Jandals in Japan

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Jandals in Japan The best new show about doing business in Japan, bringing The Land of the Long White Cloud, Aotearoa New Zealand to The Land of the Rising Sun.

05/10/2025

Meet Aaron Astle, whose remarkable family story connects two nations across time. As a descendant of Noda Asajiro - believed to be the first Japanese person to set foot in New Zealand in the late 1800s - Aaron brings a unique perspective to living in Japan. From growing up in Auckland immersed in Te Ao Māori to making music and studying Japanese in Osaka, Aaron shares his journey of cultural discovery and connection.

In this episode you will hear:

- The incredible story of Noda Asajiro: how a 10 year old Japanese boy accidentally became a stowaway and ended up marrying into Māori royalty
- Striking similarities between Māori and Japanese languages
- Why Aaron felt instantly at home in Japan
- Aaron's musical journey and his upcoming single called "The Night Our Stars Fell"

🎧 Link to listen: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/jandals-in-japan/id1612222516

▶️ Watch on YouTube: https://youtu.be/MmO7kctC4Uw

27/07/2025

Join us for an insightful conversation with Charles Wilson, who leads Tatua Japan's operations as both President and Representative Director in one of New Zealand's most important export markets. From his childhood introduction to Japan through the Japanese supplemental education calculation & maths program “Kumon mathematics” to becoming president of a dairy ingredients company, Charles shares his unique journey and valuable insights about building successful business relationships in Japan. You will enjoy this story of how an SME like Tatua Japan can partner with Japanese companies for mutually beneficial outcomes.

In this episode you will hear:

🐮 Why arriving 5-10 minutes early for meetings is essential for building trust and success in Japanese business culture

🐮 How Japan's "ringi-sho" consensus-building process really works with pre-meetings and side discussions before official approvals

🐮 About the "proteinisation" trend driving demand for protein-enhanced products among Japan's aging population

🐮 Charles' unexpected summer survival tip - escaping to Tama's cool river waters and Japanese workplace "cool down rooms"

🎧 Link to listen:https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/jandals-in-japan/id1612222516

▶️ Watch on YouTube: https://youtu.be/tB1XcepoVFs

29/06/2025

What does it take to succeed in Japan's notoriously difficult beauty market? Elizabeth Barbalich, founder and Director of iconic New Zealand skincare brand Antipodes, shares her fascinating 7-year journey of patience, persistence, and cultural learning that led to success in one of the world's most discerning markets. Whether you are considering Japan as a market, or simply love hearing about entrepreneurial grit, this episode is packed with actionable insights about building authentic brand trust in a market where customers read every ingredient and expect perfection.

In this episode you’ll hear:
• How Elizabeth overcame the challenge of minimal sales with three different distributors for the first three years in Japan
• The six-hour "etiquette meeting" required to switch distributors and what it taught her about Japanese business culture
• How she created a vitamin C toner specifically for Japanese consumers (and why it became a hit in other markets too)
• Why she values formal business meetings and trains her entire team on proper etiquette for every market

Link to listen: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/jandals-in-japan/id1612222516
Watch on YouTube: https://youtu.be/pB6FmkytLfg

18/05/2025

We cross swords/minds with Graham Sayer, a 7th dan Kyoshi kendo practitioner, former president of the New Zealand Kendo Federation and recipient of the Order of the Rising Sun.
Graham has been a huge supporter of Jandals in Japan Podcast from its early days and we are thrilled that he agreed to join us to share his wealth of experience in both kendo and business between Japan and New Zealand. Listen to hear more about this fascinating martial art that changed the trajectory of Graham’s life.

In this episode you’ll hear:
- What Japan was like in the bubble era of the late 70s and early 80s
- Loyalty and the challenge of switching martial arts codes in Japan
- How learnings from kendo can take you into the business world
- Japan’s timber industry and why Graham is selling timber to New Zealand

Link to listen:https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/jandals-in-japan/id1612222516
YouTube: https://youtu.be/se9LVe6WeXg

27/04/2025

If you are a long term resident in Japan and consider yourself to be a cultural bridge builder, then this episode is a must listen for you. Sean O’Connell, Professor and Director of the International Center at Nanzan University is about to drop some gold nuggets in your lap, on how you can ace being an even better cross-cultural bridge builder. This is the jandal you have been looking for.

In this episode you’ll hear:
- How the Karate Kid kicked off Sean’s interest in the martial arts and the Japanese language
- Sean’s tips for also successfully interpreting feeling and nuance between Japanese and English counterparts
- The biggest culture shock moment for people new to business in Japan
- Bringing Sean’s skills in bridge building to life at his bar, The Hungry Moose
- Why Sean loves the Jandals in Japan Podcast!

Link to listen:https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/jandals-in-japan/id1612222516
Watch on YouTube: https://youtu.be/hDKDEB9L2Gs

🍷 Pour Yourself a Glass of New Zealand, and Win! Sharing this with our Jandals in Japan community!Got a favourite local ...
06/04/2025

🍷 Pour Yourself a Glass of New Zealand, and Win!

