Japan Station: A Podcast About Japan by JapanKyo.com

21 minutes 43 seconds
My Next Japan ADVENTURE & Tokyo Meet Up
On this episode of Japan Station, we're talking about my upcoming long distance walking challenges and the event I'll be holding at Pintology in Tokyo On November 15th, 2026.
👉Topics Discussed
- About the Izumo Challenge
- About the Chichibu 34 Challenge
- About the Utsunomiya Challenge
- About the sponsors and special supporters of my 2026 long distance walking challenges
- About the get together happening on November 15th, 2026 at Pintology in Sasazuka, Tokyo
- And much more
👉Subscribe to the Podcast!
- Apple Podcasts: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/japan-station-a-podcast-by-japankyo-com/id1440454968
- Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6lDoFFt4M0HyyKaVeDyKkB
👉Support on Patreon & Ko-fi
- Support for as little as $1 a month to get early access to episodes, ad free versions and occassional bonus content
  - Support on Patreon https://patreon.com/japankyo
- Support via a one time donation!
👉Mobal
Use my Mobal affiliate link to get a 10% discount on their voice & data plan. Their voice & data plan is perfect for those who want a Japanese phone number while in Japan. Using this link gets you a discount and it provides me with a small commission which I use to fund JapanKyo.
- Get 10% off of Mobal's Voice & Data plan: https://www.mobal.com/tonyjapan
👉Get a T-Shirt!
- MechaNekoSushi.com
👉Links, Videos, Etc.
This year's sponsors:
- Mobal: http://mobal.com/
- United Neko Alliance: https://x.com/nekoalliance
Special supporters:
Pintology Craft Beer and Whisky Sasazuka
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/pintologytokyo/
👉Follow on Social Media
26 September 2026, 9:24 pm
25 minutes 57 seconds
EXTREME walkers in Japan have a new name?!
On this episode of Japan Station, we're talking about the emergence of a new slang term used to describe people who walk abnormally long distances/long amounts of time.
👉Topics Discussed
- What does Inō Tadataka kaiwai mean? (伊能忠敬界隈)
- Who Inō Tadataka 伊能忠敬界隈 was
- The origin of Inō Tadataka Kaiwai
- About the "kaiwai" term trend
- And much more
👉Subscribe to the Podcast!
- Apple Podcasts: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/japan-station-a-podcast-by-japankyo-com/id1440454968
- Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6lDoFFt4M0HyyKaVeDyKkB
👉Support on Patreon & Ko-fi
- Support for as little as $1 a month to get early access to episodes, ad free versions and occassional bonus content
  - Support on Patreon https://patreon.com/japankyo
- Support via a one time donation!
👉Mobal
Use my Mobal affiliate link to get a 10% discount on their voice & data plan. Their voice & data plan is perfect for those who want a Japanese phone number while in Japan. Using this link gets you a discount and it provides me with a small commission which I use to fund JapanKyo.
- Get 10% off of Mobal's Voice & Data plan: https://www.mobal.com/tonyjapan
👉Get a T-Shirt!
- MechaNekoSushi.com
👉Links, Videos, Etc.
None this time.
👉Follow on Social Media
23 September 2026, 10:29 pm
53 minutes 37 seconds
She Recreated a 300-Year-Old Epic Journey in Northern Japan IN 1989
On this episode of Japan Station, Lesley Chan Downer tells us about what it was like walking and hitchiking through the Tohoku area in the '80s while recreating Matsuo Basho's most famous journey.
👉Topics Discussed
- About moving to Japan in the 1980s
- About participating in the predecessor of the JET Program
- About On the Narrow Road to the Deep North
- Lesley's interest in Japanese poetry
