Now and Zen Japan

Welcome to today’s episode! Our guest is the multi-talented Sean Nichols, whose career is as diverse as it is inspiring. Sean has captivated audiences as an entertainer on Japanese TV, performed as a Manzai stand-up comedian, and even served as the global representative for Japan's biggest YouTuber. He’s toured with Aerosmith and, most famously, broke barriers as the first—and only—foreigner to star in the Ultraman series during its 40-year history, playing "Sean White" in 50 episodes. In thi...

In this episode, we take a deep dive into the often-mystifying Japanese business practices that foreigners in Japan struggle to navigate. Intercultural facilitator Masafumi Otsuka sheds light on puzzling practices like "Why Japanese managers change jobs every three years" and "Why they always see the glass as half empty." Masa offers a logical breakdown of the periodic job rotation system and Japan’s risk-averse decision-making process. We also explore key cultural concepts that are often mis...

In this episode, I’m joined by Yuko Tamura, an award-winning writer on the Medium platform and editor of Japonica—the go-to publication for everything Japan. Yuko’s writing is a blend of "Fun Facts about Japan" and what she calls "a little rebellious essays" from Tokyo. We discuss some of her standout articles, including "The 3 Facts You Should Know Before Marketing to Japan." Yuko has a passion for cross-cultural topics and offers valuable advice for both Japanese and English speakers on how...

Now and Zen Japan is excited to welcome Mr. Ed Thompson, a Marketing Consultant and the founder of Concept Design. In this episode, we enjoy some beers while diving into Ed's over 20-year journey in Japan and his extensive career in marketing, branding, advertising, and academia. Ed has also been a lecturer at Temple University for more than 15 years. Known for his straightforward communication and strong opinions on marketing, Ed shares stories from his early days in Japan, including his exp...

This conversation is one of the most amazing I've had since starting Now and Zen Japan. This episode could certainly change your life. Especially if you suffer from unhealthy lifestyle habits. Prepare to be blown away by Kaki Okumura's wisdom, demeanor, and insight into well-being and nutrition. Kaki breaks down Japanese based wellness concepts through her "Four Essential Pillars to Healthy Living" in a very convincing and non-preachy way. She is a writer, an illustrator, a wellne...

Part 2 of my interview with author Robert Whiting about his recent best selling memoir "Tokyo Junkie" 60 years of bright lights, back alleys, and baseball. In this episode, Bob tells great stories about colorful foreign players and well-known Japanese baseball stars. Part 2, we talk mostly about the baseball stories from his memoir, but also get into the important story of how writing his first book "The Chrysanthemum and the Bat" completely changed his life. Together with episode #1 this is ...

I've been a devoted fan of Robert Whiting since I first read "Chrysanthemum and the Bat" in high school during the 1980s. After many critically acclaimed books, I had the opportunity to sit down with Bob to discuss his latest memoir, "Tokyo Junkie: 60 Years of Bright Lights and Back Alleys... and Baseball." In our conversation, Bob shares his firsthand insights into six decades of captivating, dangerous, bizarre, and heartfelt experiences, spanning from the first Olympics in 1964 to the curre...

Meshida, a former Japanese salaryman turned English language standup comedian, has spent the last ten years crafting his unique brand of comedy, delighting audiences in both Japan and the UK. Alongside his successful career as a standup, he's made a name for himself on YouTube, particularly for his humorous take on Japan's "pink" culture, while also exploring many other "wholesome" cultural topics. In our conversation, we delve into his journey to becoming a full-time comedian, the nuances be...

Have you ever fantasized about the ultimate luxury vacation in Japan? If so, Alex Debs is your go-to guy. As the founder of Hitotoki, the Luxury Travel Designer, Alex specializes in crafting luxurious travel experiences in Japan. In this episode, you'll get an inside look into the world of luxury travel planning, including the most challenging requests his team has faced. We'll discuss how he navigated the pandemic restrictions, the unique challenges of being a small, specialized agency, and ...

It's a truly inspiring chat with the incredibly positive and humble entrepreneur, Anthony Griffin. He's the brains behind Saga Consulting, a company dedicated to helping organizations and individuals share their stories with the world. They specialize in global communications, offering top-notch copywriting, digital marketing, and cross-cultural coaching. Anthony also pens insightful articles for Kokoro Media on LinkedIn, where he shares his passion for Japanese language learning and provides...

Discover the art of mastering public speaking, enhancing your presentation skills, and unraveling the secrets to impactful storytelling. Join Dr. Greg Story, the esteemed president of Dale Carnegie Japan and bestselling author of "Japan Sales Mastery" and "Japan Business Mastery," as he shares invaluable insights into successful sales techniques, post-COVID sales process shifts, and a myriad of topics explored in his books. In this engaging conversation, we delve into the question of whether ...

