{"store":{"baseInfo":{"podcastTitle":"theTokyoBill weekly","slug":"thetokyobillweekly","podcastDescription":"

A weekly English-language podcast exploring life in Japan, one story at a time. Topics cover Japanese culture, society, news, and expat life. Companion to theTokyoBill news brief.

If you enjoy the show, you can buy me a coffee at BuyMeACoffee.com/TokyoBill, or visit my site: theTokyoBill.com. :)

","podcastLogo":"https://pbcdn1.podbean.com/imglogo/image-logo/19779242/theTokyoBillweekly2048.png","podcastShareLogo":null,"podcastUrl":"https://thetokyobillweekly.podbean.com","podcastCanSearched":false,"feedUrl":"https://feed.podbean.com/thetokyobillweekly/feed.xml","theme":"playlist2","podcastDeepLink":"https://www.podbean.com/pw/pbblog-uauh2-12dceaa?from=usersite","removePodbeanBranding":"no","brandingLogo":null,"timeZone":{"timeZoneId":17,"gmtAdjustment":"GMT-04:00","useDaylightTime":1,"value":-4,"text":"(GMT-04:00) Atlantic Time (Canada)","daylightStartTime":"Second Sunday Of March +2 Hours","daylightEndTime":"First Sunday Of November +2 Hours","timezone":"America/Halifax"},"podcastDownloads":null,"totalEpisodes":21,"showComments":true,"iOSAppDownloadLink":null,"customizeCssUrl":null,"androidAppDownloadLink":null,"showPostShare":true,"showLike":true,"author":"TokyoBill","enableEngagementStats":false,"shareEmbedLink":"https://admin5.podbean.com/embed.html?id=pbblog-uauh2-12dceaa-playlist","language":"en","sensitivitySessionExpireTime":3600,"podcastApps":[{"name":"Apple Podcasts","link":"https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/thetokyobill-weekly-update/id1779128339","image":"https://pbcdn1.podbean.com/fs1/site/images/admin5/apple-podcast.png","title":null},{"name":"Podbean App","link":"https://www.podbean.com/pw/pbblog-uauh2-12dceaa?from=usersite","image":"https://pbcdn1.podbean.com/fs1/site/images/admin5/podbean-app.png","title":null},{"name":"Amazon Music","link":"https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/7b8ccfc5-b0ac-4618-a1e5-77dd64265c15","image":"https://pbcdn1.podbean.com/fs1/site/images/admin5/AmazonMusic.png","title":null},{"name":"iHeartRadio","link":"https://iheart.com/podcast/238565770","image":"https://pbcdn1.podbean.com/fs1/site/images/admin5/iHeartRadio.png","title":null},{"name":"PlayerFM","link":"https://player.fm/series/3615782","image":"https://pbcdn1.podbean.com/fs1/site/images/admin5/PlayerFM.png","title":null},{"name":"Listen Notes","link":"https://www.listennotes.com/podcasts/thetokyobill-weekly-update-tokyobill-Kp7yLYlfDIO/","image":"https://pbcdn1.podbean.com/fs1/site/images/admin5/ListenNotes.png","title":null},{"name":"Podchaser","link":"https://www.podchaser.com/podcasts/thetokyobill-weekly-update-5894817","image":"https://pbcdn1.podbean.com/fs1/site/images/admin5/Podchaser.webp","title":null},{"name":"BoomPlay","link":"https://www.boomplaymusic.com/podcasts/115097","image":"https://pbcdn1.podbean.com/fs1/site/images/admin5/BoomPlay.png","title":null}],"components":{"base":[{"id":"MainStyle","val":"light"},{"id":"Font","val":"Roboto"},{"id":"SecondaryFont","val":"Roboto"},{"id":"PlayerColor","val":"#9417FF"},{"id":"PlayerStyle","val":"player2"},{"id":"PlayerWave","val":"show"},{"id":"Favicon","val":null},{"id":"CookiesNotice","val":"hide"},{"id":"CookiesNoticeContent","val":"

Cookies Notice

This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. By using our website you agree to our use of cookies.

