The Japanese Word That Expresses Melancholy and Joy at the Same Time

Furusato — the hometown of our dreams

Old mountain villages like this one in Toyama prefecture epitomize the ideal furusato. [Image: JH]

There is an aspect to Japanese culture that I’ve come to appreciate in recent years that is nicely encapsulated by the word furusato. It’s a word that is both easy to pronounce and simple to translate, yet steeped in meaning.