Jandals in Japan®
Episodes
The Kiwi Brothers Origin Story: Transforming Zespri Marketing in Japan with Kanako Inomata
19 Apr 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Kanako Inomata is the Head of Marketing APAC for Zespri International, one of the world's most recognised fresh produce brands. Working remotely from ...
Staying When It Gets Tough: How Glen Argyle Earned Trust and Built a Sustainable Business in Japan’s Pharmaceutical Industry
05 Apr 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Glen Argyle left Invercargill for what he thought would be a two or three-year teaching stint in Osaka. Twenty-eight years later, he is currently the ...
Grassroots Diplomacy: New Zealand's Deputy Head of Mission on Life, Culture, and Connection in Japan
01 Feb 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Gareth Pidgeon is Deputy Head of Mission and Consul General at the New Zealand Embassy in Tokyo. From his roots in New Plymouth under the shadow of Mo...
From Rugby Fields to Banking: Brandon Jackson on Building Bridges Between NZ and Japan
18 Jan 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Brandon Jackson spent nearly a decade in Japan playing and coaching rugby for corporate teams including the Ricoh Black Rams. Now, as General Manager ...
Art, Ancestry and Adventure: Bridging Māori and Japanese Worldviews Through Artistic Creativity on Naoshima
07 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Sarah Hudson made history as Aotearoa's first artist in residence at the Setouchi Triennale. Sarah shares her transformative experience living and cre...
Prosperous Partnerships through Protein: Fonterra's B2B Success Story in Japan with Bryn Rowdon
21 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Bryn Rowdon is the Corporate Communications General Manager for Fonterra's North Asia region. We uncover the fascinating story of how New Zealand's ic...
Lead Yourself First: Tabai Matson's Lessons from Rugby in Five Countries and Coaching the Ricoh Black Rams
09 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
From the Māori All Blacks to the Ricoh Black Rams in Tokyo, Tabai Matson (Tabs) has coached rugby on multiple continents—and Japan has taught him s...
Aaron Astle - Descendant of the first Japanese immigrant to New Zealand
05 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Meet Aaron Astle, whose remarkable family story connects two nations across time. As a descendant of Noda Asajiro - believed to be the first Japanese ...
The Quiet Success of Kiwi Dairy: Charles Wilson's Insights from Tatua Japan
27 Jul 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Join us for an insightful conversation with Charles Wilson, who leads Tatua Japan's operations as both President and Representative Director in one of...
Skincare Secrets: Elizabeth Barbalich’s Formula for Success in Japan with Antipodes
29 Jun 2025
Contributed by Lukas
What does it take to succeed in Japan's notoriously difficult beauty market? Elizabeth Barbalich, founder and Director of iconic New Zealand skincare ...
Crossing Swords: Kendo, Culture, and Commerce in Japan with Graham Sayer
18 May 2025
Contributed by Lukas
We cross swords/minds with Graham Sayer, a 7th dan Kyoshi kendo practitioner, former president of the New Zealand Kendo Federation and recipient of th...
Building Bridges as a Kiwi in Japan: Sean O'Connell on Intercultural Communication
27 Apr 2025
Contributed by Lukas
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’C...
Exploring Kiwi Excellence in Business: Behind the Scenes at Hotel Indigo Tokyo Shibuya with Rebecca Thorn
16 Mar 2025
Contributed by Lukas
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 n...
Playing the Long Game with Innovation and Hydrogen: FABRUM's Journey from New Zealand to Japan
02 Mar 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Chris Boyle is Co-founder, Executive Chair and Managing Director of FABRUM. Chris shares FABRUM's expansive journey in the hydrogen energy sector, inc...
Bringing NZ Leadership to Japan on and off the field with Steve Hansen
16 Feb 2025
Contributed by Lukas
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 shar...
Jandals Highlights: Our New Zealand Podcast Award 2024 Submission
10 Dec 2024
Contributed by Lukas
We wanted to share our submission to the New Zealand Podcast Awards for 2024. Although we were certainly pipped at the post, we are so proud of the wo...