"},{"id":"EpisodePageListenOn","val":"hide"},{"id":"EpisodePageCustomizeComponent","val":"hide"}],"home-header":[{"id":"HomeHeaderTextColor","val":"#ffffff"},{"id":"BackgroundImage","val":"https://mcdn.podbean.com/mf/web/kkjgjw57rzqchd3i/Ninja.png"},{"id":"BackgroundImageForMobile","val":null}],"page-header":[{"id":"PageHeaderTextColor","val":"#ffffff"},{"id":"SecondaryPageBackgroundImage","val":"/assets/playlist-banner.jpg"},{"id":"SecondaryPageBackgroundImageForMobile","val":null}],"episode-list":[{"id":"EpisodeListType","val":"simple-list"},{"id":"EpisodesPerPage","val":10},{"id":"EpisodeStats","val":"show"}],"navigation":[{"id":"NavigationFontColor","val":"#ffffff"},{"id":"NavigationBackgroundColor","val":"#9F44D2"},{"id":"NavigationSearch","val":"show"},{"id":"NavigationLinks","val":[{"id":"Home","type":"Link","value":"/","text":"Home","subitems":[]},{"id":"Subscribe","type":"Link","value":"https://www.podbean.com/site/podcatcher/index/blog/RoR295s3jC2m","text":"Subscribe","subitems":[]},{"id":"Profile","type":"Link","value":"https://www.podbean.com/user-oOewrRt0purw","text":"Profile","subitems":[]}]}],"footer":[{"id":"FooterType","val":"Footer1"},{"id":"FooterFontColor","val":"#ffffff"},{"id":"FooterBackgroundColor","val":"#9F44D2"},{"id":"FooterCopyright","val":"Copyright 2024 All rights reserved."},{"id":"SocialMediaLinks","val":{"facebook_username":"","twitter_username":"","instagram_username":"","youtube_username":"","linkedin_username":""}}],"customize-container1":[],"customize-container2":[{"id":"ComponentImageText-3aa3944e-1bb6-3c81-1573-234c93f1cb33","val":{"ComponentFontColor":"#000000","ComponentBackgroundColor":"#C5BBBB","ComponentImage":"https://mcdn.podbean.com/mf/web/kkjgjw57rzqchd3i/Ninja.png","ComponentContent":"

About Me

Originally from Canada, I moved to Japan when the internet was new and cell phones could cost one yen. After finding my feet getting work and learning how to live in Tokyo, I got busy with my martial arts studies, where I picked up a number of nicknames including 'Tokyo Bill.' As I work pretty much only in English, I continue to struggle speaking in coherent Japanese. :)

I began writing a blog to keep busy during the pandemic and added podcasting to develop my speaking voice. Not satisfied with the news presentations on my music player about what's going on in Japan, I decided to create my own news site on stories I feel ought to be read (or heard!) by more people.

Anyway, thanks so much for stopping by!

"}}]},"allLinks":[],"mainStylesDefaultSettings":null,"defaultCustomizeComponents":null,"scripts":["https://www.googletagmanager.com/gtag/js?id=G-TP93LLY3WQ","\n window.dataLayer = window.dataLayer || [];\n function gtag(){dataLayer.push(arguments);}\n gtag('js', new Date());\n\n gtag('config', 'G-TP93LLY3WQ',{'allow_enhanced_conversions':true});\n"],"metas":null,"appConfig":{"package":"com.podbean.app.podcast","app_store_id":973361050,"app_name":"Podbean","scheme":"podbean"},"customizeCss":null,"canEditCss":null,"enableJsCodeInCustomizeContent":false,"enabledIframeCodeInCustomizeContent":false,"sectionMaxCount":10,"enableEditorLink":false,"enableEditCookiesNotice":false,"siteRedirectToFeed":false,"podcatcherRssUrl":null,"showFeed":true,"showTopBar":true,"enableWebSiteLike":true,"organizationName":null,"organizationPageLink":null},"backToListUrl":"/","tinymceLoaded":false,"listEpisodes":[],"userLikedEpisodes":[],"userLikeCheckedEpisodes":[],"topBarIframeLoaded":false,"listTotalCount":0,"listTotalPage":0,"listPage":0,"listType":"all","listValue":"","listName":"","pageLoading":false,"apiBaseUrl":"https://thetokyobillweekly.podbean.com","apiV2BaseUrl":"","apiCommonParams":{"t":"6a1e63a7","clientSignature":"2ad616266600ef943b4bf01aa432d6de","u":null,"customizing":null},"apiCommonHeaders":{},"comments":[],"commentsTotalCount":0,"commentsTotalPage":0,"commentsPage":1,"commentEpisodeId":"pb28112563-tx32z","episode":{"id":"pb28112563","idTag":"tx32z","title":"Stripping the Sacred - May 23 2026","logo":"https://pbcdn1.podbean.com/imglogo/image-logo/19779242/theTokyoBillweekly2048_300x300.png","shareLogo":null,"largeLogo":"https://pbcdn1.podbean.com/imglogo/image-logo/19779242/theTokyoBillweekly2048.png","previewContent":null,"content":"