- Why Lesley decided to recreate Matsuo Basho's 1689 journey to the north of Japan
- About hitchhiking in Japan
- Visiting Hiraizumi
- Exploring villages in the Tohoku area
- The three sacred mountains
- How to mummify yourself
- About building a relationship with a family from a village in the Tohoku area
- Working with NHK on films inspired by Lesley's journey
- The reissue of One the Narrow Road to the Deep North
- That time someone tried to sell Lesley a house in a village in Tohoku
- About the Shogun Quartet of historical novels
- About The Shortest History of Japan
- And much more
👉Subscribe to the Podcast!
- Apple Podcasts: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/japan-station-a-podcast-by-japankyo-com/id1440454968
- Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6lDoFFt4M0HyyKaVeDyKkB
👉Support on Patreon & Ko-fi
- Support for as little as $1 a month to get early access to episodes, ad free versions and occassional bonus content
  - Support on Patreon https://patreon.com/japankyo
- Support via a one time donation!
👉Mobal
Use my Mobal affiliate link to get a 10% discount on their voice & data plan. Their voice & data plan is perfect for those who want a Japanese phone number while in Japan. Using this link gets you a discount and it provides me with a small commission which I use to fund JapanKyo.
- Get 10% off of Mobal's Voice & Data plan: https://www.mobal.com/tonyjapan
👉Get a T-Shirt!
- MechaNekoSushi.com
👉Links, Videos, Etc.
Here are links to Lesley Chan Downer:
- On the Narrow Road to the Deep North: Journey into a Lost Japan: https://www.amazon.com/Narrow-Road-Deep-North-Classics/dp/1780602308/ref=sr_1_1?sr=8-1
- The Shortest History of Japan: From Mythical Origins to Pop Culture Powerhouse―The Global Drama of an Ancient Island Nation: https://www.amazon.com/Shortest-History-Japan-Mythical-Powerhouse_The/dp/1891011669/ref=sr_1_1?sr=8-1
- The Shogun's Queen: The Shogun Quartet, Book 1: https://www.amazon.com/Shoguns-Queen-Shogun-Quartet-Book/dp/055216349X/ref=sr_1_4?s=digital-text&sr=1-4-catcorr
👉Follow on Social Media
21 September 2026, 9:25 am
49 minutes 36 seconds
Rural Japan VS Urban Japan: Which is BETTER?
This is a rebroadcast of an episode of Ichimon Japan that was originally released 4/12/2020.
Today's Question
On this episode of Ichimon Japan we ask: What's better: rural life or city life in Japan?
Topics Discussed
- The pros and cons of living in rural Japan
- The pros and cons of living in a big city in Japan
- Life in Ishikawa Prefecture
- Life in Kobe
- Life in Osaka
- Where Ishikawa Prefecture is located
- Whether rural people are friendlier than city people in Japan
- Eating udon meshi at Sururi in Shinjuku, Tokyo
- Eating gator in Ueno, Tokyo
- Magic: The Gathering in Japan
- The not so great rainy wather of Ishikawa
- Cheap and/or free housing in rural Japan
- Ishikawa's delicious carrots
- How Japan's declining population is affecting Japan's rual areas
- The general lack of adults in their 20s and 30s in rual Japan
- And more!
Note: This episode was recorded before the declaration of the global coronavirus pandemic. While you should visit Japan as Ryan suggests, obviously, April 2020 is a pretty bad time to try to do so.
Listen to Japan Station on
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Support on Patreon
If you enjoy Ichimon Japan and want to ensure that we're able to produce more episodes, then please consider becoming a patron on Patreon.com. For a minimum pledge of $2 a month you'll get access to exclusive content and our eternal, profound, and undrying gratitude.
- Support on Patreon
Sources, Links, Videos, Etc.

