App Store

Google Play

Details page - Device banner - 894x1036

Step into an infinite world of stories

Listen and read

The Japan Times

Looking beneath the surface of Japan.

We talk to Japan Times journalists and guests about current events and trends in Japan.

Deep Dive from The Japan Times

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 and produced by Dave Cortez.

On this episode: 

Shaun McKenna: Articles | Twitter | Instagram

Alex K.T. Martin: Articles | Twitter 

Read/watch more: 

 • 
Tracing Tokyo’s hidden rivers • (Alex K.T. Martin, The Japan Times)

 • 
Tokyo’s hidden rivers • (The Japan Times YouTube channel)

 • 
The complications in digging up Tokyo’s ancient past • (Alex K.T. Martin, The Japan Times)

 • 
Tokyo underground: Exploring what lies beneath the world largest city • (Alex K.T. Martin, The Japan Times)

 • 
Why half of Japan’s cities are at risk of disappearing in 100 year • (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, and don’t forget to follow us on X! 

Photo: A person walks among thegiant columns supporting the Metropolitan Area Outer Underground Discharge Channel in Saitama Prefecture. | JOHAN BROOKS

193: Tokyo underground: The city beneath our feet

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 and produced by Dave Cortez.

On this episode: 

Shaun McKenna: Articles | Twitter | Instagram

Thu-Huong Ha: Articles | Twitter | Instagram

Read more: 

 • 
Why is the most exciting art in Japan so hard to get to? • (Thu-Huong Ha, The Japan Times)

 • 
A list of Japan's remote art sites • (Thu-Huong Ha, The Japan Times)

 • 
Sixteen hours in Marina Abramovic’s nightmare hotel • (Thu-Huong Ha, The Japan Times)

 • 
Japan’s birth rate hit new low in 2023 • (Kanako Takahara, The Japan Times)

 • 
Tokyo government to launch dating app in bid to boost birth rate • (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, and don’t forget to follow us on X! 

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

192: The sweaty pleasure of Japan’s inconvenient art

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 and produced by Dave Cortez.

On this episode:

Shaun McKenna: Articles | X 

Chris Russell: Articles | X

Read more: 

 • 
Hearing the impact of climate change in Okinawa, one bird at a time • (Chris Russell, The Japan Times)

 • 
Yen rebounds strongly after first slide past ¥160 since 1990 • (Bloomberg, Reuters)

 • 
Weary of overtourism, Japan town blocks one popular view of Mount Fuji • (Caroline Gardin, AFP-JIJI)

 • 
Many COVID experts in Japan harassed after speaking to media, survey shows • (Tomoko Otake, The Japan Times)

 • 
The politicians moving Japan forward on climate change • (Eric Margolis, The Japan Times)

 • 
Why half of Japan’s cities are at risk of disappearing in 100 years • (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, and don’t forget to follow us on X! 

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

191: What does climate change sound like?

With an increase in tourists heading to these parts, some may be wondering if Japan is a safe destination for those with disabilities. If you’re concerned, Josh Grisdale from the website Accessible Japan is here to help. Check out this past interview with him on everything from accessibility in Tokyo to dealing with trains and the country’s shifting attitudes. 

Hosted by Shaun McKenna and produced by Dave Cortez.

Read more: 

Accessible Japan
 • 
Breaking down barriers • (Andrew McKirdy, The Japan Times)

 • 
Tokyo named among the world’s best destinations for disabled travelers • (William Lang, The Japan Times)

 • 
Behind the push to improve universal access in Japan • (Mara Budgen, The Japan Times)

 • 
New film honors life and legacy of disability pioneer Mark Bookman • 

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, and don’t forget to follow us on X!

Photo: From easily navigable train stations to the helpfulness of its municipal staff, Tokyo has earned high praise for its commitment to accessibility for disabled travelers. | REUTERS

Japan is doing better on accessibility than you think

We are revisiting some past content on the science, economics and culture of cherry blossom season. Most importantly, we talk about some of the best spots to check them out in the Tokyo and Osaka areas. 

Hosted by Shaun McKenna and produced by Dave Cortez.

Read more: 

 • 
In Japan, cherry blossom forecasting is a big deal. Warming is making it harder. • (Thu-Huong Ha, The Japan Times)

 • 
We invite you to get ready for this year’s cherry blossom parties • (Cassandra Lord, The Japan Times)

 • 
Toshio Katsuki: ‘The cherry blossoms have been my vehicle to find new relationships’ • (Himari Semans, The Japan Times)

 • 
Cherry blossoms are just as beautiful on a plate as a branch • (Elizabeth Andoh, The Japan Times)

 • 
Japan’s economy to bloom as hanami season kicks off • (Kathleen Benoza, The Japan Times)

 • 
Our guide to family hanami hot spots • (Jason Jenkins, 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, and don’t forget to follow us on X!

