Uchikura & Co Blog
2026-10-04
Hara o Waru (腹を割る) — Speak Openly and Honestly In Japanese, hara o waru means to speak openly and honestly, without hiding your true feelings. Its literal translation is “split open your belly.” It...
2026-10-04
Nara: Tōdai-ji and the Deer Some places in Japan make history feel close. Nara is one of them. Tōdai-ji (東大寺) is home to the famous Great Buddha, a statue approximately 15 meters tall. The temple...
2026-10-04
後の祭り — Ato no MatsuriToo Late The Japanese expression ato no matsuri literally means “after the festival.” Imagine arriving when the celebration is already over. You may be ready to participate, bu...
2026-10-04
Japan’s Ōedo Line: Moving Through Tokyo by Magnetic Force Did you know that Tokyo’s Ōedo Line（大江戸線）moves differently from most trains? On a conventional electric train, motors turn the wheels to ...
2026-10-04
A page from my book, 88 Japanese Wisdom, available on Amazon in paperback and Kindle editions. 引き算の美学(Hikizan no Bigaku)Less Is Often More Hikizan no Bigaku (引き算の美学) is the art of subtraction—rem...
2026-10-04
What You See Is Not What You Get. Really? In Japanese, suppin（すっぴん） means a face without makeup. It is how someone looks before adding the finishing touches. I wonder what a business would look l...
2026-10-03
Akachochin: A Red Lantern, a Warm Welcome In Japan, a red paper lantern outside a small drinking place often signals a simple invitation: come in, sit down, and relax. These casual neighborhood e...
2026-10-03
Yume Utsutsu: Between Dreams and Reality Have you ever heard a sound while half asleep and wondered whether it was real or part of your dream? In Japanese, we have a word for that feeling: yume u...
2026-10-02
What Is a Kobanashi?A kobanashi (小話) is a short, amusing story. The word combines ko (小), meaning “small,” and hanashi (話), meaning “story” or “talk.” A kobanashi usually takes only a minute or two t...
2026-10-02
Ongaeshi: Returning a Kindness Ongaeshi (恩返し) means returning a kindness or repaying a favor. When someone helps us, we may feel grateful and want to do something for them in return. But ongaeshi...