says her space used to be an old swimwear shop. Tucked in one teal-hued corner is an exhibit dedicated to the Poston camp's 18,000 internees.  “This was already up here, this structure in this store and I said, ‘Let's hang onto this … just because of where it was situated, and that design, it just spawned that idea.” To honor Poston's past. another way the museum is paying respect is by welcoming Soto Zen Buddhist priest Duncan Ryūken Williams and his Ireichō. “Chō, chō means like a book or a registry, and so we created a book with everybody's names in it, and said, ‘How do we honor everyone?' And we came up with this idea of stamping or placing this mark under people's names.” The Japanese word Irei essentially means “to console the spirits”, and that's what Wiliams hopes his book does by bringing forth personhood and dignity – one name at a time. “A lot of government camp rosters mangle Japanese names, and so we can't honor people if their names are misspelled.” And their goal? “To make sure all 125,284 people whose names are printed in this book get at least one mark of acknowledgement.” There's still 30,000 names unmarked, but Williams has a plan. “We'll just systematically, from the beginning of the book, invite the general public to come and place a mark under the next name in the sequence of names that doesn't yet have a mark.” “I think this person – Hisayo Kotsubo – does not yet have a stamp. She's born in the year 1897 so if I could ask you to just place this stamp right under the letter H.” Their blue-tipped stamp is no bigger than your thumb. Some even practiced that art of dotting with Susan Kamei. “It's a personal story.” Her parents, grandparents, and one set of great-grandparents were internees. Her dad's side was brought to Poston, while her mom's ended up in Heart Mountain, Wyo. “I try to put myself in their shoes.” 84-year-old Janet Brothers doesn't have to imagine, because she lived it. “I was here at camp as a baby. I was six months old … feeling the heat, looking around, and seeing the desert and the mountains, knowing that's what my parents saw every day, was very emotional for me.” The National Congress of American Indians (NCAI) is remembering the life of former U.S. Sen. Ben Nighthorse Campbell (Northern Cheyenne/R-CO), who died Tuesday at age 92. NCAI President Mark Macarro in a statement said Campbell broke barriers and left a path for those who seek to follow as leaders in Indian Country and in America. Sen. Campbell is being remembered for his work on Indian policy and elevating Indian Country issues, serving on the U.S. Senate Committee on Indian Affairs. The Associated Press reports, his daughter said Campbell died of natural causes surround by family. Get National Native News delivered to your inbox daily. Sign up for our daily newsletter today. Download our NV1 Android or iOs App for breaking news alerts. Wednesday, December 31, 2025 – Memorable moments in Native film and TV in 2025

RAPID REPLAY EPISODE! When new people find the Nutritional Therapy and Wellness Podcast for the first time, they ask, "Where do I start?"  While we'd love for you to go back to the beginning and take them all in, this is for those who need the quick catch-up. We're doing a Rapid Replay Series of condensed episodes, including the most popular episodes according to streams and downloads, and a few of our team's personal favorites.  This episode is a condensed version of Episode 002: Reverse The Trend of Preventable Poor Health. (Click HERE to view the full, original version instead.)   In this episode, host Jamie Belz, FNTP, MHC, discusses the power of nutritional therapy and personal health journeys, emphasizing the Nutritional Therapy Association's goal of reversing the trend of preventable poor health.  Key Highlights: Archived video of NTA's Founder, Gray Graham, teaching an early Nutritional Therapy Practitioner course Highlights alarming health statistics in the U.S., emphasizing the need for change Belief in the power of a nutrient-dense diet, quality sleep, stress management, digestion, and blood sugar balance Explores societal health views and disease fears, and advocates for rethinking health care Questions the belief that health naturally worsens with age and promotes prevention and proactive care Highlights a new healthcare approach focused on restoring health through nutritional therapy, beyond just disease management Advocates for a world where everyone experiences and values health, energized by personal and collective wellness Emphasizes the Japanese concept of Kaizen for continuous health improvement through small steps Discusses the need to integrate nutritional therapy with conventional medicine, highlighting systemic challenges in healthcare Challenges in the current healthcare system and physician burnout Promotes integrative care and "wellness webs" for better outcomes Aims to dismantle misconceptions and divisions within healthcare, advocating for a united approach Encourages ongoing education and patience for real change, emphasizing collective effort and impact   If you liked this episode of Nutritional & Wellness Podcast, please LEAVE A 5-STAR REVIEW, like, share, and subscribe! Your journey towards optimal health doesn't have to be walked alone. We're here to guide, inspire, and support you every step of the way.   Thank you for tuning in! 

What if I told you that President Roosevelt and his military leaders were fully aware of the pending attack on Pearl Harbor by the Japanese in 1941? What if I told you that these same bastards withheld intelligence from the commanders on the ground AND THEN, after the attack, relieved them of their commands, blamed them for failing to ward off the attack, charged them with "dereliction of duty" and "errors of judgment," and demoted them? That is a bit of a different perspective on the day that will live in infamy! Show Notes Twitter | Rumble | BitChute | Spotify | Apple -------------------------------- Lew Rockwell Stinnett - Archive What You Should Know About Pearl Harbor Why We Need to Understand What Happened at Pearl Harbor  Truth Quest Podcast Episode #98 - The Truth About Abraham Lincoln - Part I Episode #99 - The Truth About Abraham Lincoln - Part II Episode #195 – The Truth About the Empire of Lies Episode #232 – The Truth About Political Conspiracy Theories -------------------------------- Support the podcast by shopping at the Truth Quest Shirt Factory.  

What happens when ancient mythology collides with modern travel, sibling dynamics, and a very tight bus schedule? In this episode of Rainy Day Rabbit Holes, Shea takes us deep into the mountains of Nagano Prefecture to explore Togakushi Shrine, one of Japan’s most sacred—and least touristy—Shinto sites. Along the way, we unravel the myth of Amaterasu, the sun goddess who plunged the world into darkness after her brother Susanoo’s chaos drove her into hiding inside a cave. As Shea hikes the same forest paths once walked by gods—beneath towering 800-year-old cedar trees—Japanese legend comes vividly to life. We explore the five shrines of Togakushi, the divine doorway sealed shut to save the world, dancing gods, nine-headed dragons, spiritual power spots, and what it really means to experience Japan beyond the “Golden Route” of Tokyo, Kyoto, and Osaka. This episode blends Japanese mythology, spiritual travel, off-the-beaten-path adventure, and real-life mishaps, including sprinting down mountain roads, surviving a hair-raising taxi ride, and realizing—too late—that the bus was actually running behind schedule. If you’re fascinated by Shinto legends, sacred hikes, authentic travel experiences, or Japan beyond the tourist crowds, this episode is your invitation to step into the forest, slow down, and walk where the gods once did.

For the final show of the year 2025, STRIGGA & Dylan Fox dive into their 25 under 25 list of the very best Japanese pro wrestling talent under the age of 25. From already main eventing standouts to promising prospects with seemingly limitless ceilings, they talk strengths, trajectories, and who's in line to define the next coming years of their respective promotion or maybe the entire scene. Join in, come up with your own list or learn about new talent that's about to put their stamp on the next decade.

Taka Chan has been a queer, celibate Christian in campus ministry long enough to have seen both deep friendships and losses. He joined David and TJ to share stories of friends, pastors, and communities who have walked with him—and those who haven't. We hope you're encouraged by his reflections on God's provision, even in the midst of uncertainty about what comes next.Note: This episode uses the terms “Side A” and “Side B” (and X, Y) as shorthand quite a bit. If you're new to the conversation, you might find it helpful to check out episode #3, where we talk through the four “sides”: ⁠#3 - A-B-Y-X | 4 Sides on SSA/Gay Sexuality⁠About Our GuestTaka Chan was born and raised in rural Hawaiʻi and has been working in college campus ministry for 18 years. He loves gardening, cooking for large groups of people, and taking classes at the Y with a bunch of grandmas. Ask him about his recent TV binges (The Pitt, Pachinko, Abbott Elementary) and what homework he'd suggest if you intend to visit Hawaiʻi. You can email him at [takachanaloha -at- gmail.com].—★ Timestamps(00:00) #74 - “If We Say We Love LGBT People...” Taka Chan on College Ministry and Faithfulness(01:11) Taka Chan: Hawai'i, family, coming out to myself and others(06:55) College in the time of ex-gay thought(11:55) “I try to be gentle with my younger self”(18:00) Single and married to everyone(23:49) Pastors going to bat for you(32:02) What do you do when friendships fail?(41:30) Evangelical ministry: If we're saying we love LGBT people...how?(56:17) An employee resource group: we won't be frozen in fear any more(01:00:46) Intersections: Being queer, being Japanese and Chinese(01:07:52) Why are you not Side A?(01:11:55) Being an “elder” in the Side B movement, and those who came before(01:15:20) What's the future for you? (Intentional community?)—★ Links and ReferencesTwo Views on Homosexuality, the Bible, and the Church (2016)—★ Send us feedback, questions, comments, and support!:Email: communionandshalom@gmail.com | Instagram: @newkinship | Substack: @newkinship or newkinship.substack.com—★ CreditsCreators and Hosts: David Frank, TJ Espinoza | Audio Engineer: Carl Swenson, carlswensonmusic.com | Podcast Manager: Elena F. | Graphic Designer: Gavin Popken, gavinpopkenart.com ★ Get full access to New Kinship at newkinship.substack.com/subscribe

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has used his New Year's message to reflect on national grief after the Bondi Beach terror attack, while urging Australians to begin 2026 with unity and confidence. Australians are being encouraged to enter the new year with unity rather than fear, as crowds prepare to gather at celebration sites across the country. - 新しい年の到来に先駆けアルバニージー首相は国民にメッセージを発表しました。国内各地で大晦日のイベントが始まっています。

SBS has evolved from a three-month trial program launched in 1975 to become the world's most linguistically diverse broadcaster. As SBS turns 50 in 2025, join us in reflecting on its history through a Japanese podcast, tracing its journey alongside changes in Australia and the world. The podcast features historically significant audio recordings. - SBSは1975年に始まった３カ月間の試験プログラムから、世界で最も言語的に多様な放送局となりました。2025年で50歳となったSBS、オーストラリアや世界の変化とともに、その歴史を日本語ポッドキャストで振り返ってみましょう。歴史的に貴重な音声も使われています。

Malachi 3:1-4:6, Rev 22:1-21, Ps 150:1-6, Pr 31:25-31

Happy Holidays and New Years fellow listeners.  The boys hope you had a great 2025 and wish you a marvelous 2026.  To start things off with a bang, Chris brought a disgusting Japanese gore film that is sure to push your buttons.  Which film you say, why it's Women's Flesh My Red Guts.  While it may not be Tumbling Dolls of Flesh (which he proposed as well), it was equally disgusting in many ways.  Listening to this podcast is fine, but watching the movie may not be.  View at your own risk...with alcohol!

