Uchikura & Co Blog
2026-06-14
Iki and Yabo: Two Opposite Ways of Living in Japan When people think of traditional Japanese values, words like samurai, zen, or wa (harmony) often come to mind. But in old Edo (modern-day Tokyo), ...
2026-06-14
Even Japanese People Sometimes Can't Tell a Temple from a Shrine Yesterday, I visited Toyokawa Inari Tokyo Betsuin, which is just a short walk from my hotel in Tokyo. For years, I assumed Toyokawa ...
2026-06-14
A Small Touch of Japanese Hospitality Tonight, when I returned to my room at Hotel New Otani in Tokyo, I found that it had been turned down for the evening. Waiting on the table was a small note fr...
2026-06-14
A $6 Tempura Lunch in the Heart of Tokyo Today I stopped by Tenya at Akasaka Mitsuke for lunch. My meal was a tempura set that cost just 930 yen—about $6 USD at current exchange rates. The price incl...
2026-06-14
Japan's Simple Fitness Secret Sunday, June 14, 2026, started early for me. I left my parents' house in Ashiya and took the Shinkansen to Tokyo. One of the great things about Japan is how easy it is t...
2026-06-14
Yoshiwara Shrine – A Shrine for One of Japan’s Oldest Businesses Near Tokyo's famous Otori Shrine stands Yoshiwara Shrine, a shrine with a unique history. During the Edo period, Yoshiwara was Japan...
2026-06-13
Two of Kobe’s Great Shrines: Minatogawa Shrine and Ikuta Shrine During my visit to Kobe, I had the opportunity to stop by two of the city’s most important Shinto shrines: Minatogawa Shrine and Ikut...
2026-06-12
The Japanese Spirit of Gratitude and Loyalty When people think about Japanese values, four important concepts often appear together: On (恩), Giri (義理), Ongaeshi (恩返し), and Chugi (忠義). While each wo...
2026-06-12
Yebisu Shrine: Nishinomiya Jinja – The God of Business Success When people think of Japanese shrines, they often think of places to pray for health, safety, or good fortune. But for business owners...
2026-06-11
A Frog in a Well Knows Nothing of the Ocean One of my favorite Japanese sayings is: "A frog in a well knows nothing of the ocean."(I no naka no kawazu taikai wo shirazu – 井の中の蛙大海を知らず) The image...