Meet a true Hospitality Professional. Mr. Matthias Sutter, the Rep. Director of Shangri-La Hotels Japan and the GM of the Shangri-La Hotel Tokyo. We discuss Japanese customer service, how different nationalities have different hospitality expectations, his two requirements for anyone to succeed in the hotel business, and how starting off in Food & Beverage helped craft his strong sense of hospitality. We also talk Trip Advisor, hotel rankings, and the guest comments he likes t...

The phrase "Do what you love and you never have to work another day in your life" fits Mac Salman perfectly. Mac left the finance industry and pursued his passions - Travel, Japan, and tasty spirits. We discuss his customized tour business Maction Planet where he has never conducted the same itinerary twice. Then his pivot to Kanpai Planet when the pandemic halted Japan tourism. We discuss these two businesses and life in Tokyo while we sample three "Japan Related" tequilas. Mac i...

Deanna Elstrom is a veteran brand marketer, brand strategist, and consumer insights specialist. She started her own consulting business, Somi Insights, three years ago where she combines her love of branding with a fascination of how culture influences human behavior. The Japanese consumer is a key area of Deanna's expertise where she led two major agencies before starting Somi Insights. We discuss the the Japanese name "Somi" which she coined, we learn the big difference between "insig...

Parissa Haghirian is an internationally renowned expert on Japanese Management and Leadership and a Professor of International Management at Sofia University. She is the author of 12 books on Japanese Management, Cross-Cultural topics, and Consumer Dynamics. We examine these as well as some cultural concepts from her latest book. We also discuss how Japanese management practice is uniquely different, successful Japanese corporate survival strategies and what foreign firms ca...

Jeff Crawford is the president of Zo Digital, a bi-lingual digital marketing agency he founded over seven years ago. He describes many of the mistakes foreign companies make when setting up their web presence in Japan and explains how to remedy these issues. What hidden gems can be discovered in your site analytics to improve eCom sales. Why Japanese sites are often so busy and loud. Simple and practical advise on how to increase traffic and improve conversion rates through "Authoritati...

Introducing the remarkable and iconic veteran of Tokyo, Timothy Langley. With an impressive track record of over 40 years in Japan, Timothy is the visionary founder of Japan's premier government and public consultancy firm, Langley Esquire. What sets Timothy apart is his groundbreaking achievement as the first foreigner to work in the Japan National Diet, collaborating closely with senior Japanese politicians. His expertise extends far and wide, having served as the top Legal and Government A...

Dive into the world of traditional Japanese sword making with craftsman Taro Asano. He is one of only a handful of practicing "Kajiya" (a person who forges Japanese swords / Katana) still in Japan. He also offers a workshop in English where people come to make their own custom-forged "Samurai knife". It's a unique once in a lifetime experience. We discuss all things Katana, how he became a Kajiya, his future plans - which include taking on a 20-year old American apprentice and creating a You-...

Award-winning broadcaster and radio host Guy Perryman. Guy's soothing and melodic voice has been heard throughout Japan for the past 30 years starting with the launch of Virgin Megastores in 1990 and then Tokyo's InterFM since 1997. In addition, he's a voice actor, event producer, and writer. He has DJ'd for British Royalty and interviewed 100's of world famous artists and businessmen from Paul McCartney and Sting to Richard Branson and designer Paul Smith. We discuss some ...

This episode we discuss fashion in Japan and premium dog food. Not two topics often mentioned in the same sentence, but very related to today's guest Mr. Loic Bizel. Loic started his own fashion consulting business in Tokyo nearly 30 years ago and runs two very successful fashion related websites (see links in the notes below). He was one of the co-founders of the fashion "flash sales" site Gladd.jp in 2009. He's referred to as a "Trendspotter" and "Cool Hunter" by the media and is considered...

This episode I speak with Brendhan Kelly, the Hospitality Communication Manager for the Tysons Group of restaurants. Tysons is most well known for Ivy Place, Cicada, Smokehouse, and the iconic TY Harbor Brewery in Tennozu Isle. If you have dinned at any of these restaurants you were most likely impressed with the unique level of personalized hospitality. This is a direct result of Brendhan's input and influence. We discuss Tysons brand of "Global Hospitality" and how he trains and imparts thi...

This episode I sit down with Katsura Sunshine, the only Western Rakugo Master Storyteller in the world and only the 2nd in the history of traditional Japanese Rakugo. He shares his fascinating journey from Canadian playwright and musical producer to Master Japanese Rakugo Storyteller. We dive into the details of his three-year apprenticeship, the hardships and rewards. How he became an international Rakugo ambassador not only on Off-Broadway but around the world. Toward the end of the p...

I’ve been doing the Now and Zen podcast for exactly 3 years. That’s 80 episodes with many great guests, wonderful stories, fascinating insights, and I’m often asked, who was my favorite guest. That’s a lot like asking a parent, who their favorite child is, it’s obviously a tough choice and one best not publicly announced. However I can say one of my favorite episodes was number #48 from October 2021 with Kaki Okumura. So it’s with much pleasure that I introduce today’s guest, once...