On this week's episode, Chuck Garfien sits down with Yuri Karasawa of World Baseball Network and Yakyu Cosmopolitan for an in-depth conversation about Japanese superstar Munetaka Murakami and what he brings to the White Sox. Karasawa provides context on baseball in Japan and the NPB landscape, while breaking down Murakami's fame, reputation, and historic 2022 season that cemented him as one of the game's most feared sluggers. The discussion dives into why Murakami chose the White Sox, whether his signing came as a surprise, and what expectations should look like as he transitions from NPB to MLB pitching. Chuck and Yuri also examine Murakami's plate discipline, defensive versatility at first and third base, and his jaw-dropping power — including the moon shots that made him a household name in Japan. Plus, they look back at Murakami's injury-riddled 2025 season, his personality and desire to connect with fans by learning English, and how his skill set is expected to translate at the major league level.

The United Arab Emirates has agreed to withdraw its forces from Yemen after a Saudi bombing of the port of Mukalla. Saudi authorities say it targeted weapons intended for UAE-backed separatists who threatened its security. Also in the programme: the latest search for the missing Malaysia Airlines flight 370 begins today; why a Japanese folk tale of a ghost that haunts school toilets still persists; and we look ahead to some of the big stories of next year with our correspondents who cover health, the environment and sport. (Picture: People hold a South Yemen flag during a rally calling for South Yemen's independence, in the southern port city of Aden on 25 December 2025. Credit: NAJEEB MOHAMED/EPA/Shutterstock)

Good medicine has less to do with having the “right system” and more to do with the human being holding the needles. With the way we listen. The way we wait. The way we're willing to not know… yet.In this conversation with Stephen Brown we trace his unlikely path from welding in a west coast shipyard—literally working with fire and metal—to becoming one of the key bridges between Japanese acupuncture and the English-speaking world.Along the way he unpacks how history, culture, and politics have shaped East Asian medicine in Japan, Korea, China and beyond, and why arguments about “the one true method” miss the living heart of the work. We wander through blind practitioners and palpation-rich traditions, meridian therapy, “scientific” acupuncture, dry needling, and the long-standing turf skirmishes between them.But repeatedly Stephen brings us back to the clinician's interior: the courage to admit “I don't know yet,” the discipline of returning to basics, the craft of letting the body teach you through touch, timing, and attention.Listen into this conversation on how Stephen refuses both magical thinking and rigid certainty. Instead, he points toward a grounded intuition born of repetition, body-based knowing, and genuine curiosity about the person in front of us. It's a generous, searching exploration of what it means to practice acupuncture as a lifelong craft, in a world that keeps trying to turn it into a billable procedure.

For the final podcast of the year, Jake Mintz and Jordan Shusterman break down the latest on NPB stars Tatsuya Imai and Kazuma Okamoto as their MLB posting windows close, analyzing where they could sign and how their profiles contrast with previous Japanese imports like Munetaka Murakami and Yoshinobu Yamamoto. The guys take a hard look at the differences between pitching and hitting projections for international talent, highlighting Imai's adaptability and Okamoto's ready-made bat for contending teams. They discuss the best roster fits for Imai, focusing on the Giants, Mets, and Phillies, among others, and debate which teams actually make sense for the 3B slugger Okamoto.Later in the show, they open up the Bar-B-Cast mailbag and answer questions about Juan Soto, the Dodgers' championship window and some baseball easter eggs in the latest Knives Out film, Wake Up Dead Man.Finally, they close the episode with a round of Turbo Mode, highlighting a bevy of signings across the league in Cincinnati, Chicago, Seattle & more. Also, a special shout-out to the Buffalo Sabres.1:53 - Why is it taking so long for Japanese stars Tatsuya Imai and Kazuma Okamoto to sign?14:45 - Where will Imai sign?24:50 - Where will Okamoto sign?31:30 - Baseball Bar-B-Cast Mailbag: Mets, Dodgers, Knives Out & more1:05:10 - Turbo Mode: Reds, Cubs, Mariners & more

Let me start with a disclaimer—this isn't a political editorial. It's a conversation about ideas. Lessons from business, design, culture, and philosophy that might help us grow—individually and collectively. And if you disagree, email me at ConvoByDesign@Outlook.com. I welcome the debate. As this year closes, I'm feeling a mix of frustration and optimism. This moment feels chaotic—as does most of life lately—which is why I often end the show with, “rise above the chaos.” We can't eliminate it, but we can manage what's within our control. The Stoics told us that long ago: focus on what you can control, release what you can't, act with virtue, and let obstacles sharpen resilience. This essay is about taking back even a small amount of control through the work we do and the spaces we shape. The Problem with Trend-Driven Design This year, phrases and hashtags flew faster than ever—Quiet Luxury, Brat Green, Fridgescaping, Millennial Grey. Much like the “big, beautiful bill” language we've all heard tossed around in political discourse, design's buzzwords can distract from what actually matters. They generate attention, not meaning. They look good on social media, not necessarily in the lived experience of a home, workplace, or public square. So instead of centering our design conversations around fleeting edits, let's pivot toward the global innovations that are transforming the built world in ways that truly matter. Designer Resources Pacific Sales Kitchen and Home. Where excellence meets expertise. Design Hardware – A stunning and vast collection of jewelry for the home! TimberTech – Real wood beauty without the upkeep Real Innovation Worth Talking About Across the globe, designers, architects, and researchers are developing ideas that transcend buzz. These are the concepts with longevity—the ones shaping smart, resilient, human-centered spaces: Biophilic Design, rooted in the work of Edward O. Wilson, Erich Fromm, and Japanese shinrin-yoku, continues to reframe our relationship with nature. Net-Zero Architecture, pioneered in Canada, Germany, and Australia, redefines building performance through projects like Seattle's Bullitt Center and Colorado's RMI Innovation Center. Smart Homes and Invisible Tech, building on early Asian innovation, hiding circuitry and functionality behind seamless design powered by Apple, Google, and Amazon ecosystems. Prefab and Modular Construction, originally exemplified by structures like the Crystal Palace and the Sydney Opera House, now reimagined by firms such as Plant Prefab. Passive House Design, born in Germany but rapidly shaping U.S. projects in California, New York, and the Pacific Northwest. And the list goes on: Self-Healing Concrete by Hendrik Marius Jonkers Guggenheim Abu Dhabi by Frank Gehry Bët-bi Museum in Senegal by Mariam Issoufou Powerhouse Parramatta in Australia Pujiang Viewing Platform in China by MVRDV Landscape and biophilic approaches—Wabi-Sabi gardening, edimental gardens, climate-adaptive landscapes, and indoor biophilia—are redefining how we engage with natural systems in daily life. Even infrastructure has become a site of innovation: CopenHill/Amager Bakke, Denmark's waste-to-energy plant with a ski slope Urban Sequoias by SOM—skyscrapers designed as carbon sinks 3D-printed timber in Germany, Finland, and France This is the work that deserves our attention—not the color of the week on TikTok. Rethinking the Shelter Space For years I described architecture as a language, design as a dialect, and landscape as the narrative. Mies van der Rohe famously introduced the concept of architecture as language. It caught on, and then the bandwagon effect took over. But today, the metaphor feels insufficient—especially for the shelter space, where people spend their lives, raise families, work, heal, and age. The shelter space isn't like a retail store or restaurant, where design is often intended for those who pass through briefly while the people who labor there navigate the leftover space. The shelter space must serve those who inhabit it deeply and continuously. And that shifts the conversation. Design begins with the usual questions—purpose, function, users, goals, budget. But these questions don't define design. They only outline it. There is no universal purpose of architecture or design, no single philosophy, no singular “right” answer. The shelter space varies as widely as the people living within it. So instead of treating architecture and design as technical processes, we should approach them philosophically. A Philosophical Framework for Design Stoicism offers clarity: Accept that budget overruns and changes will occur. Respect the expertise of the designer you hired. Invest in authenticity rather than dupes. Create environments that support health—clean air, clean water, noise reduction, resilience. Utilitarianism reminds us that choices have consequences. If the design decisions you make are based on influencer content instead of expertise, the result is no surprise. And now, a new framework is emerging that could transform our shared spaces entirely. Sensorial Urbanism: Designing the City We Actually Feel One of the most compelling movements emerging globally is Sensorial Urbanism—a shift from focusing on how the city looks to how it feels. It's neuroscience, phenomenology, and inclusive design rolled into a multi-sensory toolkit. Five Key Sensory Principles Soundscaping Water features masking traffic. Acoustic pavilions. Designed sound gardens. Paris' Le Cylindre Sonore. Soundscape parks in Barcelona and Berlin. Smellscaping Native flowers, herbs, and aromatic trees restoring identity—especially critical after disasters like wildfires. Kate McLean's smellwalks map a city's olfactory signature. Tactile Design Materials that invite touch and respond to temperature—stone, wood, water—connecting inhabitants to place. Visual Quietness Reducing signage and visual clutter, as seen in Drachten, Netherlands, creates calmer, more intuitive environments. Multisensory Inclusivity Design that accommodates neurodiversity, PTSD, aging, and accessibility through tactile paving, sound buffers, and scent markers. Why It Matters Because cities didn't always feel this overwhelming. Because design wasn't always rushed. Because quality of life shouldn't be compromised for aesthetics. Sensorial Urbanism reconnects us with spaces that are restorative, intuitive, and emotionally resonant. A city is not just a picture—it is an experience. The Takeaway for 2026 Rising Above the Chaos: Lessons from 2025 for a Smarter 2026 HED (3-sentence summary): As 2025 closes, the design and architecture world has experienced unprecedented chaos and rapid trend cycles. In this episode, Soundman reflects on lessons from business, culture, and global innovation, emphasizing resilience, purposeful design, and human-centered spaces. From Stoic philosophy to sensorial urbanism, this conversation offers guidance for navigating the next year with clarity and intentionality. DEK (Expanded description): Twenty twenty-five tested the design industry's patience, creativity, and adaptability. In this reflective episode, we explore the pitfalls of trend-driven design, the enduring value of service, and the innovations shaping architecture globally — from net-zero buildings to multisensory urbanism. With examples ranging from TimberTech decking to Pacific Sales' trade programs, we examine how designers can reclaim control, prioritize meaningful work, and create spaces that heal, inspire, and endure. A philosophical lens, practical insights, and actionable guidance make this a must-listen for professionals and enthusiasts alike. Outline of Show Topics: Introduction & Context Reflection on the chaotic year of 2025 in design and architecture. Disclaimer: this is a philosophical conversation, not a political editorial. Invitation for audience engagement via email. Trends vs. Meaningful Design Critique of buzzwords like “quiet luxury” and “millennial gray bookshelf wealth.” Emphasis on global innovation over social media-driven trends. The gap between American design influence and international innovation. Global Innovations in Architecture & Design Biophilic design and its philosophical roots. Net-zero buildings: Bullitt Center (Seattle), RMI Innovation Center (Colorado). Smart homes, modular construction, and passive house adoption in the U.S. vs. abroad. Focus on Service & Professional Support Pacific Sales Kitchen & Home: Pro Rewards program and exceptional service. TimberTech: innovation in sustainable synthetic decking. Importance of performance, durability, and client-focused solutions. Philosophical Approach to Design Architecture as experience, not just a visual language. Stoicism, utilitarianism, and mindfulness applied to design. Sensorial urbanism: engaging all five senses in public and private spaces. Emerging Global Examples of Innovation Self-healing concrete (Henrik Marius Junkers), Copenhill (Denmark). 3D printed timber in Germany, Finland, France. Climate-adaptive landscapes, Wabi-sabi gardening, inclusive urban design. Moving Beyond Social Media Trends Rejecting influencer-driven design priorities. Returning to performance, resilience, and quality of life. Practical guidance for designers in all regions, including overlooked U.S. markets. Closing Reflections & New Year Outlook Encouragement to rise above chaos and focus on what can be controlled. Goals for 2026: intentional, human-centered, and innovative design. Call to action: share, subscribe, and engage with Convo by Design. Sponsor Mentions & Callouts Pacific Sales Kitchen & Home TimberTech Design Hardware If you enjoyed this long-form essay, share it with a friend. Subscribe to Convo By Design, follow @convoxdesign on Instagram, and send your thoughts to ConvoByDesign@Outlook.com. Thank you to TimberTech, The AZEK Company, Pacific Sales, Best Buy, and Design Hardware for supporting over 650 episodes and making Convo By Design the longest running podcast of it's kind!

