English → Japanese · TRANSLATION, LOCAlisation & interpreting

I'm Mrs Alderson. I translate British brands into Japanese.

My focus is on helping British heritage and lifestyle brands that want to enter the Japanese market. I was born and raised in Osaka and have been based out of the Lake District for thirty years. My extensive career in the textiles industry has given me specialist knowledge and understanding that I use in my translation and interpreting services.

Hands pinning and hand-stitching a panel of printed and woven furnishing fabrics in the studio
In my sewing studio working on a Japanese Boro Quilt for the Sanderson Group
Native Japanese — My focus is on translating to Japanese only Textile industry — Sanderson Group, Farfield Mill, Tuiss Decor

The difference

Three phrases from British textile websites

Each has a correct Japanese translation that gives the wrong impression.

TechnicalSelvedge

Literal

セルビッジ

In Japan this term is used for raw denim, not for furnishing fabric.

Mine

耳（みみ）

The standard Japanese trade term for the finished edge of a cloth.

Services

Let's work together!

I enjoy working with new clients who have an interest in Japanese culture and am very receptive to the needs of your business.

Initial Consultation

We get on a short call and you tell me what you are planning for Japan and how my services could help you. We work out whether I am the right person for the job. There is no fee or obligation.

FREE

Contact Me

Website Localisation

English to Japanese translation for your brand's website. The most popular use cases are for product descriptions, technical details and sections that require more nuance like a brand's story.

Project fee

Live Interpreting

For events, meetings and negotiations, I offer live interpreting services to help bridge the language and cultural gap between British and Japanese businesses and groups.

Day rate

Work

Selected Projects

Notting Hill: A Walking Guide

Japanese INTERPRETATION - Julian Mash - Notting Hill Editions

A published guidebook that is half English and half Japanese that walks readers through the streets and history of Notting Hill in London. I worked closely with the author, Julian Mash, to translate his unique point of view and writing on the area into Japanese. This was an exercise of interpretation as his insights, tone of voice and observations don't always have a direct translation and require a deeper understanding of the subject matter to communicate an accurate feeling and nuance of each area.

Notting Hill: A Walking Guide, a cloth-bound book with English and Japanese titles on the cover
Published bilingual edition, English and Japanese throughout.

Tuiss Décor 

Japanese launch - consultancy

I worked on the launch of the Tuiss Décor site, a Japan focused online retailer of made-to-measure blinds and curtains featuring fabrics from iconic British heritage brands like William Morris and Liberty London. Using my expertise in textiles and historic brands I translated these British products for the Japanese market and was able to write with an understanding of all the industry technical language of both the UK and Japan.

Dalemain × Yawatahama City

LiVE Interpreting - Cultural Liason

I worked with the iconic historic house, Dalemain, to expand their presence in Japan. They run the World's Original Marmalade Awards and Festival and we worked together to create a relationship with Yawatahama City, a region known for its citrus fruits. They now run a Marmalade festival in Japan in partnership with Dalemain. I also interpreted at the first Yawatahama Marmalade Festival, bridging the cultural differences between the British guests and Japanese local representatives and Japanese media outlets. 

Also

Échapper — This is a homeware and personal-care brand that expanded its website to a Japanese audience. My work predominently focused on translating product descriptions and technical terminologies.

Read my Japanese

100+Articles written in Japanese since 2022

Five years of published Japanese writing on British interiors, textiles and craft. You can read my Japanese before commissioning anything.

Visit my Japanese journal

ウィリアム・モリスと英国インテリアの哲学

William Morris and the philosophy of the British interior

ハリスツイード — 島の織物が世界ブランドになるまで

Harris Tweed: how an island cloth became a global mark

カントリーハウスのラグラグ、その作り方と歴史

Rag rugs in the country house — history and method

マウスマン — ヨークシャーの家具に刻まれたねずみ

Mouseman: the mouse carved into Yorkshire furniture

絵を飾るときの黄金律

The golden rules of hanging pictures

About

Thirty years in British textiles and interiors

I was born and raised in Osaka, studied textiles and worked in the Japanese lingerie industry during my early career. I then moved to the Lake District, where I have lived and worked for thirty years in the textile and interiors industry.

I started as a resident textile artist at Farfield Mill in Sedbergh before moving my sewing studio to Kendal, where my work ranged from large clients like the Sanderson Group - I made bespoke pieces, props for interior design photoshoots which included curtains, cushions, soft toys and upholstery - to local interior designers and businesses. For my own products that I would sell in England and Japan, I would work exclusively with British heritage fabrics, with my favorite being being Liberty prints

My later career has been focused around taking this passion for British heritage and lifestyle and helping businesses who want to translate that particular feeling to a Japanese audience. That passion has allowed me to meet groups and businesses from both countries who have the same appreciation for quality, history and values.

Making for Sanderson & Scion

A kimono made from Scion floral fabric, hung above a Japanese tea set and matcha whisk
Children's room set with fox-print curtains, wallpaper and bunting
Daybed dressed with patterned cushions against blue printed wallpaper

A kimono I made from Scion fabric — British cloth, Japanese form.


Also from the studio

The Sewing Studio

I still have a working sewing studio in Kendal that I can produce bespoke textile products.

Get in touch

Tell me about the project.

Reach out and we can discuss how I can help you.

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