Tokyo Speaks

Episode 84 – Destigmatizing Periods

Episode 84: Marina Yoshimura is the Founder and President of PERIOD@Tokyo, which is a chapter of the parent organization PERIOD. In this episode, Marina tells us why she decided to start a chapter of PERIOD in Japan. We’ll also discuss various aspects of menstruation (periods) such as deep-rooted stigma, education, health, first-time experiences, and accessibility of period products. 

Guest host, Chalice Davis (also known as singer/songwriter Afrodyty), gives this episode another level of depth by sharing a horrific menstrual experience and condition that undermined her health in 2019. 

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Episode 83 – Cyberpunk Girl: Using Tech to Inspire

Steffie Harner is a Software Engineer at Code Chrysalis; Co-Founder of Startup Lady Japan; and Cyberpunk content creator/influencer. Steffie came to Japan simply to fulfill her childhood dreams, but a series of events led her to co-founding a nonprofit organization for female entrepreneurs and a new career in software engineering. In this episode, we chat with Steffie about the following:

  • Co-founding Startup Lady Japan
  • Becoming a software engineer
  • Her life and career in Silicon Valley
  • Her love for Cyberpunk and digital content creation
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Episode 76 – Me Too, With You

Episode 76: Sachiko Ishikawa is a project manager in the video game industry. She is also an intersectional feminist, who speaks out about issues concerning women in society. In this episode, we chat with Sachiko about a monthly protest in Japan called the Flower Demo. She shares her own personal experience of sexual assault and explains three conditions of sexual consent. [Episode length: 52 minutes]

Join the next Flower Demo in Tokyo on Tuesday evening, February 11 at Tokyo Station. Click here to learn about more event locations in Japan.

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Episode 75 – Yakuzen: Food is Medicine

Episode 75: Kayoko Hirano is a certified obesity prevention health coach and founder of YakuZen Therapy. After returning to Japan from New York, where she held a corporate job for 6 years, Kayoko experienced weight fluctuation for years; that led her to develop her own weight loss protocol. She then deepened her knowledge at the Japan Obesity Prevention Society Institute.

In this episode, we chat with Kayoko about the concept of yakuzen (food therapy), misconceptions about Japanese food, and her childhood interest in the English language, which inspired her to experience life outside of Japan. [Episode length: 56 minutes]

 **Farewell Shockolate Buddha**

This is the last episode recorded with Raw Urban Mobile Podcast original co-host Shockolate Buddha. The podcast will also have a location change after two years of recording inside the mobile man cave. Stay locked in for more informative and entertaining conversations with locals in Japan, including occasional guest co-hosts. 

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Episode 74 – Super Smash Hoes Podcast

Episode 74: Erika Bulach and Fahreen Budhwani met in 2018 while attending Sophia University in Tokyo. After realizing they shared similar interests, Erika and Fahreen teamed up and created the Super Smash Hoes Podcast. On the podcast they discuss societal issues concerning gender inequality, women’s rights, feminism, the LGBTQ+ community and more; in the context of Japanese society.  

In this episode, Erika, who was raised in Japan, shares her experiences with sexual harassment and assault. We also discuss the safety and overall well-being of women in Japan. Fahreen could not physically join us; however, this episode includes an audio summation of her dissertation “Why Womenomics Isn’t Working in Japan”, which adds another layer of depth to this informative chat. 

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Episode 71 – The Voncujovi Brothers: What is Vodu?

Episode 71 (Part 2 of 2): This episode is a continuation from Episode 70 featuring Ghanaian-Japanese brothers, Sena and Pele Voncujovi. In this episode, Sena (a Vodu priest) and Pele (a Vodu practitioner) give us insights into the West African spiritual and herbal practice of Vodu (also spelled Voodoo or Vodun). 

The influence of Christianity and Islam in the African continent has long been apparent. Subsequently, Vodu has been demonized globally. Many Ghanaians and other West Africans have denounced it as “satanic” and there are fewer and fewer priests and practitioners today. Through their social media platform “ReVodution”, Sena and Pele’s mission is to destigmatize Vodu and restore a lost pride among Africans. [Episode length: 36 minutes]

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Episode 69 – MyMizu: Japan’s First Free Water Refill App

Episode 69: Robin Lewis and Mariko McTier are co-founders of MyMizu, Japan’s first free water refill app. In this episode, we chat with Robin and Mariko about Japan’s excessive use of PET bottles and learn how the MyMizu app is one simple step to help tackle a major environmental issue for Japan and many other countries. 

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Episode 67 – Women Who Code Tokyo

Episode 67: Tutti Quintella is the Director of Women Who Code Tokyo; a branch of the global non-profit organization Women Who Code. Tutti is also an engineering manager at the Japanese e-commerce company Mercari. In this episode, we discuss Women Who Code Tokyo’s efforts to inspire and help women advance in the field of software engineering and other tech-related fields. 

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Episode 63 – A Trans Woman’s Story

Episode 63: Seralyn Campbell is Chief Executive Officer of VReS Inc., a Japanese tech startup company. She is also a photographer and former talent manager of Bangladeshi-Japanese model, TV personality, singer and actress, Rola. In this episode, Seralyn details her social transition as a trans woman, which she decided to begin in Japan rather than in the U.S. We also briefly chat about her career as Rola’s manager in Japan’s entertainment industry.

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Episode 62 – Paternity Harassment

Episode 62: Glen Wood is a 49-year-old Canadian and single father, who had been working as an Equity Sales Manager at Mitsubishi UFJ Morgan Stanley Securities Co. (MUMSS). He filed a claim against the Japan-based brokerage, asserting that he had been the victim of “paternity harassment” initiated in 2015. He asked the Tokyo District Court to order the firm to reverse its decision to put him on unpaid leave (then fired him) and recognize his rights as a father.

The case has drawn considerable attention, both internationally and in Japan. It shines a harsh spotlight on one of the long-standing traditions of Japanese corporate society: harassment of employees, particularly those who become parents. 

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