During my recent interview with Sathi, she mentioned kotodama as one of the Japanese concepts she tried to integrate into her everyday life. She summed it up as follows: “When you say good things, good things will happen.” This made me want to know more and do further research on this concept. Here is what I found….
Why Do the Japanese Fold Toilet Paper?
Japanese washrooms have been attracting attention worldwide for some time. Common topics include the famous high-tech toilets with heated seats, and the cleanliness and abundance of public washrooms in the country. However, this time I’d like to talk about toilet paper. It’s not that Japanese toilet paper is exceptional compared to other countries’, even if…
Are Tokyo’s Streets Really Clean?
Tokyo’s street cleanliness is a natural object of admiration among foreign visitors. “Japanese people don’t litter” has become one of the most famous misconceptions about Japan, along with “Japanese trains are always on time.” Tokyo is indeed cleaner than most big cities anywhere else in the world, and Japanese people tend to be extra careful…
Discover Kokoro
Dear reader, Welcome to our new website, Kokoro Media, that has just opened on July 15! Kokoro is a Japanese word that is often translated in English as “heart” or “spirit.” However, for the Japanese, the concept of kokoro encompasses what a person thinks, feels, and would like to express. A person’s kokoro cannot be seen…
Embracing a New Life through Calligraphy: an Interview with the Calligrapher Kaku
My First Encounter with Kaku The first time I met Kaku-san was during the fall of 2018. I was working on a project regarding tourism in the town of Takahama, in Fukui prefecture. I was told I was going to participate in a calligraphy workshop. My guide told me, “The calligrapher is very talented–he’s even…
Ryuji Nakayama: Revitalizing Kamiyama and Sharing What Cannot Be Bought
I met Ryuji Nakayama for the first time in 2019. At the time, he was working on how to attract foreign visitors to his village of Kamiyama and what content to show them. I was helping in the project, which has led me to spend a few days on the field, with Mr. Nakayama as…
Michiru Hasegawa: A Writer Covering the Realities of Japanese Food Production
Michiru Hasegawa is not your usual kind of media writer. Her job takes place in a particular field: where people grow, raise, and fish the food the Japanese find on their plates every day. This time, she’s the one being interviewed. She opens up about her peculiar origin story for the first time and tells…
Kota Nagami and doq: Building a Cultural Marketing Bridge Between Japan and Australia
Kota Nagami is a Japanese national currently living in Sydney, Australia. He made the decision to move there to find the right balance between work and nature, as well as to have a direct experience with the global business. He now works at doq, a cross-cultural marketing agency founded in Australia by Japanese entrepreneur Yoshinori Sakuno….
Sathi, Getting Thailand and Japan Closer with a Positive Attitude
Sathi (full name Sathirat Srimaneelert) is a dynamic and cheerful Thai national. After studying and living in Japan for more than 10 years, she decided to go back to her home country. There, she built a company around what she does best: reducing the culture gap between the two countries. In this interview, she tells…
Mr. Komatsu and the Samurai Tabi Project: Traditional Japanese Footwear from Gyoda City to the World
Mr. Komatsu was not destined to work in the traditional clothing business. However, when his father-in-law needed his help to open an online shop, Mr. Komatsu discovered the world of tabi, the traditional Japanese footwear. In the following interview, he tells us about reaching a foreign audience and his projects to give more life to…