This episode I speak with Joseph Delmastro, the author of Cultured Gaijin. It’s a unique book set in 1970s Japan about what happens when Joseph, an airman stationed in Tokyo, breaks free from expectations and fully embraces Japan’s traditional way of living and loving. However it’s much more than just a memoir, it’s also a travelog, a cultural and Japanese language reference guide, and it’s also a love story in more ways than one. You will hear all about the motivation behind wri...

Have you ever thought about working for a Japanese company in Japan, but were turned off by all the stories of long hours, low pay, slow career path, no incentives for performance, archaic hierarchy rule setting, social drinking requirements and more? Then this episode is for you. Alvin Tan is here to discuss his recent controversial article on Medium titled “Why More Foreigners in Japan Should Work for Japanese Companies, Six reasons why you should consider working for one”. It ...

This episode we deep-dive into well-know, but often misunderstood Japanese culture topics with Kiyoshi Matsumoto. Kiyoshi is the author of the book “Japan Unmasked, Understanding Japan and its people”. Kiyoshi is Japanese but has lived outside Japan for 33 years working in the travel industry. During this time he has spend countless hours explaining Japanese culture to his foreign guests and realized there are a lot of common misconceptions about Japan and the Japanese. He wrote J...

Drinking wine should be a relaxing event and lifestyle enhancer, at least this is how Swirl co-founder Federico Fanelli views it. Originally from Italy, Federico came to Japan on a mission to introduce the wine lifestyle to Japanese. After a few years selling wine B2B, he together with his co-founder started Swirl, an online wine subscription service. Swirl is a very user friendly website incorporating gamification, fun navigation, and a super easy searchable wine cellar with over 140 wines f...

This episode you will hear from Dominic Carter, an expert on Japan market entry, market research, and branding. Dominic shares great insight, knowledge, and current research results, for anyone working in Japan or looking to expand into Japan needs to hear. You will learn the 3 Golden Rules for Japan market entry success, the 4 Marco Trends shaping modern Japan, as well as numerous great quotes about how to succeed in the Japanese market. This is must listen to anyone doing business in ...

Sean Nichols has been an entertainer on Japanese TV, a Manzai stand-up comedian, the global representative for Japan's biggest YouTuber, went on tour with Aerosmith, but is most famous for his starring role in the Ultraman series - the only foreigner to ever appear in the 40 year history of the franchise. This episode he discusses the dream journey from watching Ultraman on TV as a child, to becoming "Sean White" for 50 episodes. Sean talks about the Japanese entertainment industr...

This updated and re-released episode we get into Hospitality and Retail with professional sales and leadership trainer Masako Yamamura. We discuss Omotenashi possibly leading to world peace, Bartenders are the most fun hospitality people, Commissions and culturally why Japanese avoid the system , Fortune-tellers, and the numerous differences and similarities between the retail and hospitality industries in Japan. Other highlights from our conversation: What the hospitality i...

Have you ever considered opening your own bar, cafe, or restaurant in Japan? It seems daunting and bureaucratic doesn't it? On this episode you will hear just how simple it can be. I speak with William Ryan, the founder of Japan Hospitality Consultants (JHC), and the owner of the An Solas Irish Pub in Yoyogi. William has been running Irish pubs in Tokyo for over 20 years and started his own pub in 2014. With this proven track record he started JHC two years ago when he realized th...

A topic near and dear to my interests and business: Retail in Japan. Specifically the Outlet Mall industry. This episode we hear from Julien Rey, the Leasing Director for the Outlet! Company. Japan already has numerous outlet malls and Julien explains how his company is differentiating and innovating in this competitive market. The fascinating quantitative and psychological factors behind mall layout, location, and loyalty. The politics of space allocation, the strategies malls us...

This is a deep-dive into those mystifying Japanese business practices foreigners in Japan often struggle with. Intercultural Facilitator Masafumi Otsuka explains the frustrating Japanese business practice of "Why Japanese mangers change jobs every 3 years", and "Why they always see the glass as half empty". The periodic job rotation system and the risk adverse decision process is logically explained by Masa. This episode is filled with many cultural Japanese business concept...

Connecting International Curiosity with Japanese Content with 34-year Japan entrepreneur Ruth Jarman. She is the founder of Jarman International and the author of six books in Japanese. We talk about these books, this content, and where her passion for Japan comes from. We also discuss "Reading the Air" and other non-verbal conversation traits in Japan, her top 3 cultural reasons Japanese are uniquely wonderful, and how her new corporate partner is helping solve the nightmare for foreigners t...

It's passionate travel stories from rural Japan, fascinating historical story-telling, and insightful cultural observations with Diane Tincher. Diane has been in Japan for 35 years, lived in Kagoshima for 26 years, has 8 children, and is the owner of the must-see website "More than Tokyo". She is a prolific writer of little known historical stories she has researched in Japanese, an accomplished tour guide for Walk Japan, and her knowledge of Japanese history, folklore, and idyll...

