Uchikura & Co Blog
2026-08-19
Nothing Should Be Perfect At Nikkō Tōshō-gū in Japan stands Yōmeimon (陽明門), one of the most beautifully decorated gates in the country. It is so elaborate that you could spend hours looking at its ca...
2026-08-19
The Road or the Rails: Which Path Will You Take? Roads and railroad tracks both lead us toward a destination, but they have one major difference. When you’re driving down a road, you decide to tu...
2026-08-19
武士の情け (Bushi no Nasake) Total Victory Leaves ResentmentWinning does not mean you must destroy your opponent. 武士の情け (bushi no nasake) describes the compassion a warrior shows toward a defeated oppon...
2026-08-19
Crossing the Hardest Point 峠を越える (tōge o koeru) literally means “to cross a mountain pass.” A 峠 (tōge) is the highest point along a mountain road before the road begins to descend. In Japanese, t...
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...