Deep Dive from The Japan Times

195: Kabukicho: Tokyo's 'stadium of desire'

What do street-kid influencers, fantasy boyfriends and around 280 bars crammed into six allies have in common? They are all a part of Kabukicho, an area of Tokyo's Shinjuku Ward that is either a tourist trap or sleazy red-light district depending on who you ask. This week, join us to hear stories from one of Japan's most infamous neighborhoods.    Hosted by Shaun McKenna [https://www.japantimes.co.jp/author/shaun-mckenna/] and produced by Dave Cortez [https://www.japantimes.co.jp/author/david-cortez/]. On this episode:  Shaun McKenna: Articles [https://www.japantimes.co.jp/author/shaun-mckenna/] | X [https://twitter.com/jt_sloosh] | Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/slooshiness/] Alex K.T. Martin: Articles [https://www.japantimes.co.jp/author/219/alex-kt-martin/] | X [https://twitter.com/alexktmartin]  Moeka Iida: X [https://x.com/moekaimnida]  Yukana Inoue: Articles [https://www.japantimes.co.jp/author/4619/yukana-inoue/]  Read more:  * Christmastime in Shinjuku Golden Gai [https://www.japantimes.co.jp/life/2023/12/22/travel/christmas-golden-gai-tokyo-yokocho/] (Alex K.T. Martin, The Japan Times) * How Japan’s host clubs trap young women under mountains of debt [https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2023/12/26/japan/society/host-club-pay-later-system-prostitution/] (Karin Kaneko, The Japan Times) * The controversial cult of the host club in Japan [https://www.economist.com/culture/2024/05/21/the-controversial-cult-of-the-host-club-in-japan?utm_medium=cpc.adword.pd&utm_source=google&ppccampaignID=21228634515&ppcadID=&utm_campaign=a.22brand_pmax&utm_content=conversion.direct-response.anonymous&gad_source=1&gbraid=0AAAAAqI2df-_eXZYYNmzYkc6d7Pr1jZqI&gclid=CjwKCAjw4_K0BhBsEiwAfVVZ_y5Uxq7eQ1Nze1AQqPXOOPr7hGakqaZN77Xyt95wv044ot_yF9XeKBoCpOUQAvD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds] (Moeka Iida, The Economist) * Toyoko Kids: The lonely street children of Tokyo [https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2024/02/05/japan/society/toyoko-kids-tokyo-subculture/] (Yukana Inoue, The Japan Times) Get in touch: Send us feedback at deepdive@japantimes.co.jp. Support the show by rating, reviewing and sharing the episode with a friend if you’ve enjoyed it. For a transcript of the show, visit japantimes.co.jp [https://www.japantimes.co.jp/], and don’t forget to follow us on X [https://twitter.com/JapanDeepDive]!   Photo: One of the many entrances to the Kabukicho neighborhood in Tokyo’s Shinjuku Ward. | GETTY IMAGES

194: Japan’s summer music festivals are feeling the heat in more ways than one

Japan’s summer music festivals survived the pandemic but they now face new threats: extreme heat, a weak yen and aging audiences. Music writer Patrick St. Michel joins us to talk about the “Big Four” festivals and how these challenges are changing the way we have fun during summer.    Hosted by Shaun McKenna [https://www.japantimes.co.jp/author/shaun-mckenna/] and produced by Dave Cortez [https://www.japantimes.co.jp/author/david-cortez/]. On this episode:  Shaun McKenna: Articles [https://www.japantimes.co.jp/author/shaun-mckenna/] | Twitter [https://twitter.com/jt_sloosh] | Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/slooshiness/] Patrick St. Michel: Articles [https://www.japantimes.co.jp/author/226/patrick-st-michel/] | Twitter [https://x.com/mbmelodies]  Read/watch more:  * Can Japan’s summer music festivals adapt to a post-pandemic reality? [https://www.japantimes.co.jp/culture/2024/06/09/music/summer-concert-festival-japan-music/] (Patrick St. Michel, The Japan Times) * Is Creepy Nuts’ catchy, rapid-fire ‘Bling-Bang-Bang-Bong’ the song of the year? [https://www.japantimes.co.jp/culture/2024/07/03/music/creepy-nuts-bbbb-japan-rap/] (Patrick St. Michel, The Japan Times) * Japan’s summer offerings include jazz and classical music festivals [https://www.japantimes.co.jp/culture/2024/06/09/music/jazz-classical-festivals-summer-japan/] (Alyssa I. Smith, The Japan Times) * “Scream inside your heart” [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PMm5QVZ6QeY] (YouTube) Get in touch: Send us feedback at deepdive@japantimes.co.jp. Support the show by rating, reviewing and sharing the episode with a friend if you’ve enjoyed it. For a transcript of the show, visit japantimes.co.jp [https://www.japantimes.co.jp/], and don’t forget to follow us on X [https://twitter.com/JapanDeepDive]!   Photo: You can often see generations of families enjoying performances together at Fuji Rock Festival. | JAMES HADFIELD

