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 one. Because the old Tokaido Road has been long gone. And I was well aware of that. But fuelled by advertising campaigns and photos of…
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 deep connection between the Japanese Navy and curry, discover the 150-year long history of curry in Japan and check which types of curry you should…
I did it again! Being a guest is too much fun
This time I was invited to The WRap It Up Podcast to speak about Japan Explained, how and why it started, my favourite topics and plans. I also told Brooks about my work as a tour guide in Japan and some places I’ve never got bored of visiting. So check it out! The WRap It Up Podcast is an interview-style,…
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 Commodore Perry came to the shores of Japan and “opened” it to the world. Or did he? Let’s see what actually happened when four black…
Geisha Explained
In the very first episode of Japan Explained, I will address the biggest misconception about Japanese culture. You guessed it right, Geisha. When I see or hear anything about geisha in Japan it usually falls into two categories: sweet fairytales about the treasuries of traditional culture or not so sweet tales about high-class prostitutes. So who are geishas? Short answer:…