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 Jason Jenkins

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Jason Jenkins
Jason spent 13 years in Tokyo writing about cameras, parenting and the arts. In 2013 he left to travel, homeschooling his kids in Spain, Mexico and Southeast Asia before moving back to Japan in 2019.
For Jason Jenkins's latest contributions to The Japan Times, see below:
Japan Times
PODCAST / deep dive
Apr 20, 2023
[Rebroadcast] How making alcohol from trees could give rural Japan a buzz
Check out this podcast from November that explores how some Japanese companies are trying to make alcohol from old trees.
Japan Times
PODCAST / deep dive
Apr 13, 2023
Noma Kyoto: The focus — and future? — of the culinary world
Noma is one of the best restaurants in the world and earlier this year it moved its entire staff to Kyoto to create a pop-up that is currently the hottest ticket in the country. Our food critic joins the podcast to talk more about this culinary experience, which ends in May.
Japan Times
PODCAST / deep dive
Mar 23, 2023
The cherry blossoms are here and business is blooming
Kathleen Benoza explains what"s at stake during the hanami season, while Thu-Huong Ha and Alyssa I. Smith discuss the science, symbolism and culture of sakura in Japan.
Japan Times
PODCAST / deep dive
Mar 2, 2023
Infinity and beyond: Yayoi Kusama’s next evolution
Culture critic Thu-Huong Ha joins the podcast to explain Yayoi Kusama’s latest stage of evolution.
Japan Times
PODCAST / deep dive
Feb 15, 2023
Living with disaster: Building the cities of the future
We speak to professor Hitoshi Abe, an architect who has some ideas on how to start designing our cities to better deal with such inevitable disasters.
Japan Times
PODCAST / deep dive
Feb 1, 2023
The sword, the shield and the new face of Japan's military
As 2022 wrapped up, the Japanese government let forth a flurry of defense policy announcements. Those were followed by a five-nation tour by Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, and talk of a tax hike to pay for it all. Gabriel Dominguez joins the podcast this week to try to help us make sense of it all.
Japan Times
PODCAST / deep dive
Jan 25, 2023
Japan on a plate: Our food critic reveals his favorite spots
Food writer Robbie Swinnerton has been covering Tokyo’s culinary scene for decades, so for this week’s episode we asked him to pick out a few standout meals from last year.
Japan Times
PODCAST / deep dive
Nov 30, 2022
How making alcohol from trees could give rural Japan a buzz
Alex K.T. Martin joins us to talk about the science u2014 and sustainable process u2014 behind the process that may bring cedar, oak and sakura to your next cocktail session.
Japan Times
PODCAST / deep dive
Nov 16, 2022
Samurai Blues: The J. League, the World Cup and Japan’s place in global soccer
Sports writer Dan Orlowitz joins the show to catch us up on where Japan stands in the global soccer landscape and the controversies swirling around the host nation of Qatar.
Japan Times
PODCAST / deep dive
Oct 26, 2022
Japanese pop culture in China: It’s complicated.
Japan and China recently celebrated 50 years of relations and, since then, Japanese art, film and music has had a major impact on Chinese society. Recently, however, the Chinese market has become increasingly difficult to navigate.
Japan Times
PODCAST / deep dive
Oct 12, 2022
It's Shotime!: Shohei Ohtani and the future of baseball
Sports writer Jason Coskrey and editor Dave Cortez join new Deep Dive host Jason Jenkins to discuss baseball superstar Shohei Ohtani and the future of the sport he has committed his life to mastering.
Japan Times
OLYMPICS
Aug 10, 2021
A first time for everything: The many ways history was made at Tokyo 2020
Plenty of records were broken and a number of new sports were introduced. But beyond the more obvious first, there was a dizzying array of accomplishments and milestones.
Japan Times
CULTURE / Art
May 7, 2021
Japan's premier art collective teamLab celebrates 20 years with a spot of tea and a Miami bash
Marking 20 years, teamLab has a lot to be proud of when it comes to making an impact on the international art scene. The collective's success was not a foregone conclusion, however.
Japan Times
LIFE / Lifestyle / CHILD'S PLAY
Mar 23, 2020
Teens can sharpen their cooking skills with Japanese recipes
When older kids become a little reluctant to hang out with the parents, enticing them out with food often works, and what better way than with a cooking class, where everyone can eat the results of an educational day out.
Japan Times
LIFE / Lifestyle / CHILD'S PLAY
Jan 13, 2020
Picture the fun at a manga museum
Built into a repurposed elementary school, the Kyoto International Manga Museum, one of the most impressive manga repositories in the world, will keep kids entertained for hours.
Japan Times
LIFE / Lifestyle / CHILD'S PLAY
Nov 18, 2019
All aboard the Kyoto Railway Museum
Few countries have embraced rail travel like Japan, so it's no surprise that one of the best train museums in the world is found here: the kid-friendly Kyoto Railway Museum.
Japan Times
LIFE / Lifestyle / CHILD'S PLAY
Sep 15, 2019
Fantastic beasts and where to learn about them
"Regnum Imaginarium: Realm of the Marvelous and Uncanny" at Osaka's National Museum of Ethnology delves into the worlds of mermaids, unicorns, werewolves and giants. What more could a kid enjoy?
Japan Times
LIFE / Lifestyle / CHILD'S PLAY
Jul 14, 2019
H.C. Andersen Park: Once upon a time, in a land not so far away
Take the kids on a fairy-tale trip to H.C. Andersen Park in Chiba Prefecture, where Denmark's most celebrated writer lives on in playgrounds, workshops and recreations of Danish village life.
Japan Times
LIFE / Lifestyle / CHILD'S PLAY
May 19, 2019
Race to Motegi for outdoor fun and games
Racecars, zip lines and the great outdoors u2014 a visit to Twin Ring Motegi tracks in Tochigi Prefecture will keep the kids racing around in excitement.
Japan Times
LIFE / Lifestyle / CHILD'S PLAY
Mar 17, 2019
Fly into action and take the kids on an airline tour
For anyone who loves planes, a 'factory tour' of of one of Japan's biggest airlines can offer an exciting journey into aviation education.

Longform

A statue of "Dragon Ball" character Goku stands outside the offices of Bandai Namco in Tokyo. The figure is now as recognizable as such characters as Mickey Mouse and Spider-Man.
Akira Toriyama's gift to the world