Earlier this year, wine industry veteran Jason McConnell acquired 38-year-old Anderson Valley Brewing Company [AVBC] (Boonville, CA). Now he is focused on maintaining AVBC's cherished traditions, such as its annual fest and its celebrated disc golf course, while adding his own flair.   McConnell chatted with Brewbound editor Justin Kendall during the California Craft Beer Summit in November about AVBC's beer park and several new Japanese-inspired offerings, as well as his observations as a newcomer to craft beer.    "The beer world is a lot more laid back and a lot more fun to promote than the wine world," McConnell said. "It's different, and it's awesome."   Before the interview, senior reporter Zoe Licata and managing editor Jessica Infante discuss Brewbound's most-read news stories of 2025, as well as recent headlines, including Stateside's new Super Lyte and data about consumers' plans for New Year's Eve and Dry January.

Scott A. Mitchell is the Dean of Students and Faculty Affairs and holds the Yoshitaka Tamai Professorial Chair at the Institute of Buddhist Studies in Berkeley. He teaches and writes about Buddhism in the West, Pure Land Buddhism, and Buddhist modernism. As of 2010, there were approximately 3-4 million Buddhists in the United States, and that figure is expected to grow significantly. Beyond the numbers, the influence of Buddhism can be felt throughout the culture, with many more people practicing meditation, for example, than claiming Buddhist identity. A century ago, this would have been unthinkable. So how did Buddhism come to claim such a significant place in the American cultural landscape? The Making of American Buddhism (Oxford UP, 2023) offers an answer, showing how in the years on either side of World War II second-generation Japanese American Buddhists laid claim to an American identity inclusive of their religious identity. In the process they-and their allies-created a place for Buddhism in America. These sons and daughters of Japanese immigrants-known as “Nisei,” Japanese for “second-generation”-clustered around the Berkeley Bussei, a magazine published from 1939 to 1960. In the pages of the Bussei and elsewhere, these Nisei Buddhists argued that Buddhism was both what made them good Americans and what they had to contribute to America-a rational and scientific religion of peace. The Making of American Buddhism also details the behind-the-scenes labor that made Buddhist modernism possible. The Bussei was one among many projects that were embedded within Japanese American Buddhist communities and connected to national and transnational networks that shaped and allowed for the spread of modernist Buddhist ideas. In creating communities, publishing magazines, and hosting scholarly conventions and translation projects, Nisei Buddhists built the religious infrastructure that allowed the later Buddhist modernists, Beat poets, and white converts who are often credited with popularizing Buddhism to flourish. Nisei activists didn't invent American Buddhism, but they made it possible. Dr. Victoria Montrose is an Assistant Professor of Religion and Asian Studies at Furman University. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/new-books-network

FOREVER Digital Storage - Their mission is to be the complete, permanent, and safe place where millions of families save and enjoy their memories for generations. Please support this sponsor of the podcast.In this episode, we speak with Mark Burnett, founder of My Brain Restore™, about his personal battle with Parkinson's and early Alzheimer's — and the controversial path that followed. My Brain RestoreBurnett discusses:* His diagnoses and the moment he realized standard treatment offered no path to recovery* Why he turned to Japanese neurological research overlooked in Western medicine* The development of his proprietary processing method and why he believes it matters* What he can measure, what he cannot yet prove, and where critics are right to be skeptical* The ethical risks of self-experimentation when the alternative is slow decline* Why FDA limitations complicate public conversations about neurological recoveryThis is not a promotional interview. It is a rigorous, good-faith examination of claims, evidence, and uncertainty, designed to let listeners decide for themselves where they land.Topics Covered:* Parkinson's disease* Alzheimer's disease* Neurodegeneration and brain plasticity* Supplements vs. pharmaceuticals* Evidence standards and clinical trials* FDA regulation and medical claims* Patient-driven innovationImportant Disclaimer:This episode is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Always consult licensed medical professionals before making health decisions. Get full access to Melvin E. Edwards at storiesfromreallife.substack.com/subscribe

New Year's horror, horror movie history, and messages from the other side—welcome to This Week in Horror History, the weekly horror podcast where we track what happened on these dates across film, books, and cult classics.In this episode, Henrique Couto follows a haunting thread that runs straight through the holiday: a phone that calls from the future, a killer hiding in the power grid, a cursed ghost anthology, and the original “new year, new monster” that's been chasing us since 1818.This week in horror history (Dec 29–Jan 4):Dec 29, 1964 — Kwaidan premieres in Tokyo, Japan: a gorgeous Japanese ghost anthology that feels like a curse you can't look away from.Dec 29, 1993 — Ghost in the Machine is released: serial killer + electricity + early internet panic = a surprisingly fun tech-haunting nightmare.Jan 1, 1818 — Frankenstein is published: Mary Shelley's warning label for ambition, still echoing through modern horror.Jan 4, 2008 — One Missed Call opens in North America: a remake built on dread you can't silence—because the voicemail is already there.Horror birthdays this week: Barbara Steele, Eliza Dushku, Anthony Hopkins, Shelley Hennig, and Jaden Martell.Where to watch / read (U.S., this week — availability changes fast):Kwaidan — HBO MaxGhost in the Machine — Rent: Apple TV, Fandango at Home, Amazon Prime, Google Play, YouTubeWitchboard — Free w/ ads: Tubi (plus Roku Channel and other ad-supported options); also available via subscriptions on select platformsOne Missed Call (2008) — Tubi, Apple TVFrankenstein — Read free via Project Gutenberg / Archive.orgSponsor: This episode is sponsored by Savorista Coffee — premium half-calf and decaf blends. Grab yours at Savorista.com and use promo code SPOOKY for 25% off at checkout (and you support the podcast with every purchase).If you love horror movie history, spooky trivia, and date-driven deep dives, follow This Week in Horror History on the Weekly Spooky feed and ring in the new year the only proper way: with the lights low and the dread turned up.

Scott A. Mitchell is the Dean of Students and Faculty Affairs and holds the Yoshitaka Tamai Professorial Chair at the Institute of Buddhist Studies in Berkeley. He teaches and writes about Buddhism in the West, Pure Land Buddhism, and Buddhist modernism. As of 2010, there were approximately 3-4 million Buddhists in the United States, and that figure is expected to grow significantly. Beyond the numbers, the influence of Buddhism can be felt throughout the culture, with many more people practicing meditation, for example, than claiming Buddhist identity. A century ago, this would have been unthinkable. So how did Buddhism come to claim such a significant place in the American cultural landscape? The Making of American Buddhism (Oxford UP, 2023) offers an answer, showing how in the years on either side of World War II second-generation Japanese American Buddhists laid claim to an American identity inclusive of their religious identity. In the process they-and their allies-created a place for Buddhism in America. These sons and daughters of Japanese immigrants-known as “Nisei,” Japanese for “second-generation”-clustered around the Berkeley Bussei, a magazine published from 1939 to 1960. In the pages of the Bussei and elsewhere, these Nisei Buddhists argued that Buddhism was both what made them good Americans and what they had to contribute to America-a rational and scientific religion of peace. The Making of American Buddhism also details the behind-the-scenes labor that made Buddhist modernism possible. The Bussei was one among many projects that were embedded within Japanese American Buddhist communities and connected to national and transnational networks that shaped and allowed for the spread of modernist Buddhist ideas. In creating communities, publishing magazines, and hosting scholarly conventions and translation projects, Nisei Buddhists built the religious infrastructure that allowed the later Buddhist modernists, Beat poets, and white converts who are often credited with popularizing Buddhism to flourish. Nisei activists didn't invent American Buddhism, but they made it possible. Dr. Victoria Montrose is an Assistant Professor of Religion and Asian Studies at Furman University. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/asian-american-studies

Frank and Eric C Rath, Professor at University of Kansas and author of multiple books on Japanese food culture, dive deep into his new book, Kanpai: The History of Sake. We talk about samurai drinking games, the origins of sake as a beverage, sake’s effects on the Japanese economy, and many other topics. We'd love to hear what you thought about the episode! Let us know at questions@sakeonair.com or send us a message on our Instagram, Facebook, or Substack! We'll be back very soon with plenty more Sake On Air. Until then, kampai! Sake On Air is made possible with the generous support of the Japan Sake & Shochu Makers Association and is broadcast from the Japan Sake & Shochu Information Center in Tokyo. Sake on Air was created by Potts K Productions and is produced by Export Japan. Our theme, “Younger Today Than Tomorrow” was composed byforSomethingNew for Sake On Air.

