AI vs Instinct: Japan's New Ad War

At dawn in Toyosu, a tuna show draws a wall of phones — the oldest marketing there is.

▼ About This Episode

Before the tourists arrive, before the sushi counters open, a wholesaler at Tokyo's Toyosu market lifts a blade as long as his arm — and forty strangers raise their phones. Nobody there needs to watch a tuna get cut to buy sashimi. So what are they really selling? The memory of it.

In this episode, Haru and Sakura stand on the wet dawn floor of the world's most famous fish market to trace how marketing in Japan is being rewritten in 2026. Generative AI has quietly become the new "front door" to buying — people now open a chat and simply ask, "what should I buy?" Nearly half of consumers use it, and most still double-check its picks with a human. Brands are scrambling to answer a brand-new question: how does the AI see me?

But the deeper the technology goes, the older the truth underneath it looks — recall, impulse, and habit. From AI search optimization and data-driven influencers to Marugame Udon's comeback, convenience-store fashion, and the theory of "liquid consumption," what really decides whether a brand gets chosen? And can you ever hand a machine your heat?

▼ Timestamps (Chapters)

00:00 - Toyosu Fish Market at Dawn: Japan's Oldest Marketing Show
01:17 - Japan's Ad Spending Hits a Record $48 Billion
01:53 - The New Front Door: Asking AI What to Buy
02:49 - The New Battlefield: How Does the AI See Your Brand?
03:48 - Recall and Impulse: Marugame Udon and Convenience Store Socks
05:00 - The Last Danger: Can You Hand a Machine Your Heat?

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◆Note

The content of this program is intended solely for informational purposes and reflects the personal views of the creators. Please make any investment or business decisions based on your own judgment and responsibility. This program does not endorse or recommend any specific financial products or investment strategies.

🎵Music by Ivan Ohanezov from Pixabay

#JapanBusiness #JapaneseCulture #NarrativeJapan #JapanPodcast #MarketingInJapan #GenerativeAI