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Welcome to the Planet Japan Podcast!
Join Amy, a humor writer for The Japan Times and Doug, fabled raconteur and man-about-town, for a light-hearted look at life in Japan.
What is the Planet Japan Podcast?
The Planet Japan Podcast is an Internet radio show all about life in Japan, although you may have already guessed that. Tune in and listen to Amy and Doug turn a somewhat jocular eye towards some of the more unusual and downright bizarre things that happen in their adopted country.(Go to the Planet Japan website to LISTEN NOW!)
Amy and Doug started Japan's oldest continous podcast back in June of 2005. After hanging out together in seedy bars and amusing each other, they decided that the only right and fair thing to do would be to amuse the rest of the world...because that's the kind of people they are. So far they have produced over 120 wacky episodes!
Amy is famous for her unnatural, I mean, unusual obsession with cows, and Doug is a well-known bon vivant who just wants everyone to be happy.
This lens has lots of fun surprises related to Planet Japan, Amy and Doug, and Japan generally. We hope you enjoy it!
The 5 Most Recent Episodes of Planet Japan!
Fetching RSS feed... please stand byFrom the Files of Planet Japan
The Latest in High-Tech Crime Technology
(LISTEN NOW)
It's the amazing story of an invention that could change the face of Japanese crime. Even though Japan is considered to be very safe, there are those times when you find yourself being pursued by an unsavory character.
But now, there's a new invention for women who are on the run. When life is fine, it's just a skirt...but when you need to hide, it magically becomes a vending machine, allowing you to blend into the background, leaving your pursuer befuddled.
Well, it seems that the New York Times ran with the story, expressing amazement at the Japanese mindset that would conjure up such a device. Of course, if they would have googled the inventor, they would have discovered that she was an artist who had developed the vending machine several years ago as an art project, not a crime-fighting device. But I guess they didn't want the facts to get in the way of a good story.
Check out the video below to see the vending machine skirt in action.
Skirt transforms into vending machine
Skirt transforms into vending machine
Runtime: 0:40
948 views
0 Comments:
Buy Amy's Book on Amazon!
Amy has written a wonderful book about Japan.
I bought this book as soon as it was available. I read it from cover to cover and enjoyed it immensely. It is definitely "not your typical" Japan guidebook. Instead of listing hotels and restaurants it helps with the everyday things people will encounter in Japan and how to laugh at them instead of finding them frustrating. It made me laugh again at things I encountered when traveling in Japan. I loved the book. It's the only travel book I have ever read from cover to cover.
Guidebook To Japan: What The Other Guidebooks Won't Tell You
Amazon Price: $20.95 (as of 07/09/2008)
Check Out Amy's Other Websites!
- Amy's JAPAN LITE Columns
- Read Amy's popular Japan Lite columns from The Japan Times.
- Amy's BALI LITE Columns
- Amy also writes a column called Bali Lite for The Bali Times.
- Amy's Daily Moooo! Blog
- Keep up with what's going on in Amy's world on her popular blog.
- Amy's Moooo! Bar
- Visit Amy's really cool Moooo! Bar on the beach on Shiraishi Island.
- Amy's Dollar Bookstore
- The name says it all. Great e-books about Japan for only a dollar! What are you waiting for?
From the Files of Planet Japan
The Polite Way to Communicate With a Subway Groper
From Episode 122...(LISTEN NOW)
For a woman, riding on a crowded Japanese train can sometimes be an adventure, and not in a good way. The presence of "chikan," those men with the wandering hands, has resulted in such innovations as "women only" train cars.
But now, in a society famous for it politeness, technology has come to the rescue. Now, a woman who has been accosted need only reach into her bag and grab, not a can of mace, but her cellphone. A quick click will bring forth, in big bold print, messages designed to be thrust into the face of the asailant. Messages like..."Excuse me, did you just grope me?" or "Groping is a crime," or a polite invitation like, "Shall we head to the police?"