A Kiwi Approach to Owning a Ski Lodge in Japan: Hakuba Matata
08 Dec 2024
Contributed by Lukas
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...
From Kiwi Roots to Tokyo Kitchens: Chef Lindsay Gray's Journey
10 Nov 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Lindsay Gray, Executive Chef at the Tokyo American Club, shares his culinary journey from New Zealand to Japan. Lindsay discusses his initial struggle...
Jay Wilson on family, racing with Yamaha and life in Japan
14 Oct 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Jay Wilson, an accomplished motocross and supercross rider, shares his journey of how he ended up racing and living in Japan. Jay talks about his pass...
Behind the Koru: Air New Zealand’s Success and Challenges in Japan with Hiroaki Nagahara
29 Sep 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Hiroaki (Hans)Nagahara is the Head of Japan for Air New Zealand. We enjoyed this wonderful discussion about our favorite destinations in New Zealand, ...
Inside Rugby's Business: Craig Fenton on NZ Rugby and its growing connections with Japan
16 Sep 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Craig Fenton is Chief Executive of New Zealand Rugby Commercial and joins us to discuss the connection between New Zealand Rugby and Japan. Japan has ...
From Vine to Victory: Small scale winery secures distributor and wine award in Japan with Stephanie Henderson-Grant
08 Sep 2024
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode of the Jandals in Japan podcast, hosts Jayne and Catherine discuss various topics from the current rice shortage in Japan to the uniqu...
New Zealand Seafood in Japan with Jason Plato, Sealord
21 Jul 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Jason Plato is the General Manager for Sales at Sealord. Jason recounts his very unique bootcamp-like early experience of joining a Japanese bank as a...
Partnerships in Education: New Zealand and Japan collaborations with Misa Kitaoka
08 Jul 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Misa Kitaoka is the Director of Education at Education New Zealand (ENZ) in Japan. She shares her experiences and insights into fostering educational ...
Tackling Japan: Rugby Legends Beauden Barrett and Aaron Smith on life in Japan and playing for Toyota Verblitz
12 May 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Join us for a face to face interview with Toyota Verblitz players Beauden Barrett and Aaron Smith. The boys share their insights into the deep-rooted ...
Peeling back the layers of the fresh produce market in Japan with Jessica Tisch
21 Apr 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Jessica Tisch, Japan Country Manager for Freshco, joins us to share the lay of the land in the fresh produce sector in Japan. We traverse the topics o...
Barking up the right tree! The K9 Natural success story of selling premium pet food in the Japan market
07 Apr 2024
Contributed by Lukas
We dive into the fascinating world of pet ownership and dog trends in Japan with our guest, Takayuki Ichikawa, from K9 Natural, a premium New Zealand ...
New Zealand forestry and Japan with Tony Clifford
10 Mar 2024
Contributed by Lukas
We are thrilled to bring you a wonderful Jandal: Tony Clifford, who is sharing his experience of working with a Japanese corporation for 30 years. Tha...
Hiring to help your business succeed in Japan with Kerry Ellis
25 Feb 2024
Contributed by Lukas
We sit down with the insightful Kerry Ellis, a Senior Business Partner at Decipher Group in Christchurch, who has extensive experience in both New Zea...
From Fukuoka to Auckland - Technology collaborations between Japan and New Zealand with Pam Ford
11 Feb 2024
Contributed by Lukas
We are getting the download on the tech collaborations between Japan and New Zealand in this episode with guest, Pam Ford from Tātaki Auckland Unlimi...
Game Changers: Bridging language gaps in Japan rugby through translation with Doug Picken
28 Jan 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Doug Picken is an exceptional individual with unique insights into the world of rugby translation and the cultural intricacies of Japan and New Zealan...
Costco as a distribution strategy in Japan with Jason Allen, Cookie Time
14 Jan 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Cookie Time is making waves in Japan and Jason Allen, Representative Director, shares how this came to be. If you are thinking of having Costco as par...
Delivering excellence in Japan's freight industry with Motoko Murata
17 Dec 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Motoko Murata is the country manager for Mainfreight in Japan. Together we delved into what is making Mainfreight stand out in the ultra competitive a...