Welcome back to Girl, Take the Lead! — the podcast where we reimagine leadership, challenge the status quo around aging, and share the stories that help us break cycles, find our voice, and trust our own becoming.Today's episode is a stunning way to close out the year.Our guest, Laura G. Patac, is an entrepreneur, author, poet, and former global corporate executive who has lived and worked in seven countries across five continents. After 25 years in sales, operations, and product leadership, she stepped into entrepreneurship — and the transition cracked open a profound identity crisis that reshaped her understanding of purpose, courage, and value.Rather than hiding the cracks, Laura learned to honor them — and ultimately, to treat them the way the Japanese art of kintsugi treats broken pottery: not as flaws to conceal, but as golden seams that make us more whole, beautiful, and true.Her journey — and her writing — will move you.In this intimate and heartfelt conversation, Laura shares how storytelling, poetry, and reflection helped her rebuild a self beyond titles and corporate identity, and how she now empowers others to do the same through her books Stories with Purpose and her newest release, Whole Not Perfect.Together, Yo and Laura explore:✨ What Happens When Your Title Disappears✨ The Five “Aha Moments” That Defined Her Leadership Journey✨ Why No One Is Coming to Save You✨ Storytelling as a Tool for Reinvention✨The Kintsugi Metaphor✨ Moving From Insight to Intention✨ Redefining Success After Corporate Life✨ What She Would Tell Her 20-Something Self

Tatsuya Imai's decision date is Jan 2, 2026, but does he have any offers to decide on? Can the Cubs come in at the last minute with a winning bid? Get your own Setup Man Swag: https://bit.ly/setupmanobvious FREE Cubs Talk Facebook Group: / cubstalk Go to www.setupman.net and subscribe to our mailing list to become a part of Setup Man Nation so you never miss a show! We also do free giveaways for those who are on our list! Check us out on social media: Instagram: https://bit.ly/setupmaninsta Twitter: https://bit.ly/setupmantwitter

A 24-year-old man has been charged with more than 10 offences over an alleged plot to carry out a public-place shooting in Sydney's south-west. Premier Chris Minns has condemned a rise in Islamophobia following the Bondi Beach attack, warning racism will not be tolerated in New South Wales. Residents in Australia's far northwest are being urged to take shelter as Tropical Cyclone Hayley strengthens ahead of landfall. News from today's live program (1-2pm). - シドニー南西部で、公共の場所での銃撃を企てていたとみられる24歳の男が、10件以上の容疑で逮捕、起訴されました。ニューサウスウェールズ州政府のクリス・ミンズ州首相は、ボンダイビーチ銃撃事件の後にイスラム嫌悪が高まっていることを非難し、人種差別は許されないとの強い姿勢を示しました。熱帯低気圧ヘイリーが西オーストラリア州北部ダンピア半島に向かっており、今夜上陸する見通しです。2025年12月30日放送。

Why do millions of people line up at shrines at midnight every New Year's?Hatsumōde isn't “just visiting a shrine” — it's a ritual that reveals how Japanese people reset their hearts, welcome luck, and start the year with gratitude.From ancient gods to modern crowds, here's the real meaning behind Japan's first visit of the year.なぜ日本では毎年、大晦日の深夜に何百万人もの人が神社に並ぶのか？初詣は「ただ神社へ行く行事」ではないようです。日本人が心をリセットし、福を迎え、感謝とともに一年を始めるための大切な 儀式なのです。昔の神様の考え方から現代の参拝まで——日本の新年を形作る「初詣」の本当の意味を深掘りします。

Malachi 1:1-2:17, Rev 21:1-27, Ps 149:1-9, Pr 31:10-24

Note: This "Sound of Ideas" episode originally aired on Sept. 2, 2025 Sept. 2 is the 80th anniversary of the official end to World War II, weeks after fighting ended. It's the day when Japanese envoys formally signed the Instrument of Surrender aboard the U.S.S. Missouri in Tokyo Bay. And on this important anniversary, we wanted to talk about how this war completely changed the world order, transforming the U.S. to the leader of the free world. We'll discuss Ohio's role in the fight against fascism, and how locals are helping to preserve these experiences. Our collective memories of this war are fading, as each year, fewer and fewer people are alive to tell the stories of the men and women involved. According to the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, only about 45,000 of the 16 million Americans who served are still alive, and most are in their 90s or older. Tuesday on the “Sound of Ideas,” we'll look back on this milestone anniversary and how the echoes of World War II and the world order it created continue to influence policy and culture today. Guests:- Eric Rivet, Chief Curator, Western Reserve Historical Society- Paul Farace, President, U.S.S. Cod Submarine Memorial- Betsy Bashore, Chief Executive Officer & Vendor Coordinator, D-Day Ohio

Thank you to our Patron One In A Thousand who requested this week's book! They wrote in to us earlier this year, saying: "...At some point in your lives, you've probably experienced media that you felt was ALMOST really good, but for whatever reason it just wasn't, and media that was almost really good can be just as frustrating as outright bad media because you can see that it just needed a little bit of fixing. That's how I felt about The Third Force. It's a tie-in novel to an obscure Japanese multimedia franchise from the 90's called Gadget...Marc Laidlaw was given a lot of creative freedom to write his own interpretation of the story, including more worldbuilding and character development, to mixed results...Laidlaw has confirmed that several characters and plot points from this book went on to inspire elements of the Half-Life series, which he became the lead writer for a couple years after writing this...In a way, The Third Force is almost like a rough first draft for ideas that Laidlaw would execute in a better way later." In addition to our usual barnyard language, today's episode includes discussion or mention of brainwashing, torture, murder, and general high mind loss.  

Scott A. Mitchell is the Dean of Students and Faculty Affairs and holds the Yoshitaka Tamai Professorial Chair at the Institute of Buddhist Studies in Berkeley. He teaches and writes about Buddhism in the West, Pure Land Buddhism, and Buddhist modernism. As of 2010, there were approximately 3-4 million Buddhists in the United States, and that figure is expected to grow significantly. Beyond the numbers, the influence of Buddhism can be felt throughout the culture, with many more people practicing meditation, for example, than claiming Buddhist identity. A century ago, this would have been unthinkable. So how did Buddhism come to claim such a significant place in the American cultural landscape? The Making of American Buddhism (Oxford UP, 2023) offers an answer, showing how in the years on either side of World War II second-generation Japanese American Buddhists laid claim to an American identity inclusive of their religious identity. In the process they-and their allies-created a place for Buddhism in America. These sons and daughters of Japanese immigrants-known as “Nisei,” Japanese for “second-generation”-clustered around the Berkeley Bussei, a magazine published from 1939 to 1960. In the pages of the Bussei and elsewhere, these Nisei Buddhists argued that Buddhism was both what made them good Americans and what they had to contribute to America-a rational and scientific religion of peace. The Making of American Buddhism also details the behind-the-scenes labor that made Buddhist modernism possible. The Bussei was one among many projects that were embedded within Japanese American Buddhist communities and connected to national and transnational networks that shaped and allowed for the spread of modernist Buddhist ideas. In creating communities, publishing magazines, and hosting scholarly conventions and translation projects, Nisei Buddhists built the religious infrastructure that allowed the later Buddhist modernists, Beat poets, and white converts who are often credited with popularizing Buddhism to flourish. Nisei activists didn't invent American Buddhism, but they made it possible. Dr. Victoria Montrose is an Assistant Professor of Religion and Asian Studies at Furman University. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/intellectual-history

On this week's episode, Chuck Garfien sits down with White Sox Director of International Scouting David Keller to go behind the scenes of the signing of Japanese slugger Munetaka Murakami. Keller breaks down what went into landing Murakami and why his special power made him a must-have target. The conversation also dives into who Murakami is as a player and beyond the box score — the type of person and teammate he's expected to be in the clubhouse — and how his skill set translates to the major leagues. Plus, Keller shares how the White Sox are continuing to strengthen their international scouting footprint.