193: Tokyo underground: The city beneath our feet

On this week’s Deep Dive, we speak to Alex K.T. Martin who has done a series of pieces exploring what lies beneath the surface of Tokyo. Hidden rivers, ancient artifacts and crumbling infrastructure are just a few of the discoveries he made during his reporting. And while it’s important to know how we’re going to manage these things as climate change — or more importantly, the possible flooding that comes with it — worsens, sometimes it’s just fascinating to learn about the city beneath our feet.  Hosted by Shaun McKenna [https://www.japantimes.co.jp/author/shaun-mckenna/] and produced by Dave Cortez [https://www.japantimes.co.jp/author/david-cortez/]. On this episode:  Shaun McKenna: Articles [https://www.japantimes.co.jp/author/shaun-mckenna/] | Twitter [https://twitter.com/jt_sloosh] | Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/slooshiness/] Alex K.T. Martin: Articles [https://www.japantimes.co.jp/author/219/alex-kt-martin/] | Twitter [https://x.com/AlexktMartin]  Read/watch more:  * Tracing Tokyo’s hidden rivers [https://www.japantimes.co.jp/life/2024/03/09/lifestyle/lost-rivers-tokyo-underground-culvert/] (Alex K.T. Martin, The Japan Times) * Tokyo’s hidden rivers [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qDFRAqB4ZMc] (The Japan Times YouTube channel) * The complications in digging up Tokyo’s ancient past [https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2024/04/01/japan/history/yayoi-village-preservation-archaeology-japan-tokyo/] (Alex K.T. Martin, The Japan Times) * Tokyo underground: Exploring what lies beneath the world largest city [https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2024/06/03/japan/society/tokyo-underground-flooding-tunnel/] (Alex K.T. Martin, The Japan Times) * Why half of Japan’s cities are at risk of disappearing in 100 year [https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2024/05/20/japan/society/japan-2120-future-cities-depopulation/] (Alex K.T. Martin, The Japan Times) Get in touch: Send us feedback at deepdive@japantimes.co.jp. Support the show by rating, reviewing and sharing the episode with a friend if you’ve enjoyed it. For a transcript of the show, visit japantimes.co.jp [https://www.japantimes.co.jp/], and don’t forget to follow us on X [https://twitter.com/JapanDeepDive]! Photo: A person walks among thegiant columns supporting the Metropolitan Area Outer Underground Discharge Channel in Saitama Prefecture. | JOHAN BROOKS