Wai Mānuka's awesome adventure: From the America’s Cup to Tokyo's taste buds
03 Dec 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Joe Harawira is co-founder of Wai Mānuka, a premium non-alcoholic beverage company. We talk about Wai Mānuka's success in both New Zealand and Jap...
Five awesome moments from Jandals in Japan in 2023
19 Nov 2023
Contributed by Lukas
We’re out of office this week, but we didn’t want you to miss your hit of “Jandals in Japan” while we are away, so we thought we would share o...
Inspiring the next generation: Taking the Sakura Japan Hockey team to new heights with Jude Menezes
05 Nov 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Jude Menezes shares his experiences and insights as the new coach for the Japanese women’s hockey team: Sakura Japan. From discussing the challenges...
Celebrating Episode 40, we let ChatGPT ask us the questions
22 Oct 2023
Contributed by Lukas
In today's milestone 40th episode, Jayne and Catherine have plenty to chat about thanks to ChatGPT which has provided the thought provoking questions ...
Insights on Japanese culture for life and business with Tim Bunting, the Kiwi Yamabushi
08 Oct 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Tim Bunting, also known as the “Kiwi Yamabushi”, shares fascinating insights about his experiences as a Yamabushi practitioner and the philosophy ...
Diving into Japan's Aquaculture Landscape through the Global Fisheries Scholarship with Monique Holmes
24 Sep 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Monique Holmes shares her insightful experiences during her time as a trainee at Nissui in Japan on the Global Fisheries Scholarship. Join us as we ex...
Embracing cultural nuances: Insights for successful business between Japan and New Zealand with Annette Azuma
10 Sep 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Annette Azuma, Director at Baker Tilly Staples Rodway, in the Auckland office, shares her experiences in facilitating business between New Zealand and...
From petrol stations to diplomacy: Building bridges through people-to-people connections with Dom Walton-France
30 Jul 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Embark on a journey of diplomacy as we delve into the role of the New Zealand Embassy in Japan. We speak with Deputy Ambassador, Dom Walton-France and...
NEC today: working at a Japanese company in Aotearoa NZ with Mel Barber, Managing Director
16 Jul 2023
Contributed by Lukas
You might be wondering what NEC actually does these days. We certainly were! Mel Barber, NEC New Zealand Managing Director, shares the range of activi...
If you were starting over in Japan, what would you do? Catherine and Jayne explore opportunities for the future
02 Jul 2023
Contributed by Lukas
On this episode of Jandals in Japan, join the hosts of the show, Jayne and Catherine as they dive into the various opportunities for intergenerational...
Creating memorable hotel stay experiences through Kiwi and Japanese omotenashi with Rebecca Thorn
18 Jun 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Rebecca Thorn, star General Manager for Hotel Indigo Tokyo Shibuya, shares her experiences in the hotel industry in New Zealand and how she adjusted t...
Gaining traction long term in Japan through Manaakitanga with Miriana Stephens
04 Jun 2023
Contributed by Lukas
We are thrilled to bring you Miriana Stephens, a director for Wakatū Incorporation and General Manager of AuOra™. Wakatū recently signed several M...
Zespri: Doing big business in Japan with a small team featuring Ichiro Anzai
21 May 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Ichiro Anzai shines a light on the potential for New Zealand fresh produce in Japan with his enthusiasm for our “tiny little fruits” that are achi...
New Zealand helping Japan to boost geothermal energy production with Yoshifumi Imamura
07 May 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Do you know the percentage of energy in New Zealand generated from geothermal sources? In this episode we talk with Yoshifumi Imamura who is working t...
Adventure tourism opportunities in Japan with Mike Harris
23 Apr 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Mike Harris arrived in Japan in the 90's to find a wonderland of adventure tourism opportunities. Listen to hear how he was able to persuade local sta...
Urban farming as a business in Tokyo with Jon Walsh
09 Apr 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Jon Walsh never knew he was dreaming of becoming an urban farmer in Tokyo, until one day when he bought some seeds, a pot and some soil and started gr...
