Uchikura & Co Blog
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...
2026-06-11
Japan's Lost 30 Years: How Did It Start? Many people trace the beginning of Japan's "Lost 30 Years" back to the Plaza Accord of 1985. At the time, Japan's economy was booming, driven by exports of au...