Get 10% off a Mobal voice & data plan!
- https://mobal.com/tonyjapan
Support the show, get a t-shirt!
- https://mechanekosushi.com/
The restaurant serving udon meshi that was referenced in this episode is called Sururi. You can find the location information for Sururi's Shinjuku location below.

Sururi Shinjuku Main Store (するり新宿本店, Sururi Shinjuku Honten) 1-2-9 Kabuki-cho, 2F Citadine Central Shinjuke Tokyo, Shinjuku Ward, Tokyo

The Japankyo article on Sururi can be accessed via the link below.
- 18,000 Calorie Udon Rice Bowl Goes on Sale in Japan
During the episode a reference is made to a town in Japan that was giving houses to those who would agree to live in them for seven years. This was a mistake. It was actually 15 years. The name of the town is Okutama and you can find out more by watching the video below.

[embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x7iFZrhVKoQ&fbclid=IwAR3UQH_aozxbVc98fH_DcAgm6V64P2F0LM82Z0GhfdFiNJCpRnoZv6dm0xM[/embed]

If you'd like to find out more aboutthe differences in escalator etiquette that exist between the eastearn and western regions of Japan, then check out the Ichimon Japan episode below.
- Why do Japanese train stations do that? | Ichimon Japan 03
Japanese Vocabulary List
Most episodes feature at least one or two interesting Japanese words or phrases. Here's some of the ones that came up on this episode. All information is from Jim Breen's WWWJDIC.
- Inaka
  - 田舎【いなか(gikun)】 (n,adj-no) (1) (sens) rural area; countryside; the sticks; (2) hometown
- Beddotaun
  - ベッドタウン : ベッドタウン; ベットタウン(ik); ベッド・タウン; ベット・タウン(ik) (n) commuter town (wasei: bed town); bedroom community; dormitory town
- Kisha
  - 汽車【きしゃ】 (n) (1) train (esp. long distance train); (2) (orig. meaning) steam train
We Want Your Questions
Is there something about Japan that confuses you? Is there something about Japanese culture that you would like to learn more about? Is there something in Japanese history that you would like us to explain? We're always looking for new questions about Japan to answer, so if you have one, please send it to [email protected].
Special Thanks
Opening/Closing Theme: Produced by Apol (YouTube, Twitter, Facebook, Fiverr)

Ichimon Japan cover art: Produced by Erik R.
Follow Japankyo on Social Media
- Facebook (@JapankyoNews)
- Twitter (@TonyRVega)
Full Show Notes
- https:///japankyo.com/ichimonjapan
14 September 2026, 10:39 pm
52 minutes 40 seconds
DEAD Keitai Slang Only OLD People Remember EXPLAINED
On this episode of Japan Station, we're talking about dead slang from the heyday of Japanese cell pnones (ケータイ, kētai).
👉Topics Discussed
- About the evolution of Japanese cell phones
- Wha tis a shame 写メ
- What is dekome デコメ
- The origins of shame
- About decorating Japanese cell phones keitai
- The connection between gyaru and Japanese cell phones
- About "straps" sutorappu
- What keitai is written in katakana
- And much more
👉Subscribe to the Podcast!
- Apple Podcasts: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/japan-station-a-podcast-by-japankyo-com/id1440454968
- Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6lDoFFt4M0HyyKaVeDyKkB
👉Support on Patreon & Ko-fi
- Support for as little as $1 a month to get early access to episodes, ad free versions and occassional bonus content
  - Support on Patreon https://patreon.com/japankyo
- Support via a one time donation!
👉Mobal
Use my Mobal affiliate link to get a 10% discount on their voice & data plan. Their voice & data plan is perfect for those who want a Japanese phone number while in Japan. Using this link gets you a discount and it provides me with a small commission which I use to fund JapanKyo.
- Get 10% off of Mobal's Voice & Data plan: https://www.mobal.com/tonyjapan
👉Get a T-Shirt!
- MechaNekoSushi.com
👉Links, Videos, Etc.
None this time.
👉Follow on Social Media
7 September 2026, 1:08 am
51 minutes 41 seconds
Even Japanese Forget This Prefecture (But You Shouldn't!)
On this episode of Japan Station, we're talking about life in Shimane Prefecture.
👉Topics Discussed
- About the unique cultural quirks of life in Shimane Prefecture
- Where Shimane is located
- How people often get Tottori and Shimane confused
- A funny example of a dialect from Shimane Prefecture
- About food in Shimane Prefecture
- What is wariko soba?
- About Izumo Time
- What is shijimi?
- Abut the famous story of The White Hare of Inaba
- How wani are actually sharks and not crocodile in the Kojiki
- And much more
👉Subscribe to the Podcast!
- Apple Podcasts: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/japan-station-a-podcast-by-japankyo-com/id1440454968
- Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6lDoFFt4M0HyyKaVeDyKkB
👉Support on Patreon & Ko-fi
- Support for as little as $1 a month to get early access to episodes, ad free versions and occassional bonus content
  - Support on Patreon https://patreon.com/japankyo
- Support via a one time donation!
👉Mobal
Use my Mobal affiliate link to get a 10% discount on their voice & data plan. Their voice & data plan is perfect for those who want a Japanese phone number while in Japan. Using this link gets you a discount and it provides me with a small commission which I use to fund JapanKyo.
- Get 10% off of Mobal's Voice & Data plan: https://www.mobal.com/tonyjapan
👉Get a T-Shirt!
- MechaNekoSushi.com
👉Links, Videos, Etc.
None this time.
👉Follow on Social Media
1 September 2026, 8:31 am
52 minutes 54 seconds
Japan's Most Scandalous Shorts EXPLAINED (ブルマ/buruma)
On this episode, we ask: Whar are buruma?

