Japan Explained

Saigo Takamori Explained. Part 1 – Childhood, early career and exile to Amami

Saigo Takamori, the Great Saigo or the Last Samurai is the ideal Japanese man and one of Japan's most beloved historical characters. In popular imagination, Saigo is THE perfect samurai. His image is so heavily embellished that it is sometimes hard to see where reality meets fiction. But let's try to separate them anyway. 
Support the show: https://japanexplained.com/#support
Cover art: @justlavi

Tanuki Explained

Happy Halloween everyone!
We started this October with kitsune, and I thought it would be great to finish it with tanuki. So let's see how tanuki and kitsune influenced each other, what tanuki has to do with the 150th anniversary of Japan Railways and how this powerful yokai ended up as a chubby sake-loving goody of today.
Support the show: https://japanexplained.com/#support
More info on https://japanexplained.com/tanuki/
Cover art: @justlavi

Kitsune Explained

Kitsune – Japanese foxes, who are they? Multi-tailed shapeshifters, companions of the god Inari, animals that bring good luck or beasts that inflict madness?
Let's find out!
Bonus episode: https://www.patreon.com/posts/72879450
Support the show: https://japanexplained.com/#support
More info on https://japanexplained.com/kitsune/
Cover art: @justlavi

Ikebana Explained

This time let's have a look at the Japanese art of flower arrangement also known as Ikebana. When did the first flower compositions appear in Japan? How did it evolve into complex art with sets of rules and artistic competitions? And which styles of ikebana are there to try your hands on? Let's figure it out.
 
More info on https://japanexplained.com/ikebana/
Support the show: https://japanexplained.com/#support
Cover art: @justlavi

Sake Explained. Bonus - Expert talk with Dick Stegewerns

To help me break down the many myths about sake, this time I am joined by Dick Stegewerns, the founder of Yoigokochi Sake Importers. We talked about how sake came to Europe and America, how to choose and drink sake, what are the similarities between sake and other alcoholic beverages, how come sake is still mostly produced in tiny breweries, and which sake can be rightfully called the most unusual.
More info on https://japanexplained.com/sake/
Yoigokochi Sake Importers: https://yoigokochi.eu/
Bonus episode: https://www.patreon.com/posts/66208266
Support the show: https://japanexplained.com/#support
Instagram: @japanexplained
Cover design: @justlavi

Sake Explained. Part 2 - From rice grain to dining table or all you need to know about sake

Continuing to uncover the truth about sake, let's see how this beverage is made, which types of sake you can find in the shop and how to drink it properly. Or maybe there are no rules at all?
More info on https://japanexplained.com/sake/
Bonus episode: https://www.patreon.com/posts/66208266
Support the show: https://japanexplained.com/#support
Instagram: @japanexplained
Cover design: @justlavi

Sake Explained. Part 1 - The Past and Present of Nihonshu

Few things in Japanese culture are covered by so many myths as sake. For example, sake is not rice vodka and not even rice wine, but in essence it is rice beer. And it is far from being the most popular alcoholic drink in Japan.
Starting the 3 part series on sake, let's look into the past, present and future of this traditional Japanese beverage.
More info on https://japanexplained.com/sake/
Bonus episode: https://www.patreon.com/posts/66208266
Support the show: https://japanexplained.com/#support
Instagram: @japanexplained
Cover design: @justlavi

Tokaido Explained. Part 2 - Travellers of the Edo period

This time let's take a look at different types of travellers using the road in the 17th-19th centuries. From foreigners who loved Tokaido to an elephant who absolutely hated the journey, there is a full range of opinions about travelling in Japan and the Tokaido road in particular. And that's exactly what we need to understand the life of this famous road.
More info on https://japanexplained.com/tokaido/
Support the show: https://japanexplained.com/#support
Bonus Episodes on Patreon: Shukuba Post Stations (https://www.patreon.com/posts/tokaido-bonus-63490475) & River crossings and Sekisho checkpoints (https://www.patreon.com/posts/tokaido-bonus-63490838)
Instagram: @japanexplained
Cover design: @justlavi

Tokaido Explained. Part 1 - The Road

Have you ever heard about Tokaido? If you live in Japan, I bet yes. If you’ve ever visited, I’m positive you took Tokaido Shinkansen between Tokyo, Kyoto and Osaka. And if you love art, you’ve probably seen some of the prints from the Tokaido series by Hiroshige.
Tokaido road has a history of more than 1000 years, and this time I suggest diving into it together.
More info on https://japanexplained.com/tokaido/
Support the show: https://japanexplained.com/#support
Bonus Episodes on Patreon: Shukuba Post Stations (https://www.patreon.com/posts/tokaido-bonus-63490475) & River crossings and Sekisho checkpoints (https://www.patreon.com/posts/tokaido-bonus-63490838)
Instagram: @japanexplained
Cover design: @justlavi

Ramen Explained

You asked for it, so this time let's look deep into the bowl of ramen and try to figure out why Japan (and now the whole world) is absolutely obsessed with this seemingly simple dish.
More info on https://japanexplained.com/ramen/
Support the show: https://japanexplained.com/#support
Bonus Episode on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/posts/61675837
Instagram: @japanexplained
Cover design: @justlavi