Networking is like exercise—often something we’d rather avoid but necessary for enriching our lives. However, just as with exercise, you can learn to enjoy networking, with the right approach. Networking as a foreigner in Japan is especially nuanced, but fortunately, Sayuri Nishimoto, senior client solutions manager at LinkedIn, agreed to share her advice on bridging…
A European Artist Following the Traces of Kyoto’s Ghosts
As I explained in my previous interview, in Japan, summer is the season for ghosts. That is why this interview also deals with this spooky topic, as I talk with a young artist who made a series of art pieces about Kyoto’s ghosts. Michael Hirschbichler is a German-Austrian-Swiss artist and professor at the Academy of…
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…
A Talk with the Crew of Independent Japanese Horror Movie “Orange Juice”
As you may know, in Japan, summer is the season of ghosts. Traditionally, obon is when spirits come back to earth, and in September, ohigan is when the world of spirits and the world of the living are the closest. The heavy atmosphere due to the heat and humidity is also perfect to tell scary…
The Small Peanut Butter Company That Wants to Inspire Japan
Go Nakano is the CEO and a founder member of Happy Nuts Day, a company that produces peanut butter made with peanuts from Chiba Prefecture. Go used to work for a big advertising company but decided to leave and create Happy Nuts Day with his skateboarding friends. His aim: to build a company and create…
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….
Humor in Japan: What It Is like to Perform Rakugo Comedy
Cyril Coppini is a French national who has been living in Japan for more than 20 years. His love for the Japanese language has led him to live in Japan, where he is working as a translator, now specializing in manga. However, his love for words has expanded into another form. Cyril is also a…
This Father and Son Innovate Traditional Japanese Sake Making
Keisuke and Rui Izumi are brewers at Manaturu Brewery, a 270-year-old brewery located in Echizen Ono, the “Little Kyoto” of Fukui Prefecture. Its location is famous for its crystal-clear water and snowy winters, two elements that allow making excellent sake. Manaturu Brewery takes pride in doing most of the sake-making process by hand. But do…
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…
Meet Anthony Griffin, Kokoro Media Writer and Businessman in Japan
Anthony Griffin is a U.S. citizen who has been living in Japan since 2009. Passionate about Japanese culture since a young age, his visits to the country as an adult convinced him to try and live here. It was the beginning of an adventure during which Japan inspired him to test his own limits and…