Uchikura & Co Blog
2026-08-18
Yaoyorozu (八百万) — You Are Always Being Watched In Japan, there is an ancient idea called yaoyorozu no kami (八百万の神), meaning that countless gods or spirits can be found throughout the world around u...
2026-08-18
大きなお世話: When Too Much Care Is Too Much The Japanese expression 大きなお世話 (ōkina osewa) literally sounds like “big help” or “great care.” But that is not what it means. It is something you say when s...
2026-08-17
The Man Who Made a Japanese Sports Car the World Recognized Today, Japanese sports cars are respected around the world. But in the 1960s, Japan was not yet a country people associated with exciting...
2026-08-17
鶴の一声: When One Voice Decides The Japanese expression 鶴の一声 (tsuru no hito-koe) literally means “the single cry of a crane.” Imagine a noisy group where everyone is talking, arguing, and offering d...
2026-08-17
About Japan — How Laughter Became Grass Japanese internet slang has a funny way of evolving. Years ago, when Japanese people wanted to show laughter in writing, they often added: （笑） It means...
2026-08-16
When Standing Out Is Not a Compliment The Japanese verb 浮く (uku) literally means “to float.” A boat floats on water.A balloon floats in the air. But when 浮く is used to describe a person, it tak...
2026-08-16
About Japan — “Let’s Meet at 18:00” In Japan, you may sometimes hear someone say, “Let’s meet at 18:00,” instead of “6:00 p.m.” The 24-hour clock is quite common in Japan, especially for train sc...
2026-08-16
Mushi: The “Bug” Inside the Japanese Heart In Japanese, the word mushi (虫) usually means “insect,” “bug,” or “worm.” Yet its cultural meaning reaches far beyond small living creatures. In many trad...
2026-08-15
About Japan — What Is Obon (お盆)? If you visit Japan in the middle of August, you may notice something unusual. Offices become quiet, trains and highways become crowded, and many people travel back to...
2026-08-15
Jumon (呪文) — Magic Words in Everyday Japan In Japanese, jumon (呪文) usually means a spell or incantation—words believed to have the power to make something happen. But jumon is not limited to wizard...