Conbini Cult

Located in Tokyo’s Shinjuku ward, Kabukicho is Japan’s most well-known red-light district. Today we discuss the adult industry and the types of establishments that can be found in Kabukicho, the legal loopholes that allow this industry to thrive, along with lack of regulation, coercion and trafficking concerns, among other things.  Just in case it wasn’t clear, absolutely no shame to the workers i...

The Toyoko Kids are a group of runaway youth that have found community in Kabukicho, Tokyo’s red light district. Today we chat with Kaja, a public health expert who has volunteered and worked with NPOs supporting the Toyoko Kids to find out more about the kinds of home lives the kids are escaping from, the kind of support they currently receive, and what us regular folks can do to spread awareness...

What better way to end spooky season than with some real life horrors?! It’s that time again to share dating stories. Buckle up because some of these stories are pretty wild. Disclaimer: the stories happened in Japan but they don’t all say whether or not the person was Japanese. Just because some of the people in the stories were pretty unhinged, doesn’t mean everyone here is.  Got questions or wa...

Our second edition of Halloween 2026. We’ve curated some more real life hauntings to chill your bones and keep you awake at night. Sleep tight!  Got questions or want to share your story? Send us an email at conbinicultpod@gmail.com Host: Frankie - @franklinthewoman on all platforms Jingle by SATSUKI Words mentioned/useful words: 神隠し kami kakushi - concealed by the gods, spirited away Reference...

Sumo is one of the most renowned sports in Japan, but every industry has a dark side too. From hazing incidents, ab*se, cover ups, gambling ties, and health risks like heart disease and CTE, let’s learn more about sumo’s dark underbelly.  Got questions or want to share your story? Send us an email at conbinicultpod@gmail.com Host: Frankie - @franklinthewoman on all platforms Jingle by SATSUKI Word...

Would you live in an apartment with discounted rent if something tragic had happened there prior? Would you be willing to ride an elevator alone to another world? Or risk your own safety to deliver a cursed talisman to your enemies? Let’s learn about stigmatized properties in Japan (a very real thing), along with some forbidden games and ghost stories. Happy October!  Got questions or want to shar...

How do you properly resign from a Japanese company? How can you report labor law violations? Can you be fired for medical reasons? Let’s read some stories with Ami today about work culture in Japan, red flags for exploitative companies, and more! *We are not lawyers and cannot give legal advice*. Got questions or want to share your story? Send us an email at conbinicultpod@gmail.com Thanks Ami for...

What was traveling and living in Japan like before social media? Was any foreigner here just to spread religion? Who was the first native English teacher? Who was the first glazer? We shall find out all this and more in today’s episode, highlighting some early travelers in Japan that we’ve learned about through our own travels.  Got questions or want to share your story? Send us an email at conbin...

*Spoilers in this episode!* Please finish all of season 2 before watching. Is being foreigners in Japan our whole personality? I guess so. Stick around for silly stories (from us and you, the listeners) about work, dating, language learning, embarrassing moments, current events, deep dives on Japan-related topics we’re curious to learn more about.  Got questions or want to share your story? Send u...

Ever wondered which part of Japan has crazy enough occurrences to be on par with “Florida Man”? Many would say it’s Saitama. Let’s check out some of the most bizarre headlines we’ve seen in Saitama news. And if you live in Saitama, are you okay?! Got questions or want to share your story? Send us an email at conbinicultpod@gmail.com Host: Frankie - @franklinthewoman on all platforms References/sou...

Major spoilers ahead! If you haven’t watched the first part of season two, come back to this episode later. We gotta talk about the contestants behavior this time around…it was a wild ride.   Got questions or want to share your story? Send us an email at conbinicultpod@gmail.com Host: Frankie - @franklinthewoman on all platforms Words mentioned/useful words: yaeba (八重歯) - upper canines that loo...

There’s a viral n*pple tint that’s popular now so you look more pure and innocent?! Let’s chat about beauty trends in Japan, many of which we love! Some though, are a little alarming and bizarre. The Ozempic craze has hit here too unfortunately.  Thanks Ami for joining us again!  Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/ami_and_coo/   TikTok - https://www.tiktok.com/@amiandcoo   Website & Consult...

Not all heroes wear capes! Some are elderly volunteers that put their own safety at risk rather than leaving a mess for future generations to deal with, and some heroes come from a marginalized community and still step up to help those in need during disaster. Let’s talk about some of Japan’s most major natural disasters over the past few decades, and those whose efforts to help victims did not go...

