Hello everyone, Leo Sensei here!
It has been a long time, but I am so excited to restart this blog today.
After spending about 12 years living overseas—3 years in Indonesia and 9 years in Singapore—I permanently returned to Japan and have based my new life in Tokyo in October 2025. Even with a busy primary career, I couldn’t be happier to reconnect with all of you.
Realizing Japan’s True Charm from the Outside
Living abroad and looking at Japan from an external perspective made me deeply appreciate not just the language, food, pop culture, but also the subtle traits, mindset, and hospitality that are second nature to Japanese people.
Beyond just learning the language, the values, aesthetics, and everyday habits deeply rooted in Japanese culture have a unique charm that captivates people worldwide. Moving forward, I want to share this “deep Japanese culture and national character” more broadly and authentically from my new base in Tokyo to a global audience.
Since moving back to Tokyo, I’ve noticed significantly more international people around the city—not only tourists, but also many who are living and working here. I truly believe that gaining a deeper understanding of Japanese culture, customs, and mindsets can be incredibly beneficial for international visitors and residents alike, making travels more enriching and daily life here smoother and more enjoyable.
Even in 2026, it is still surprisingly rare for individual Japanese people to directly reach out and share their authentic, personal perspectives with a global audience.
Furthermore, sharing on social media nowadays often means dealing with algorithms that spread posts in unintended ways, sometimes reaching people who aren’t genuinely interested. That is why I chose this blog style. Rather than relying on short-lived social media trends, I want a space where I can truly connect on a deeper level with readers like you—people who genuinely care about Japanese language and culture.
(While I may extend my presence to other SNS channels in the future, this blog serves as my core home base!)
As a Japanese individual living right here in Tokyo, I feel a strong passion to directly share these deeper aspects of Japanese culture and national character with you.
From “Learning” to “Experiencing”
In addition to helping you “learn” about our culture through this blog, I want to create ways for you to directly “experience” it in your daily life. I am currently in the process of designing special items that bring you closer to authentic Japanese culture, and planning an online shop to bring them straight to you.
I hope you enjoy reading the stories here while staying tuned for these upcoming physical items!
I am excited to start this new chapter from Tokyo with fresh energy. Stay tuned for many more stories to come!
