Sustainable Travel Japan

Hosted by JJWalsh

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Sep 2026

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How can we travel better? What are lesser-known travel gems in Japan? What's the latest in tourism and travel news and trends in Japan and how does it connect with issues of sustainability? Join us to talk with interesting people in various places across Japan who share their area insights.

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50 recent

September 21, 20263 hr 1 min

How Shelley Clarke Revived an Abandoned Japanese Estate for herself, Visitors & her Community

Dr.Shelly Clarke sponsored my trip and stay at her wonderful estate in rural Shizuoka where she has been working passionately for many years to bring it back to life (in her free time). Dr.Shelley Clarke (Japanese citizen) is an international expert on sustainable fisheries worldwide. Watch the YouTube versions of this podcast on the Shelley Clarke playlist here (Shelley Clarke Season 1 SHOW) We walk through all the buildings talking about the renovations, new additions and her ideas for how to show respect for the history and heritage but bring it back into modern relevance and enjoy using it. Find out more about the Sasu-Ichi Estate and Dr.Shelley Clarke on her LINKS below: Vintage Kawasemi Cottage on AirBnb https://www.airbnb.com/rooms/39117472 Sasu-Ichi restoration: https://www.sasuichi.org/ Sasama consulting https://sasamaconsulting.com/ Playlist: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLeqkAmgWnzqQ&si=KN5vFZ4jprNrmRYE Thanks for listening & As always you can get in touch with me at inboundambassador@gmail.com | Show Your Thanks for jjwalsh | YouTube | Patreon | BuyMeACoffee

September 7, 202617 min

Japan Island Guesthouse Walk-Thru | Renovated Abandoned House to GuestHouse BENTON HOMESTEAD

Bonus walk-thru of the fabulous Akiya (abandoned house) to stylish retro guesthouse - talking through the designs and renovation while I was staying at the wonderful Benton Homestead Guesthouse in #omishima island #ehime - join me for a walk-through to hear about all the charming designs of this #renovatedhome #akiya abandoned house into fun, comfortabe & stylish #japan #sustainable #japanesehouse #guesthouse #sustainabletravel ‪@bentonhomestead‬ #bentonhomesteadjapan #sustainablestyle #japan #ruraljapan

August 31, 202631 min

August catch up of news, travel, innovation & challenges for sustainable Japan

Catch up on AUGUST 2026, JJ and Tove talk Japan events and insights for a more sustainable Japan. TOPICS: JJ is staying at Akiya (abandoned house) to stylish retro GuestHouse on Omishima island (Ehime) Benton Homestead, Summer Beach Event | Swarm of Blue Button Jellyfish Japan Beaches | DEI collab: LIXIL ‪@LIXILcorporation‬ MAERSK ‪@maersk‬ Coloplast ‪@ColoplastUS‬ TetraPak ‪@tetrapak‬ & Yokohama Connect | Benton Homestead Akiya to Guesthouse Stay ‪@bentonhomestead‬ | JNTO & Japan Travel Awards Sustainable Inbound Tourism Judging | One-Young-World ‪@OneYoungWorld‬ South Africa 2026 Event | Wakayama retreats at ‪@Ryunohara‬ Ryunohara- talk with founder Lee recap | Sustainable Fisheries & Renovated Akiya to Guesthouse, Cafe, Bathhouse .. in Shizuoka by Shelley Clarke at Sasa-Ichi - talk with Shelley Clarke recap | Commemoration of Hiroshima and Nagasaki 81 years since the nuclear weapons attack on these cities

August 25, 20261 hr 2 min

Travelling Japan on 2-Wheels with Coach Alex Kang

Alex Kang loves cycling and motobiking in Japan and coaches for triathlon as well as does cycle tours in the Shimanami-kaido route from Hiroshima to Ehime on Shikoku island. In this talk coach Alex joins us from the US where he is based half of the year but talks of his love for Japan 2-wheel travel as well as shares about his new business renovation along the main shopping street in Onomichi - the main launching point for cycling the shimanami-kaido route. https://www.coachkang.com/

August 24, 202638 min

Will More Data-Centers Be Good For Japan?

Will datacenters in Japan be good for tourism and travel? Not if they are located next to hotels and guesthouses and not if they destroy the environment in beautiful rural areas. This podcast discusses where Japan is now in developing more datacenters as is the aim for the PM Takaichi govt in 2026. I have been thinking a lot about data centers and in this podcast catch us up on the situation with datacenter planning and pushback in Japan, some more sustainable models for a datacenter in Akita, and a discussion of the questions we all should be asking more in government leadership, the media and our communities about whether we really need so many data-centers in Japan now?! MEDIUM article: Does Japan Need Data Centers?