Did you know that August is the spooky time of year in Japan? Let’s find out what the Obon holiday/tradition is all about, and share some real ghost encounters that will surely give you a chill this summer. Got questions or want to share your story? Send us an email at conbinicultpod@gmail.com Host: Frankie - @franklinthewoman on all platforms Words mentioned/useful words: 人柱 hitobashira - human...

Today we’ll find out what Frankie’s actual job is, how she got started as a content creator in Japan, making a full time income, navigating visas and starting a business, and how tourism projects (for social media) usually work. We also have Rosa’s perspective, who worked full time as Frankie’s assistant for eight months.  Got questions or want to share your story? Send us an email at conbinicultp...

Takashi Film joins us today to talk about being a freelancer in a creative field in Japan, starting a business, and also navigating the work force with ADHD! Takashi is a videographer who has worked with many clients like DJI, Lumix, Mazda and Lexus! Cool guy alert, with no sarcasm this time.  Takashi's instagram: https://www.instagram.com/takashi.film/?hl=en It’s not his first rodeo though! W...

Ever been walking down the street in Japan and wondered what that building is with the bright lights, loud slot machines, and cigarette smoke seeping through the doors? How is pachinko gambling if gambling is technically illegal here? Let’s learn more about the game that you can find in pretty much any neighborhood in Japan, the ancient types of gambling that preceded pachinko, the hidden problems...

If you’ve ever lived or traveled in Japan, you’ve probably heard the sound of revving engines and loud bike mufflers in the middle of the night at least once, or maybe you’ve just seen Tokyo Revengers and Akira. Let’s take a deep dive into the history of these biker gangs, dubbed Bosozoku (violent running tribes) by the media, and how their eccentric bike modifications, fashion, and rebellion have...

Today we’ll chat with Katie, an American in Tokyo, about how she started as a teacher and transitioned into food tourism. We also discuss what it’s like navigating Japan’s work culture with a chronic illness. For food recommendations around Tokyo and beyond, and guided tours, she’s your gal.  Katie’s blog & tours - https://www.thetastytraveler.com/ Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/thetast...

Today we’ll chat with Eboni, an Atlanta gal living in Yokohama, about her journey to becoming fluent in Japanese, entering the Japanese corporate world, social media, becoming a JAL ambassador and more! Eboni’s socials - let’s get her to 10k on insta!  Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/ebonihongo/ TikTok - https://www.tiktok.com/@ebonihongo.jp YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@ebonihongo Got...

When people complain about the heat and humidity during Japan’s long summers, it really is that big of a deal. Every year new record high temperatures are reached, and fatal heat strokes (for people of all ages) are only increasing. On top of that, bear sightings and attacks are on the rise, and giant hornet populations are increasing too. While there are so many fun activities during the summer,...

This week we chat with special guest Sachiko Ishikawa about IVF, motherhood, social issues and politics in Japan! How is the government supporting families and what is still lacking? How hard is it getting your child into daycare in Tokyo?! Let’s chat all this and more.  Find Sachiko here: TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@ishikawa_sachi?_r=1&_t=ZS-97CS2QO2tMq Instagram: https://www.instagram.co...

To celebrate 100 episodes, let’s talk overrated and underrated anime. Because my own repertoire is still growing, I decided to bring a couple experts on. Thanks Aundre and Rosa for joining!  Got questions or want to share your story? Send us an email at conbinicultpod@gmail.com Host: Frankie - @franklinthewoman on all platforms The RDC skit about JJK that Aundre mentioned: https://www.youtube.com/...

A poem that causes tragic accidents if read aloud, a severed head flying across the country, and a decades long baseball losing streak?! Let’s get into some silly and spooky curses that could befall upon you in Japan if you’re not careful.  Got questions or want to share your story? Send us an email at conbinicultpod@gmail.com Host: Frankie - @franklinthewoman on all platforms Words mentioned/usef...

Chris Payne is a US citizen who has been in Japan since 2013. He was falsely convicted of attacking a woman in Chiba in July 2018 and has been held in solitary confinement for 4.5 years. The whole crux of the investigation falls on a manipulated DNA analysis, but meanwhile, Chris has never matched the description of the attacker, and his alibi was never properly investigated. The Tokyo High Court...