Dispatches from Japan

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Dispatches from Japan

Jonathan Isaacson

80 episodes

3 months ago

Welcome to the podcast about...well, any and all things Japan. Especially the history of the place. But not the big stories. The small stories you never hear. Got questions about Japan? Teaching English? Life in general? Send them my way! Twitter: @JustAnotherCast Homepage: https://sites.google.com/view/justanotherjerk

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Society & Culture

All content for Dispatches from Japan is the property of Jonathan Isaacson and is served directly from their servers with no modification, redirects, or rehosting. The podcast is not affiliated with or endorsed by Podjoint in any way.

Welcome to the podcast about...well, any and all things Japan. Especially the history of the place. But not the big stories. The small stories you never hear. Got questions about Japan? Teaching English? Life in general? Send them my way! Twitter: @JustAnotherCast Homepage: https://sites.google.com/view/justanotherjerk

Show more...

Society & Culture

Episodes (20/80)

Dispatches from Japan

Fukushima's weird border

In Fukushima, northern Japan, there's an anomalous section of the border - a long thin strip of land. What's that all about? #Japan #Geography #History

2 years ago

15 minutes 25 seconds

Dispatches from Japan

Otosclerosis surgery in Japan

What's it like having surgery in Japan? And what is otosclerosis? Find out all about my first surgery and hospital stay experience in this episode. #Otosclerosis #Japan

2 years ago

41 minutes 14 seconds

Dispatches from Japan

Ito Noe: Anarcha-Ferminist

Who was Ito Noe and what did she do in her short 28 years? Quite a lot, in fact. Find out about this anarcha-feminist in this episode. There's arranged marriage! A love tri..quadrilateral! Bertrand Russell! Throat stabbing! Government censorship! And more! #Japan #History #WomensHistory #Feminism

2 years ago

50 minutes 56 seconds

Dispatches from Japan

Cyling in Japan

I read an article claiming Japan is a great place to ride your bike. But is it really? A lot of it depends on where you are and what kind of riding you want to do. Let's break it down and see where Japan is good for cyclists, and where it ain't. #Cycling #Japan

2 years ago

22 minutes 9 seconds

Dispatches from Japan

The Great Fire of Meireki

In March of 1657, a fire destroyed most of Edo (Modern day Tokyo). What started the fire? Why is it sometimes called the furisode fire?

2 years ago

29 minutes 39 seconds

Dispatches from Japan

A Kemper shirt in my classroom

One of the recent trends in Japanese fashion is US university sweatshirts. And sometimes they are not the obvious schools.

2 years ago

22 minutes 57 seconds

Dispatches from Japan

Randoseru? What's that?

It's a rite of passage for Japanese kids entering elementary school. But not having grown up here, it's slightly baffling to me, even though I "get it." What is a randoseru? And what up with that?

2 years ago

24 minutes 46 seconds

Dispatches from Japan

A mystery boat in Oga

In August of 1981, three suspicious men were spotted in a small rubber boat in Oga, Akita, northern Japan. Who were they? And why were people on the Japan Sea coast on edge at the time?

3 years ago

19 minutes 37 seconds

Dispatches from Japan

Who was Tsujimura Michiyo?

She was featured in a Google Doodle in 2021. But why? Who was Tsujimura Michiyo?

3 years ago

17 minutes 40 seconds

Dispatches from Japan

Taking the Skyrail

Down in Hiroshima, there is a short and, dare I say it, unique public transit line. It's not particularly flashy or fast. But it does stand out in its own ways.

3 years ago

14 minutes 13 seconds

Dispatches from Japan

The unexpected superfighter jet in Hakodate

In 1976, Hakodate airport had a very unexpected landing, one that would destroy the mystique of a new, still little known about plane. Listen to find out what happened on a cloudy day in September, 1976.

3 years ago

20 minutes 58 seconds

Dispatches from Japan

JAJ58: Graduation

What does it mean to "graduate" or "卒業"? Let's talk about differences in how the words are used.

3 years ago

23 minutes 3 seconds

Dispatches from Japan

JAJ57: Shirase Nobu - Polar explorer

Do you know about Shirase Nobu? Yes? Well, you're either a liar or a total Japanese history otaku. Don't know who that is? Well, listen and find out about Japan's entry into the race for the South Pole. (Spoiler - they didn't win the race, but it was still a success.)

3 years ago

39 minutes

Dispatches from Japan

JAJ56: The Sakaide Transmission Tower Incident (Shorty)

In 1998, an electricity transmission tower in Kagawa prefecture collapsed. What caused it? And what's up with the copycat crime? Listen to this shorty and find out.

3 years ago

14 minutes 45 seconds

Dispatches from Japan

JAJ55: University life in Japan

What is university life like in Japan? Well, I'm not a university student, but as an instructor, I have at least a reasonable idea. Listen and find out some of the ways university life differs here in Japan.

3 years ago

32 minutes 8 seconds

Dispatches from Japan

JAJ54: 50hz or 60hz - A quirk of history

Japan has two separate power grids, operating at two different frequencies. 50hz in the east, and 60hz in the west. How did that happen? And why won't anyone fix it?

3 years ago

24 minutes 51 seconds

Dispatches from Japan

JAJ53: Monkeys! (And other animals)

Let's talk about the wide diversity of animals in Japan. Well, at least land and air based animals. No aquatic wildlife in this one. But Monkeys! And Bears! And wild boars! And others. Get outside of the big cities and find the wildlife. And maybe get chased by it.

3 years ago

43 minutes 9 seconds

Dispatches from Japan

JAJ52: The Toya Maru

On September 26, 1954, the train ferry Toya Maru capsized less than a kilometer off the coast near Hakodate, killing more than 1000 people. Listen to hear about what happened and the legacy of the disaster.The report I quoted from a couple of times: http://www.shippai.org/fkd/en/cfen/CA1000609.html

3 years ago

40 minutes 37 seconds

Dispatches from Japan

JAJ51: Let's talk royals

You might have seen something about Princess Mako's wedding in the news. I share some thoughts about the Japanese royal family and the whole situation. #Content

4 years ago

35 minutes 43 seconds

Dispatches from Japan

JAJ50: Kisakata

Find out some about the town of Kisakata. Why did Matsuo Basho go and visit? Check it out!

4 years ago

26 minutes 45 seconds