Last time we spoke about the Russian Counter Offensive over the Heights. On the Manchurian frontier, a Japanese plan hatched in the hush before dawn: strike at Hill 52, seize the summit, and bargain only if fate demanded. Colonel Sato chose Nakano's 75th Regiment, delivering five fearless captains to lead the charge, with Nakajima rising like a bright spark among them. Under a cloak of night, scouts threaded the cold air, and at 2:15 a.m. wires fell away, revealing a path through darkness. By dawn, a pale light brushed the crest; Hill 52 yielded, then Shachaofeng did, as dawn's demands pressed forward. The Russians responded with a thunder of tanks, planes, and relentless artillery. Yet the Japanese braced, shifting guns, moving reinforcements, and pressing a discipline born of training and resolve. The battlefield fractured into sectors, Hill 52, Shachaofeng, the lake, each demanding courage and cunning. Night winds carried the buzz of flares, the hiss of shells, and the stubborn clang of rifles meeting armor. The Russians tried to reweave their strength, but Japanese firepower and tenacious assaults kept the line from bending. By nightfall, a quiet resolve settled over the hills; the cost was steep, but the crest remained in Japanese hands.   #182 The Second Russian Counteroffensive over the heights Welcome to the Fall and Rise of China Podcast, I am your dutiful host Craig Watson. But, before we start I want to also remind you this podcast is only made possible through the efforts of Kings and Generals over at Youtube. Perhaps you want to learn more about the history of Asia? Kings and Generals have an assortment of episodes on history of asia and much more  so go give them a look over on Youtube. So please subscribe to Kings and Generals over at Youtube and to continue helping us produce this content please check out www.patreon.com/kingsandgenerals. If you are still hungry for some more history related content, over on my channel, the Pacific War Channel where I cover the history of China and Japan from the 19th century until the end of the Pacific War. The Japanese retained their hard won positions despite fierce Russian counterattacks. For the Japanese command structure at the front, 3 August was of prime importance. Suetaka concluded that he could not merely direct the fighting around Changkufeng nor abandon Kyonghun, given his need to manage relations with Korea Army Headquarters and central authorities, as well as the special characteristics of these battles and his grave concerns about the Wuchiatzu front to the north. By 5 p.m., the newly arrived 37th Brigade commander, Morimoto Nobuki, was assigned control of all sectors from Hill 52 and Changkufeng to Shachaofeng, establishing his command post at the former site of the 75th Regiment at Chiangchunfeng. The Japanese estimated losses from the Soviet counterattacks on 2–3 August as follows: Hill 52-Changkufeng, at least 300 Soviet casualties and four tanks; Shachaofeng, about 300 casualties and several tanks, plus several heavy machine guns knocked out. By 17:00 on 3 August, Russian strength committed to the front and immediate rear was assessed at ten infantry battalions, 40 artillery pieces, and 80 tanks. Japanese casualties on the 2nd and 3rd totaled 16 killed and 25 wounded. Suetaka judged the Soviet bombardments on 3 August powerful, but their infantry assaults were not particularly bold, likely due to their heavy losses on the 2nd. Even though morale was not high, there were signs of reinforcements from elite units, including armor and large artillery formations. Suetaka concluded the Russians would again attempt to retake the Shachaofeng sector and positions around Changkufeng. During the night of 3–4 August, the 75th Infantry, still on alert against resumed enemy counterattacks, intensified security and worked energetically to strengthen defenses. K. Sato remained at Chiangchunfeng to complete the turnover to the 37th Brigade and to brief Morimoto. The regiment established its new command post for the right sector at the foot of Fangchuanting. Throughout the night, Soviet vehicles with blinking lights were observed moving south along the high ground east of Khasan, and a new buildup of mechanized forces and artillery appeared in the area. At 05:30, 36 tanks were seen advancing to Hill 29, followed by the apparent withdrawal of 50–60 Russian horsemen into the same area. At 07:00 on 04 August, Soviet artillery began a bombardment. Although there was a lull around noon, by 14:00 intensity peaked, described as "like millions of lightning bolts striking at once." After another quiet spell, enemy guns renewed their tempo at 19:30, targeting Hill 52 and Changkufeng. The Russians' artillery was not precisely zeroed in; "many of the shells plopped into the Tumen, which delighted us considerably." Beginning on the 4th, Soviet artillery sought to cut lines of communication by bombarding the river crossing site, disrupting daytime supply. Japanese artillery records add: "Until today, this battalion had been fired on only by field artillery; now 122-mm. howitzers went into action against us. We sustained no losses, since the points of impact were 100 meters off. Apparently, the Russians conducted firing for effect from the outset, using data provided by the field artillery in advance." Around midnight, Ichimoto, the old commander of the 1st Infantry Battalion, arrived at the 75th Regiment Headquarters to resume command. He was "itching to fight." K. Sato described the casualties in detail, but "he didn't look beaten at all." "To the contrary, the colonel was strong and in excellent spirits. Yet while he wasn't pessimistic, one could not call him optimistic." At the battalion site, about 100 men were in operational condition out of an original 400. Some soldiers were hauling ammunition, rations, and position materiel; others were cremating the dead, since corpses would rot in the August heat. Japanese casualties on 4 August were light: the 75th Infantry lost five killed and three wounded; among attached engineers, the platoon leader and two men were wounded. Ammunition expenditure was very low. The Japanese press noted that although the Russians had been reported retreating behind the lake to the northeast, investigation showed a redeployment forward from south of Changkufeng. An American observer in Tokyo stated that "the best information obtainable is that the Russians now occupy the lower slopes of Changkufeng, while the Japanese still occupy the heights." From this period dates a series of pleas from the 19th Division for the dispatch of long-range artillery from the Kwantung Army. Suetaka believed that the addition of long-range artillery was necessary and feasible. As Kitano predicted, Suetaka submitted his recommendation at 05:00 on 5 August for the attention of the Korea Army commander and the AGS deputy. As dawn approached on 5 August, the Korea Army received Suetaka's request. A message was dispatched to the vice minister of war and the AGS deputy, and an inquiry was sent to Hsinking. The note detailed Soviet artillery on the Changkufeng front, eight to ten batteries of field and mountain guns, including 10-cm cannons and two or three 15-cm howitzers, and described how these long-range pieces kept up a slow fire beyond Japanese firing range. Overnight, Soviet traffic pressed along the high ground east of Khasan, and by 06:30 the horizon brimmed with new threat: 48 tanks concentrated near Hill 29, with fresh artillery deployed once the Russians realized their own guns were receiving scant challenge from the Japanese. Movement across the lake suggested continued armor in play; at dawn, 10 to 15 tanks lingered on the Crestline, while closer still, six Russian tanks prowled near the southern edge of Khasan. By 03:00, Changkufeng came under bombardment again. K. Sato urged the mountain artillery to answer dawn with counterfire against the high ground east of Khasan and against Hill 29. Between 05:00 and 05:40, the artillery struck armor concentrations, knocked out two tanks, and forced the rest toward the east of Hill 29. Observation posts were neutralized, and cavalry was driven north. At the same hour, the Soviet barrage against the Japanese rear intensified, targeting lines of communication across the Tumen. The Sozan link failed by day, and telephone lines to the artillery battalion were severed, though signalmen managed to restore communications. The river crossings, Fangchuanting, Hill 52, and Shachaofeng bore the brunt of the shelling, with 15-cm blasts jolting the frontline. "From today enemy shellfire was coned and grew increasingly accurate, until every area along our front was deprived of its dead angles and our casualties mounted." The Hill 52 zone endured a slow siege, but tank fire from the eastern heights remained severe. Noguchi's company, positioned south of Changkufeng, found itself trapped in crossfire from positions across the lake. Suetaka, his front-line subordinates, and their worries about artillery superiority pressed onward. He did what he could with the resources at hand, and, in the morning, shifted a two-15-cm howitzer battery from Kyonghun to the sector opposite Changkufeng, a modest increment in reach but a needed one. At 10:00, Suetaka ordered replenishment of frontline strength. He calculated the enemy's power and their own limits: the Russians had deployed three or four infantry battalions, around 120–130 tanks, 50–60 armored cars, about 1,000 mounted troops, and three or four artillery battalions. Yet he found a glimmer in their morale; "the morale of our own units has risen, as we have been dealing grievous blows to the foe on occasion and have been steadily breaking hostile intentions." By 5 August, he noted, fifty enemy tanks had already fallen. Morimoto watched the ominous lull that threatened another attritional test and warned that the situation demanded constant vigilance. "Even if the front seems quiet, we must tighten security, reinforce positions, and not give the foe even the slightest advantage to exploit." The 5th saw only four Japanese soldiers wounded, three from the 75th and one from the mountain artillery, while ammunition usage remained low. Anti-aircraft guns west of Sozan drove off two aircraft that appeared over Changkufeng at 11:45, triggering a counterbarrage from the northeast of Khasan. A few Soviet planes skimmed over Hill 52 and Changkufeng in the afternoon, but their flights felt more like reconnaissance than threat. Across the line, the Russians continued to probe the east side. Northeast of Khasan, waves of infantry and trucks, dozens at a time, slipped south, while roughly 20 tanks began their own southern march. The Russians worked to erect new positions along the Khansi heights. In the meantime, conversations in Moscow pressed toward a decision, with intelligence predicting that a breakthrough would come by noon on the 5th. Around midnight on 5 August, Morimoto observed that the Russians' forward elements seemed to have been pulled back and the front lay quiet. He ordered vigilant guard duties, stressing that crossing the border, trespassing, and fomenting trouble were prohibited by all units and even by scouts. Meanwhile, the Japanese had been preparing for night attacks and consolidating positions. Throughout the foggy night, mechanized units moved on the Crestline east of Khasan. At daybreak, a platoon leader north of Changkufeng reported tanks heading toward Hill 29, estimating the total force at about 70 tanks and 50 troop-laden trucks. Japanese observers at Hill 52 detected new artillery positions on both sides of Hill 29 and 40 tanks on the Crestline south of the hill. By 07:00, the high ground was covered by no fewer than 100 tanks, with 8 or 9 infantry battalions deployed ahead and behind. As early as 03:00, K. Sato had urged his artillery liaison officer to ensure friendly guns fired at daybreak against the Hill 29 sector to thwart the enemy's intentions in advance. When morning fog lifted a bit at 06:00, Kamimori's mountain artillery battalion "hit the tanks very well," and front-line officers spotted shell impacts, though visibility improved only until 10:00, when mist again hampered observation. By 07:00, Soviet guns began firing from near Hill 29, triggering a duel in which the Japanese outranged them. Around 09:00, as the fog lifted from the higher crest of Changkufeng, Japanese gunners added their fire against the 40 Russian tanks near Hill 29. From Fangchuanting, the lone Japanese mountain piece also engaged armor and troop-laden trucks around Hill 29. As time wore on, the Soviet artillery showed its power, and Hill 52 became a beehive of shelling. From 11:00 onward the defenders began to suffer more and more casualties, with works shattered in succession. Flank fire from Gaho and heavy guns from Maanshan took a toll. The 100 tanks deployed on the Crestline north and south of Hill 29 delivered furious low-trajectory fire, gradually turning the front walls of our firing trenches into something resembling a saw. Russian shellfire pounded defenses at Hill 52, Noguchi Hill, and Changkufeng. Between 02:00 and 05:00 the Russian shells had been dispersed; now they concentrated their bombardment. They even struck the rear headquarters of the 37th Brigade and the 75th Regiment. The crossings at Sozan and Matsu'otsuho took heavy hits, and Sato worried that friendly batteries would become exposed to counter-battery fire if they opened up too soon. A peak of intensity arrived near 13:30 as the Soviet ground assault began. Now 30 Soviet aircraft bombed Changkufeng, Fangchuanting, and Hill 52, and Russian tanks moved toward Hill 52, with infantry 300–400 meters behind. To blunt the assault, Hirahara ordered ammunition caches and instructed troops not to open fire prematurely. The Soviet infantry and tanks pressed to a line about 900 meters from the Japanese, paused briefly, then continued. By 14:00, the advance resumed, led by three battalions and 50 tanks. Lieutenant Saito, commanding the 3rd Battalion's antitank battery, waited until tanks were 800 meters away and then opened fire with his three pieces. In a furious exchange between 13:50 and 14:30, as armor closed to 300 meters, the Japanese stopped 14 tanks and seriously damaged others in the rear. One antitank squad leader, a corporal, would later receive a posthumous citation for destroying more than ten tanks. Several tanks fled into a dip near Khasan; some Soviet troops were reportedly crushed by their own tanks in the melee. Supporting Saito's fire were Hisatsune's regimental guns and the captured antitank gun at Changkufeng, which the Japanese used to engage armor along the lake's slopes. Noguchi's unit fired battalion guns against the tanks while the attached mountain pieces bombarded the Russians despite intense counterbattery fire. At Hill 52, liaison lieutenant Fuji'uchi observed the shelling and coordinated infantry–artillery actions with a platoon leader, never flinching even after being buried in trenches three times by shell blasts; he was killed near 14:00. Captain Shiozawa, the mountain battery commander, took charge of directing fire and also was also slain. The Russians' assault pushed forward; 16 tanks followed behind the vanguard, moving along the Crestline behind Hill 52, and joined the tanks in firing but did not advance further. To the rear, a large force moved along the lake north of Hill 52 until checked by fire from Noguchi's positions. A dozen Russian tanks converged southwest of Khasan at 16:00. Master Sergeant Kobayashi, acting platoon leader of the engineers, proposed a close-quarter demolition attack since Japanese antitank strength was limited. After approval from Hirahara, at around 16:30 he and 13 men crept forward 300 meters undetected. Twenty meters from the tanks, Kobayashi urged his men: "One man, one tank! Unto death for us all!" The assault wrecked six to eight (or possibly ten) of the 12 enemy tanks and killed many crew members inside and outside the vehicles, but Kobayashi and seven of his men were killed; only one soldier, Kabasawa, survived to perform a posthumous rescue of a fallen comrade. Of the 60 Russian tanks and at least four battalions that rushed to Hill 52, only one tank charged into the hill positions. At 17:30, this machine reached within 150 meters of the 11th Company lines but was destroyed by armor-piercing heavy machine-gun fire. Back at the 75th Regiment command post, K. Sato received reports from the line units, but hostile fire cut communications with Hill 52 in the afternoon. His antitank guns were increasingly inoperable, and casualties mounted. He reinforced Hill 52 first with heavy machine guns and then with an infantry company. North of Hill 52, Noguchi had been in position with an infantry platoon, a machine-gun platoon, and the battalion gun battery. By 09:30, enemy bombardment forced him to pull back temporarily to the lower Scattered Pines area to avoid needless casualties. At Akahage or "Red Bald" Hill, Noguchi left only lookouts. Around 16:00, about two enemy companies were observed moving toward Changkufeng. Noguchi redirected fire to meet the threat. The Japanese, pinned by infantry and four tanks approaching within 150 meters, endured infantry guns and other tanks in a protracted exchange. Shelling continued until sundown. Casualties mounted; the machine-gun platoon leader, Master Sergeant Harayama, fell with 20 of his men. "It was a hard battle, but we retained our positions, and the enemy advance toward Changkufeng was checked." After sunset there were occasional fire exchanges; tanks remained visible burning. Soviet troops attempting to breach barriers faced hand-grenade assaults. A great deal of noise signaled casualties being evacuated and tanks salvaged behind enemy lines, but no fresh assaults followed. The effective barrage by the 2nd Mountain Artillery Battalion helped deter further attempts.  