August 17, 20261 hr 2 min

Travel to Stay in Rural Shizuoka 600 yr old Japanese Property with New Bathhouse & Retro Design

Now a Japanese citizen, Dr.Shelley Clarke catches us up on her work as she makes a positive contribution to more sustainable oceans. We also hear of her passion to give a second life to a beautiful traditional Japanese estate dating back 600 years. But will she be the only resident of this community in 20 years? In 2022, I met Shelley Clarke at Minka Summit and talked with her here on Seek Sustainable Japan - here we catch up on the last 4 years of renovations at her 600 year old traditional Japanese house estate and the many local projects she has done. We start with some sustainable fisheries insights from her work with the UN on IUU (illegal, undisclosed and unregulated fishing). #sustainable #business #travel #stay #japan #shizuoka #educator #expert #entrepreneur #communitybuilder LINKS Sasuichi Restoration project: https://www.sasuichi.org/ Sasama Consulting: https://sasamaconsulting.com/ Book Shelley's cottage on AirBnb: https://www.airbnb.com/rooms/39117472... Buy a Move-in-Ready 8 Bedroom house and garden with garage for under 10M Yen (less than $80,000) in Shelley's neighborhood: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1Ib67... Monterey Bay Aquarium Seafood watch- search for updated information in Japan and wherever you are of what seafood and fish to eat and what to avoid: https://www.seafoodwatch.org/ ‪@MontereyBayAquarium‬ Shark Docs interview with Dr.Shelley Clarke about the need for more shark protection and regulation for more accountability in the fishing industry where IUU (illegal, unregulated, unreported) happens too easily around the world ‪@SharkDocs‬ • Beyond All the Sharks: Shark Fishing & Tra...

August 3, 20261 hr 25 min

How to run a successful & sustainable rural Japan retreat & AirBnb Stay

Ryonohara founder Lee talks here about design choices when renovating the traditional Japanese MINKA houses in rural Wakayama Japan. Also shares insights on running a successful AirBnb stays alongside retreats that connect guests to local craftspeople. Lee is also reviving tea farms and doing sustainable farming with goats and chickens. @Ryunohara https://www.ryunohara.com/about

July 27, 20261 hr 3 min

Renewable Energy Inclusion for Renters & International Residents

Hrishita of Hachidori-Denryoku's international team joins us to introduce the great work of this renewable energy sourcing co. in Japan. How to include international residents to learn about the service and sign up to source renewable energy even if renting or do not have a sunny roof. How everyone & anyone can still be a proactive part of Japan's clean energy transition. Hachidori Denryoku (also has English page) https://bit.ly/45uYT2q #sustainable #energy #japan #renewableenergy #hachidoridenryoku ⁨@hachidori-denryoku⁩

July 20, 202631 min

Hawaii vs Japan sustainable travel, business & strategy - Summer Secrets

Joy's recently back from Hawaii and inspired for sustainable travel and business strategies that also apply back to Japan. Tove has some Tokyo innovation and topics such as shorts okay for Cool Biz? / Regenerative Vertical Indoor Farm in Tokyo / Biodegradable plastics being used in Japan vs Hawaii / Sompo Japan insurance / EV electric car subsidy up to 1.3Million yen payback for all Japanese makers HONDA - TOYOTA - NISSAN - MITSUBISHI - MAZDA - SUBARU #madeinjapan Sustainable Short-Takes is a monthly chat between two friends on either side of Japan who both work in sustainability. Talks each month about sustainability trends, innovation, events and issues for Japan & beyond with JJWalsh & Tove Kinooka - 2 sustainability-focused insiders, educators & consultants working in Hiroshima & Tokyo Topics & Updates - July 2026 Tove Kinooka Global Perspectives KK Enteleco Consulting https://www.globalperspectives.biz/ https://www.linkedin.com/company/enteleco https://www.linkedin.com/in/tove-kinooka JJWalsh - InboundAmbassador co. sustainable tourism & business consulting & development / sustainable tour training & guiding / moderator-speaker-host of Seek Sustainable Japan https://www.linkedin.com/in/jjwalsh-inbound-ambassador/ https'//www.inboundambassador.com

July 13, 202643 min

Mukaishima Island No-Till Farm Visit - Great Stopover on Shimanami-kaido Cycle Trip

Farmer Thomas Kloepfer has been working this stunning hillside farmland for 15 years and finding the years of no-till farming paying off with healthy soil integrated with farm animals. Pitchfork Farms is on Mukaishima island, Onomichi area in Hiroshima, Japan. Book your own private farm tour with Thomas- it works well as a part of your Shimanami-Kaido cycle ride along the coast starting from Onomichi: https://www.pitchforkfarms.jp/