Japanology Plus S09E12 · Japanophiles: Claudio Feliciani

Overview

Claudio Feliciani is a Swiss-Italian scientist whose main interest is the movement of crowds. He worked alongside 3 Japanese scientists on a study that examined why people bump into each other when some of them are looking at a smartphone. It won an Ig Nobel Prize, which honors research that first makes you laugh, then makes you think. In a Japanophiles interview, Feliciani tells Peter Barakan how he ended up in Japan, and why he finds crowds so fascinating.

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Episodes

1. 1 1. Japanophiles: Tom Hovasse2022-01-06 · 28mIn a Japanophiles interview, Peter Barakan meets Tom Hovasse, a basketball coach from the USA. After spending much of his playing career in Japan, Hovasse began coaching Japanese t
2. 2 2. Kotatsu: Heated Tables2022-01-13 · 28mKotatsu are low tables with a heat source underneath, and a blanket draped over the top. For hundreds of years, Japanese have gathered around them in the cold winter months. They'r
3. 3 3. VTubers2022-01-20 · 28mVTubers create online content using a computer-generated avatar. Motion capture technology enables them to record their gestures and expressions, and then apply those movements to
4. 4 4. Traditional Homes2022-02-17 · 28mTraditional Japanese homes, featuring earthen walls, wooden beams and thatched roofs, have been used for centuries. Built using local materials, they incorporated clever techniques
5. 5 5. Jomon Period: The Sannai Maruyama Site2022-03-10 · 28mThe Jomon period lasted from around 13,000 BC to 300 BC. This society of hunter-gatherers cherished peace, cooperation and a deep connection to the natural world. In the first of 2
6. 6 6. Jomon Period: Dogu2022-03-17 · 28mThe Jomon period lasted from around 13,000 BC to 300 BC. This society of hunter-gatherers cherished peace, cooperation and a deep connection to the natural world. In the second of
7. 7 7. Japanophiles: Steve Tallon2022-03-24 · 28mSteve Tallon is a cycling enthusiast from the UK. In 2005, he spent 8 months cycling from the UK to Japan. It was a 16,000-kilometer journey through Europe, the Middle East, centra
8. 8 8. Face Masks2022-04-14 · 28mSince the outbreak of COVID-19, people all over the world have become accustomed to wearing masks. But in Japan, a custom of mask-wearing dates back hundreds of years. Today, innov
9. 9 9. Washi: Japanese Paper2022-04-28 · 28mJapanese paper, known as washi, is attractively textured and extremely durable. For centuries, it has been used in many aspects of Japanese life and culture. Our guest, Akutsu Tomo
10. 10 10. Name Stamps and Seals2022-05-12 · 28mFor hundreds of years, Japanese have used name stamps, known as Hanko, to prove their identity. People use stamps in everyday situations, such as receiving a parcel, and in formal
11. 11 11. Showa Nostalgia2022-05-19 · 28mThe "Showa era" was the period of Japanese history between 1926 and 1989. The 60s, 70s and 80s are fondly remembered in Japan as a time when many were feeling the positive effects
12. 12 12. Japanophiles: Claudio Feliciani2022-06-02 · 28mClaudio Feliciani is a Swiss-Italian scientist whose main interest is the movement of crowds. He worked alongside 3 Japanese scientists on a study that examined why people bump int
13. 13 13. Keitora: Tiny Trucks2022-06-16 · 28m40% of the motor vehicles in Japan are ultra-compact "kei" cars. These light vehicles are maneuverable, practical and cost-efficient. Tiny "kei" pickup trucks, known as "keitora,"
14. 14 14. Vinyl Records2022-06-30 · 28mIn Japan, vinyl records have made a comeback. Sales in 2021 were 10 times higher than they were in 2010. Japan's second-hand records are well-regarded all over the world because th
15. 15 15. Okinawa: The Ryukyu Kingdom2022-07-14 · 28mOkinawa Prefecture is a group of subtropical islands in the far south of Japan. It was previously a prosperous maritime trading state called the Ryukyu Kingdom. In the first of 2 e
16. 16 16. Okinawa: The Reconstruction of Shuri Castle2022-07-21 · 28mOkinawa Prefecture is a group of subtropical islands in the far south of Japan. It was previously a prosperous maritime trading state called the Ryukyu Kingdom. In the second of 2
17. 17 17. Frozen Food2022-07-28 · 28mIn Japan, frozen food is an essential part of many people's lives. Companies are constantly developing new techniques that make products tastier, longer lasting and more convenient
18. 18 18. Japanophiles: Gregory Khezrnejat2022-08-11 · 28mGregory Khezrnejat is an author and university associate professor from the United States. In 2021, his Japanese-language novel Kamogawa Runner won the second annual Kyoto Literatu
19. 19 19. Goldfish2022-08-25 · 28mGoldfish were introduced to Japan in the 16th century, and since then, they have become widely admired. Many people keep them as pets, and they are a common motif on everyday objec
20. 20 20. Welfare Goods2022-09-08 · 28mThe average age of the Japanese population is rising quickly. To offer care that matches the diverse needs of Japan's many elderly people, Japan produces a wide range of welfare go
21. 21 21. Water-related Disasters2022-09-29 · 28mJapan suffers from frequent water-related natural disasters, such as flooding, landslides and storm surges. Throughout history, methods to mitigate their effects have been devised.
22. 22 22. Japanophiles: Andrew Dewar2022-10-13 · 28mAndrew Dewar, originally from Toronto, Canada, is a designer of paper airplanes. His interest was sparked at the age of ten, when he encountered a sleek, unfamiliar paper-airplane
23. 23 23. The Moon2022-10-20 · 28mThe moon has been cherished and admired throughout Japanese history. People have long held moon-viewing events, and expressed gratitude for the moon's role in successful harvests.
24. 24 24. Cardboard2022-11-24 · 28mJapan is one of the world's top consumers of cardboard. The cardboard beds used during the Tokyo 2020 Olympic and Paralympic Games captured global attention. That was just one exam
25. 25 25. The Samurai of the Sea: Pirates or Protectors?2022-12-08 · 28mAround 500 years ago, sea traffic in the Seto Inland Sea was monitored and controlled by a group called the "Murakami Kaizoku." The word "kaizoku" translates to "pirates," but thes
26. 26 26. The Samurai of the Sea: The Murakami Legacy2022-12-15 · 28mAround 500 years ago, sea traffic in the Seto Inland Sea was monitored and controlled by a group called the "Murakami Kaizoku." The word "kaizoku" translates to "pirates," but thes
27. 27 27. Japanophiles: Colleen Schmuckal2022-12-22 · 28mHanawa-bayashi is the name both of a parade of floats in Kazuno, Akita Prefecture, and of the traditional music that is performed all night at the festival. These days, the perform