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Austin Freeman
For Austin Freeman's latest contributions to The Japan Times, see below:
Japan Times
COMMUNITY
Jul 5, 2021
TEDxWasedaU's ‘Eclipse’ anniversary event pushes past the darkness of the pandemic
The TEDxWasedaU 10th-anniversary event features talks on topics such as the pandemic, drag, the environment and more. All in all, there will be plenty of ideas worth spreading.
Japan Times
PODCAST / deep dive
Feb 24, 2021
Episode 83: What is Clubhouse and why is it so popular in Japan?
Less than a year old, earlier this month Clubhouse became the most popular app on the Japan App Store.
Japan Times
COMMUNITY / Voices / FOREIGN AGENDA
Feb 22, 2021
Up for a chat? Clubhouse is proving helpful in sparking cross-cultural discussions with the locals
The new audio-format social media app Clubhouse has the ears of a Japanese audience, which might make it useful for non-Japanese residents looking to make connections.
Japan Times
CULTURE / Books
Feb 8, 2020
'TO:KY:OO': Liam Wong's Tokyo is midnight neon and bright city lights
Liam Wong went from a videogame designer to instagrammer to hosting the U.K.'s creating the U.K.'s most crowdfunded book to date, 'TO:KY:OO'
Japan Times
COMMUNITY / Voices / FOREIGN AGENDA
Jan 20, 2020
Once upon a time ... in Azabu Juban
Police harassment is a fact of life for some people in Japan, which makes the occasional flash of progress all the more rewarding.
Japan Times
LIFE / Food & Drink
Apr 13, 2019
Chef Rachel Dow's fresh take on 'new American' fare at Tableaux
Tableaux, a Daikanyama restaurant of over two decades, is revitalizing itself with American chef Rachel Dow and her refined take on 'new American' cuisine.
Japan Times
COMMUNITY / Issues / THE FOREIGN ELEMENT
Apr 3, 2019
'Tell a friend, bring a friend, make a friend' at Speakeasy
When you move to a new city, it can be hard to find your crowd. That task is made even harder the more complex your identity is.
Japan Times
LIFE / Food & Drink
Oct 27, 2018
Taco Fanatico: A new Mexican in Nakameguro
Taco Fanatico, a self-proclaimed 'specialty taco store' newly opened in Nakameguro, is out to revolutionize Tokyo's Mexican food options with their variety of homemade authentic and 'fusion' tacos.
Japan Times
CULTURE / CULTURE NOTES
Sep 13, 2018
Could Domo-kun at 20 mean Domo-kun 2.0?
Whatever happened to Domo-kun, the furry brown monster with the jagged maw? When I first got to Japan I used to see him everywhere. Now Chiitan, the masochistic Otter who reps the city of Susaki in Kochi Prefecture, stacks my social media feeds with memes, and Unari-kun, from Narita, is the current reigning champion of the Mascot Grand Prix. Domo-kun has some serious competition.
Japan Times
LIFE / Food & Drink
Sep 1, 2018
It's not so easy to find the perfect Tokyo brunch
A roundup of Tokyo's best (and disappointing) brunch spots for when Denny's simply won't suffice.

Longform

When trying to trace your lineage in Japan, the "koseki" is the most important form of document you'll encounter.
Climbing the branches of a Japanese family tree