190: Sakura stories revisited: Getting in the mood for hanami

Three residents with foreign roots have filed a lawsuit claiming Japanese police officers routinely target visible minorities with searches. In this week’s episode, we speak with the lawyer and one plaintiff about what prompted them to bring the case forward and what they hope to achieve with it. 

Hosted by Shaun McKenna and produced by Dave Cortez.

On this episode:

Shaun McKenna: Articles | X 

Read more: 

 • 
Lawsuit filed in Tokyo over alleged racial profiling by police • (Karin Kaneko, The Japan Times)

 • 
Making Japanese history by being Black history • (Baye McNeil, The Japan Times)

 • 
Brazilian files discrimination suit • (Toshi Maeda, The Japan Times)

 • 
Racial profiling in Japan is prevalent but unseen, some residents say • (Victoria Kim and Hisako Ueno, The New York Times)

 • 
Lawsuit to end racially discriminatory police questioning • (
CALL4.jp • )

 • 
Stop racially discriminatory police questioning • (
change.org • )

 • 
How Shohei Ohtani mastered the media • (Jason Coskrey, The Japan Times)

 • 
How to be an all-star sports parent • (Mai Yoshikawa, The Japan Times)

 • 
Ohtani is taken. It’s enough to make you cry. • (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, and don’t forget to follow us on X! 

Motoki Taniguchi (left) and one of his clients, Maurice Shelton, hope their lawsuit can change alleged police practices involving stop-and-search. | LOUISE CLAIRE WAGNER

189: A lawsuit puts alleged racial profiling by police on trial in Japan

This week on Deep Dive, contributing writer and photographer Lance Henderstein reads us his article on traveling Okinawa during the rainy season. 

Hosted by Shaun McKenna and produced by Dave Cortez.

On this episode: 

Shaun McKenna: Articles | Twitter | Instagram

Lance Henderstein: Articles | Instagram | Threads

Read/Listen more: 

 • 
My annual pilgrimage to Okinawa • (Lance Henderstein, The Japan Times)

 • 
Akiko Mizuno: ‘Time moves forward. Photographers stop time.’ • (Lance Henderstein, 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, and don’t forget to follow us on Twitter! 

Photo: Aoi Suzuki’s son runs past a home in Taketomi on Iriomote Island (not to be confused with Taketomi Island, which lies to the east of Iriomote). The Suzukis run the Takemori Inn, one of the few hotels on Iriomote. | LANCE HENDERSTEIN

[Rebroadcast] Traveling Okinawa with a broken heart

At 12, Miku Narisawa experienced the Great East Japan Earthquake. The ensuing and tsunami destroyed her home. Instead of running from the ocean, however, she is now working to try to protect it through her Odyssey Nature Japan initiative. 

On this episode:

Miku Narisawa: Instagram | Odyssey Nature Japan

Read more/Listen more: 

 • 
After 3/11, an environment education rethink takes shape in Japan • (Francesco Bassetti, The Japan Times)

 • 
COP28, didn't the oceans deserve more attention? • (Miku Narisawa, The Japan Times)

 • 
Japan is about to release 1.3 million tons of Fukushima wastewater. Should we be concerned? • (Mara Budgen, Deep Dive from The Japan Times)

 • 
Anger at Fukushima’s wastewater; hope in its renewables • (Gabriele Ninivaggi, Anika Osaki Exsum, Francesco Bassetti Deep Dive from The Japan Times)

 • 
Preparing for the hottest year Japan has ever seen • (Eric Margolis, The Japan Times)

TOMODACHI Kibou for Maui

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, and don’t forget to follow us on X! 

Photo: Yasuhiro Otomo and Miku Narisawa during one of Odyssey Nature Japan's educational fishing programs. | ODYSSEY

188: A young 3/11 survivor and her vow to protect the ocean

You probably don’t think of guns when you think of Japan, but Hokkaido’s hunters do. Hokkaido-based writer Justin Randall says newly proposed gun laws may make their lives more dangerous. Later, Shaun McKenna and Alyssa I. Smith discuss something less dangerous: Taylor Swift’s sold-out Tokyo shows.

Hosted by Shaun McKenna and produced by Dave Cortez.