Stories from Japan, told from Japan.

This week: the people stealing the roofs off Japan's shrines, and why the rest of the world is partly to blame.

Support: BuyMeACoffee/TokyoBill, or visit theTokyoBill.com. :)

","publishTimestamp":1779552171,"duration":577,"mediaUrl":"https://mcdn.podbean.com/mf/web/npmsyeatf884a48a/theTokyoBill_weekly05232026.mp3","mediaType":"audio/mpeg","shareLink":"https://admin5.podbean.com/embed.html?id=pb-tx32z-1acf6b3","likedCount":0,"deepLink":"https://www.podbean.com/ew/pb-tx32z-1acf6b3","transcriptUrl":"https://mcdn.podbean.com/mf/web/pmw5qtrk2js676vk/589c9b5b-41d5-3d42-8c2e-f4706352c360.srt","permalink":"/e/thetokyobill-weekly-may-23-2026/","downloadLink":"https://www.podbean.com/media/share/pb-tx32z-1acf6b3?download=1","fallbackResource":null,"fallbackResourceMimetype":null,"downloadCount":5,"status":"publish","hasMoreContent":false,"chaptersUrl":null,"explicit":false},"episodeShareLink":null,"deepLink":"https://www.podbean.com/ew/pb-tx32z-1acf6b3","playlist":{"episodes":[],"current":0,"start":0,"stop":0,"playing":true,"playerLoading":true,"playbackRate":1,"playbackRateIndex":1,"volume":1},"toasts":[],"confirm":null,"customizeEditorFormZIndex":999,"lastRequestTime":null,"validateChangesOnBeforeunload":true,"windowWidth":1000,"VITE_FS1_CDN_URL_PREFIX":"https://pbcdn1.podbean.com/fs1","reloadStats":false,"userIdEncrypted":null,"userProfilePicture":null,"username":null,"isVerified":false,"loadUserInfo":false,"loginUrl":"https://www.podbean.com/site/user/login?return=https%253A%252F%252Fthetokyobillweekly.podbean.com%252Fe%252Fthetokyobill-weekly-may-23-2026%252F&rts=c3cd47e5fb5956641e380273be1700dad82efd73","recaptchaV3Loaded":false,"recaptchaV2Loaded":false,"likesLoaded":false,"commentLikeMap":{},"commentOffset":0,"widgetCommentsLoaded":false},"episode":{"id":"pb28112563","idTag":"tx32z","title":"Stripping the Sacred - May 23 2026","logo":"https://pbcdn1.podbean.com/imglogo/image-logo/19779242/theTokyoBillweekly2048_300x300.png","shareLogo":null,"largeLogo":"https://pbcdn1.podbean.com/imglogo/image-logo/19779242/theTokyoBillweekly2048.png","previewContent":null,"content":"

Stories from Japan, told from Japan.

This week: the people stealing the roofs off Japan's shrines, and why the rest of the world is partly to blame.

Support: BuyMeACoffee/TokyoBill, or visit theTokyoBill.com. :)