Jarman International Director of Online Strategy and Editor-in-Chief of Deep Japan Hana Shiraishi joined podcast host and tourism consultant JJ Walsh for an episode of her podcast Seek Sustainable Japan. In the podcast, which was broadcast live on March 26, 2026, Hana and JJ discussed tourism, international perspectives, and Hana’s vision for Deep Japan.
As an online media platform owned by Jarman International, Deep Japan shares articles by international residents who have lived in Japan for at least three years. In her discussion with JJ, Hana said she hopes to empower each writer to let their personality shine through their articles. These articles — which cover a range of topics, from explaining implicit rules to sharing experiences of finding community — aim to be informative and thought-provoking for readers both living in or visiting Japan.
JJ commented that international residents’ perspectives can also be valuable in identifying tourism resources and explaining them to inbound visitors. Not everything is famous, but everything can be interesting, she noted.
The two also discussed the role of inbound tourism, including a shift toward experiential tourism, for regional revitalization in Japan. At the same time, they stressed the importance of preserving quality of life for locals as well as the tangible and intangible traditions that make Japan special.
“It was a true honor to be invited on JJ’s talkshow to discuss the opportunities, and, of course, the challenges of navigating Japan’s ongoing and transformative globalization. What aspects of Japan must stay the same? What aspects can or should change with the times? These are complex questions with no simple answers, but I believe it is so important that we continue having these conversations — as JJ and I did to the best of our ability!” Hana says.
“Personally, I have been thinking a lot about how to define the ‘essence’ or ‘heart’ of Japan that should remain unchanged, which, in my humble view, has a lot to do with concepts like Japanese kodawari (attention to detail), omotenashi (hospitality), and omoiyari (consideration for others). During our talk, I shared one of my favorite personal examples of seeing the Japanese spirit of kodawari in action when I worked part-time at a convenience store one summer. I hope you will check out my talk with JJ to hear the story! All in all, I hope our conversation inspires a new thought or idea for listeners and encourages them to carry the conversation to new depths.”
If you have lived in Japan for three or more years and are interested in writing for Deep Japan, click here to learn how to get involved!