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Just a quick update: I'm taking a break from releasing new episodes. I hate that I can't stick to the uploading schedule, so during the summer, I plan to make a backlog of episodes to release. I'll be back in August and after that, a new episode will be waiting for you every other Monday. Thank you for your patience and support. Talk to you soon, and have a good summer!

Continuing to uncover the truth about sake, let's see how this beverage is made, which types of sake you can find in the shop and how to drink it properly. Or maybe there are no rules at all? More info on https://japanexplained.com/sake/ Bonus episode: https://www.patreon.com/posts/66208266 Support the show: https://japanexplained.com/#support Instagram: @japanexplained Cover design: @justlavi

Few things in Japanese culture are covered by so many myths as sake. For example, sake is not rice vodka and not even rice wine, but in essence it is rice beer. And it is far from being the most popular alcoholic drink in Japan. Starting the 3 part series on sake, let's look into the past, present and future of this traditional Japanese beverage. More info on https://japanexplained.com/sake/ Bonus episode: https://www.patreon.com/posts/66208266 Support the show: https://japanexplained.com/#support Instagram: @japanexplained Cover design: @justlavi

This time let's take a look at different types of travellers using the road in the 17th-19th centuries. From foreigners who loved Tokaido to an elephant who absolutely hated the journey, there is a full range of opinions about travelling in Japan and the Tokaido road in particular. And that's exactly what we need to understand the life of this famous road. More info on https://japanexplained.com/tokaido/ Support the show: https://japanexplained.com/#support Bonus Episodes on Patreon: Shukuba Post Stations (https://www.patreon.com/posts/tokaido-bonus-63490475) & River crossings and Sekisho checkpoints (https://www.patreon.com/posts/tokaido-bonus-63490838) Instagram: @japanexplained Cover design: @justlavi

Have you ever heard about Tokaido? If you live in Japan, I bet yes. If you’ve ever visited, I’m positive you took Tokaido Shinkansen between Tokyo, Kyoto and Osaka. And if you love art, you’ve probably seen some of the prints from the Tokaido series by Hiroshige. Tokaido road has a history of more than 1000 years, and this time I suggest diving into it together. More info on https://japanexplained.com/tokaido/ Support the show: https://japanexplained.com/#support Bonus Episodes on Patreon: Shukuba Post Stations (https://www.patreon.com/posts/tokaido-bonus-63490475) & River crossings and Sekisho checkpoints (https://www.patreon.com/posts/tokaido-bonus-63490838) Instagram: @japanexplained Cover design: @justlavi

You asked for it, so this time let's look deep into the bowl of ramen and try to figure out why Japan (and now the whole world) is absolutely obsessed with this seemingly simple dish. More info on https://japanexplained.com/ramen/ Support the show: https://japanexplained.com/#support Bonus Episode on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/posts/61675837 Instagram: @japanexplained Cover design: @justlavi

In the previous episode, we looked at the origins of ukiyo-e, the development of printing techniques and the classical period in the history of ukiyo-e. We followed the works of a few brilliant artists such as Harunobu, Sharaku and Utamaro and ended up in the late 18th century. So definitely check it out if you haven’t listened to it yet. This time let’s look at ukiyo-e in the 19th and early 20th centuries. Lots of things are going to happen in Japan, affecting all aspects of daily life and culture. And ukiyo-e won’t be left aside. Check episode notes and support the podcast on japanexplained.com/ukiyo-e

This time let‘s talk about art. And speaking of Japanese art, what is the first thing that comes to your mind? I bet most of us thought of ukiyo-e. These colourful prints represent Japan to the world, but what do we know about them? Not much. What is ukiyo? When did these prints appear? Who made them? Were they always as expensive as now? Let‘s follow the history of ukiyo-e and find the answers. Say hi, learn more and support the show at japanexplained.com

Why do people go to karaoke? Why in the West people prefer karaoke bars while the East is all about karaoke boxes? Was karaoke really invented in Japan? How old is it? Why karaoke songs sound so different from the original ones? The list goes on and on. My friends asked me so many questions about karaoke that I decided to make an episode about it to answer them all at once. More information at japanexplained.com/karaoke/

This time let‘s talk about Japanese curry that has a rather short 150-year long history yet managed to become one of the national dishes of Japan. Lets‘s see how it climbed to fame and how many varieties of the dish we have now in case you want to cook one.

Perry promised to come back the next year. And so he did. Now, let's check out what happened next. More info on https://japanexplained.com/kurofune/ Support the show: https://japanexplained.com/#support Instagram: @japanexplained Cover design: @justlavi

In 1853 Commodore Perry came to the shores of Japan and "opened" it to the world. Or did he? Let's see what actually happened when four black ships appeared one summer day near the shore of Uraga. More info on https://japanexplained.com/kurofune/ Support the show: https://japanexplained.com/#support Instagram: @japanexplained Cover design: @justlavi