Uchikura & Co Blog
2026-09-25
ふるさとは遠きにありて思ふものそして悲しくうたふもの“Home is something we think of from afar,and sing of with a sorrowful heart.” These words are from a poem by the Japanese poet Muro Saisei. They express a feeling many peo...
2026-09-25
Nureginu: Being Falsely Accused In Japanese, 濡れ衣 (nureginu) means being falsely accused or blamed for something you did not do. Literally, it means “wet clothing.” The origin is said to come from...
2026-09-25
“Bocchi”: A Japanese Word for Being on Your Own In Japanese, ぼっち (bocchi) is an informal word for someone who is alone, especially in a situation where people are usually with friends or family. It c...
2026-09-25
Dame-moto: “Nothing to Lose” The Japanese expression だめもと (dame-moto) is short for だめでもともと. It means that even if something does not work out, you have little or nothing to lose by trying. A natu...
2026-09-24
瞑想 Meditation The Japanese word 瞑想 (meisou) means meditation. For some people, meditation sounds religious or mysterious. But I think of it more simply. It is the act of stopping for a moment and a...
2026-09-24
“Shitsurei Itashimasu” — Coming and Going In a Japanese office, you may hear someone say 失礼いたします (shitsurei itashimasu) as they enter a meeting room. They pause at the doorway, face the people inside...
2026-09-24
What Do You See in the Moon? Today is Jūgoya in Japan, the traditional night for admiring the autumn moon. People look up at the sky, enjoy the moonlight, and share stories about what they see on the...
2026-09-24
The Japanese Word Kakugen (格言) I often write about Japanese words that make me stop and think. One of them is kakugen (格言). Kakugen is usually translated as “maxim” or “aphorism.” It is a short sta...
2026-09-23
Japan Is Still an “Enemy State” in the UN Charter. It’s Time to Change That. Japan joined the United Nations in 1956. Seventy years later, the UN Charter still contains clauses referring to “enemy st...
2026-09-23
Why I’m Calling It a Rental Service For years, the technology industry has used the term SaaS—Software as a Service. It makes sense to people in the industry. But when I talk with business owners, I ...