Behind the scenes of the Japanese TV industry with Jessica Gerrity
26 Mar 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Jessica Gerrity is one of our most recognised Kiwi faces in Japan, a regular on Japanese TV shows as well as a PR ambassador for her Japan home provin...
Jamie Joseph: Leadership lessons and insights from Japan's Brave Blossoms Head Coach
12 Mar 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Jamie Joseph, Head Coach of the Japanese rugby team, made time to speak with us about how he manages to bring the the team to higher and higher levels...
Future trends for wine and sake in Japan with top sommelier Wayne Shennen
26 Feb 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Wayne Shennen is not only a top class sommelier but also incredibly knowledgeable about sake. Jayne and Catherine pepper him with questions about food...
Top contract negotiator in Japan, Tim Harvey, tells how he did it
12 Feb 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Tim Harvey has negotiated over 1000 contracts including 500 rugby players into Japan over his time at one of the leading sports agencies in Japan. We ...
A new frontier of collaboration, Japan and NZ in space together with Professor G. Aglietti
29 Jan 2023
Contributed by Lukas
New Zealand has a burgeoning space industry and in this episode with Dr Aglietti, Director of the Space Institute, Te Pūnaha Ātea, at the University...
Getting your dream rugby job in Japan with Jess Souchon
15 Jan 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Do you want to be part of the up and coming professional rugby scene here in Japan? Jess Souchon, Performance Analyst for the Mitsubishi Sagamihara Dy...
Jayden Toa-Maxwell on becoming a celebrity in Japan and caring for your supporters
18 Dec 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Jayden Toa-Maxwell filled out a questionnaire for a TV show and then found his life turned around when he was one of 17 men selected for the reality s...
JNZBC Conference 2022 in Beppu: Key learnings
11 Dec 2022
Contributed by Lukas
The Japan New Zealand Business Council (JNZBC) is an organisation with a wealth of connections and knowledge in the New Zealand and Japanese business ...
Les Mills is in Japan but they don’t own a single gym, how do they do it? Featuring Ly Nguyen
04 Dec 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Not all businesses in Japan have to be a physical product. Licensing your IP (Intellectual Property) can be another way to do business in Japan and in...
Localising your brand in Japan and becoming the #1 refill retailer with ecostore’s Hamish McCaroll and Alice Lynch
20 Nov 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Iconic 30 year old Kiwi brand ecostore joins us on Jandals and they go above and beyond to share the story of their journey of entering the Japan mark...
Committing to the tackle: Kiwi Rugby in Japan with Heiden Bedwell-Curtis
06 Nov 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Heiden Bedwell-Curtis plays for the Mitsubishi Heavy Industries rugby team “Mitsubishi Dynaboars”, a division one team, in Japan. Heiden shares hi...
Cogo enters Japan to help reduce carbon footprints with Julie Lindenberg
23 Oct 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Carbon emissions are on everyone’s minds right now and in Japan, the commitment is to net zero carbon emissions by 2050. Kiwi company Cogo is alread...
Your guide to food exporting to Japan with Chisa Ogura of Meros Consulting
09 Oct 2022
Contributed by Lukas
We have a true expert on the agriculture industry and food and beverage market in Japan in this episode, Chisa Ogura of Meros Consulting. It’s great...
Coming to Japan on business? Start studying now! Insights with Greg Cross from Freshco NZ
25 Sep 2022
Contributed by Lukas
If you are coming back to Japan on business in the near future, you will want to study up on what to do, who to talk to and how to act. Greg Cross has...
Creating an anchor for the community in Japan with Kim Harase from iki Espresso
11 Sep 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Selling New Zealand in Japan might not necessarily be a stand-alone product, it could also be combined with an atmosphere or a Kiwi style sense of com...
Naive and Clumsy? Perceptions of New Zealanders in Japan with David Downs of New Zealand Story Group
28 Aug 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Guardians of the brand of New Zealand, New Zealand Story Group CEO David Downs shares the latest information about how New Zealand and its people are ...
