Midori Okuyama is a Japanese theater producer who has always been involved with the Japanese performing arts. One of her main works is producing Sankai Juku, the most famous butoh dance company. In this interview, she talks about Japanese arts and how it is received by foreign audiences, explains to us what butoh is about, and how working with Sankai…

Learning all of the intricate rules that shape business conduct in Japan could take a lifetime. This is evidenced by the intimidating amounts of content available on this topic. It’s enough to make you throw in the towel and give up your dreams of working or starting a business in Japan. I’m here to tell you to hold on to…

In shops, in the streets, on the phone… You may have noticed that Japanese people bow all the time! Japan has a lot of hidden rules and manners, but the habit of bowing is evident. Why and When Do Japanese People Bow? Ojigi, the “bow,” is essential for the Japanese people, especially when doing business. An adult who can’t correctly…

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 us what “the truth” means…

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. The company’s team is composed…

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 Gyoda City.  Could you tell…

Before starting to work at SEKAI HOTEL in September 2019, Yuki had many experiences in the accommodation and social venture industries. She used to work for Hoshino Resorts, Japan’s most famous ryokan [traditional inns] and luxury hotels group. There, Yuki worked on how to give life back to ryokan that were in deficit. Later, she left Japan to work in an educational…

Mar Expósito was born in Barcelona, Spain, and grew up watching plenty of animation and spending a lot of time drawing. She came to Japan in 2014 with the project to work in the animation industry. The first animated short film she directed received several awards, and earlier this year, she built her own animation company in Tokyo. In this interview, Mar…

I first met Florent Wengue 12 years ago through a mutual friend. He had moved to Tokyo from France a few years before and was working as a French teacher. Recently, I had heard that he had become a Japanese Tea Instructor, similar to a sommelier but for tea, and sold Japanese tea from his own store in Yanaka. I…

Despite government attempts to increase labor mobility and gender equality, Japan’s labor market remains notoriously rigid. The lifetime employment system is still common and coveted. Obtaining the lauded status of seishain (permanent/regular employee) at an established organization means following a well-trodden path with little room for detours. Deviate from the status quo, for whatever reason, and you risk being relegated…