Uchikura & Co Blog
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. ...
2026-06-17
The Origin of Japanese Figures: From Edo-Era Netsuke 根付 to Modern Collectibles Japan is famous around the world for its incredible figure culture. Today, characters from anime, manga, and video gam...
2026-06-17
Never Forget What Made You Successful As companies grow, priorities often change; that’s natural. However, when those priorities shift too far, organizations can lose the very strengths that made them...
2026-06-17
Visited Yasukuni Shrine Today, I visited Yasukuni Shrine in Tokyo. Located near the Imperial Palace, Yasukuni Shrine was established in 1869 and enshrines those who died in service to Japan from the ...
2026-06-17
Why Is 大和 Read as “Yamato”? I was recently asked why the Japanese characters 大和 are read as Yamato. At first glance, it seems strange. The character 大 is usually read as dai or ō, meaning “great,” an...
2026-06-16
The Man Behind Japan’s 10,000 Yen Bill — Who Is He? If you visit Japan today, you may notice a new face on the 10,000 yen banknote. The man featured on the bill is Eiichi Shibusawa (渋沢栄一), often call...
2026-06-16
Lost in Translation: A Permanent ChoiceMany years ago, I saw a woman with the Japanese characters 「無料」 tattooed across her lower back. PS: This is an AI generated image. https://en.bloguru.com/ken...
2026-06-16
The Names of Yamato, Musashi, and Shinano — What Do They Mean? The three great warships of the Yamato-class carried names that came from ancient provinces of Japan. In the Imperial Japanese Navy, b...
2026-06-16
A Peaceful View of Tokyo: Sumida River and the Sky Tree Yesterday, on my way to a business appointment in Tokyo, I came across this beautiful view and could not resist taking a picture. It is a sce...
2026-06-16
A Reminder That We Live in Earthquake Country Around 7:50 this evening, an earthquake measuring around magnitude 5.9 was reported near Tokyo. I was staying in Tokyo and experienced the shaking firs...