Serial entrepreneur Tyson Batino, founder of three businesses in Japan including the successful English school chain One Coin English, is the guest this episode. His latest business is 'Scaling Your Company' where he advises and coaches small business owners how to scale their business 5x to 100x! We talk about his start in Japan, how three mentors changed his career and his business life. Tyson even shares the best two pieces of advise from these mentors about working in Japan.&n...

If you are a regular listener to Now and Zen, you'll know many of my fascinating guests are non-Japanese living in Japan. So it's always fun to have a bi-cultural Japanese guest on the show and hear their insights and perspectives. This episode I speak with Yuko Tamura, she is an award-winning writer on the Medium platform and the editor of Japonica - the publication for everything Japan. She describes her writing as Fun Facts about Japan and "a little Rebellious essays" from Tokyo.&nbs...

This episode I step outside my comfort zone and talk about investing with Alternative Investment Specialist Frank Packard. Specifically we discuss Passion Investing, things like art, watches, and fine wine. What are the opportunities and what are the risks. Do you have a collection of something which might be worth a lot of money? Then you know It's not just about portfolio diversification, but also about the joy of ownership. Frank is really interesting, he was actual...

A very entertaining conversation all about the Italian pasta business in Japan. This episode you meet Nikhil Gupte the Managing Director for Barilla Japan. Barilla is a 145 year old family owned Italian food company and Nikhil is responsible for introducing their traditions, values, and world famous pasta to the Japanese market. What happens when Italian authenticity comes up against Japanese Wafu style pasta recipes? Why Barilla's packaging is unique only to Japan? How has ...

I thought it might be a challenge to interview my old friend David Clement. After-all we both grew up in the same small town and have known each other in Japan for over 20 years. However, his wisdom, Japan insight, and most of all, his entertaining stories make this a very fascinating episode. 22 years in B2B sales working with the biggest names in Japan and now the country manager for a "perfect start-up" in Japan. How does one make this big transition? David shares three riveting stor...

Fascinating innovations are happening in the food & beverage industry around the world and Ugo Bataillard is introducing them to Japan. Ugo is the Founder and CEO of GourmetPro, a startup which began as a Japan market-entry consulting company for foreign food and beverage companies. After a successful 1st year of having too much business, GourmetPro shifted their business model to focus more on plant and cell based foods, sustainability, and other innovations in food and beverage.&n...

Cynthia Usui becomes the 1st ever return guest to the podcast. Less than a year ago, Cynthia was surviving as a part-time supermarket cashier after losing her high profile job, and now, she is the Japan Country manager for a new chain of small hotels in Tokyo! LOF Hotels. Once again Cynthia has reinvented herself. This episode you will hear this amazing story, why she initially turned down the hotel offer, how she's using her personal brand as a marketing tool, what is the busines...

Now and Zen Japan welcomes Mr. Ed Thompson, a Marketing Consultant and the founder of Concept Design. This episode we share beers and talk about his 20+ years in Japan and professional career in marketing, branding, advertising, and academia. He has also been a lecturer at Temple University for over 15 years. Ed is a straight talker and has strong opinions when it comes to the business of marketing. We discuss his early years in Japan getting beat up with bamboo sticks everyday, working with ...

This episode is an entertaining and stimulating conversation with a forward-thinking, self-described "Evangelist" for for Digital Transformation in Japan, Mr. Evan Berkosky. Before you decide to tune-out because "Digital Transformation" sounds unexciting, Hold On! Evan makes this topic both insightful and relevant and shares his ideas on how he would initiate quick wins to transform Japan digital landscape if he were to hypothetically, be appointed to the newly created...

This episode I have an entertaining conversation with an old friend of mine. Yukie Kito is an award winning movie producer with over 20 films to her credit. This is really an "insiders" episode where we talk about her life, challenges, and successes as an independent producer and really gain a lot of insight into the Japanese film industry: What has happened to creativity and how some missteps have allowed S. Korea to become Asia's entertainment powerhouse. She talks about some great me...

It's time to get your motor running and head out to the highway. This episode I speak with the president of Ducati Japan Mr. Mats Lindstrom. You do not need to be a "bike guy" or a "gear-head" to enjoy this conversation with Mats. We chat about "Empowerment" in Japan, his unique strategy and reasons for conducting management meetings in English, and his biggest takeaways from days at IKEA when he arrived in Japan to set up the first stores in 2005. Of course we also talk about the...

This episode we are treated to a wonderful conversation with an amazing woman who continues to have a fascinating life. Karen Hill Anton discusses her memoir "The View from Breast Pocket Mountain". Published in late 2020 the book has received numerous literary awards and has a 5 start rating from Amazon. We talk about her motivation behind writing her 1st book, she offers solid advise for anyone contemplating a memoir, dive into some of the back stories and highlights from her boo...

