About
Hello, I am Seiji!
I am the editor behind AZ Japan. I grew up in Japan and now live in the United States, working as a data analyst. I love data analytics, coffee, anime, sake, and all Japanese food.
In Japan, trains arrive at Shinjuku station every 5 minutes, always on time, elementary school kids walk to school by themselves without their parents, and people buy drinks from a vending machine anywhere in public.
I thought all these things were normal everywhere. Now I live in the US, and I’ve come to realize one thing:
Many aspects of what I considered normal in Japan are actually quite unique!
It is very hard to find public transportations in the US as punctuate as Japan’s. Most American parents typically drive their kids to school. There are no vending machines in public.
All these differences got me thinking:
What makes Japan, Japan?
What elements shape this culture and create such distinct experiences?
This curiosity inspired me to create AZ Japan, where I share my experiences and all the information I gather to offer opportunities to learn more about this beautiful country.
Join me on this journey to explore and uncover every aspect of Japan!
Mission
Our mission is to become the bridge between you and Japan. To achieve this, we focus on the following:
- Authenticity: Japanese-related topics/products, spoken/introduced by Japanese
- Reliability: Use our own experiences as well as data from the best sources around
- Quality: High-quality contents based on our research, analysis, and testing
- Comprehensiveness: We touch on a wide range of topics
Goal
Our goal is to enhance your Japan experiences by offering opportunities and resources to learn more about the country, whether you are interested in nuanced topics like culture or its delicious snacks and beverages.
What We Offer
Product Review (Coming Soon!)
Of Japanese products on e-commerce sites, such as Amazon and Rakuten.
What Our Logo Means
Our logo symbolizes the beautiful and traditional Japanese pattern of weaving.
In Japanese, the word “紡ぐ (tsumugu)” literally means “to spin” or “to weave.”
However, it holds a much deeper metaphorical meaning: It signifies the act of creating, forming, or developing something (individual or collective) over time in a careful, deliberate, and intricate manner.
- 夢を紡ぐ (yume wo tsumugu): “To spin/weave dreams”
- 物語を紡ぐ (monogatari wo tsumugu): “To spin/weave a story”
- 言葉を紡ぐ (kotoba wo tsumugu): “To spin/weave words”
- 絆を紡ぐ (kizuna wo tsumugu): “To spin/weave bonds”
Demon Slayer is a great example of weaving bonds.
The anime has gained worldwide popularity, and it tells a story of striving to achieve a goal (eradicating all demons and eliminating their leader) not by one superhuman doing something great, but by weaving together the strengths, hopes, and bonds of many individuals.
At AZ Japan, we aspire to tsumugu our words and stories of our country and share them with you.
Think of us as the warp and you as the weft: together, we weave the tapestry of your Japan experiences.
Our logo also adopts one of Japanese traditional patterns, called “工字繋ぎ” (koji-tsunagi), which repeats the combined characters of “工” (kou). The “繋ぎ” (tsunagi) pattern, in which the basic pattern is repeated, has the meaning of continuing for a long time without interruption. Therefore, it symbolizes unity, harmony, and interconnection of all things.
This aligns with our hope that our website serves as a bridge, connecting you to our diverse and vibrant culture, traditions, and many other aspects of this beautiful country.
Disclaimer
I am just one Japanese person, and there are countless other Japanese people with diverse opinions, personalities, backgrounds, and experiences.
While I will put in maximum effort to be neutral when talking about nuanced subjects like culture, it is possible that the information you gain includes some bias based on my previous experiences, personality, and beliefs.
AZ Japan does not aim to give you one correct answer for these nuanced topics but rather provide you with some resources that can help you view the subject of your interest through one authentic perspective.