This is a rebroadcast of episode 53 of Ichimon Japan.
Topics Discussed
- What buruma/bloomers are
- A brief overview of the history of school uniforms in Japan
- About the gakuran style school uniform
- About the supposed link between gakuran uniforms and Prussian military uniforms
- About sailor uniforms (sērā fuku)
- About "blazer" style uniforms
- The controversy over whether it was a school in Kyoto or Fukuoka that first introduced the sailor uniform in Japan
- The "second button" tradition
- The story behind why schools across Japan began having female students wear bloomers in the 1960s and why they stopped in the 1990s
- The urban legend that bloomers became popular due to the Japanese women's volleyball team wearing them in the 1964 Olympics
- The 1993 incident in Singapore that was the final straw that led to the disappearance of bloomers from schools in Japan
- About girls being able to wear slacks instead of skirts as part of their school uniforms
- About koromogae (changing school uniforms in accordance with the change of the seasons)
- And much more!
Listen to Ichimon Japan on
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Support
If you enjoy Ichimon Japan and want to ensure that we're able to produce more episodes, then please consider becoming a patron on Patreon.com. You can join for just $1 a month and that comes Support the show by joining the Patreon, donating to Ko-fi or getting a t-shirt!
Mobal
Get 10% off the Mobal Voice & Data plan!
- Mobal Affiliate Link: http://mobal.com/tonyjapan
Sources, Links, Videos, Etc.
Here are some of the Japanese language articles found when researching the topic of this episode.
- 高校の制服の歴史
- 昔の制服を試着！椙山歴史文化館
- 学校制服としてのセーラー服の歴史
- 学院の歴史資料
  - This is the website of Kyoto Heian Jogakuin. This is one of the schools that takes the credit for being the first to introduce sailor uniforms in Japan. On this page you can see a photo of this early version of the sailor uniform. This is the photo Ryan refers to that has a dog in it.
- セーラー服
- 学ランの由来と歴史について知ろう！
- 知ってるようで知らない学ランとセーラー服のお話
- 日本の学ランがプロイセンの軍服をモデルに作られたというのは本当ですか？
- 卒業式学生服の第二ボタンの意味と由来とは？
- あの恥ずかしいブルマーはなぜ日本中の学校で強制されていたのか？裏には教育界とメーカーの癒着が
  - This is the article that explains the history of "bloomers" in Japan. It discusses why blooomers became so widely used in Japan and then why bloomers suddenly disappeared. The article goes over the research of Yuji Yamamoto, a professor at Kansai University who wrote a book titled Burumā no Nazo (The Riddle/Puzzle/Mystery of Bloomers).
- 【ＳＤＧｓ】愛媛でも広がるジェンダーレス制服
- 採用増える「ジェンダーレス制服」、誕生の背景はトンボのデザイナーに聞く
Here's some of the English language sources read for this episode.
Here is a video of the Japanese women's volleyball team competing in the finals of the 1964 Olympics.
- Japan Win First Ever Women's Volleyball Gold - Tokyo 1964 Olympics
Here's a video that shows the evolution of girls' school uniforms in Japan over the past 100 years.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=inJR23ik8CI

