Bridging Cultures with Translation: Communicating Japan to the World

I own Kotonoha Bloom, a marketing brand that provides Japanese to English translation and English copywriting services for Japanese clients. The brand was born from my desire to create marketing content that goes beyond translation. Content that can highlight Japanese products and services in a way that appeals to a global audience. I focus on understanding my client's main goal, and their target audience, to create English content that acknowledges cultural differences and resonates with the customers the client is trying to reach.

My career began with the part-time job I took shortly after joining ICU. It involved transcribing English lyrics from US and UK albums--musicians rarely provide the official lyrics--to be included as inserts in CDs released in Japan. After a few months of transcribing, I was asked to translate a set of English lyrics into Japanese. As a rule, translators only work into their native language, and so it was a somewhat unconventional request for me, a native English speaker, to translate from English to Japanese. But, with the help of my Japanese editor, I was able to make a passable translation and the jobs gradually increased, drawing me further into the field of translation.

After graduating from ICU, I began working with KR Advisory, the company who gave me the part-time job. In addition to song lyrics, I also translated liner notes--short, informative articles included with album releases--and conducted the occasional artist interview. One of the most memorable and my biggest claim to fame is an interview with The Beatles' Ringo Starr.

While I loved my job, and found the work incredibly rewarding, I began to feel that I'd hit an impasse in my ability to translate into Japanese, sensing a limit in my potential to improve my skills further. I sought the advice of my business partner and after significant deliberation, decided to leave the role and seek another.

It was then that I found an opportunity at Oriental Land Co., Ltd. (operator of Tokyo Disney Resort). Here, my role expanded beyond translation to include English copywriting, and I worked closely with the Japanese teams in merchandise, events, and marketing, adapting their ideas into English copy. My tasks ranged from crafting text for design graphics to giving input on campaign names. Perhaps the most exciting part of this role was seeing my work come to life and add to the enjoyment of guests visiting the resort.

Once I had a taste for copywriting, I knew that this was the career for me. I wanted to strike out on my own so I left my position at Oriental Land and launched my freelance brand, Kotonoha Bloom.

At Kotonoha Bloom, every project begins with a consultation to understand the client's needs and goals. This is integral to my process, enabling me to create effective English content. And effectiveness is key here. For the client, English content is more than words; it's a strategic tool to achieve a bigger objective--brand recognition, customer conversion, more sales. My role is to ensure that the content I create showcases their products and services in a way that helps them achieve these goals. I spend a significant part of each project researching the client's industry, fine-tuning my copy to deliver content that is effective and persuasive. An unwavering dedication to my client's success is the core principle that guides me and drove me to establish Kotonoha Bloom.

Interaction and Learning at ICU: Developing Japanese Language and Cultural Literacy

After leaving high school, I'd planned on heading to a UK university, but a chance encounter with a Japanese graduate student put me on a different path. We fell in love--and later married--then when it was time for him to return to Japan, I decided to go with him. Shortly after arriving in Japan, I began exploring university options, but ICU really stood out for me because of its exceptional Japanese Language Programs. When I enrolled at ICU, my husband and I had already married, and I later learned that I was the university's first married enrollee at that time.

What surprised me most about studies at ICU was the varied curriculum and the frequent testing. Back then, it was common for UK students to focus on a single major for three years, and take exams at the end of every year. I'd joined ICU with the same intention, planning to study Japanese for the first year, and spend the remaining three focused on my major of English Literature. Learning that I would have to divide my time between other liberal arts subjects came as quite a shock! However, I soon realized how this broad curriculum complemented my major. For instance, a course on Western art gave me a deeper insight into characters depicted both in art and literature, enhancing my understanding of literary texts. It gave me a greater appreciation for a diverse liberal arts education and I'm glad that I had the opportunity to pursue this degree.

Another major difference between universities in the UK and ICU was the physical education requirement. I've never been particularly athletic, and I'd be lying if I said I wasn't dreading this subject! But, when I discovered that ICU offered traditional Japanese sports such as Kendo and Kyudo, it quickly became one of my favorites. In fact, the experience left such a lasting impression that I later encouraged both of my daughters to join a Kendo club when they were in elementary school. Kendo has many great qualities, but for me, the emphasis on self-discipline, respect and humility are aspects that I wanted my children to learn. I also appreciated how, at least in elementary school, children competed against each other regardless of gender. Kendo is a sport where, essentially, you hide your identity. This temporary removal from gender-bias was something that appealed to me, and an important experience for my daughters.

My time at ICU was also a period of considerable personal growth, particularly in how I interacted with others. I've always been a shy person, but things were made a little harder at ICU because, while there were many international exchange students, there were few who were studying at ICU full-time and I often felt like the only European woman on campus! However, I knew that if I wanted to improve my Japanese, I'd need to get out of my comfort zone and I slowly began making more of an effort. The international atmosphere at ICU really helped me there, and with most students being fluent in English, once I found my confidence, it was easy to make a connection with my Japanese peers. One friend in particular introduced me to Japanese comedy, which not only became our shared obsession, but is the one interest that has been pivotal in improving my Japanese language proficiency.

I'll admit that majoring in English Literature at a Japanese university often raises a few eyebrows. But what I learned on campus and in class at ICU has been invaluable to my career. Campus life gave me a deeper understanding of Japanese culture, allowing me to go beyond the literal meanings of words to read between the lines and grasp the cultural and contextual nuances behind--an essential skill for any translator. Majoring in English Literature provided me with access to a wealth of exceptional writing, honing my ability to craft prose. While I hadn't planned on becoming a translator when I joined ICU, with hindsight I can confidently say it is precisely that experience that has got me where I am today.

ICU's Unique Intercultural Environment: Fostering Empathy and Communication

Language is always changing. It's what makes my work both interesting and challenging. It's also one of the reasons I chose to return to the UK in 2022, after over two decades in Japan. While living in Japan greatly improved my Japanese, it gave me limited exposure to raw, natural English. As my focus shifted more to copywriting, I felt the need to be in an environment where I was surrounded by contemporary English, and this prompted my move. However, despite this geographical shift, my professional focus remains in Japan. In June 2023, I was elected president of the Japan Association of Translators (JAT). Sharing my knowledge and supporting emerging translators remains an important part of my professional ethos. This role has given me a huge opportunity to contribute to the translation community in a meaningful way.

It's not only language, but the world, too, is in constant flux. The impact of AI, not only in the translation industry but across all sectors, is something I imagine many students at high school and university are grappling with. I don't have the answer but I do believe that as AI becomes more prominent, so will communication skills become ever more valuable. There are many areas where we can apply AI, but empathy still remains beyond the scope of this technology. In that respect, Students at ICU are fortunate because, simply by being on campus, they have the opportunity to not only interact with people from all over Japan, but from all over the world. These interactions enrich your understanding of cultural differences, individual values, and humanity. It's an experience that helps you become a more empathic, more effective communicator, and I hope students seize every opportunity to develop this valuable skill.