Uchikura & Co Blog
2026-11-02
それがいい — Be the One They Want Japanese has two expressions that sound almost the same: それがいい — “That is what I want.”それでいい — “That will do.” Only one character changes: が becomes で. But the diff...
2026-11-02
“We’ve always done it this way.” It sounds like an explanation, but often it is simply an excuse. Experience is valuable. What worked in the past can teach us a great deal. But past success does ...
2026-11-02
自転車操業 — Keep Pedaling or Fall In Japanese, there is an expression called “Jitensha Sōgyō” (自転車操業), literally meaning “bicycle operation.” A bicycle stays upright as long as you keep moving. Stop ...
2026-11-02
角打ち — Drinking at the Liquor Store In Japan, there is an old drinking tradition called kakuuchi (角打ち). It means buying sake at a liquor store and drinking it right there, often while standing. Th...
2026-11-01
Izakaya — When a Liquor Store Became a Place to Stay The Japanese word izakaya (居酒屋) tells the story of how this uniquely Japanese drinking place began. In the Edo period, a sakaya (酒屋) was simpl...
2026-11-01
Omotenashi — When Ordinary Is Already High The Japanese word omotenashi (おもてなし) is often translated as “hospitality.” It comes from the verb motenasu (もてなす), meaning to receive, treat, or take ca...
2026-11-01
遊郭言葉 (Yūkaku Kotoba) In Japan’s Edo period, women working in licensed pleasure districts such as Yoshiwara came from many different parts of the country. Their accents and dialects could reveal whe...
2026-10-31
Japanese Wisdom: 当たり前 — Nothing Is Truly Ordinary 当たり前 (atarimae) means something we consider normal, natural, or simply expected. The lights turn on.Water comes from the faucet.The office is cle...
2026-10-31
和製英語 — English Made in Japan Japanese is full of words that look and sound English but were actually created in Japan. These expressions are called Wasei Eigo (和製英語), literally “Japanese-made Engli...
2026-10-31
浴 — Bathing Without a Bath The Japanese kanji 浴 (yoku) means “to bathe” or “to be immersed in something.” But in Japanese, you do not necessarily need water to bathe. 海水浴 (kaisuiyoku) means bat...