Uchikura & Co Blog
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 ...
2026-09-14
Did You Know a U.S. Hydrogen Bomb Is Still Lying on the Ocean Floor About 80 Miles from Japan? On December 5, 1965, a U.S. Navy A-4E Skyhawk carrying a B43 thermonuclear bomb accidentally rolled of...
2026-09-14
Okinawa’s Political Shift For the first time in 12 years, Okinawa has elected a conservative governor who supports closer cooperation with the Japanese central government and takes a more pro-U.S....
2026-09-14
Bad Luck Likes Company There is a Japanese saying: 泣きっ面に蜂 (nakittsura ni hachi). Literally, it means “a bee stings a crying face.” In other words, when someone is already suffering, another probl...
2026-09-14
How to Reply to “Gochisōsama” After finishing a meal in Japan, people often say, “Gochisōsama deshita” (ご馳走様でした) to thank the person who prepared or provided the food. A traditional response is “Os...
2026-09-13
Lost in a Five-Li Fog — 五里霧中 The Japanese expression gori muchū (五里霧中) literally means “in the middle of a five-li fog.” A li was an ancient Chinese unit of distance. The expression comes from an a...
2026-09-13
Mononoke — The Unseen Presence The Japanese word mononoke (もののけ／物の怪) is often translated as “spirit,” “ghost,” or “supernatural creature.” However, none of these words fully captures its meaning. ...
2026-09-13
Kakugo — Being Ready to Accept the Consequences The Japanese word kakugo (覚悟) is often translated as “determination” or “resolve.” However, its meaning goes deeper. Kakugo does not simply mean deci...