The Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy defines social norms as “the informal rules that govern behavior in groups and societies.” As a country with a famously high-context culture, Japan is known for having an endless amount of…
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When Thoughts Become New Worlds
While Haruki Murakami and Hayao Miyazaki have become household names around the globe, there’s one Japanese creator who also deserves mainstream recognition: Hideo Kojima, the game designer best known for the Metal Gear franchise. I’ve been…
Thoughtful Communication during Difficult Times
At the time of this writing, Tokyo Governor Yuriko Koike is providing weekly updates on the Covid-19 pandemic in English via YouTube. If you live outside of Japan, this might not seem like a big deal….
Discover Kokoro Media Through a Selection of Articles
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…
Answering My Inner Calling – an Interview with 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…
Thoughtfulness at 30,000 Feet
When you live almost 5,500 miles away from your hometown, you tend to spend a lot of time flying, experiencing varying levels of hospitality and thoughtfulness throughout the process. One flight I’ll never forget is when…
How a Salaryman Found Meaning in a Japanese Village
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…
Uncovering the Truth about 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,…
Helping Australian Businesses Enter the Japanese Market
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…
Bringing Thailand and Japan Together through Positivity
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…