Episode 86 – Terri Goes Akogare on Wakayama Tomisaburo

Excited to have my akogare (we talk about this word) Terri MacMillian on the show.

We talk about her music management experience (Pizzicato Five?!), life in Japan in general, her favorite actor (super cool), and of course we get a touch ornery about Black Lives Matter.

Episode 84 – Konechikatto Chatto

Join Terrance and Christopher for a conversational reconnect as Terrance braves the wintry tundra of Connecticut for a long overdue in-person recording from our two hosts. Get some insight on what residency in Tokyo feels like after many years and the challenges that returning to the United States presents after many years in Asia.

Special bonus: If you listen long enough, you may even get to hear the resurrected segments from podcasts of long ago and be treating to a special guest appearance.

So get ready for live and uncut, long and unfiltered discussion. Enjoy!

Episode 82 – Takao-san

Join Terrance and Christopher with dualing audio as they journey to the summit of Mount Takao, a small mountain just west of Tokyo.

This sound-seeing (sound scene) tour includes some lively discussion on Japanese films, accents, future nature sabbaticals, and disaster scenarios. What more could you ask for?

View of Mt Fuji from Top of Mount Takao

Episode 79 – Three Moves Ahead with Shaka Haynes

It’s been awhile but we’re excited about this episode. Terrance’s guest is the always hungry, always charismatic Shaka Haynes. Shaka works with Terrance at the world famous fruit shop. More importantly, he’s making moves in the world of entertainment bringing his experience producing and promoting artists to the Japan scene. They talk about how he “found Japan” and his current experiences and future plans. Plus, they take an interesting detour and Shaka makes his case for why Boston is the most American of cities.

Episode 78 – I Ain’t Ever Been To Jail

This is a very personal and special episode in which Terrance talks about his experiences in the Japanese slammer. Many of you may know what happened but just to make things clear, the matter is settled, he’s ok, he doesn’t have a record, and technically it was detention, not imprisonment.

Chris Rock has a joke about low expectation boasting. “I ain’t ever been to jail.” “You ain’t supposed to go to jail, you low expectation having…” Sadly, he can no longer laugh at this joke. He’s been to jail and here is the story.

Episode 77 – The Finding Continues

It’s been awhile but the Godfather of Finding Japan, Chris, is back in the land! Chris and Terrance have teamed up to continue bringing our discoveries and observations of this sometimes mystifying, almost always interesting country. In this episode we get you caught up with what’s been going on with our lives, as well as where we plan on taking the show.

Episode 76 – Artistic Mr. Mertens and His Ladies

The co-host on today’s show is the Artistic Mr. Mertens. Craig and Terrance talk about the Oscars, do a bit of a detour into the LGBT situation in Japan and in general, and most importantly pimp his current art exhibition Ladies First.

If you’re in the Osaka area check out Ladies First at Cafe Absinthe:
http://www.absinthe-jp.com/cafe-absinthe/news/578

And pick up Craig’s artistic wares at Society6:
http://society6.com/CraigMertens/Ladies-First-Exhibition-Poster_Print#1=45

P.S. Sorry if the sound levels are a bit high and we hope
we don’t blowout your eardrums – every episode is a learning experience f^_^;

Episode 71 – Prelude: Passing of the T-Bone

Hello, Finding Japan listeners! The show will go on. Host emeritus Christopher has passed the show on to Terrance and everyone’s favorite bovine personality T-Bone Taro from the former Kobe Beef Show (if you have no idea who T-Bone is just nod for now).

In this episode I introduce myself a little, talk about future plans for the show, and Christopher and I do some catching up and chit chat about things in general, Japan, and FJ. Enjoy!

Episode 64 – Final Episode

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Well, its that time. Time again for another, and final, Finding Japan episode by yours truly. It took a while but in this episode, I say goodbye to Japan and all of the fun times that we had. At nearly two hours long, this episode highlights some of my favorite parts of Japan by revisiting clips from prior episodes. Come revisit the podcast with me as we tour through the experiences I had, things I learned, and people I have met.

But rather than give a long-winded overview of the episode, just listen in and enjoy. Details about the future are also enclosed.

Thanks again to all of my friends, all of the listeners and contributors to the podcast, everyone who guided me and helped my find my way through the land of the rising sun. This was truly an amazing life experience and I will never forget it.

Finding Japan has been archived at archive.org for posterity. This site will cease to exist at some point in the future though I will do my best to maintain the feed. Check archive.org for all of the episodes, including prologues to the podcast.

Thank you all.

Episode 63 – Wrapping It Up

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Photo taken at the Panasonic Center in Ariake, Tokyo, Japan. Cardboard dinosaurs rule!

Ok, well not really wrapping it up quite yet. Just some thoughts on paying my last rent payment here in Tokyo, a small request to all listeners, answering a letter to my future self, and more. Che-ch-che-ch-checka-check it out!

Show Notes:

  • Paying my last rent payment
  • Listeners – submit your thoughts on your favorite part of FJ
  • Watching an excavator for 2 mins (sorry for leaving that in there)
  • Interlude: “Memories of an Old Dog” by Fireproof Babies
  • Thoughts on video games in Japan
  • Answering future self letter from 1 year ago
  • My Japanese ability
  • Moving out sale
  • Outro: “Uno Two (Instrumental)” by KCentric