Around 13:30 the advance began. Soviet ground troops laid down a barrage of field, heavy, and mountain gunfire against Hill 52, Noguchi Hill, and Fangchuanting until sunset. Casualties were heaviest between 15:00 and 17:00. Soviet cutoff fire against the Tumen crossings continued even after the sun went down. Japanese close-support artillery attracted instantaneous counterbattery fire. Enemy planes also seemed to be bombing in quest of the artillery sites. On the sector defended by T. Sato, throughout the night of 5-6 August, Russian movements had been frequent on the Kozando-Paksikori road and east of Khasan, trucks and tanks making round trips. The roar of engines and rumbling of vehicles were especially pronounced on the lake heights. Headlights shone brightly, causing Japanese lookouts to speculate that the Russians were putting on a demonstration to suggest that their main offensive effort was being aimed against Hill 52. Nevertheless, the left sector unit was ready for an enemy dawn assault, which did materialize around 06:00. One or two Soviet battalions struck forward, encountered a torrent of fire at 300 meters, and fled, leaving 30 bodies behind. Near 09:00 the left sector experienced a fierce series of bombardments; all of the men except lookouts took cover in trenches. The Soviet guns thundered unrelentingly, apparently in preparation for an offensive. At 14:30 several dozen bombers struck. Simultaneously, a wave of 60 tanks moved forward, followed by three battalions of infantry. Major Obo, battalion commander on the right wing, had his heavy machine guns, battalion guns, and line companies engage the foot soldiers, while antitank and regimental guns concentrated against armor. The tanks fanned out and approached within 700 meters, stopping to fire on occasion in "mobile pillbox" fashion. Despite unrelenting enemy tank and artillery shelling, the Japanese regimental guns, and the rapid-fire pieces in particular, shifted position and laid down raiding fire. In conjunction with heavy weapons belonging to Takenouchi's battalion, Obo's men succeeded in stopping 20 tanks. The rest of the armored group continued to push forward. The Russian infantry had pressed on another 200 meters behind the tanks, but eventually they lost momentum 400 meters from the Japanese positions. Having managed to separate the tanks from the infantry, the Japanese units staged close-in assaults in concert with heavy weapons and smashed ten more tanks. Thirty machines had been immobilized by now after a furious struggle lasting five hours. Although Lieutenant Ikue was killed by machine-gun fire, his mountain artillery platoon, emplaced at Shachaofeng, rendered yeoman service, stopping 20 tanks. The forward elements of Soviet infantry, still firing from 400 meters behind the tanks, had apparently abandoned the attack. Second-line forces seemed to have pulled far back, northeast of the lake.   Several dozen Soviet bombers struck Takenouchi's left-wing battalion around 14:30 and lost one plane to machine-gun fire. At the same time, 50 Soviet tanks closed to 800 meters. Engaging this armored formation were battalion guns, heavy field artillery, and mountain artillery attached to the sector unit, as well as heavy weapons firing from the neighboring battalion. In succession the tanks were knocked out, perhaps 20 in all. Under cover of artillery and bombing, a battalion of Soviet infantry, who had been advancing behind the tanks, got as close as 30 or 40 meters before being checked by guns firing from the Nanpozan area and by the vigorous resistance of the defenders. The enemy withdrew 600 meters and began to dig in. T. Sato noted at 19:00 that, although the Russians on the right and left sectors seemed to have sustained considerable losses, they apparently were "planning something at point-blank range in front of our positions." The 73rd Infantry would therefore cope with a twilight or night attack by the one battalion and several tanks immediately facing it. On 06:08, immediately after large-scale air attacks involving four-engine bombers between noon and 14:00, enemy barrages began. Enemy artillery positions, 6,000–7,000 meters away, were not engaged by the Japanese since their gunners were trained only at 1,000 meters. Longer ranges were ineffective, would betray the guns, and would waste ammunition. Near 16:00 50 tanks appeared at 3,000 meters, and infantry could also be seen, wearing high boots and marching around the lake. Although the Russians may have closed to 200 or 300 meters, Tominaga received no impression that their foot soldiers were particularly aggressive. Soviet armored tactics were poor: some tanks were moving, some stopped, but they did their firing from rises, which made them easy targets. Perhaps it was because of the terrain, undulating and swampy. Without armor-piercing rounds, the Japanese guns could not penetrate the heaviest armor, so they aimed at the treads or at the belly when the tank was on a rise. Tominaga's weapons were aided by rapid-fire pieces and machine guns and by the 15-cm howitzers from across the river. Of the ten targets which came within effective range, Tominaga's battery claimed five light tanks. Major Takenouchi remembered a tank-led Soviet attack that day on Takenouchi's sector. The enemy infantry deployed in good order four kilometers from the defenses. As the formations drew closer, the Japanese counted more than 40 tanks and 3,000 ground troops. The commander knew he had a serious problem, for there were only 20 antitank shells for the rapid-fire guns. When the Russians got within 4,000 meters, the Japanese opened fire with all available heavy weapons. The attackers hit the ground and continued to advance in creeping formation, although the terrain consisted of paddy fields. All the Japanese could see were Russians, wearing reddish-purple trousers and carrying rifles, deployed every 200 meters behind the front lines and apparently exhorting the soldiers. These must have been the "enforcers." The Japanese let the tanks close to 800 meters before opening fire with their precious antitank ammunition. Both the lead and the last tanks were knocked out, but there were by now only four or five shells left, and the firing had to be stopped. Fortunately for the Japanese, the tanks never again advanced, perhaps because of the wet terrain. The Soviet infantry, however, pressed forward tenaciously all day and wormed their way close to the front edge of the barbed wire under cover of artillery and machine guns. Throughout the day, pleas for reinforcement were made frequently by the two Japanese line companies, but the battalion had no reserves, only the few soldiers in the command team. Requests were met with the reply to "hold on for a while; help is coming." Luckily, there was no close-quarter fighting by the time night fell, but the Russians did lay down concerted machine-gun fire after dark. When dawn broke without a Soviet assault, Major Takenouchi surmised that the barrage of machine-gun fire laid down by Russian infantry the evening before must have been intended to cover disengagement from the lines or to check a Japanese attack. Now, in daylight, Russian assault troops which had closed to the entanglements the day before had pulled back to a distance of 400 or 500 meters and could be seen constructing positions. At 19:10 Morimoto warned that while the Soviet offensive had bogged down, "all units are to be wary of attacks after twilight and are to crush them in good time." Ito, in charge at Changkufeng, was consequently alert, although regimental headquarters did not particularly share his concern. Ito had only two infantry squads from the 6th Company and Hisatsune's regimental gun battery, 121 men in all. A little after 20:00, Ito received a report from lookouts that enemy troops were advancing onto the southern skirt. At 20:30 two Soviet companies attacked the advanced lines, hurling grenades. One Japanese squad was almost wiped out; "they died heroic deaths, leaping into a hostile force which outnumbered them 20:1." Immediately, the Russians surged toward the main Japanese positions farther up the hill, while other strong elements sought to encircle the crest on the left. Accompanying the Soviet troops were "wardens." From north, east, and south the Japanese defenses were being overrun, and the regimental guns were in jeopardy. Wounded men fell back and down the hill, one by one. Lieutenant Hisatsune personally sought to repulse the Russians. Taking his command team, a dozen men under a master sergeant, and the two regimental gun squads which possessed only captured rifles, he led a desperate charge at 21:10. With fixed bayonets, the Japanese rushed forward, yelling loudly and hurling rocks, since there were not enough grenades. The Russians retreated in confusion, pursued by the Japanese. Hisatsune cut down several Russians, was wounded badly by grenades, but plunged into the enemy one last time before meeting a "matchlessly heroic death" at 21:40. Almost all of the noncoms and soldiers fell with him. Suddenly, at 21:20, Ito's antitank squad leader staggered to the 75th Regiment command post at Fangchuanting, his face mangled. "Changkufeng is in danger! Avenge us!" Nishimura and the reinforcements had to run 1,200 meters to reach the hill. Major Ichimoto also worked desperately to retrieve men from logistical chores; somehow he assembled 45. Grabbing every grenade available at the command post, Ichimoto ran with his men to the relief of Changkufeng. Next, Regimental Aide Suko sent 10 soldiers, the last being headquarters clerks and runners. When 16 men from the 2nd Company turned up, having delivered their supplies, Suko rushed them out, also. At regimental headquarters there now remained only a dozen soldiers and one heavy machine gun. By then, the Russians had climbed up and across Changkufeng peak and were pushing halfway down the Japanese slope of the hill. Enemy machine guns fired fiercely, but it was mainly grenades that felled Murakoshi's unit; although few were killed, half of the lead platoon was wounded. Murakoshi, struck by a grenade fragment, tied a cloth around his knee and kept on running. Clinging to Changkufeng, Ito now had little more than 50 men left—only seven of his own soldiers, the rest gunners. The latter had lost their pieces, however, and had never been armed with rifles in the first place. The survivors had to use stones, picks, and shovels to grapple with the foe in the trenches.  A little before 22:00, the 17-man contingent under Nishimura arrived. Ten minutes later, Ichimoto rushed up with his 45 men, bunched closely. The survivors, inferior to the reinforcements in numbers, were heartened immensely. Soon afterward, at 22:30, the regimental warrant officer, Nishizawa, caught up with another dozen soldiers, and Murakoshi brought 16 more at 23:00. Wild fighting ensued, furious grenade exchanges, the crisscrossing of fire, and shouts and flashes. Ichimoto remembered that by the time he arrived, the last remnants of Ito's company were fighting hand-to-hand in the trenches on the north side in utter darkness. Thirty meters from the peak, he and Nishimura scouted the situation. Then, having combined the 120 reinforcements into one line, Ichimoto drew his sword and led the charge. In the constant flashes, shapes could be discerned rather well. The Russian machine guns were firing "crazily," all tracers, probably to warn away their own troops. But the firing was very high, sometimes ten meters over the heads of the Japanese, perhaps because of the darkness, the 40-degree slope near the crest, and the angle of the guns. Much of the fire was considerably lower, but the Japanese had only to observe the roots of the tracer fire and stay down, ducking behind boulders. The Soviets had been committing new troops steadily, and a considerable amount of heavy weapons had been emplaced. Near midnight the Russians were driven south, down the cliff, but most of the Japanese had been killed or wounded, and ammunition was exhausted. The mere dozen unscathed survivors were pushed back, but Master Sergeant Isobe and his platoon from Inokuma's company reached the crest in the nick of time at 02:00. With this reinforcement, Ichimoto led a new charge and again drove the enemy below the cliff.  At 22:50 P.M., Inokuma set out with only 49 men, crossed the border, and headed for the enemy's rear. First to be encountered, probably at 01:00, were several dozen Soviet soldiers, armed with machine guns, who were surprised and almost destroyed, abandoning more than 20 corpses. Inokuma veered north along Khasan, cutting down Russian phone lines on the way. The Japanese detected no evidence of enemy retreat. Instead, voices and the sound of oars on the lake could be heard from the eastern foot of Changkufeng, perhaps they came from Soviet reinforcements. Inokuma decided that the best course would be to plunge ahead and take the Russians by surprise. On his own initiative, he began his new operation, although by now he had lost permanent touch with the assault teams. At 02:00, Inokuma's unit broke silently through the "imperfect" lines of barbed wire and charged through another enemy force of company size which was equipped with machine guns. Next, Inokuma directed an attack against a concentration just behind the company location, a unit estimated to number two battalions massing west of the Khasan crossing. The Russians were "stunned" by the assault. According to Akaishizawa, the enemy were killing their own men by wild firing. A portion fled north, leaving over 30 bodies behind. At the same time, the foe called down fire from all areas, causing very heavy Japanese casualties. Inokuma charged, managed to scatter the foe, and seized the cliff. By now he had only a half-dozen men left. His own sword had been shattered and his pistol ammunition exhausted; he picked up a Russian rifle and bayoneted several enemy soldiers. Now the Soviet troops, who had fallen back once, were approaching again from the right rear. Inokuma charged once more, shouting. The Russians retreated to the foot of the heights on the northeast. Daybreak was near. Already hit several times, Inokuma sought to resume the attack, this time from the rear of hostile forces desperately engaging Ichimoto's elements on Changkufeng crest. Akaishizawa said his last orders were, "Ito is just ahead. Charge on!" Although he had only a few soldiers left, Inokuma was trying to move forward when a bullet or a grenade fragment struck him in the head, and he died at 03:00. Sergeant Okumura, although wounded seriously, had remained with Inokuma to the last and defended the positions that had been reached. He saw to it that Inokuma's corpse was recovered first and next struggled to evacuate the wounded. Only then did he withdraw. Around 07:00, Okumura got back to Fangchuanting with one unscathed and two badly wounded soldiers. A day later, the seriously injured but indestructible M. Saito appeared at the regiment command post, somehow dragging a rifle and light machine gun with his one good arm, for "we were always trained to respect our weapons." It was estimated that, during the fighting throughout 6 August, the Russians lost 1,500 killed and wounded as well as 40 tanks knocked out in K. Sato's right sector alone. Japanese casualties were heavy on the 6th. The 75th Infantry lost three officers; 44 enlisted men were killed and 85 wounded. In the engineer platoon seven were killed and five wounded out of 19 men. The 54 killed and 90 wounded in the right sector amounted to 17 percent of the 843 men available. I would like to take this time to remind you all that this podcast is only made possible through the efforts of Kings and Generals over at Youtube. Please go subscribe to Kings and Generals over at Youtube and to continue helping us produce this content please check out www.patreon.com/kingsandgenerals. If you are still hungry after that, give my personal channel a look over at The Pacific War Channel at Youtube, it would mean a lot to me. Japanese leadership under Colonel Sato assigned Nakano's 75th Regiment for a dawn assault, seizing Hill 52 and Shachaofeng despite fierce Soviet counterattacks,tanks, aircraft, and heavy artillery. Across the front, sustained bombardment, shifting fire, and nocturnal maneuvers characterize the period. Yet the crest endured, losses mounting but resolve unbroken, until the sun dipped and the hillside remained stubbornly Japanese

