Witnessing a Secret Underground Washoku Tour!

It was early evening when I walked past a small izakaya. A cosy little pub run by a husband and wife—nothing fancy, just the kind of place where ten people would make it feel full. Looked like an ordinary local spot, nothing unusual.But then, something odd happened.A massive tour bus pulled up right in front of the shop. A group of people started pouring out, chatting in what sounded like Chinese....

Food exports from Japan are thriving.

Japanese food is all the rage worldwide! Fruits, seafood products, sake – they’re all a big hit with wealthy folks overseas, and exports are booming. Meanwhile, in Japan, supermarkets are seeing price hikes left and right. Prices for veggies and fruit keep going up, and even when they claim to be

Differences in Thinking Between Japanese and Westerners: Ambiguity vs Clarity

When it comes to how Japanese and Westerners think, one big difference is how clearly they say “yes” or “no.” In Western countries, people usually give a quick and direct answer—either “yes” or “no.” But in Japan, you often hear responses like “I think it’s fine,” “I’ll consider it,” or “It depends.” This isn’t just a language issue; it’s deeply rooted in cultural values and ways of thinking. For ...

Is Japanese Manufacturing Really on the Way Out?

Yet another major Japanese electronics company is thinking about pulling out of the TV business. We’ve already seen a few others do the same, and the reason is always the same – it’s just not profitable anymore. With tough competition from overseas, the more they try, the more money they lose. From a business point of view, you can see why they’d make that decision.But it’s still a bit sad, isn’t ...

Unbelievable Generosity Still Exists in This World

An elderly couple from a small town has donated a massive £1.3 billion to rebuild their local hospital, which had become too old and worn out. This kind of donation is almost unheard of for a local government, and it's making headlines all over the country.But when I heard this news, I felt something was a bit off. Of course, it's an incredible act of kindness, but doesn't it feel strange that a p...

A Rather Odd Piece of News

Here’s something that caught my eye in the news—apparently, the president of a certain country has decided to delay a planned 25% tariff at the very last minute. They’re calling it “deal-making diplomacy,” but to be honest, it all feels a bit strange. The president himself has posted that it was a “very friendly conversation,” but is this really how diplomacy usually works?I’ve been in the trade b...

Japanese Food Exports Are Booming!

Lunar calender newyear holidays are almost over and many countries in Asia is now slowly resuming business.Great news, everyone—Japanese food is becoming more and more popular around the world! In 2024, Japan’s food exports hit a record-breaking 1.5 trillion yen. That’s twelve years in a row of breaking records! While exports to China have gone down, sales in the UK, Europe, and the US are booming...

Traders and Gamblers – Worlds Apart, Mate!

Every time the exchange rate starts jumping around, you see loads of videos popping up. “Is the yen crashing for good?” “Time to buy dollars now!” – all sorts of dramatic headlines. It’s like a soap opera, but with more graphs and fewer dodgy love triangles. And, of course, for those treating forex like a slot machine, these ups and downs are either a goldmine or a financial disaster waiting to ha...

You’re not ‘half’ of anything—you’ve got three times the strength!

I believe the Lunar New Year holidays are still ongoing in mainland China.Recently, I had a conversation with someone whose background was particularly intriguing. They were born in Japan, raised in the United States, and yet are 100% ethnically Chinese. At first glance, anyone would assume they were Japanese. However, they explained that while they were born in Japan and take pride in their Chine...

Weekend chat

Well now, looks like the Japanese yen is about to turn into worthless paper. And apparently, the Bank of Japan has been hoarding more than half of the government bonds. If that reaches 90%, guess what? The whole economy will just be the Bank of Japan printing money and buying it back from itself – a proper financial circus!

Weekend Chit-Chat: A New Way of Thinking About Hard Work

Lately, I’ve been thinking—what does