Deep Dive from The Japan Times
Looking beneath the surface of Japan. We talk to Japan Times journalists and guests about current events and trends in Japan.
Episodes
July 22, 2024 • 41 mins
What do street-kid influencers, fantasy boyfriends and around 280 bars crammed into six allies have in common? They are all a part of Kabukicho, an area of Tokyo's Shinjuku Ward that is either a tourist trap or sleazy red-light district depending on who you ask. This week, join us to hear stories from one of Japan's most infamous neighborhoods.
Hosted by Shaun McKenna and produced by Dave Cortez.
On this episod...
Hosted by Shaun McKenna and produced by Dave Cortez.
On this episod...
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July 4, 2024 • 34 mins
Japan’s summer music festivals survived the pandemic but they now face new threats: extreme heat, a weak yen and aging audiences. Music writer Patrick St. Michel joins us to talk about the “Big Four” festivals and how these challenges are changing the way we have fun during summer.
Hosted by Shaun McKenna and produced by Dave Cortez.
On this episode:
Shaun McKenna: Articles | Twitter | Instagram
P...
Hosted by Shaun McKenna and produced by Dave Cortez.
On this episode:
Shaun McKenna: Articles | Twitter | Instagram
P...
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June 20, 2024 • 28 mins
On this week’s Deep Dive, we speak to Alex K.T. Martin who has done a series of pieces exploring what lies beneath the surface of Tokyo. Hidden rivers, ancient artifacts and crumbling infrastructure are just a few of the discoveries he made during his reporting. And while it’s important to know how we’re going to manage these things as climate change — or more importantly, the possible flooding that comes with it — worsens, so...
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June 6, 2024 • 30 mins
Japan is known for its convenience, but if you want to see some of the best artwork the country has to offer you’ll need to travel way off the beaten path. It involves trekking, sweating and, on the odd occasion, you don’t even know if the art will be there when you arrive. This week, writer Thu-Huong Ha is our tour guide into the world of Japan’s inconvenient art movement.
Hosted by Shaun McKenna and produced by Dave Cor...
Hosted by Shaun McKenna and produced by Dave Cor...
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May 23, 2024 • 39 mins
With temperatures rising we can all feel how climate change is affecting our lives, but what if we could hear it too? This week, Japan Times climate editor Chris Russell joins us to discuss what researchers at the Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology are listening to when it comes to biodiversity on the island.
Hosted by Shaun McKenna and produced by Dave Cortez.
On this episode:
Shaun McKenna: Articles...
Hosted by Shaun McKenna and produced by Dave Cortez.
On this episode:
Shaun McKenna: Articles...
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April 16, 2024 • 29 mins
With an increase in tourists heading to these parts, some may be wondering if Japan is a safe destination for those with disabilities. If you’re concerned, Josh Grisdale from the website Accessible Japan is here to help. Check out this past interview with him on everything from accessibility in Tokyo to dealing with trains and the country’s shifting attitudes.
Hosted by Shaun McKenna and produced by Dave Cortez.
...
Hosted by Shaun McKenna and produced by Dave Cortez.
...
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March 25, 2024 • 26 mins
We are revisiting some past content on the science, economics and culture of cherry blossom season. Most importantly, we talk about some of the best spots to check them out in the Tokyo and Osaka areas.
Hosted by Shaun McKenna and produced by Dave Cortez.
Read more:
Hosted by Shaun McKenna and produced by Dave Cortez.
Read more:
- In Japan, cherry blossom forecasting is a big deal. Warming is making it harder. (Thu-Huong Ha, The Japan Times)
- We invite you to get r...
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March 7, 2024 • 38 mins
Three residents with foreign roots have filed a lawsuit claiming Japanese police officers routinely target visible minorities with searches. In this week’s episode, we speak with the lawyer and one plaintiff about what prompted them to bring the case forward and what they hope to achieve with it.
Hosted by Shaun McKenna and produced by Dave Cortez.
On this episode:
Shaun McKenna: Articles | X
R...
Hosted by Shaun McKenna and produced by Dave Cortez.
On this episode:
Shaun McKenna: Articles | X
R...
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February 29, 2024 • 20 mins
This week on Deep Dive, contributing writer and photographer Lance Henderstein reads us his article on traveling Okinawa during the rainy season.
Hosted by Shaun McKenna and produced by Dave Cortez.
On this episode:
Shaun McKenna: Articles | Twitter | Instagram
Lance Henderstein: Articles | Instagram | Threads
Read/Listen more:
Hosted by Shaun McKenna and produced by Dave Cortez.
On this episode:
Shaun McKenna: Articles | Twitter | Instagram
Lance Henderstein: Articles | Instagram | Threads
Read/Listen more:
- My annual pilgrimage to Okinawa (Lance Henderstein, Th...
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February 22, 2024 • 32 mins
At 12, Miku Narisawa experienced the Great East Japan Earthquake. The ensuing and tsunami destroyed her home. Instead of running from the ocean, however, she is now working to try to protect it through her Odyssey Nature Japan initiative.
On this episode:
Miku Narisawa: Instagram | Odyssey Nature Japan
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On this episode:
Miku Narisawa: Instagram | Odyssey Nature Japan
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February 15, 2024 • 35 mins
You probably don’t think of guns when you think of Japan, but Hokkaido’s hunters do. Hokkaido-based writer Justin Randall says newly proposed gun laws may make their lives more dangerous. Later, Shaun McKenna and Alyssa I. Smith discuss something less dangerous: Taylor Swift’s sold-out Tokyo shows.
Hosted by Shaun McKenna and produced by Dave Cortez.