American women, who are more likely to use a knee than a cellphone in such a situation, may not entirely understand this approach. I guess time will tell if Japanese women see this as a viable alternative or just another useless feature on their "keitei."
Check Out Doug's Other Websites!
- Doug's Photography Collection
- Take a look at Doug's complete collection of (mostly) Japanese photographs.
- Doug's Facebook Page
- Get to know the "real" Doug on his Facebook
- Doug's Blog Critics Articles
- Read Doug's sometimes serious, sometimes silly slant on politics, religion, and culture.
- Doug's Associated Content Page
- Read more of Doug's articles, check out some photos, or even listen to some Planet Japan.
- The Yesteryear Museum
- Enjoy Doug's blog about all things nostalgic. Lots of very cool videos from the past.
- Nuts Dicks & Boobs
- When someone does something silly, stupid, or just plain dickish, Doug is there to point it out. Lots of great videos to prove his points.
Like Sex? Like Japan? We've got the Books for You!
Thanks for supporting Planet Japan!
Love Hotels: The Hidden Fantasy Rooms of Japan
Sex creates odd cultural conventions everywhere, but nowhere has an institution quite like the Japanese love hotel. To be rented by the hour for amorous liaisons, the theme rooms revealed in this provocative collection of photographs are steeped in fantasy, their elaborate d cor ranging from simulated subway cars to religious bondage with much kink in between.
Amazon Price: $29.20 (as of 07/09/2008)
Pink Box: Inside Japan's Sex Clubs
In Pink Box, photographer Joan Sinclair takes us on a journey inside the secret world of fuzoku (commercial sex) in Japan, a world where kawaii (cute) collides with consumerism and sex.
Amazon Price: $23.10 (as of 07/09/2008)
Secrets, Sex, and Spectacle: The Rules of Scandal in Japan and the United States
A leader of a global superpower is betrayed by his mistress, who makes public the sordid details of their secret affair. His wife stands by as he denies the charges. Debates over definitions of moral leadership ensue. Sound familiar? If you guessed Clinton and Lewinsky, try again. This incident involved former Japanese prime minister Sosuke Uno and a geisha.
Amazon Price: $36.00 (as of 07/09/2008)
Geisha, Harlot, Strangler, Star: A Woman, Sex, and Morality in Modern Japan (Asia Perspectives: History, Society, and Culture)
In a smart, compelling examination of the real-life basis of the classic film In the Realm of the Senses, Johnston presents Abe Sada, Japan's most notorious female criminal.
Amazon Price: $34.50 (as of 07/09/2008)
Great Movies About Japan on DVD
Memoirs of a Geisha (Widescreen Two-Disc Special Edition)
A Cinderella story set in a mysterious and exotic world, this stunning romantic epic shows how a house servant blossoms, against all odds, to become the most captivating geisha of her day. "... a visually stunning adaptation of Arthur Golden's best-selling novel." (Barry Caine, OAKLAND TRIBUNE)
Amazon Price: $14.99 (as of 07/09/2008)
Spirited Away
From one of the most celebrated filmmakers in the history of animated cinema comes the most acclaimed film of 2002. Hayao Miyazaki's latest triumph, filled with astonishing animation and epic adventure, is a dazzling masterpiece for the ages.
Amazon Price: $23.99 (as of 07/09/2008)
Howl's Moving Castle
In Hayao Miyazaki's latest animated masterpiece, journey beyond imagination and enter a "breathtaking fantasy world" (Kenneth Turan, Los Angeles Times) filled with adventure, humor and heart.
Amazon Price: $23.99 (as of 07/09/2008)
Japan: Memoirs of a Secret Empire
This excellent PBS documentary series consists of three parts of 1 hour each covering Japanese history from the arrival of the Portuguese in 1543 to the arrival of Perry and the Americans in 1854.
