Discovery

From 2005 to 2022, while I was running Joto Sake, I visited Japan many times and traveled all over, visiting sake breweries in small, remote towns. Our suppliers were generous hosts and guides. Through eating, exploring, and visiting other producers, I experienced the abundance and diversity of Japanese cuisine and its ingredients. My "ah-ha" moment came when one of our sake makers took us to his friend's shoyu brewery. They produced a range of shoyu, "usukuchi," (light), "amakuchi," (sweet), "koikuchi," (rich), ponzu, and dashi shoyu. I had never tasted shoyu like that or seen a small shoyu brewery. The ceilings and walls of the fermentation room were covered in tar-like stalactites. Some of the brews had been aging for years, lethargically bubbling.

I led many groups to our sake breweries. We would stay in onsens that had gift shops with local food, sake, and beer. We would stop at gas stations that sold fresh, local produce instead of fast food. Produce was frequently labeled with the name of the farm or farmer who grew it. The shelves were stocked with local shoyu, dried fish, and tofu. We would depart from a local airport that had another gift shop of local sweets, savory items, sake, shochu, gift wrapped to take to your next host, or home for yourself. Then there are the train stations, from small town to medium, and the super-stations, peaking at "depachika."

Inquiry

In New York, I would shop for Japanese ingredients — rice, shoyu, vinegar, sweets, and snacks. Even though I could find some high quality ingredients, I found it hard to find basic ingredients from craft producers. The packaging was mostly in its original form with very little information. 

My Japanese friends complained about the lack of selection, even though they shopped at the big Japanese markets. They felt that they could not easily find high quality, local ingredients. My non-Japanese friends described eagerly shopping in Japanese markets, but mainly buying cookies and candies because they didn't know what they were buying. 

Exploration

In 2020, during COVID, I started participating in food shows that had moved online. I met with more than thirty suppliers of rice, tea, seaweed, shoyu, vinegar, and more. I also researched on my own.

I started thinking more about branding, strategy, portfolio, and sales. I started talking to my friend, Randy Hunt, who had been the Design Director at Etsy. Randy was living and working in Singapore. He was intrigued by the idea of making artisanal Japanese products accessible to export markets. He understood as a foreigner living in Asia, a traveler to Japan, and as a designer. 

We talked and explored. I wrote our business plan. I kept working as GM of Joto Sake. Then I took some consulting work. Randy came moved back to New York. We kept talking and I kept chipping away at my plan.

Development

In December, 2024, I decided to work on Shokuya full time. I had prepared. Fortunately, I have support around me and it was just time to do it.  

I had spent a lot of time researching Japanese designers, especially emerging ones. In February, 2025, I found Jarin Moriguchi, who was based in Chicago. I loved his work and his style was in the direction I wanted to go. We became quick collaborators and colleagues. A native of Hawaii and fourth-generation Japanese-American, he has brought his own passion and vision to Shokuya. 

I had reconnected with Eric Medsker, a food and beverage photographer, I had met years ago. In addition to doing beautiful work for restaurants, brands, and chefs, Eric has a passion for Japanese food. In May, 2025, I took Eric to Japan to shoot suppliers, regions, and the tea harvest.

I recently brought on Satomi Furugaki Arai, who had worked for me at Joto Sake some seventeen years ago. Satomi is now researching and coordinating with our suppliers. 

We are grateful to our suppliers, investors, friends, and vendors. We hope to deliver value to you, our customers, by carefully selecting, adjusting every brand and product to bridge the gap between our suppliers and our buyers.

Thank you for coming on this journey with us!