To learn about weird/antiquiated/pointless school rules in Japan check out the episode of Ichimon Japan linked to below.
- Why are school rules in Japan so strict? (All About Kōsoku) | Ichimon Japan 23
Don't forget to check out the latest episodes of the Japan Station podcast via the links below.
- Coeds & Kaiju: On the Female Student in Japan's New Left, Kaiju Movies & More (Dr. Chelsea Szendi Schieder) | Japan Station 77
- Behind the Scenes of JapanKyo Docs | Japan Station 78
Support the show by picking up a t-shirt at KimitoDesigns.com.
- Check out Kimito Designs
Japanese Vocabulary List
Most episodes feature at least one or two interesting Japanese words or phrases. Here's some of the ones that came up on this episode. All information is from Jim Breen's WWWJDIC.
- Seifuku
  - 制服【せいふく】 (n) uniform
- Sērā fuku
  - セーラー服【セーラーふく】 (n) sailor suit; middy uniform
- Burumā
  - ブルマー : ブルマ; ブルマー; ブルーマー; ブルーマーズ; ブルマーズ (n) (1) bloomers; (n) (2) (girls') gym shorts
We Want Your Questions
Is there something about Japan that confuses you? Is there something about Japanese culture that you would like to learn more about? Is there something in Japanese history that you would like us to explain? We're always looking for new questions about Japan to answer, so if you have one, please send it to [email protected].
Special Thanks
Opening/Closing Theme: Produced by Apol (YouTube, Twitter, Facebook, Fiverr)

Ichimon Japan cover art: Produced by Erik R.
Follow Japankyo on Social Media
27 August 2026, 9:27 pm
49 minutes 50 seconds
He Cycled the Length of Japan! Here's What Happened
On this episode of Japan Station, we're talking about what it's like to cycle the entire length of Japan with journalist Oscar Boyd.
👉Topics Discussed
- Why Japan is so great for cycling
- About transporting a bike from the UK to Japan
- About biking from Kagoshima to the northernmostpoint of Japan over the course of 28 days
- Why Oscar decided to start his cycling trip from Mount Kaimon in Kagoshima
- About the route Oscar took when cycling the length of Japan
- Why Oscar decided to avoid the Tokaido corridor
- About visiting Mount Koya
- About cycling through Shikoku
- About the amazing breakfast at Dogoya in Matsuyama
- Some of the best food Oscar experienced while cycling across Japan
- The scariest part of cycling the length of Japan
- Why you should cycle the Shimanami Kaido
- Why you should cycle the Kiso Valley
- And much more
👉Subscribe to the Podcast!
- Apple Podcasts: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/japan-station-a-podcast-by-japankyo-com/id1440454968
- Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6lDoFFt4M0HyyKaVeDyKkB
👉Support on Patreon & Ko-fi
- Support for as little as $1 a month to get early access to episodes, ad free versions and occassional bonus content
  - Support on Patreon https://patreon.com/japankyo
- Support via a one time donation!
👉Mobal
Use my Mobal affiliate link to get a 10% discount on their voice & data plan. Their voice & data plan is perfect for those who want a Japanese phone number while in Japan. Using this link gets you a discount and it provides me with a small commission which I use to fund JapanKyo.
- Get 10% off of Mobal's Voice & Data plan: https://www.mobal.com/tonyjapan
👉Get a T-Shirt!
- MechaNekoSushi.com
👉Links, Videos, Etc.
Check out Oscar Boyd's video about cycling the length of Japan.
- I Tried Cycling the Length of Japan: 3,000km and 27 Days on the Road | Long Way North Vol. 1
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RpH8vt5WLV0

In high latest video Oscar cycles the length of Italy.
- I Tried Cycling the Length of Italy: 2,000km and 19 Days On The Road | Long Way North Vol. 4
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CE78sSmO5Rg&t=5s

