Uchikura & Co Blog
2026-10-17
What Is the Main Dish? Look at this typical Japanese meal: grilled fish, rice, pickles, a small side dish, and miso soup. What is the main dish? Many people outside Japan would point to the fis...
2026-10-17
$70,000 for OPT? A Costly Proposal for International Talent The Trump administration has proposed a substantial new fee for Optional Practical Training (OPT), the program that allows international ...
2026-10-17
社交辞令 — Friendly or Just Polite? “We should have dinner sometime.” “Please visit us when you are in town.” “Let’s do business together.” These expressions sound encouraging. But are they actua...
2026-10-17
営業中・準備中Open or Closed?When you walk past a restaurant in Japan, you may see a sign that says: 営業中（えいぎょうちゅう）— Open for Business But when the restaurant is not serving customers, the sign may not s...
2026-10-16
臨機応変 — Adapt to Changing Circumstances 臨機応変 (Rinki Ōhen) means adapting appropriately to the situation at hand. A plan may have been perfect when it was created. But time passes. The environment ch...
2026-10-16
Ketchup — A Sauce That Traveled the WorldWhen you think of ketchup, you probably think of America—hamburgers, hot dogs, and French fries. But ketchup may have started its journey far from America. ...
2026-10-16
Taito: Another Japanese Company Founded by a Foreigner When I wrote about SEGA, someone told me that Taito was also founded by a foreigner. That caught my attention, so I looked into it. They wer...
2026-10-15
よろしくお願いします — The Japanese Phrase English Cannot Translate One of the most common Japanese expressions is also one of the most difficult to translate: よろしくお願いします (Yoroshiku onegaishimasu). You may...
2026-10-15
40 Years with Costco I just received my new Costco membership cards, along with a letter thanking me for 40 years of membership and loyalty. Forty years. That means I became a Costco member aroun...
2026-10-15
こじんまり — Small Can Be Just Right The Japanese word kojinmari (こじんまり) describes something small, compact, and comfortably put together. Imagine a little restaurant with a few tables, a welcoming atmo...