On this episode of the GPod, Anthony Joh talks to Kris Wolf about the high flying world of female professional wrestling in Japan. Join GaijinPot on Social Media. • Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/GaijinPot • Twitter: https://twitter.com/GaijinPot • Instagram: http://instagram.com/gaijinpot

On this episode of the GPod, Anthony Joh talks to Cynthia Popper about living in Japan and working as a commercial print model. Cynthia has recently released a new book titled ‘The Model Start Up’ in which she breaks down the steps to working as a successful model here in Japan and in America. Anthony also talks about the huge success of the GaijinPot Blog. Our very talented team of writers has done a great job of helping our users get the information they need to live and work in Japan....

On this episode of the GPod, Anthony Joh talks to Tim Romero who is the host of the Disrupting Japan podcast. They discuss the start up scene here in Japan and what opportunities it is creating for both foreign and Japanese entrepreneurs. GP Blog Updates: 5 Must Watch Japanese Horror Movies http://blog.gaijinpot.com/japanese-horror-movies/ 60 Years of Japan as told by Godzilla http://blog.gaijinpot.com/60-years-godzilla/ A Concise Guide to Japanese...

As a follow up to a recent article posted on the GaijinPot Blog about working as a hostess in Japan. Anthony decided to see what the other side is like and on this show he interviews Kirito about his work as a host in a host club. Anthony and Kirito discuss the myths and perceptions of the host clubs, what kind of money can be made and who the female clients are. GP Blog Updates: The Japanese Double Eyelid Surgery: http://blog.gaijinpot.com/japanese-double-eyelid-surgery Beginners Guide...

While smoking is on the decline in Japan, the tolerance for smokers remains high. Trying to find a 100% non-smoking restaurant in Tokyo is a challenge for many. On this show Anthony Joh talks to Brad Stephenson who runs a website dedicated to reviewing 100% non-smoking cafes in Tokyo. Each review features extensive information about the cafe, many times more than what you would find on the actual cafe's website. This is a great resource for anyone who wants to enjoy a coffee and a snack...

Anthony Joh returns from a trip to Fukuoka to bring you another episode of the GPod. On this show he talks to musician, Leona Tokutake about her latest CD and the popularity of Bluegrass music in Japan. Leona is a Bluegrass fiddler and singer born in Tokyo Japan. She now makes her home in Tennessee where she performs and teaches American style fiddle. Anthony also covers the latest posts on the GaijinPot Blog. http://blog.gaijinpot.com

On this episode of the GPod, Anthony Joh talks to Grace Buchele Mineta about the challenges and rewards of being in a mixed race relationship. Grace is a freelance comic book artist who draws funny sketches about her life as a foreigner in Japan and the wife of a Japanese salaryman.

After a short break, Anthony Joh is back on the air with another episode of the GPod. On this show he recaps some of the popular articles that have been posted to the GaijinPot Blog. • Choosing a Japanese Typeface for your hanko. • What you need to know about exchanging business cards in Japan. • Cycling the Shimanami Kaido Highway. • Volunteering at Second Harvest • Differences between the U.S. and Japanese Education Systems All these articles and more can be found on the GaijinPot Blog -...

The genre of anime films have exploded in popularity around the world recently and to help us understand this phenomenon Anthony has invited the team from the Anime Addicts Anonymous Podcast to the GPod. On this show we will be covering five films that helped define the world of anime. From landmark films in hand drawn animation such as Redline to the Oscar winning film Spirited Away, we delve into the mysterious world of anime films to learn more about this unique Japanese art form. For...

Much has been written about teaching English in Japan, some of it positive and some of it negative. However the fact remains that it is the main entry point for a large number of foreigners choosing to work in Japan. On this episode of the GPod, Anthony Joh talks to Wesley Christenson who first came to Japan through a teaching program by the large Eikawai company, Aeon. Wes talks about the challenges and benefits of working in a large company and ultimately why he chose to leave Aeon for a...

An American Piano is based on the true story of a young Japanese girl who played the piano for POWs during WWII and how it affected their lives. On this episode of the GPod we talk to director Paul Leeming and Writer Hamish Downie about their latest film and about the challenges and opportunities of being filmmakers in Japan. We are also joined by Sarah Feinerman who is here to talk about Gakuten. An offshoot of the popular Design Festa art exhibit, Gakuten is an international art festival...

There has been a lot of talk about how Japan has lost it's technological edge and how it's not internationally competitive compared to American or Korean companies as it used to be. While this may be true for the established Japanese tech giants, the same can't be said for Japanese startups. The start up scene in Japan is alive and growing with small innovative companies pushing the boundaries of what technology and the human spirit can do. On this show Anthony is joined by engineer Atushi...