The phrase "Do what you love and you never have to work another day in your life" fits Mac Salman perfectly. Mac left the finance industry and pursued his passions - Travel, Japan, and tasty spirits. We discuss his customized tour business Maction Planet where he has never conducted the same itinerary twice. Then his pivot to Kanpai Planet when the pandemic halted Japan tourism. We discuss these two businesses and life in Tokyo while we sample three "Japan Related" tequilas. Mac i...

Meshida is an ex-Japanese salaryman turned English language standup comedian. For the past eight years Meshida has been performing his style of comedy in both Japan and the UK. In addition he is a successful YouTuber, mostly known for his comedic commentary on Japan's "pink" culture despite his many other "wholesome" cultural topics. We discuss why he decided to become a full-time standup comedian, the difference between Japanese and Western humor, stories from the stage, how much...

This conversation is one of the most amazing I've had since starting Now and Zen Japan. This episode could certainly change your life. Especially if you suffer from unhealthy lifestyle habits. Prepare to be blown away by Kaki Okumura's wisdom, demeanor, and insight into well-being and nutrition. Kaki breaks down Japanese based wellness concepts through her "Four Essential Pillars to Healthy Living" in a very convincing and non-preachy way. She is a writer, an illustrator, a wellne...

It's a real feel-good conversation with uber positive and incredibly humble entrepreneur Anthony Griffin. He is the founder of Saga Consulting where he "helps organizations and individuals tell their story to the world". It's global communications through excellent copy-writing, digital marketing, and cross-cultural coaching. Anthony often writes insightful and though-provoking articles for Kokoro Media on LinkedIn. He is especially passionate about Japanese language learni...

We all miss traveling, and this episode I get to speak with long-time, airline professional, Don Bunkenburg. Don is the Senior Director in Japan for the Lufthansa Group. Which includes Swiss Airlines, Austrian Airlines, and Germany's Lufthansa. We talk about how Lufthansa competes in the Japan market renowned for its level of service and hospitality, the "No risk culture" similarities between Germany and Japan, how each airline in the group tailors their service offering to reflec...

Frank Foley is a charismatic 30-year Japan professional with a deep understanding of character licensing, content marketing, and IP management. He was the country manager for Guinness World Records Japan where he successfully shifted the business model from wacky and crazy to a more Japan focused local strategy. Even participating in the record-setting worlds largest beef skewer event. Frank has represented IP entertainment brands from the Rolling Stones and Ariana Grande to children's ...

Part 2 of my interview with author Robert Whiting about his recent best selling memoir "Tokyo Junkie" 60 years of bright lights, back alleys, and baseball. In this episode, Bob tells great stories about colorful foreign players and well-known Japanese baseball stars. Part 2, we talk mostly about the baseball stories from his memoir, but also get into the important story of how writing his first book "The Chrysanthemum and the Bat" completely changed his life. Together with episode #1 this is ...

I have been a big fan of Robert Whiting ever since I read "Chrysanthemum and the Bat" back in high school in the 1980's. Numerous, critically acclaimed books later, I sit down with Bob to discuss his latest book, a memoir, "Tokyo Junkie" 60 Years of Bright Lights and Back Alleys . . . and baseball. We discuss his firsthand insights into six decades of entertaining, dangerous, bizarre, and heartfelt experiences sandwiched between the 1st Olympics in 1962 to the current 2021 games. This ...

This episode is #40, and the content is a little different from the past 39 episodes in that today's guest is . . . myself. It's actually a re-purposed podcast from Dr. Greg Story's "Japan's Top Business Interviews" podcast. I was a guest on his show in early 2021 and took that content and edited it to use for this Now and Zen's 40th episode. The original podcast (thus this episode) we discussed my 30 year journey from department store buyer to helping everybody...

Have you ever dreamed of an ultimate luxury vacation in Japan? If so, then Alex Debs is your man. He is the founder of Hitotoki, the Luxury Travel Designer. This episode you will hear all the intimate details of luxury travel planning in Japan including the most demanding request his team was tasked with. We find out how he has been coping despite the restrictions imposed by the pandemic, the struggles as a small & specialized agency and dealing with the large Japa...

Parissa Haghirian is an internationally renowned expert on Japanese Management and Leadership and a Professor of International Management at Sofia University. She is the author of 12 books on Japanese Management, Cross-Cultural topics, and Consumer Dynamics. We examine these as well as some cultural concepts from her latest book. We also discuss how Japanese management practice is uniquely different, successful Japanese corporate survival strategies and what foreign firms ca...

A fascinating look into the on-line gaming business in Japan with Aiko Smith, the CEO of Aloha Shark Casino. Aiko has more than 15 years experience in this exciting industry and is one of the pioneers in the Japanese on-line casino market. This episode you will hear how Aloha Shark localizes their site for Japanese players, learn about on-line casino’s “Payout Percentage” and how this compares to other forms of gambling in Japan. How the potential future legalization of land casinos in Japan ...

