It’s a New Year and with a good chuck of Japan's spectacular fire festivals held in January, we can take a look at 10 of the most famous from across the country and months to come. Permission to fire away!

Jake's first experience with Japan was through football with the 2002 FIFA World Cup. This branched out to cinema as he got older but it wasn’t until starting the Ghibliotheque podcast with Michael Leader that he finally dived into the world of Studio Ghibli and really got to know the country on a deeper level! We talk to Jake about the Ghibliotheque’s second book and his journey on the podcast.

What has Stonehenge got to do with Japan? As the winter solstice draws in and with the English Heritage's 'Circles of Stone' exhibition at Stonehenge Visitor Centre, we take a look into the surprising similarities between our two countries’ deep prehistoric past…

When Michael Leader discovered that friend, Jake Cunningham, had never seen a Studio Ghibli film, there was only one thing to do: start a podcast together! Michael gives us the inside scoop on the Ghibliotheque podcast’s journey over the years, personal highlights and how he fell in love with Japan in the first place. 

Ever since Joe Allam made his first visit to Japan back in 2014, he's been hooked to the country! Eager to learn more about a culture that resonates with the values he holds as a visual artist, Joe has made over a dozen trips back to Japan. We talk with Joe about his beginnings as an independent artist and the highlights of his Japan travels.