Uchikura & Co Blog
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 ...
2026-09-16
Even a Simple Question Can Be Controversial: Japan’s Five Closest Neighbors Japan is an island nation, but it is much closer to its neighbors than many people realize. Measured from Japan’s outlyin...
2026-09-16
Mottainai: When “What a Waste” Keeps Us from Moving Forward The Japanese word mottainai (もったいない) expresses the feeling that something is too valuable to waste. It reminds us to appreciate what we h...
2026-09-15
My Book Is Reaching Readers Around the World Nearly half of this month’s estimated royalties for 88 Japanese Wisdom, For Business, Leadership, and Life come from the United States—48%. Japan accoun...
2026-09-15
Amae (甘え): When Kindness Becomes an Expectation The Japanese word amae (甘え) describes the expectation that someone will accept us, care for us, or accommodate our needs. It is the noun form of amae...
2026-09-15
Why Does Rain “Go Up” in Japanese? In Japanese, we say 雨が上がる (ame ga agaru) when the rain stops. Literally, this sounds like “the rain goes up.” But rain falls downward, so why use agaru, meaning “to...
2026-09-14
Does Illegal Overstay in Japan Have a Statute of Limitations? Some people may believe that if a foreign national remains illegally in Japan long enough, the violation will eventually expire. That is ...