Everything you ever wanted to know about the grocery & convenience store business in Japan with Haribo Japan President, Paul Craft. He is an expert on Japan's packaged consumer goods market. Paul started his Japan career 13 years ago with Starbucks Japan, then launched HoneyBaked Ham (their first ever foreign expansion), and has been the country manager for Haribo Japan since 2018. We discuss the production of a localized Haribo TV commercial with real Sumo wrestlers, inside i...

Jeff Crawford is the president of Zo Digital, a bi-lingual digital marketing agency he founded over seven years ago. He describes many of the mistakes foreign companies make when setting up their web presence in Japan and explains how to remedy these issues. What hidden gems can be discovered in your site analytics to improve eCom sales. Why Japanese sites are often so busy and loud. Simple and practical advise on how to increase traffic and improve conversion rates through "Authoritati...

Neil Butler is a 40-year Tokyo veteran and CEO / Publisher of Metropolis Magazine. Neil is well-known in Japan from his successful 13 year stint with Australian Meat & Livestock where he coined the catch-phrase "Aussie Beef" and you will hear this great marketing success story during this episode. However for the past 13 years, he has been the driving force behind the free Tokyo magazine Metropolis and its on-line version. Neil talks about his numerous challenges he has faced in the...

Katheryn Gronauer is the founder of Thrive Tokyo. She is a cross-cultural trainer and business coaching entrepreneur based in Tokyo. We speak about the most common cultural frustrations newcomers to Japan face and how she helps them overcome these challenges. As a young entrepreneur, discuss self-branding and how she markets her services, how her early start in health coaching led to the beginnings for Thrive Tokyo, an in-depth analysis of Japanese communication styles and why th...

Learn how to become a confident public speaker, a more effective presenter, and the formula for influential story-telling. Dr. Greg Story is the president of Dale Carnegie Japan and the best-selling author of "Japan Sales Mastery" and "Japan Business Mastery". We discuss successful sales techniques and how the sales process will change post COVID and other topics from his books. We debate if his six different podcasts is "too much content", and Greg tells stories of true-life experience...

Deanna Elstrom is a veteran brand marketer, brand strategist, and consumer insights specialist. She has recently launched her own company called Somi Insights, where she combines her love of branding with a fascination of how culture influences human behavior. Japanese consumers is a key area of Deanna's expertise as she led two major agencies during the past seven years in Japan. We discuss the the Japanese name "Somi" which she coined, we learn the big difference between "insights" an...

Eric D'Ignazio is a 14-year Japan hospitality veteran who's resume includes InterContinental Hotels and the The Accor Group. Eric has spent his entire professional life working in Japan and has had a very non-traditional hotel career path where he eventually became Representative Director at Accor for seven years. It seems his destiny was to work in hospitality as he got his start as a child working at his grandfather's Italian restaurant in Philadelphia. Eric recants the training and c...

Dive into the world of traditional Japanese sword making with craftsman Taro Asano. He is one of only a handful of practicing "Kajiya" (a person who forges Japanese swords / Katana) still in Japan. He also offers a workshop in English where people come to make their own custom-forged "Samurai knife". It's a unique once in a lifetime experience. We discuss all things Katana, how he became a Kajiya, his future plans - which include taking on a 20-year old American apprentice and creating a You-...

Meet a true Hospitality Professional. Mr. Matthias Sutter, the Rep. Director of Shangri-La Hotels Japan and the GM of the Shangri-La Hotel Tokyo. We discuss Japanese customer service, how different nationalities have different hospitality expectations, his two requirements for anyone to succeed in the hotel business, and how starting off in Food & Beverage helped craft his strong sense of hospitality. We also talk Trip Advisor, hotel rankings, and the guest comments he likes t...

An amazing and iconic Tokyo veteran - Timothy Langley. With over 40 years experience in Japan, Timothy is the founder of Japan's premier government & public consultancy Langley Esquire. Most unique about Timothy, he was the first foreigner to work in the Japan National Diet working alongside many senior Japanese politicians. In addition he has served as top Legal & Gov't Affairs Specialist for Apple Computer (Japan), General Counsel to General Motors (Japan) and dire...

Award-winning broadcaster and radio host Guy Perryman. Guy's soothing and melodic voice has been heard throughout Japan for the past 30 years starting with the launch of Virgin Megastores in 1990 and then Tokyo's InterFM since 1997. In addition, he's a voice actor, event producer, and writer. He has DJ'd for British Royalty and interviewed 100's of world famous artists and businessmen from Paul McCartney and Sting to Richard Branson and designer Paul Smith. We discuss some ...

Japan veteran and savvy businessman Seth Sulkin. He is the founder of Pacifica Capital an international hotel developer and operator. He has also recently become a disruptor in the restaurant food delivery business with the launch of his new gourmet restaurant food delivery app Food-e. In this episode we learn all about this booming industry, why before Food-e high-end restaurants couldn't or wouldn't join delivery apps, and the innovations which convinced these reputable restaurants to...