On this episode:

Justin Randall: Articles | Linktree

Alyssa I. Smith: Articles 

Read more/Listen more: 

 • 
Hokkaido hunters say more firepower means more humane kills • (Justin Randall, The Japan Times)

 • 
How are firearms regulated in Japan? • (Kathleen Benoza, The Japan Times)

 • 
Bear goes the neighborhood? Japanese wildlife is on the move. • (Alex K.T. Martin, Deep Dive from The Japan Times)

 • 
Most Japanese outside major urban areas say they do not engage with foreign nationals • (Kyodo)

 • 
Taylor Swift slays her Tokyo era • (Allan Richarz, The Japan Times)

 • 
Fans share love for Taylor Swift at sold-out Tokyo shows • (Patrick St. Michel, The Japan Times)

 • 
Welcome to Japan, Taylor Swift fans. Please remain seated as you cheer. • (Motoko Rich and Kiuko Notoya, The New York Times)

 • 
Seiji Ozawa’s boundless experiment • (Chiho Iuchi, The Japan Times)

 • 
The story behind my favorite photo of Seiji Ozawa • (Dan Szpara, 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, and don’t forget to follow us on X! 

Photo: Naoko Motooka began hunting 10 years ago. Her hobby is one way Hokkaido hopes to curb a current boom in the deer population. | JUSTIN RANDALL

187: Hunting in Hokkaido; Taylor Swift comes to Tokyo

Japan made history last month when it became the fifth nation to soft land on the moon. What’s more, they landed it close to their target, a feat that could be a gamechanger for space travel. This week we discuss the science and the politics behind Japan’s lunar landing. 

On this episode:

Joel Tansey: Articles | X

Tomoko Otake: Articles | X

Gabriel Dominguez: Articles | X

Read more/Watch more/Play more: 

 • 
Japan makes history as spacecraft lands on the moon • (Tomoko Otake and Joel Tansey, The Japan Times)

 • 
One small step for a JAXA spacecraft, one giant leap for exploration • (Elizabeth Tasker, The Japan Times)

 • 
Japan’s moonshot may mark breakthrough for future lunar missions • (Gabriel Dominguez, The Japan Times)

 • 
Geopolitics in space: Why great powers are scrambling for the moon • (Gabriel Dominguez, The Japan Times)

 • 
SLIM Moon Landing Live & Press Conference • (Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency, YouTube)

 • 
SORA-Q Flagship Model • (Takara Tomy)

 • 
SLIM: The pinpoint moon landing game • (JAXA Space Education Center)

 • 
Artemis Accords • (U.S. Dept. of State)

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, and don’t forget to follow us on X! 

Photo: The Smart Lander for Investigating Moon (SLIM) is seen on the surface of the moon in an image released Jan. 25. | JAPAN AEROSPACE EXPLORATION AGENCY (JAXA), TAKARA TOMY, SONY GROUP, DOSHINSHA UNIVERSITY/ VIA REUTERS

185: Japan’s historic moon landing was right on target

Kanako Takahara, head of The Japan Times' domestic news team, joins Deep Dive to give us the details.

Read more: 

It's official: Japan eases entry restrictions for foreign students, business travelers and other nontourists
 • 
What you need to know about Japan's upcoming eased border restrictions • 

 • 
Japan to shorten or drop quarantine requirements for most arrivals from March • 

Japan’s entry ban leaves students and universities counting the cost
 • Survey on how the 
travel ban has affected students • 

Sponsor: 

Today’s episode is sponsored by RGF Professional Recruitment Japan, the bilingual arm of Recruit, Japan and Asia's largest recruiting and information service company. Visit RGF Professional Recruitment Japan to register your resume and unleash your potential today.

On this episode:

Kanako Takahara: Articles | Twitter

Oscar Boyd: Twitter | Articles | Instagram 

Transcript

We have recently begun experimenting with transcripts for episodes of Deep Dive. A full transcript of this episode is available on The Japan Times website. Find transcripts useful? Tips for improvement? Contact us to let us know.

Announcements:

Get in touch with Oscar and the show at deepdive@japantimes.co.jp. Support the show. Rate, review and share this episode with a friend if you've enjoyed it. Follow us on Twitter, and give us feedback.

This episode of Deep Dive may be supported by advertising based on your location. Advertising is sourced by Audioboom and is not affiliated with The Japan Times.

Photo: A passenger walks the arrival hall at Tokyo's Haneda Airport | AFP

118: Japan relaxes its border restrictions w/ Kanako Takahara

Listen and read

Other podcasts you might like ...