On this episode:
Justin Randall: Articles | Linktree
Aly...
Hosted by Shaun McKenna and produced by Dave Cortez.
On this episode:
Justin Randall: Articles | Linktree
Aly...
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February 8, 2024 • 34 mins
Who wants to live forever? As scientists and tech billionaires attempt to tackle the problem of aging and death, we discuss Japanese ideas about immortality. Later, our games writers discuss the recent Palworld-Pokemon flare up.
On this episode:
Elizabeth Beattie: Articles | X
Owen Ziegler: Articles
Ann-Loy Morgan: Articles
Read more/Watch more/Play more:
On this episode:
Elizabeth Beattie: Articles | X
Owen Ziegler: Articles
Ann-Loy Morgan: Articles
Read more/Watch more/Play more:
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February 1, 2024 • 35 mins
Japan made history last month when it became the fifth nation to soft land on the moon. What’s more, they landed it close to their target, a feat that could be a gamechanger for space travel. This week we discuss the science and the politics behind Japan’s lunar landing.
On this episode:
Joel Tansey: Articles | X
Tomoko Otake: Articles | X
Gabriel Dominguez: Articles | X
Read more/Watch more/Play...
On this episode:
Joel Tansey: Articles | X
Tomoko Otake: Articles | X
Gabriel Dominguez: Articles | X
Read more/Watch more/Play...
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January 18, 2024 • 38 mins
It was a rough start to 2024 for Japan, with a magnitude 7.6 earthquake and an airplane collision at Haneda airport in the first week of January. On our first episode of the year, we report on the impact of the Noto Peninsula earthquake and what can be learned from rural disasters.
Hosted by Shaun McKenna and produced by Dave Cortez.
On this episode:
Jordan Allen: Articles
Karin Kaneko: Articles | X
...
Hosted by Shaun McKenna and produced by Dave Cortez.
On this episode:
Jordan Allen: Articles
Karin Kaneko: Articles | X
...
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December 14, 2023 • 35 mins
For our last episode of the year, we’re summing up the year in culture with Matt Schley, Alyssa I. Smith, Thu-Huong Ha and Owen Ziegler, who tell us why anime dominated in 2023, which books stood out among a lackluster crowd and why the Zelda franchise is experiencing a renaissance.
Hosted by Shaun McKenna and produced by Dave Cortez.
On this episode:
Shaun McKenna: Articles | X
Matt Schley: Articles | X ...
Hosted by Shaun McKenna and produced by Dave Cortez.
On this episode:
Shaun McKenna: Articles | X
Matt Schley: Articles | X ...
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December 7, 2023 • 32 mins
In a year that saw Japan release 24,000 tons of wastewater (so far) from Fukushima No. 1 as the planet smashed heat records, it’s no wonder climate anxiety is on the rise. Mara Budgen joins us to break down the year in environment news, where we could see hope, and what we should be worried about.
Hosted by Shaun McKenna and produced by Dave Cortez.
Excerpt for Audioboom:
On this episode:
Shaun McKen...
Hosted by Shaun McKenna and produced by Dave Cortez.
Excerpt for Audioboom:
On this episode:
Shaun McKen...
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November 30, 2023 • 38 mins
An “Otaku Dictionary” has Japan’s subcultures upset at an attempt to define them. Thu-Huong Ha and Yukana Inoue join us to explain the linguistic scandal before discussing whether or not Japan has mastered “sitting.”
On this episode:
Shaun McKenna: Articles | X
Thu-Huong Ha: Articles | X
Yukana Inoue: Articles
Read more:
On this episode:
Shaun McKenna: Articles | X
Thu-Huong Ha: Articles | X
Yukana Inoue: Articles
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November 22, 2023 • 35 mins
Chinese President Xi Jinping made the rounds at APEC last week, Gabriel Dominguez tells us what it means for Japan. At home, NHK has announced its “Kohaku” lineup — with nary a Johnny’s act to be found. Patrick St. Michel discusses the year’s most notable snub.
On this episode:
Shaun McKenna: Articles | X
Gabriel Dominquez: Articles | X
Patrick St. Michel: Articles | X
Read more:
On this episode:
Shaun McKenna: Articles | X
Gabriel Dominquez: Articles | X
Patrick St. Michel: Articles | X
Read more:
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November 16, 2023 • 22 mins
As nature reclaims depopulated villages and climate change wreaks havoc on food sources, Japan’s animal population has been inching closer to the country’s urban areas. This week, Alex K.T. Martin joins us to discuss why people are encountering bears, boars and other wildlife in the most unlikely of places.
Hosted by Shaun McKenna and produced by Dave Cortez.
On this episode:
Shaun McKenna: Articles | X
...
Hosted by Shaun McKenna and produced by Dave Cortez.
On this episode:
Shaun McKenna: Articles | X
...
Mark as Played
November 9, 2023 • 32 mins
Baseball writer Jason Coskrey and editor Joel Tansey discuss the Hanshin Tigers’ Japan Series victory; Gabriele Ninivaggi explains how the prime minister hopes to get a home run with his tax plan.
Hosted by Shaun McKenna and produced by Dave Cortez.
On this episode:
Shaun McKenna: Articles | X
Gabriele Ninivaggi: Articles | X
Dave Cortez: Articles | X
Jason Coskrey: Articles | X
Joel Tansey:...
Hosted by Shaun McKenna and produced by Dave Cortez.
On this episode:
Shaun McKenna: Articles | X
Gabriele Ninivaggi: Articles | X
Dave Cortez: Articles | X
Jason Coskrey: Articles | X
Joel Tansey:...
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