This episode we discuss fashion in Japan and premium dog food. Not two topics often mentioned in the same sentence, but very related to today's guest Mr. Loic Bizel. Loic started his own fashion consulting business in Tokyo nearly 30 years ago and runs two very successful fashion related websites (see links in the notes below). He was one of the co-founders of the fashion "flash sales" site Gladd.jp in 2009. He's referred to as a "Trendspotter" and "Cool Hunter" by the media and is considered...

This episode I speak with Cynthia Usui. Author of Eight things Full-time Housewives Should do Before Entering the Workforce . After 17 years as a stay-at-home mom, Cynthia successfully re-launched her career and quickly rose to the managerial ranks. She now coaches housewives who want to return to the workforce, how to follow in her footsteps. Cynthia shares many tips and much wisdom from her amazing journey "from Mother to Management". Other highlights from our conversation...

This episode I speak with Brendhan Kelly, the Hospitality Communication Manager for the Tysons Group of restaurants. Tysons is most well known for Ivy Place, Cicada, Smokehouse, and the iconic TY Harbor Brewery in Tennozu Isle. If you have dinned at any of these restaurants you were most likely impressed with the unique level of personalized hospitality. This is a direct result of Brendhan's input and influence. We discuss Tysons brand of "Global Hospitality" and how he trains and imparts thi...

This episode I welcome back Mike Howard. It has been seven months since we first met on this podcast to promote his just published book "The Salaryman". Since then, there have been a lot of changes in Mike's life - many good, some negative, and one huge life altering decision. Mike discusses these developments as they relate to his book. This episode was spontaneous as we had originally planned to just meet for a "farewell" drink (spoiler alert) but we ended up recording and it became p...

This episode I sit down with Dominic Carter, an expert on Japan market entry, market research, and branding. Dominic shares great insight, knowledge, and current research results, for anyone working in Japan or looking to expand into Japan needs to hear. Today you hear his 3 Golden Rules for Japan market entry success, the 4 Marco Trends shaping modern Japan, as well as numerous great quotes about how to succeed in the Japanese market. This is must listen to anyone doing business in Jap...

This episode I speak with Mary Reisel. Mary is an applied anthropologist, who has lived in Japan for nearly 20 years. Her main area of expertise is consumer psychology. She is also a PhD. candidate from Meiji Gakuin University and her dissertation is on Japanese "Enjyo Kosai" also known as Compensated Dating and how it applies to consumption and E-Commerce. After ten years of researching this controversial subject, she explains how sexuality, intimacy, and desire are not only closely li...

This episode I sit down with Katsura Sunshine, the only Western Rakugo Master Storyteller in the world and only the 2nd in the history of traditional Japanese Rakugo. He shares his fascinating journey from Canadian playwright and musical producer to Master Japanese Rakugo Storyteller. We dive into the details of his three-year apprenticeship, the hardships and rewards. How he became an international Rakugo ambassador not only on Off-Broadway but around the world. Toward the end of the p...

This episode I sit down with Jared Campion the co-founder of Dream Drive, a customized Camper Van rental company. Only a little over one-year old, Dream Drive is seeing its business expand exponentially despite the current situation. How did the original idea for Dream Drive come about and what were the many hurdles in Japan for a foreigner to start a customized rental van company in Japan. Despite extremely high capital investment for a niche Japanese market, Jared's dream for Dream D...

This episode I continue my conversation with Tim Sullivan. Specifically, he talks about the hundreds of cross-cultural training seminars he conducted for Hawaiian Airlines prior to their launching Japan flights. It's full of great anecdotes and amazing cultural insight. We also discuss the Japanese apology, and how he moulds his rule-breaking ways to fit accepted Japanese norms. This is a short episode and well worth a listen: Quality over quantity for sure. gugu Sleep Company: https://...

This episode I sit down with cross-cultural educator Mr. Tim Sullivan. He’s a very down to earth and culturally astute ambassador for Japan and foreign relations. His excellent Japan understanding comes from his study of cultural anthropology and Japanese story-telling Rakugo. For his corporate seminars he uses a storytelling approach vs. academic speak and on this episode he tells us numerous educational and entertaining stories including of his experience as a corporate mediator between war...

This "remote "episode I sit down with Omotenashi Consultant Paul Willis. Didn't know this was an actual job? Neither did I, which is why I was very interested to speak with Paul. "Omotenashi" has become a buzz word in Japan and internationally ever since Tokyo was selected to host the 2020 Olympics, and is the cornerstone of why Japanese hospitality is considered the best in the world. Paul has extensively researched Omotenashi, the background, culturally where it derives from, and has constr...

This episode I sit down with the ultimate Kagoshima spokesperson Alex Bradshaw. It's rare to meet a foreigner so personally invested in any specific region of Japan. His knowledge of history, traditions, and the ability to weave these stories into a tourism proposition is amazing! He is currently Head of Overseas Business for the award-winning, World Heritage site Sengan-en and an advisor to the Government of Kagoshima. How he manages these two roles make up the crux of our interesting conver...