192: The sweaty pleasure of Japan’s inconvenient art

Japan is known for its convenience, but if you want to see some of the best artwork the country has to offer you’ll need to travel way off the beaten path. It involves trekking, sweating and, on the odd occasion, you don’t even know if the art will be there when you arrive. This week, writer Thu-Huong Ha is our tour guide into the world of Japan’s inconvenient art movement.  Hosted by Shaun McKenna [https://www.japantimes.co.jp/author/shaun-mckenna/] and produced by Dave Cortez [https://www.japantimes.co.jp/author/david-cortez/]. On this episode:  Shaun McKenna: Articles [https://www.japantimes.co.jp/author/shaun-mckenna/] | Twitter [https://twitter.com/jt_sloosh] | Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/slooshiness/] Thu-Huong Ha: Articles [https://www.japantimes.co.jp/author/4754/thu-huong-ha/#:~:text=Thu%2DHuong%20Ha%20is%20the,an%20executive%20producer%20of%20TEDxNewYork.] | Twitter [https://x.com/thu] | Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/whatthusee/#] Read more:  * Why is the most exciting art in Japan so hard to get to? [https://www.japantimes.co.jp/culture/2024/04/06/art/inconvenient-art-japan-naoshima-triennale/] (Thu-Huong Ha, The Japan Times) * A list of Japan's remote art sites [https://www.japantimes.co.jp/culture/2024/06/07/art/naoshima-art-sites-festivals-japan/] (Thu-Huong Ha, The Japan Times) * Sixteen hours in Marina Abramovic’s nightmare hotel [https://www.japantimes.co.jp/culture/2023/07/03/arts/abramovic-dream-house/] (Thu-Huong Ha, The Japan Times) * Japan’s birth rate hit new low in 2023 [https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2024/06/05/japan/society/japan-birth-rate-2023/] (Kanako Takahara, The Japan Times) * Tokyo government to launch dating app in bid to boost birth rate [https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2024/06/05/japan/society/tokyo-dating-app/] (AFP-Jiji) Get in touch: Send us feedback at deepdive@japantimes.co.jp. Support the show by rating, reviewing and sharing the episode with a friend if you’ve enjoyed it. For a transcript of the show, visit japantimes.co.jp [https://www.japantimes.co.jp/], and don’t forget to follow us on X [https://twitter.com/JapanDeepDive]!  Photo: Yayoi Kusama’s “Pumpkin,” once the victim of high waves that dragged it into the sea, sits at the end of a pier on the south side of Naoshima. | LANCE HENDERSTEIN

191: What does climate change sound like?

With temperatures rising we can all feel how climate change is affecting our lives, but what if we could hear it too? This week, Japan Times climate editor Chris Russell joins us to discuss what researchers at the Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology are listening to when it comes to biodiversity on the island. Hosted by Shaun McKenna [https://www.japantimes.co.jp/author/shaun-mckenna/] and produced by Dave Cortez [https://www.japantimes.co.jp/author/david-cortez/]. On this episode: Shaun McKenna: Articles [https://www.japantimes.co.jp/author/shaun-mckenna/] | X [https://twitter.com/jt_sloosh] Chris Russell: Articles [https://www.japantimes.co.jp/author/170/chris-russell/] | X [https://twitter.com/jt_cr] Read more:  * Hearing the impact of climate change in Okinawa, one bird at a time [https://www.japantimes.co.jp/environment/2024/04/21/wildlife/okinawa-sound-climate-change/] (Chris Russell, The Japan Times) * Yen rebounds strongly after first slide past ¥160 since 1990 [https://www.japantimes.co.jp/business/2024/04/29/markets/yen-hits-160-to-the-dollar/] (Bloomberg, Reuters) * Weary of overtourism, Japan town blocks one popular view of Mount Fuji [https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2024/05/21/japan/society/mount-fuji-overtourism/] (Caroline Gardin, AFP-JIJI) * Many COVID experts in Japan harassed after speaking to media, survey shows [https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2024/05/22/japan/science-health/japan-covid-experts-harassment/] (Tomoko Otake, The Japan Times) * The politicians moving Japan forward on climate change [https://www.japantimes.co.jp/environment/2024/05/19/climate-change/japan-climate-change-politicians/] (Eric Margolis, The Japan Times) * Why half of Japan’s cities are at risk of disappearing in 100 years [https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2024/05/20/japan/society/japan-2120-future-cities-depopulation/] (Alex K.T. Martin, The Japan Times) Get in touch: Send us feedback at deepdive@japantimes.co.jp. Support the show by rating, reviewing and sharing the episode with a friend if you’ve enjoyed it. For a transcript of the show, visit japantimes.co.jp [https://www.japantimes.co.jp/], and don’t forget to follow us on X [https://twitter.com/JapanDeepDive]!   Photo: Toshihiro Kinjo (center), a research support technician at the Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology, inspects an audio recording device in Ginowan, Okinawa Prefecture, on April 3 as Masako Ogasawara, a research support specialist at OIST, looks on. | CHRIS RUSSELL