BBQs to Mānuka Honey: Leveraging local infrastructure for success in Japan with Adam Hall
14 Aug 2022
Contributed by Lukas
What if you could create a single origin brand for mānuka honey, much like Central Otago pinot noir? We learnt that was absolutely possible and has a...
Playing the long game at all stages of business in Japan with Ian Kennedy
31 Jul 2022
Contributed by Lukas
We are thrilled to bring former New Zealand Ambassador to Japan, Ian Kennedy to you today who is sharing ALL the golden jandals he has learnt during h...
Kaizen your Kiwi business to success in the Japanese market with Dave Mair
17 Jul 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Hold onto your jandals, Dave Mair is on the show talking about why Japan is so good at what it does and how Kiwi companies can connect and work more e...
The Japan market is not as hard as you think with Greg Lane from Tokyo Cheapo
03 Jul 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Greg Lane has proved over many years in Japan that it’s possible for a foreign company to be successful. Despite the challenges of Covid Tokyo Cheap...
Doing business in Japan with Kiwi Kindness with Mayu Suzuki
19 Jun 2022
Contributed by Lukas
As an exchange student at Kapiti College at 14 years old, Mayu Suzuki helped her family to start what is now a successful business exporting high qual...
Jandals in Japan 8 Mini with Mayu Suzuki
19 Jun 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Welcome to our first Jandals in Japan "Mini" episode, where we share some of the great parts of our interview with our guest that we weren't able to p...
Communicating your Kiwiness with Louise George Kittaka
05 Jun 2022
Contributed by Lukas
If you haven’t visited Japan for a while due to the Covid-19 pandemic then you might find Japan to be quite different from when you were here last. ...
Enhancing the potential of NZ meat products in Japan with Makoto Kinjo
22 May 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Some of our most passionate Jandals are also originally from Japan. Makoto Kinjo has a wealth of experience in bringing New Zealand products to Japan....
Unwrapping Japan with Cookie Time’s Jason Allen
15 May 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Cookie Time is a loved brand in New Zealand for nearly 40 years and we are thrilled that guest, Jason Allen, is on the show with us to share his insig...
Cracking the can in Japan: Japanese beverage market entry with Native Sparkling’s Matt and Guy Hobson
08 May 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Native Sparkling is making a splash in Japan and we cannot wait to introduce you to two of the team behind it, Matt and Guy Hobson. We’ve been follo...
Leading the flock in New Zealand merino products to Japan with Jacqui Miyabayashi - Part 1
24 Apr 2022
Contributed by Lukas
This is Part 1 of a 2 part episodeJacqui Miyabayashi is importing New Zealand merino + possum products to Japan and has found a way to appeal to a nic...
Leading the flock in New Zealand merino products to Japan with Jacqui Miyabayashi - Part 2
24 Apr 2022
Contributed by Lukas
This is Part 2 of 2 part episode. Part One is here. Jacqui Miyabayashi is importing New Zealand merino + possum products to Japan and has found a way ...
Jandals Live in Japan April 19th
18 Apr 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Catherine and Jayne are LIVE in Tokyo together this week, catching you up on some of the exciting developements between Japan and New Zealand.
Spilling the Sparkling on New Zealand Wine in Japan with Carl Robinson
10 Apr 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Did you know that one out of every three bottles of New Zealand wine sold in Japan are from just one brand? Our latest Jandal in Japan pops the cork o...
Jandals Live in Japan April 7th
06 Apr 2022
Contributed by Lukas
We catch you up on: The upcoming Episode 2Quakey rumbles continueJapan entry visas are starting to be processedEpisode 1 Don Roxburgh reflectionsEpiso...
Creating a successful business importing New Zealand products to Japan with Don Roxburgh
27 Mar 2022
Contributed by Lukas
How do you begin to start to export products to Japan?If you are already in Japan how do you succeed in getting a foothold in the Japanese market?Don ...
Jandals Live in Japan March 23rd
23 Mar 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Join us for our first "Live" show which is a warm up for our very first episode coming out on March 28th, 2022. Subscribe to our list for the latest i...
Welcome to the Jandals in Japan Podcast
28 Feb 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Welcome to 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 ...