Uchikura & Co Blog
2026-06-23
Why Does Japan Have So Many Family Names? One thing that surprises many foreigners is the sheer number of Japanese family names. Depending on how they are counted, Japan is believed to have more th...
2026-06-22
Do Your Best and Leave the Rest to Heaven One of the most famous sayings in Japan is: 人事を尽くして天命を待つ"Jinji o Tsukushite Tenmei o Matsu" Do your best and leave the rest to Heaven. Many people th...
2026-06-22
Air Force One: A National Investment Beyond Politics The new Air Force One has been revealed, and as expected, some people on the political right will likely praise it while some on the left will c...
2026-06-22
Omotenashi — A Small Origami Bookmark with a Big Meaning During my recent trip to Japan, I found this beautiful origami bookmark at an airport lounge. It was not something expensive, and no one was...
2026-06-22
A World Map Depends on Where You Stand I saw this beautiful world map at the Turkish Airlines airport lounge. It is not only artistic but also reminds us that the way we draw the world depends on our...
2026-06-22
Why Many Japanese Do Not Consider Themselves Religious One of the most unique aspects of Japanese Shinto is the belief that kami exist everywhere. A mountain may have a kami. A river may have a k...
2026-06-21
“Ja no Michi wa Hebi” — The Snake Knows the Snake’s Path Japan has many traditional proverbs that express wisdom gathered through everyday life. One interesting example is “Ja no Michi wa Hebi” (蛇の...
2026-06-21
My Final Shrine Visit in Japan — Tokyo Daijingu, the Tokyo Ise ShrineThe highest-ranked shrine in Japan is Ise Jingu, located in Mie Prefecture. It is dedicated to Amaterasu Omikami, the sun goddess ...
2026-06-21
Japan’s Seven Lucky Gods — Only One Was Born in Japan One of the most fascinating aspects of Japanese culture is its ability to adopt and transform ideas from other civilizations. A perfect example...
2026-06-21
嘘から出たまこと “Uso kara Deta Makoto” — The Power of Believing in Your Own Dream When you start a business, you have to believe in yourself. To others, your confidence may seem unrealistic, or even like ...