Jun Shen Chia chats with SILENT HILL f game director Al Yang of Neobards Entertainment. Together they discuss how Neobards collaborated with Konami and famed Japanese writer Ryukishi07 on creating the newest chapter in the Silent Hill series; designing the combat to create tension and feel like a puzzle; creating a game for existing fans that brings in new players; and balancing fun while trying to tell a deep emotional story. This episode is supported by  Xsolla Episode Host: Jun Shen Chia Producers: Claudio Tapia and Josh Chu, The Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences If you enjoyed this episode, please consider subscribing and leaving us a rating and review. Follow us: linktr.ee/AIAS Please consider supporting game dev students with: AIAS Foundation

(December 29,2025 New CA traffic laws for 2026: From e-bikes to self-driving cars. Why are people so obsessed with Japanese convenience stores? Starbucks doesn’t want to be on every corner in NY and LA anymore. America’s affordability crisis is putting Aldi in the spotlight.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Thanks to Holly for suggesting this week’s topic! Further reading: Mermaids: Myth, Kith and Kin [this article is not for children] Feejee Mermaid A manatee: A female grey seal, looking winsome: A drawing of the “original” Fiji (or Feejee) mermaid: Show transcript: Welcome to Strange Animals Podcast. I'm your host, Kate Shaw. Let's close out the year 2025 with a mystery episode! Holly suggested we talk about mermaids! Mermaids are creatures of folklore who are supposed to look like humans, but instead of legs they have fish tails. These days mermaids are usually depicted with a single tail, but it was common in older artwork for a mermaid to be shown with two tails, which replaced both legs. Not all mermaids were girls, either. Mermen were just as common. Cultures from around the world have stories about mermaid-like individuals. Sometimes they're gods or goddesses, like the Syrian story of a goddess so beautiful that when she transformed into a fish, only her legs changed, because her upper half was too beautiful to alter, or the Greek god Triton, who is usually depicted as a man with two fish tails for legs. Sometimes they're monsters who cause storms, curse ships, or lure sailors to their doom. Sometimes they can transform into humans, like the story from Madagascar about a fisherman who catches a mermaid in his net. She transforms into a human woman and they get married, but when he breaks a promise to her, she turns back into a mermaid and swims away. In 2012, a TV special aired on Animal Planet that claimed that mermaids were real, and a lot of people believed it. It imitated the kind of real documentaries that Animal Planet often ran, and the only disclaimer was in the credits. I remember how upset a lot of people were about it, especially teachers and scientists. So just to be clear, mermaids aren't real. Many researchers think at least some mermaid stories might be based on real animals. The explorer Christopher Columbus reported seeing three mermaids in 1493, but said they weren't as beautiful as he'd heard. Most researchers think he actually saw manatees. A few centuries later, a mermaid was captured and killed off the coast of Brazil by European scientists, and the careful drawings we still have of the mermaid's hand bones correspond exactly to the bones of a manatee's flipper. Female manatees are larger than males on average, and a really big female can grow over 15 feet long, or 4.6 meters. Most manatees are between 9 and 10 feet long, or a little less than 3 meters. Its body is elongated like a whale's, but unlike a whale it's slow, usually only swimming about as fast as a human can swim. Its skin is gray or brown although often it has algae growing on it that helps camouflage it. The end of the manatee's tail looks like a rounded paddle, and it has front flippers but no rear limbs. Its face is rounded with a prehensile upper lip covered with bristly whiskers, which it uses to find and gather water plants. The manatee doesn't look a lot like a person, but it looks more like a person than most water animals. It has a neck and can turn its head like a person, its flippers are fairly long and resemble arms, and females have a pair of teats that are near their armpits, if a manatee had armpits, which it does not. But that's close enough for Christopher Columbus to decide he was seeing a mermaid. Seals may have also contributed to mermaid stories. In Scottish folklore, the selkie is a seal that can transform into human shape, usually by taking off its skin. There are lots of stories of people who steal the selkie's skin and hide it so that the selkie will marry the person—because selkies are beautiful in their human form. Eventually the selkie finds the hidden skin and returns to the sea. Similar seal-folk legends are found in other parts of northern Europe, including Sweden, Iceland, Norway, and Ireland. Many of the stories overlap with mermaid stories. Seals do have appealing human-like faces, have clawed front flippers that sort of resemble arms, and have rear flippers that are fused to act like a tail, even if it doesn't look much like a fish tail. The grey seal is a common animal off the coast of northern Europe, and a big male can grow almost 11 feet long, or 3.3 meters, although 9 feet is more common, or 2.7 meters. It has a large snout and no external ear flaps. Males are dark grey or brown, females are more silvery in color. It mainly eats fish, but will also eat other animals, including crustaceans, octopuses, other seals, and even porpoises. While I don't think it has anything to do with the mermaid or selkie legends, it is interesting to note that seals are good at imitating human voices. We learned about this in episode 225, about talking mammals. For instance, Hoover the talking seal, a harbor seal from Maine who was raised by a human after his mother died. Imagine if you were walking along the shore and a seal said this to you: [Hoover the talking seal saying “Hey get over here!”] Let's finish with the Japanese legend of the ningyo and a weird taxidermy creature called the Feejee mermaid. The ningyo is a being of folklore that dates back to at least the 7th century. It was a fish with a head like a person, usually found in the ocean but sometimes in freshwater. If someone found a ningyo washed up on shore, it was supposed to be a bad omen, foretelling war and other disasters. If you remember the big fish episode a few weeks ago, if an oarfish is found near the surface of the ocean around Japan, it's supposed to foretell an earthquake. The oarfish has a red fin that runs from its head down its spine, like a mane or a comb, and the ningyo was also supposed to have a red comb on its head, like a rooster's comb, or sometimes red hair. Some people think the ningyo is based on the oarfish. The oarfish is a deep-sea fish so it's rare, usually only seen near the surface when it's dying, and it has a flat face that looks more like a human face than most fish, if you squint and really want to believe you're seeing a mythical creature. These days, artwork of the ningyo usually looks a lot more like mermaids of European legend, but the earliest paintings don't usually have arms, just a human head on a fish body. But by the late 18th century, a weird type of artwork had become popular among Japanese fishermen, a type of crude but inventive taxidermy that created what looked like small, creepy mermaids. They looked like dried-out monkeys from the waist up, with a dried-out fish tail instead of legs. That's because that's exactly what they were. Japanese fishermen made these mermaids along with lots of other monsters, and sold them to travelers for high prices. The fishermen told tall tales about how they'd found the monster, killed it, and preserved it, and pretended to be reluctant to sell it, and of course that meant the traveler would offer even more money for it. The most famous of these fake monsters was called the Fiji Mermaid, and it got famous because P.T. Barnum displayed it in his museum in 1842 and said it had been caught near the Fiji Islands, in the South Pacific. It was about three feet along, or 91 cm, and was probably made from a young monkey and a salmon. The original Fiji mermaid was probably destroyed in a fire at some point, but it was such a popular exhibit that other wannabe showmen either bought or made replicas, some of which are still around today. People still sometimes make similar monsters, but they use craft materials instead of dead animals. They're still creepy-looking, though, which is part of the fun. You can find Strange Animals Podcast at strangeanimalspodcast.blubrry.net. That's blueberry without any E's. If you have questions, comments, corrections, or suggestions, email us at strangeanimalspodcast@gmail.com. Thanks for listening!

