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Hada Labo (肌ラボ) is an $11 Japanese face cream, which according to their website sells a bottle of lotion every two seconds in Japan. A Google search in the US for Hada Labo lotions reveals the usual players - Amazon and Ebay - dominating the search...

'Kawaii' plays a large role within Japanese culture and can be found almost everywhere - within fashion, pop-culture, merchandise, and even for bank and insurance mascots.  Local councils even use cute signs for road works! And for those who have noticed the high pitched voices amongst many Japanese female announcers...

Although a vast body of research exists revealing the many socio-cultural differences between Japan and the West, it may be interesting to know that research exists suggesting Japanese and Westerners literally ‘see’ the world differently. As a study conducted by Takehiko Takeda and Richard Nisbett...

Running focus groups can be quite challenging in any market and Japan is certainly no exception. Differences in language and culture demand that researchers carefully consider the research design for localization in order to get the most out of discussions. With this in mind, we have outlined a number of...

Mark Twain once said “Whenever you find yourself on the side of the majority, it’s time to pause and reflect.” This saying exemplifies a belief that being an individual is preferable to blending in.  Western culture has countless other ways that show how much value...

When seeking to explain the Japanese psyche and uncover reasons for particular behavior and social structures in Japan, many academics, researchers, and general inquisitors, turn to the concept of 'amae'. The term 'amae' attempts to describe an indulgent dependency within relationships throughout the whole of...