Craftspeople
Name
Studio practice
Bio here.
Name
Studio practice
Bio here.
Name
Studio practice
Bio here.
Name
Studio practice
Bio here.
Name
Studio practice
Bio here.
Name
Studio practice
Bio here.
Name
Studio practice
Bio here.
Name
Studio practice
Bio here.
Name
Studio practice
Bio here.
Name
Studio practice
Bio here.
Name
Studio practice
Bio here.
Name
Studio practice
Bio here.
Name
Studio practice
Bio here.
Name
Studio practice
Bio here.
Yoshitaka Jogo
Butsudan wrangler
Yoshitaka went through lacquer apprenticeship training after graduating from college in Kiso. In Yame, he works as a lacquer craftsman and serves as the vice chairman of Yame Fukushima Butsudan Union and the leader of a Union which consists of altar craftsmen in the Yame area. The altar style is called “Yame Fukushima Butsudan” and is designated by the Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry as a national traditional craft. Yoshitaka has developed and manufactured original speakers with contemporary and innovative designs, incorporating traditional lacquer and gold foil press techniques.
Kenichi Konomi
Green tea business owner
Kenichi runs Yabeya Konomi Honke, the oldest tea wholesaler in Kyushu, founded by Jinshiro Konomi in 1704. For centuries, the Konomi family has played a central role in Yame City and Kenichi carries the tradition of preserving the land along with the tea production. He continues to improve the quality of Yame tea blend and promote its cultural aspect for generations to come. The Japanese government certified Konomi Honke as an authentic brand in Japan and it is sold on Shinkansen (aka “the bullet train”).
Kaz Kinoshita
Sake distributor / staff
Hailing from the Kinoshita family that runs Kitaya Sake Brewery, a two-hundred-year-old institiution in Yame, Kaz was born to be an ambassador for Japanese food culture. He has worked as a sake sommelier in one of Singapore’s most renowned Japanese restaurants and helped popularized sake in New York City’s dining scene. Leveraging his international experience, he now holds promotional events for hard-to-find craft sakes throughout Japan and internationally to educate the public on the art of sake.
Name
Studio practice
Bio here.