If YOU'RE ready to make real, sustainable change in your life, jump on a free call with us - https://physiquedevelopment.typeform.com/to/ToP9TYLEToday's episode is all about fitness and wellness trends—what took over in 2025 and where things are likely headed in 2026.Sue and Alex unpack the patterns they've seen gain momentum, why trends aren't inherently good or bad, and how marketing often oversimplifies solutions that are far more nuanced in real life.They start by breaking down major 2025 trends—from the shift away from HIIT and bootcamps toward Pilates and community-driven movement, to the rise of weighted vests, endurance events like Hyrox-style racing, and wearable trackers.From there, they look ahead to 2026 predictions, including an increased emphasis on sleep tracking, AI-powered upgrades, new approaches to walking ("Japanese walking," anyone?), continued expansion of community-based fitness, and evolving conversations around GLP-1 medications.The takeaway? The next big thing isn't always your next big thing. This episode will help you think critically about trends, avoid getting pulled in every direction, and choose what actually aligns with your goals.We'll see you in the New Year!Have questions or comments for the podcast? Drop them here - https://forms.gle/AEu5vMKNLDfmc24M7Check out our FREE 4-Week Glute Program - https://go.physiquedevelopment.com/freegluteprogram701788And keep the gains rolling with 12 MORE weeks of glute growth (use code POD at checkout for $25 off!) - https://train.physiquedevelopment.com/workout-plans/963551As always, it is our goal not only to supply you, the listener, with valuable insights on the topics or questions but also to plant some seeds for further research and thought. Be sure to like and subscribe and leave us a review wherever you're listening if you loved this episode!Timestamps:(0:00) Today's topic(1:57) Trends we saw in 2025(2:10) Trend #1(5:07) Trend #2(9:56) Trend #3(12:04) Trend #4(18:57) Trend #5(20:01) Trend #6(21:58) Trend #7(23:46) Predictions for 2026(24:05) Prediction #1(28:40) Prediction #2(29:13) Prediction #3(30:17) Prediction #4(32:36) Prediction #5 (a hot take??)(34:19) Prediction #6(37:10) Prediction #7(38:09) Prediction #8(42:44) Wrap-upAdditional Resources:Weighted Vests: Health Hack or All Hype?? (the REAL science) - https://pod.fo/e/34970dFollow us on Instagram:Coach Alex - https://www.instagram.com/alexbush__Coach Sue - https://www.instagram.com/suegainzPhysique Development - https://www.instagram.com/physiquedevelopment_Physique Development Podcast - https://www.instagram.com/physiquedevelopmentpodcast----Produced by: David Margittai | In Post MediaWebsite: https://www.inpostmedia.comEmail: david@inpostmedia.com© 2025, Physique Development LLC. All rights reserved.

A daily quote to inspire the mind, gratitude to warm the soul, and guided breathing to energize the body. Quote: "The safest course is to do nothing against one's conscience. With this secret, we can enjoy life and have no fear from death." - Voltaire Gratitude: The smell of Japanese quince candles. Guided Breathing: Equal Breathing. Visit TheDailyRefresh.com to share your unique piece of gratitude which will be featured on an upcoming episode, and make sure to watch the tutorial of how to make The Daily Refresh part of your Alexa Flash Briefings! Call to action: If you're interested in launching your very own Podcast, visit FreePodcastCourse.com/ and this completely free training will teach you EVERYTHING you need to know! So visit FreePodcastCourse.com.

THE EMPEROR INTERVENES Colleague Evan Thomas. Following the bombing of Hiroshima, Emperor Hirohitobroke with tradition to support Foreign Minister Togo, urging the deadlocked War Council to "bear the unbearable" and surrender. War Minister Anami, however, continued to romanticize national suicide, suggesting it would be beautiful for the nation to perish like a flower. Negotiations stalled over the status of the Emperor, as the US insisted he remain subject to the Allied commander. Ultimately, the fear of continued atomic destruction and future war crimes trials forced the Japanese leadership to accept the Potsdam Declaration. NUMBER 6 1945 OKINAWA 

CURTIS LEMAY TAKES COMMAND AND TESTS INCENDIARIES Colleague James M. Scott. After Hanselwas fired for a lack of results, Curtis LeMay, a pragmatic problem-solver from a hardscrabble background, took command in January 1945. LeMay realized the existing tactics were unsolvable equations and began tinkering with variables like altitude and radar. Concurrently, the US developed napalm and the M69 incendiary bomb, testing them on a mock Japanese village built in the Utah desert to ensure they could burn traditional wood-and-paper Japanesearchitecture. LeMay possessed detailed data on Tokyo's flammable density, preparing to exploit the city's architectural vulnerabilities. NUMBER 3 1945 OKINAWA

THE GUADALCANAL SHOESTRING AND COMMAND STRESS Colleague Craig Symonds. To preempt a Japanese airfield, King pushed for an offensive at Guadalcanal despite inadequate resources. Nimitz managed this "shoestring" operation while balancing the needs of his struggling subordinate, Admiral Ghormley, against King'sdemand for action. Amidst the stress, Nimitz found relief in a disciplined routine, power-walking ten miles daily and visiting the Walker family to escape office pressures. Meanwhile, King's animosity toward Admiral Fletcher grew, largely stemming from the loss of Wake Island and a perception that Fletcher was too concerned with fuel logistics. NUMBER 3 1945 OVER NSHS, OKINAWA

THE TURKEY SHOOT AND THE WORLD WONDERS Colleague Craig Symonds. During the Battle of the Philippine Sea, Spruance prioritized protecting the Saipan beachhead, resulting in the "Turkey Shoot" that decimated Japanese air power but allowed enemy ships to escape. Later, at Leyte Gulf, the Japanese lured Halsey's Third Fleetaway with empty carriers, leaving the invasion force vulnerable. Nimitz, breaking his rule against interfering, sent a query asking the location of Task Force 34. Padding in the encrypted text added the phrase "the whole world wonders," which insulted Halsey and caused him to throw a tantrum during a critical hour of the battle. NUMBER 6 1945 OKINAWA

SHIGENORI TOGO AND THE JAPANESE WAR COUNCIL Colleague Evan Thomas. Thomas profiles Shigenori Togo, the Japanese Foreign Minister and the only civilian on the Supreme War Council advocating for surrender. Togonavigated a dangerous political landscape defined by the "stomach game" of indirect communication and the threat of assassination by military extremists. The discussion explores the Japanese military's adherence to the "47 Ronin" code of honor through death and their preparation for a "final battle" involving 28 million civilians. While the military hoped to bleed the Americans to gain better terms, Togo attempted a desperate and ultimately failed diplomatic outreach to the Soviet Union. NUMBER 3 1945 OKINAWA

THE COUP ATTEMPT AND SURRENDER Colleague Evan Thomas. As the US prepared a third atomic bomb to drop on Tokyo, a military coup unfolded in the Japanese palace to prevent the surrender. Young officers attempted to seize the recording of the Emperor's surrender speech, but the coup was suppressed, and War Minister Anami committed suicide by seppuku. When the Emperor's broadcast finally aired, the depth of the Japanese "national psychosis" was revealed; even radiation victims in Hiroshima wept in despair, not because the war was over, but because their nation had surrendered. NUMBER 7 1945 OKINAWA