This episode I share craft beers with Andrew Silberman, Chief Enthusiast of the Advanced Management Training Group and author of the book "Get a G.R.I.P." The Global Readiness Improvement Plan. With nearly 30 years of corporate training in Tokyo focused on coaching, leadership, and presentations, he is a very riveting guest. We share some super insightful topics and a lot of laughs. It's another podcast from the Ivy Place in Daikanyama and the best 40 minute investment you will make today. Ot...

This episode we get the low-down on all things subculture in Japan with Mr. Brett Bull. Brett is the founder of Tokyo Reporter, an English language website focused on salacious and scandalous news from Japan. It's not all cherry blossoms and sushi, get the background on why and how he started Tokyo Reporter and many other stories from the underbelly of Japan. We share craft beers at Ivy Place in Daikanyama. Other topics we get into: How he originally got started reporting Japanese scand...

This episode I continue my discussion and sharing of IPA's with Dr. David Sweet. David is 20-year Japan resident, a sales superstar, best selling author, serial entrepreneur, certified business coach, and one of the best recruiters I know in Japan. We are at the Oak Door, located in the Grand Hyatt in Roppongi. In this part 2 of 2 episodes, we share entertaining stories about business life in Japan. Some highlights include: Discuss his 33 recommended books every sales person should read...

This episode is a follow-up with 32-year Japan entrepreneur Ruth Jarman. She is the founder of Jarman International, and the author of six books in Japanese. We focus on two of her books: "33 Reasons Japanese should be Proud" and "39 Reasons Japanese are Great" and discuss some of these reasons including her Top 3. We dive into some cultural analysis complete with personal experience and stories. She is full of infectious energy and passion and together we share many laughs, unique insi...

This episode I sit down with 32-year Japan entrepreneur Ruth Jarman. She is the founder of Jarman International, a company assisting Japanese destinations and organizations connect with foreign visitors through customized marketing, curated business strategies, and training programs to help them grow and globalize. Or as Ruth likes to say "helping Japan ease into the international age". She is full of infectious energy and passion, and has a lot of great stories. Together we share many laughs...

This episode I chat with Timothy Connor, a successful, long-term Japan resident. His absence of imbibing proves that drinking beers is NOT required of any guest on Business & Beers. Nonetheless, we discuss in-depth, retail in Japan and how his business Synnovate, specifically his new concept "Responsive" is helping companies adopt a more customer-centric focus through improved customer experience. Timothy believes the future of retail is the customer as the point of sale. It's...

This episode I sit down with one of the sharpest Japan inter-culturally minded people I've ever met. Rochelle Kopp is a Japanese business culture expert and cross-cultural communications specialist and is the founder and Managing Principal of Japan Intercultural Consulting. We share drinks and eye-(ear)-opening facts and stories about Japanese business norms. Its another podcast from the Grand Hyatt's Oak Door bar. Just give the first 5min a listen, I'm sure you will want to continue to the e...

Originally from Bavaria, it was not coincidental that Chris and I shared "German" beers at the new and increasingly popular beer restaurant Schmatz for this conversation. Chris Thoma is an amazing guy with amazing stories, and he loves to tell them. Chris first came to Japan as a professional at age 25 working for the German hair care company Wella. Between then and 2018 when he retired, he held the position of President Japan for both Triumph (Ladies underwear not the motor...

This episode I sit down with Michael Howard to discuss his new book "The Salaryman". A humorous, manga-illustrated memoir from an American who tried and failed (?) to fit into Japanese office culture for almost a decade. We discuss some of the back stories from his book and analyze the reasons Japanese salaryman culture is the way it is. He is a great writer and a good story-teller as well. Together we fall into the U.S.-Japan business culture gap over beers (and margaritas) at Hacienda...

This episode we get into Hospitality and Retail with professional sales and leadership trainer Masako Yamamura. We discuss Omotenashi, Bartenders, Commissions, Fortune-tellers, Gin . . . and the numerous differences and similarities between the retail and hospitality industries in Japan. We are at the NAMIKI667 Bar at the Hyatt Centric in Ginza where the staff were a bit scared to wait on us. They might need some of Masako's awesome training. Some other highlights from...

If you are interested in Brand Marketing you will love this episode of Business & Beers. I sit down for beers (and martinis) with marketing guru Mr. Per Rasmussen. For the past 30 years, Per has been either, head of marketing or president of four major European consumer goods companies in Japan. At both Lego and T-fal he solidified his legacy as a marketing genius by creating a famous TV commercial jingle (#3 Law of the mind), launching a new (still market leading) produ...

This episode I share IPA's with Dr. David Sweet. David is 20-year Japan resident, a sales superstar, best selling author, serial entrepreneur, certified business coach, and one of the best recruiters I know in Japan. We are at the Oak Door, located in the Grand Hyatt in Roppongi. In this part one of two episodes, we share entertaining stories about business life in Japan. Some highlights include: Pearls of wisdom from his book "Sweet Sales" (over 20k copies sold)Examples of ...