Sake Explained
I have no idea how it happened, but I still didn’t tell you anything about sake. Even though I should have brought it right after geisha – few things in Japanese culture are surrounded by…
Tokaido Explained
Once upon a time I had a grand dream to walk along the Tokaido Road, to embrace the spirit of 17th-18th-century Japan, to experience the life of a wanderer. A wonderful dream, but an unfulfillable…
Ramen Explained
Ramen, like curry rice, is firmly established in the category of kokuminshoku, the national food of Japan. But while curry is often prepared at home, ramen remains a restaurant food. If you can call the…
Ukiyo-e Explained
This time I’ll look deep into the history of Japanese soy sauce, walk you through the process of making traditional Japanese shoyu and tell you all you need to know to pick the perfect bottle.
Karaoke Explained
Why do people go to karaoke? Why in the West people prefer karaoke bars while the East is all about karaoke boxes? Was karaoke really invented in Japan? How old is it? Why do karaoke…
Japanese Curry Explained
Perry’s visits to Japan showed Japan how weak were its naval forces. And as I started thinking about the Japanese Navy, curry rice instantly came to my mind. In this episode let’s look at the…
Perry in Japan Explained
Hi guys! The time has come for my first collaboration with a fellow podcaster. Please welcome Garret McCorkle from the “No Country for History” podcast. And we have a great topic to discuss. In 1853…
Yokai Explained
We all love something cooling during the summer heat. And what can be more refreshing than a spooky story that makes you shiver.
Nabe Hotpot Explained
You voted for it, so today I’ll look into a long history of nabe hot pot cuisine in Japan, millions of its seasonal and regional varieties and give you a few tips on picking the best pot for your nabe (spoiler alert: you can use pretty much anything).
Sugawara Michizane Explained
Today I want to tell you about a man of humble origin who became a renowned scholar and poet, kept the imperial court in fear long after his death, turned into a wrathful spirit, a deity and a bodhisattva (all at once), got thousands of shrines dedicated to him all around the country and is respected by Zen monks, praised by Confucian scholars and loved by high-schoolers. He got it all. He is Sugawara no Michizane, and let me explain his life to you.