Sharing this with our Jandals in Japan community!

Got a favourite local restaurant or bar that serves at least two kinds of NZ wine by the glass? (Not hard - and even better if they already do!)

Share this QR code and campaign info with them and encourage them to enter this awesome competition!

No NZ wine on the menu yet?
This could be the perfect excuse to bring some Kiwi goodness in!

Key dates for Bars/Restaurants:
— Register by: 15 April
— Campaign runs: 1–30 June

Prizes up for grabs:
🎁For restaurants/bars: Two lucky winners will each receive a pair of premium economy tickets to Aotearoa New Zealand with Air New Zealand!
🎁For customers: Snap and share a photo of your NZ wine and you could win a pair of economy tickets too!

Let’s get more delicious New Zealand wine flowing across Japan!

16/03/2025

Rebecca Thorn is the Kiwi General Manager of the hugely popular Hotel Indigo Tokyo Shibuya.
Rebecca shares insights into the hotel's unique blend of neighborhood culture, innovative team dynamics, and creative initiatives, showing that innovation is alive and well in Japan’s hospitality industry. The episode is a deep dive into the vision and strategies that have led to the hotel's success, capped off with exciting upcoming collaborations and events. If you are considering a career in the hospitality industry in Japan, this is an episode not to be missed.

In this episode you’ll hear:
🐕 How Rebecca inspires her team to try new ideas, including finding a way to make waffles shaped like “Hachiko” the famous dog who waited for its master at Shibuya station
🐕 The design, fashion, music and art themes that run through all aspects of the hotel
🐕 How Rebecca is building a diverse and inclusive team in Japan
🐕 The Kilimanjaro Strategy that her team is talking about

Link to listen: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/jandals-in-japan/id1612222516
Watch on YouTube: https://youtu.be/R0PkiFtmj7Q

16/02/2025

Sir Steve Hansen, the former All Blacks Coach and current Head Coach of Toyota Verblitz joins us on Jandals in Japan and we were thrilled when he shared his favorite treat from a Japanese convenience store on treat night! We also dive into his experience in Japan and insights into coaching and team dynamics here, his deep respect for Japanese culture while making changes and questioning norms to take the Toyota Verblitz to the next level.
If you’ve ever wanted to learn more about Steve Hansen's coaching philosophy this is the episode for you.

In this episode you’ll hear:
- Steve’s early years on a dairy farm to a family run pub and what it taught him about people
- The importance of flexibility, communication, and positive reinforcement in fostering a high-performance team
- The challenges of integrating multinational players and the significance of mentoring
- The future of rugby in Japan and improvements that would transform the competition
- Unexpected mentors in shaping Steve’s journey

Link to listen:https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/jandals-in-japan/id1612222516
Watch on YouTube: https://youtu.be/PQTQHNpglVw

08/12/2024

Teri Tall is the Kiwi owner of the Hakuba Matata Lodge in Hakuba. She shares her experiences and insights on running a ski lodge in Japan. Teri shares the journey to finding their own ski lodge and setting up business here, with her motto, just do it, ask questions and tread respectfully. The winter sports industry is thriving in Japan and there is much scope for Kiwis to be part of it as Teri explains.

In this episode you’ll hear:
⛷️ How Teri and her husband turned a love of winter sports into a lifestyle in Japan
⛷️ Things to look for in a town when you are purchasing a business
⛷️ The Outdoor Women's Network Japan and their activities
⛷️ Teri’s gems and crystal ball moments

🎧 Link to listen: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/jandals-in-japan/id1612222516
▶️ Watch on YouTube: https://youtu.be/vtL85DzhxWY

#ニュージーランド
#ポッドキャスト

14/10/2024

🏁 Discover how motocross champion Jay Wilson navigated a world of challenges to become a key figure in Japan's motocross scene working with and riding for the Yamaha Factory Innovation Team.

From humble beginnings to coaching and bike innovation in Japan, his story is one of resilience and growth. Catch it on the latest Jandals in Japan episode!

🎧 Link to listen:https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/jandals-in-japan/id1612222516
▶️ Watch on YouTube: https://youtu.be/HEDcgVTV-1o

#ニュージーランド #ポッドキャスト

29/09/2024

🎥 Just Released! In our latest "Jandals in Japan" episode, Jayne and Catherine discuss with Hiroaki (Hans) Nagahara from Air New Zealand the brand's visibility challenges and their ambitious goals for future tourism numbers. 🌐 How will they achieve 120% customer satisfaction?

Find out by listening in! Join us for this engaging discussion.

✈️ Link to listen:https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/jandals-in-japan/id1612222516
▶️ Watch on YouTube: https://youtu.be/IH0vaBZ-0RE

#ニュージーランド #ポッドキャスト #夢見るエアライン #ニュー自由ランド

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