In a previous article, I wrote about how, in Japan, it can be difficult to engage in small talk with those outside of your immediate social circles. However, if you’ve just moved to Japan, or to a new neighborhood in Japan, getting to know the people you see on a regular basis is a great…
Optimize Your Japanese Studies by Learning from the World around You
As I’ve mentioned in previous articles, Japanese textbooks can be a valuable resource when you’re starting out with the language. However, it’s important to remember that most textbooks are designed for an academic setting. If you have recently moved to Japan and are just starting to pick up the language, you’ll need to approach Japanese…
How to Carve Your Own Career Path in the Translation Industry: An Interview with Richard Berger
In the spring of 2021, I participated in a Laurasian Institution panel discussion on launching Japan-related careers. One of the most common follow-up questions I received after the discussion was, “How can I build a career in Japanese-English translation?” I did my best to answer these questions at the time. However, even though I speak…
How to Survive (and Eventually Thrive) in Japan’s Sweltering Summer Season
Summer in Japan—Tokyo in particular—is infamous for being unbearably humid. However, if you find yourself in one of the country’s hot spots during this season, all hope is not lost. In this Kokoro Media Unfiltered discussion, we share several tips on how to make the most of this time of the year (after a little…
The Power of Japanese Pop Culture: An Interview with International Entrepreneur John Wolff
It’s no secret that Japanese pop culture, especially video games, influenced me from a young age. In fact, my initial college major was computer science, chosen with the goal of creating my own games. Unfortunately, by the time I entered college, the initial era of the self-made game creator was a thing of the past….
3 Inspiring Business and Career Lessons from a Year of Kokoro Media Interviews
July 2021 marked the 1st anniversary of Kokoro Media. Ordinarily, this might not be a big deal, however, considering the circumstances that gave birth to the brand, this is a moment worth reflecting on. Over the past year, our readership has expanded, and we are truly grateful for that. However, many of our new readers…
The Two Most Popular Ways to Achieve Japanese Literacy – Breaking Down (Over) Kanji Part 2
In the first part of this series, I outlined what it takes to become literate in Japanese, and like a mid-trilogy Hollywood movie, I ended up on a down note laced with a glimpse of hope. Although there are endless permutations of 2,136 joyo kanji characters to memorize before you can achieve Japanese literacy, there…
An Introduction to the Challenges of Reading Japanese – Breaking Down (Over) Kanji Part 1
For upper-intermediate Japanese learners, successfully reading blog posts, newspapers, and magazine articles can feel like winning what I call the “kanji lottery.” Daily communications such as text messages and e-mails are second nature, as they contain commonly used kanji characters that have been drilled into our brains through years of practice and use. However, trying…
Three Ways Living in Tokyo Changed My Relationship with Sports
Moving to Tokyo from Riverside, California, in 2009 was a seismic shift in lifestyle. That being said, prior experience with Japanese language and culture minimized the culture shock of the experience. Looking back, perhaps the greatest adjustment I had to make was moving from a sprawling, medium-density city to a hyper-dense urban megacity. Besides obvious…
How to Build a Business in Japan: Actionable Advice from 3 International Entrepreneurs
Most startup founders and industry experts agree that cultural and technological shifts in Japan have made entrepreneurship more attractive and accessible than ever before. Regardless, launching an enterprise is rife with challenges, especially if you’re doing so in a country and culture other than your own. In this article, I share the stories of three…