Uchikura & Co Blog
2026-09-18
Quality Is What People Cannot SeeWhen people talk about Japanese manufacturing, they often mention quality, craftsmanship, and continuous improvement. However, I believe the most important principle ...
2026-09-18
PSPINC Dreamersi External Link Verification Helps Expose Suspicious Links Spoofing emails are becoming increasingly difficult to recognize. An email may display a familiar company name, logo, colors,...
2026-09-18
Daikokubashira: The Pillar That Supports Everything The Japanese word “daikokubashira” (大黒柱) originally refers to the main supporting pillar in a traditional Japanese house. It is not merely decorati...
2026-09-17
Know Your Position The Japanese expression 立場をわきまえる (tachiba o wakimaeru) means “to understand one’s position.” This does not simply mean that subordinates must obey people with greater authority...
2026-09-17
The Rocks Japan Refused to Move In Nishinomiya, Japan, two large rocks known as Meoto Iwa—the “Married Couple Rocks”—sit directly in the middle of a road. Instead of removing them, engineers divid...
2026-09-17
Nagi: The Danger of Perfect Calm The Japanese word 凪 (nagi) describes a time when the wind dies down and the sea becomes calm. The water may look peaceful and beautiful, but for traditional sailing...
2026-09-17
Did You Know Pikachu Has a Meaning?When something sparkles or flashes in Japanese, it may be expressed as “pika” or “pika-pika.” It can describe something shiny, a flash of light, or even a burst of ...
2026-09-16
Kuwasemono — More Than Meets the EyeThe Japanese word kuwasemono (食わせ物・食わせ者) describes someone or something that is not what it first appears to be. The expression comes from kuwaseru, meaning “to ...
2026-09-16
The Year 705: When the World’s Oldest Hotel OpenedJapan is home to Kongō Gumi, founded in 578 and widely recognized as the world’s oldest continuously operating company. Remarkably, Japan is also hom...
2026-09-16
Learning by Doing: What Publishing a Book Taught Me I recently published a book titled 88 Japanese Wisdom: For Business, Leadership, and Life. I selected 88 Japanese words and sayings that have had a ...