Dating back over 2000 years, sumo is as much a sport of Japan as it is part of the culture of Japan. With many rituals and customs, the sport of sumo has it's origins in the Shinto religion. A sumo match consists of two wrestlers (rikishi) who fight in a ring called the dohyou and the winner is the one who pushes his opponent out of the ring or causes his opponent to touch the ground. While these rules may sound simple sumo is a vastly complex and entraining sport. To help understand this...

We continue our Japanese Language Series with polyglot Olly Richards who speaks seven languages. Olly joins the GPod to talk about his list of 42 Insane Japanese Language Learning Hacks! Olly asked some of the best languages learners from around the web to send in their best language learning tips and curated the answers into his list. We don't have time to cover all 42 but Olly is going to talk about his top five tips for learning Japanese. We are also joined by Ryoko Takei who is a Tokyo...

Valentines is a special day for many couples but here in Japan things are done a little differently. While in the West you might see a long line of men buying chocolates or flowers for their special someone, here in Japan it's the woman's responsibility to buy a gift to give to their men. This role reversal is just one of the unique aspects of living and dating in a new country. In this show we talk to Lorie and Sho about the challenges and rewards of being an intercultural couple. From...

One of the first major challenges that many foreigners face when moving to Japan is renting an apartment. Renting an apartment is a complicated process filled with all sorts of historic regulations and procedures, strange acronyms, and more fees than you can possibly imagine. To help us understand this process we are joined by Adam German from Real Estate Japan, who is going to guide us through the necessary steps in securing your new home in Japan.

Tokyo is known as one of the most expensive cities in the world to live, but how much does it actually cost to live here? On this episode of the GPod, Anthony is joined by Reno Tibke from AkihabaraNews to discuss the true cost of living in Tokyo. We break down our monthly fixed living expenses, cover various transportation costs, internet connectivity and annual taxes that you will be required to pay. There are a lot of numbers covered in this show so to see a list of all the expenses we...

Getting a university job in Japan is a goal for many teachers and yet the path to a tenured position at a Japanese university is not always clear. In this show Anthony talks to Matthew T. Apple who is an associate profession at Ritsumeikan University. Matthew talks about his entry to Japan through the JET Programme and how teaching English in a small town taught him the skills he needed to pursue a career in higher education. Also on the show is Elizabeth Tasker who is an associate...

One of the challenges in living in Japan is mastering the language. With three different alphabets and thousands of kanji to memorize, learning Japanese is not an easy task, and while it is possible to get by with a smattering of Japanese, it does limit your job opportunities. To provide some inspiration for learning Japanese, we are pleased to announce our new language series. Each month we will bring you an interview with a Japanese language expert who will offer their suggestions on the...

Have you always wanted to visit Japan but are concerned about the high costs, language barrier or the dreaded squat toilets? Visiting Japan can be a fun and rewarding experience but it is a destination that does require some planning. But with careful planning and a few local tips you will find that it's not that expensive, some people do speak English and well, the squat toilets are still a nightmare! On this show Bangkok based writer Greg Jorgensen joins Anthony to talk about his recent...

On the last show of the year Anthony is joined by long time resident Hikosaemon to talk about some of the top news stories from Japan in 2013. They discuss the impact that Abenomics is having on the Japanese economy and what is means for consumers. The loop hole that finally allowed Mt. Fuji to achieve UNESCO World Heritage status. Lastly, they cover the new work opportunities that are being created by Japanese companies for foreigners working in Japan. The era of the rockstar English...

Japan is one of the most connected countries in the world and the smartphone revolution certainly has taken over here. With that comes a huge selection of smartphone apps for both iOS and Android to make daily living just that much easier. On this episode we take a look at some of our favourite apps that we use everyday to get around the city.

Modeling in Japan is a dream job of many. On this show we talk to Cynthia Popper about what it takes to get work as a model in Japan. Cynthia is a successful model from America and has recently made the transition to working in Japan. She talks about what is required to get started, how to overcome the language issues and red flags to watch out for. Many girls (and guys) come to Japan with dreams of being handed a modelling contract as soon as they get off the plane but Cynthia breaks down...

Michael Gakuran joins the podcast to discuss his latest list of "Top 50 Japanese Buzzwords of 2013." Anthony and Michael talk about the top 10 words that made the news in Japan this year. Anthony also introduces a unique training program for anyone looking to get into the Japanese job market. The Works Japan Job Guidance is a free job hunting training course for bilingual students.