Video
After 13 years in Nagoya (and my first stay over 25 years ago in Osaka), I’ve learned one thing: your mindset matters more than anything else.
In today’s video, I share some factors that have influenced how I perceive Japan, from language ability to open‑mindedness to one of my favorite Japanese concepts: 守破離 (shuhari) — the journey from following rules → learning how to bend them → eventually innovating on your own.
For the first time, I also talk about something I’ve quietly observed. Japan often judges effort and improvement, not absolute ability. It’s a different way of looking at people.
Whether you’re thinking of moving to Japan, already live here, or are just curious about the culture, I hope this video gives you something real to reflect on.
Watch until the end for today’s Word of the Day in Japanese!