Our Deep Japan storytellers, your Senpai.
Our Deep Japan storytellers,
your Senpai.
Our mission.
Deep Japan is a community-driven tourism platform offering authentic insights into Japanese culture, travel, and everyday life. Our diverse “Senpai” writers—many with over 20 years of living in Japan—share heartfelt stories, practical travel tips, and fascinating observations about the Japan they know and love.
Our mission is to shine a light on the thoughtful traditions and endearing quirks that define Japanese life, fostering a deeper appreciation for what makes this country so beautifully different.
Write for us. Tell your story.
Professional writing experience is not required—if you have lived in Japan for at least three years at any point, we welcome you to apply to join our Senpai writer community. Whether you first came to Japan to teach, study abroad, follow a partner, launch a new career, or simply chase a curiosity—we want to hear from you.
There are stories only you can tell, and at Deep Japan, we would be honored to give your voice a home.
Omoi
I recently discovered how much I love this word. Omoi could mean “heavy,” but the word I want to talk about today is the one that means “to think.” You might wonder why I love such a straightforward word, haha! But actually, omoi can be written with two different kanji. One is 思い and the other is 想い. They both read “omoi” and have similar meanings, but they feel very different.
The first is more the straightforward version, to mean “I think,” like sorede ii to omoimasu (“I think that’s good”). But the second one — oop, that one is deep. The second one, at least to me, also means to think, but it has more of an element of someone being on your mind. You could say anata wo omoimasu, which not only means “I think about you,” but can also carry the feeling of loving and caring for you. Even though it is a word that, more or less, describes what’s going on in someone’s mind, the second one feels like there is so much felt with the heart too.
I find it quite romantic if you were to tell someone you think about them, and they may not know that you secretly think of them with the second 想い kanji, with its deeper emotion. I am all about straightforward, clear communication, but perhaps there is beauty in not revealing everything you feel…at least not too quickly.
Hello there! I’m Hana, Editor-in-Chief of Deep Japan. Every Monday, I share a Japanese word, phrase, or expression with you.
Whether it helps enrich your Japanese vocabulary or simply gives you a new idea to reflect on, I hope it offers a little inspiration as we begin a fresh new week. We got this! Gambarimasho
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