Amazon Price: $21.99 (as of 07/09/2008)
Rashomon - Criterion Collection
Brimming with action while incisively examining the nature of truth, Rashomon is perhaps the finest film ever to investigate the philosophy of justice.
Amazon Price: $29.99 (as of 07/09/2008)
From the Files of Planet Japan
Ken Tanaka Gets Busted...Or Does He?
(LISTEN NOW)
One of the more inventive series of videos on YouTube was produced by a Mr. Ken Tanaka, who posed as an American who had grown up in Japan, having been adopted by a Japanese family as a baby. Now, as an adult, he is in Los Angeles on a quest to find his birth parents.
The ruse elicited lots of sympathy from people who were moved by his plight, but someone finally blew his cover after seeing him in a commercial and telling the world that he was an actor whose real name was David Ury. The jig was up. But never one to give up, Ury produced another video in an attempt to explain the situation. In the video below, Ken Tanaka meets David Ury.
#13 Ken Tanaka meets David Ury. デビットユーリと田中けん＊出会い
In this video I call David Ury and go to his house. He is a very hansome man. I would like to thank everyone on youtube for making this meeting possible. The music is from a rights free music web site. I am sorry, for some reason comments are not working and when I press the allow comment button it says error. I hope this can be fixed soon.
Runtime: 4:14
11418 views
10 Comments:
Amy and Doug Heart Japan! Do You Heart Japan?
Thanks for supporting Planet Japan!
From the Files of Planet Japan
Learning English Doesn't Have to Be a Drag
It consists of 3 girls going through their daily workout while chanting the lines of a skit. So you can learn English and lose weight at the same time. Plus, in this particular video, you'll also learn some invaluable tips about what to do if you're attacked by a bad guy. It's the epitome of multi-tasking! Enjoy!
Beautiful Japan-Themed Greeting Cards
Thanks for supporting Planet Japan!
Amy and Doug's Favorite Japan Sites
Everything you always wanted to know about Japan
- Japundit Blog
- Japan - A whole lot more than raw fish!
- Metropolis Magazine
- Metropolis is Japan's No 1 English magazine.
- Japan Times Online
- The World's Window on Japan
- Mainichi Daily New: WaiWai
- All the juciest stories from Japan's tabloid magazines.
- Tokyo Times Blog
- Notes from a small group of Japanese islands
Amy and Doug's Favorite Japan Podcasts
When you're just too lazy to read...
- Japan Talk
- A very good podcast from the creator of "Japundit."
- JapanesePod101
- This show is a great way to learn Japanese.
- MetPod
- A comprehensive podcast about the goings-on in Tokyo, from Metropolis Magazine.
If Geishas are your Thing, We've got Things for You!
Thanks for supporting Planet Japan!
Wanna Be Famous? Sign the Guestbook and Tell Us What You Think!
What you really, really think...
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Rokusan
LOVE your lens! I surely missed out on a great opportunity when I neglected to add aerobic exercise to my English classes. Darn! So, next time, eh? Posted April 25, 2008 |
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CrypticFragments
Hi Doug and Amy! I LOVE JAPAN! (albeit the more quaint aspects of it I am rated you 5 stars and lensrolling you to my Japan-related lenses. I look forward to visitng your other sites too! Posted March 18, 2008 |
Two years ago Planet Japan introduced me to the world of podcasts, So thank you Amy and Doug for making my workdays bearable!
Alfredo from Miami Fl.
Posted January 25, 2008
I've been listening to your podcasts since 2005. As a former 4 year resident of Sasebo - U.S. Navy, I enjoy hearing about many of the places I visited and of the humor of life in Japan.
Clifford - St. Petersburg, Florida
Posted December 26, 2007
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DougDeLong
Hi Everyone! Thanks for stopping by our Squidoo Lens page. We hope you enjoy it and will pass it along to your friends! Thanks, also, to all our loyal Planet Japan listeners! You guys rock! Posted December 17, 2007 |
