Uchikura & Co Blog
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 ...
2026-06-20
Eating Rich May Not Be Good for Your Health — The Lesson of Edo Wazurai During the Edo period (1603–1868), many people living in Edo, now known as Tokyo, suffered from a mysterious illness called “Ed...
2026-06-20
“It Is Darkest Under the Lamp” — A Japanese Proverb Japan has a famous proverb: “Tōdai moto kurashi” (灯台下暗し), which literally means “It is dark beneath the lamp.” Many people assume that the word...
2026-06-19
Collecting Goshuin — A Journey Through Japan's Shrines and TemplesDuring my current trip to Japan, I have collected 13 Goshuin. For those who are not familiar with Japanese culture, you may wonder: W...
2026-06-19
A Conversation Over Coffee at Hotel New Otani This morning, I had coffee with a representative from Hotel New Otani. He previously worked in New York, where he was responsible for sales and promoting...
2026-06-18
Kabukimono — The Rebels and Trendsetters of Early Japan When people hear the word kabuki, they usually think of Japan’s famous traditional theater with elaborate makeup and dramatic performances. How...
2026-06-18
Kantō-daki and Oden — A Story of Japan’s Regional Taste Last night, I went to dinner with a potential new business partner in Shinbashi, Tokyo, and we enjoyed Kantō-daki (関東炊き). What I ate last night...
2026-06-17
You Are Not Allowed to Charge Extra for Credit Card Use in Japan When traveling internationally, one of the interesting differences you notice is how countries handle credit card processing fees. ...