Follow Oscar Boyd on social media
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/oscar.boyd/
👉Follow on Social Media
23 August 2026, 10:12 pm
29 minutes 53 seconds
Japan TURNS ON Foreign Residents?! Jake Adelstein on Takaichi's Immigration Policies
On this episode of Japan Station, Jake Adelstein joins us to discuss immigration policy in Japan and why the Takaichi government has decided to make it more difficult for foreigners to get permanent residency.
👉Topics Discussed
- Why you (probably) will never get permanent residence in Japan
- The ill-defined changes to requirements for permanent residency in Japan
- Why the changes to permanent residency requirements in Japan are so discouraging to foreign residents of Japan
- Why Japan needs workers from other countries
- The problem with retroactively changing requirements for permanent residency in Japan
- The problem with the 30 years of payments to the national pension system requirement
- The influence of the Sanseitō
- And much more
- Why the yen is so weak
- How most people in Japan will never be full-fledged company employees (seishain)
- How Japan hates and needs "overtourism"
- How Japan is becoming less and less alluring as a place to live
- How Japan has failed to innovate and take the lead in new industries
- The problematic way Japan didn't allow foreign residents to reenter Japan during the COVID pandemic
- And much more
👉Subscribe to the Podcast!
- Apple Podcasts: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/japan-station-a-podcast-by-japankyo-com/id1440454968
- Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6lDoFFt4M0HyyKaVeDyKkB
👉Support on Patreon & Ko-fi
- Support for as little as $1 a month to get early access to episodes, ad free versions and occassional bonus content
  - Support on Patreon https://patreon.com/japankyo
- Support via a one time donation!
👉Mobal
Use my Mobal affiliate link to get a 10% discount on their voice & data plan. Their voice & data plan is perfect for those who want a Japanese phone number while in Japan. Using this link gets you a discount and it provides me with a small commission which I use to fund JapanKyo.
- Get 10% off of Mobal's Voice & Data plan: https://www.mobal.com/tonyjapan
👉Get a T-Shirt!
- MechaNekoSushi.com
👉Links, Videos, Etc.
Read Jake Adelstein's article
- Welcome to Japanistan, where the foreign residents who buried their lives here aren't welcome anymore. It's not a kind policy–and not even a wise one: https://tokyopaladin.substack.com/p/takaichi-just-told-the-foreign-residents
For more articles by Jake Adelstein, check out the Tokyo Paladin Substack.
- Tokyo Paladin Substack: https://tokyopaladin.substack.com/
👉Follow on Social Media
20 August 2026, 11:11 am
27 minutes 53 seconds
How to insult Japan's BRAIN ROT generation (ドパガキ)
On this episode of Japan Station, we're talking about the recently created Japanese word dopagaki (ドパガキ). What does it mean and what are its origins? Listen to find out!
👉Topics Discussed
- The meaning and origin of dopagaki
- What does dopajita (ドパ舌) mean?
- What does doparu mean?
- What does zonbisukurōru (ゾンビスクロール) mean?
- And much more
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👉Links, Videos, Etc.
None this time.
14 August 2026, 8:14 am
49 minutes 36 seconds
These English words CAN'T be translated into Japanese
On this episode of Japan Station, we're talking about English words that are tricky to translate into Japanese.
👉Topics Discussed
- English words that are surprisingly difficult to translate into Japanese
- How to say jaywalking in Japanese
- How to say zesty in Japanese
- How to say touch grass in Japanese
- And much more
👉Subscribe to the Podcast!
- Apple Podcasts: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/japan-station-a-podcast-by-japankyo-com/id1440454968
- Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6lDoFFt4M0HyyKaVeDyKkB
👉Support on Patreon & Ko-fi
- Support for as little as $1 a month to get early access to episodes, ad free versions and occassional bonus content
  - Support on Patreon https://patreon.com/japankyo
- Support via a one time donation!
👉Affiliate Links
Use my Mobal affiliate link to get a 10% discount on their voice & data plan. Their voice & data plan is perfect for those who want a Japanese phone number while in Japan. Using this link gets you a discount and it provides me with a small commission which I use to fund JapanKyo.
- Get 10% off of Mobal's Voice & Data plan: https://www.mobal.com/tonyjapan
- Support by Buying a T-Shirt!
Support the show by getting a t-shirt!
- MechaNekoSushi.com
👉Links, Videos, Etc.
None this time.
7 August 2026, 1:51 am
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