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I hope this email will find you well.
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Sustainability is a major topic of our time, but compared to Western countries, it has taken some time for the Japanese general public and companies to get active and start changing their habits regarding the matter.
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Nonetheless, there are many people in Japan who are building projects around sustainability.
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It is the case in Minami Sanriku, a small town that is still recovering from the Great East Japan Earthquake and the tsunami 10 years ago. Food producers of all kinds are taking their land's sustainability into account to provide delicious food. Among them is Michihiro Sasaki from Minami Sanriku Winery. This winery does not only age wine bottles under the sea but also wants to get people together using local wine.
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Foreigners in Japan are also doing their share, like Philip Nguyen, an American national who gathered an international team to create the mamoru app. mamoru helps consumers in Japan to find sustainable shops near them, and make the transition to a new lifestyle easier.
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Both have put their hearts into their projects, and I hope reading their interviews will encourage you to take a step further toward a more sustainable life - it surely encouraged me to do so.
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Our other recommended articles this month are about expressing oneself in the Japanese language and culture. From puzzling Japanese English to expressing feelings of love, your travel will lead you beyond words.
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Amélie, chief editor of Kokoro Media
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" I soon realized that wine amateurs were talking a lot about the relationship between the wines and their land of production. People who truly like wine think about where it comes from when they talk about it."
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Minami Sanriku Winery in Miyagi Prefecture ages wine bottles under the sea.
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10 years after the Great East Japan Earthquake and the tsunami that left the town in ruins, the team at Minami Sanriku Winery is using wine as a way to give life back to the place and bring people together.
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"Consumers told me, 'if we could, we would buy from places that use less plastic and also support small businesses, but we do not know where to find them.' That was the birth of mamoru."
This year, Philip Nguyen and his team launched an alpha version of mamoru, a mobile app that helps users find sustainability-focused shops and businesses.
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Read on to know more about sustainability in Japan and how the app can help.
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This Month's Most Read Column
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"I have recently seen a young Japanese man saying, 'NG, NG!' to tell a non-Japanese speaker they should not do something. The latter was trying hard to understand what was said to him, but he probably was far from realizing that for the Japanese, 'NG,' standing for 'no good,' is used as the reversed expression for 'OK.'"
Wasei eigo, or English made in Japan, can be very confusing, especially when doing business with your Japanese counterparts.
Here are a few examples.
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Japan beyond Words
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In Japanese culture, when to talk and not to talk, what is said and unsaid, and the power of words themselves can be very puzzling. Here are some key concepts that will help you understand how Japanese people express themselves.
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While love may be universal, the ways to express it are different in every culture.
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The Japanese can be puzzled by US movies in which characters very openly and often say to their romantic partners, family, and friends, “I love you.”
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Although there are many ways to say, “I love you,” in Japanese, these words are not used on a frequent basis. So, how do they express their love? We tell you all!
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Do you believe that the words you say have a spiritual power?
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According to the Japanese concept of "kotodama", the words you use can influence what happens in your life.
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In many of Japan’s dense urban centers, small talk with those outside of your immediate circles isn’t a common behavior.
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Speaking with a clerk about anything beyond point cards and plastic bags may generate a shockwave of confusion!
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In this article, our writer Anthony shares his personal experience and anecdotes.
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If you like what we do, you can support us by buying us a coffee (or rather, green tea). We would be grateful for your contribution!
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Do not hesitate to give your opinion on this newsletter by writing to us at info-media@kokoro-jp.com.
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