Our guest is Bruce Gutlove, who is an American-born winemaker based in Hokkaido, Japan.   The Japanese wine industry has been flourishing, particularly in the last two decades or so, thanks to the rapid increase in talented winemakers who are willing to conquer the challenges of the country’s unique terroir.    Bruce has greatly contributed to shaping the modern Japanese wine-making culture.  Since 1989, he has worked in vineyards and wineries in Japan to bring out the potential of the Japanese climate and soil.  Most notably, he led the COCO Farm & Winery https://cocowine.com/wp/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/cocofaw-pr-eng.pdf in Tochigi Prefecture, which is owned and operated by people with intellectual disabilities, to become an award-winning wine producer.    Now, as the owner of 10R Winery https://www.10rwinery.jp/ in Hokkaido, he keeps fostering successful winemakers and helps solidify Japan’s unique wine industry.    In this episode, we will discuss how Bruce got involved in wine consulting in Japan when the industry just about to start developing, the uniqueness of the wine-making environment in Japan, the exciting grape varieties that make Japanese wine stand out in the global market, Bruce’s personal observation of Japan and why he has spent over 35 years in the country and much, much more!!!   See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Our guest is Cheng Lin who is the chef/owner of Shota Omakase https://shotaomakase.com/ in Brooklyn, New York.  After nearly three decades of studying and serving sushi at notable restaurants in New York City, including Sushi Seki, Blue Ribbon, and ITO Tribeca, he opened his Omakase-only sushi restaurant Shota Omakase in August 2023 and earned his first Michelin star within a year.    In this episode, we will discuss how Cheng got into sushi, an inspiring book that steered his career as a sushi chef, how he finds unique ingredients from Japan, such as seven-year-old vinegar and a rare sushi rice, the advantage of being non-Japanese as a sushi chef, how to eat confidently at an Omakase sushi bar and much, much more!!! See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Our guests are Mayumi Uejima-Carr and Debra Samuels. Mayumi is the President of TABLE FOR TWO USA https://usa.tablefor2.org/ and Debra leads the program content and curriculum development of TABLE FOR TWO USA’s Japanese-inspired food education program.    TABLE FOR TWO is a not-for-profit organization founded in Japan in 2007, initiated by the World Economic Forum's Young Global Leaders.  Now its activities have expanded globally and have helped so many people through unique programs. For example, TABLE FOR TWO has offered those in need in the world over 100 million meals so far.  Mayumi joined us in Episode #98 in October 2017 and talked about TABLE FOR TWO USA’s mission and its valuable programs.    In this episode, we will discuss TABLE FOR TWO USA’s Wa-Shokuiku programs, which aims to educate kids about healthy diet, the importance of food education and how different it is between Japan and the U.S., the new cookbook for children that Mayumi and Debra recently published titled “Japanese Cooking with Kids: 50 Kid-Tested Recipes to Make Together!”, challenges educating children about food and much, much more!!! See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Our guest is Andrew Tsui who is the founder and president of The Ike Jime Federation https://ikejimefederation.com/ based in Maryland.    Ikejime is a unique, traditional Japanese technique to treat fish right after it is caught.  Ikejime dramatically reduces fish’s suffering and extends its freshness.  The results are much better taste and flavor, as well as less waste of fish.    Ikejime is not known enough outside of Japan, but Andrew is passionately trying to educate commercial and recreational anglers about the awesome technique.     In this episode, we will discuss how exactly Ikejime is done, what types of fish are suited to the Ikejime treatment, the difference between Ikejime and Shinkeijime, how you can learn the Ikejime technique and be certified by Andrew’s Ike Jime Federation and much, much more!!! See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Our guest is Nozomi Mori who is the chef/owner of the sushi bar Nozomi Mori https://www.morinozomi.com/ in Los Angeles, which opened in 2024. She got into the world of sushi in 2017, only 8 years ago, and her sushi bar already earned notable accolades, such as a Michelin star and was included in the New York Times’ 50 best restaurant list in 2025.    In this episode, we will discuss why Nozomi decided to become a sushi chef, how she studied sushi-making in the U.S., how she had conquered challenges being a woman in the traditionally male-dominant sushi industry, her advice to aspiring sushi chefs, and much, much more!!! See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Our guest is Timothy Sullivan who has over 17 years of experience teaching about sake.  In 2007, he was awarded the prestigious title of Sake Samurai by the Japan Sake Brewers Association. Since 2013, Tim has served as the Global Brand Ambassador for the 100-year-old Hakkaisan Sake Brewery https://www.hakkaisan.com/. Now also as the Director of Education at Sake Studies Center https://www.sakestudiescenter.com/ at Brooklyn Kura https://www.brooklynkura.com/in New York, he has been playing a pivotal role in developing and advancing the American sake industry.    Tim is also the co-host of the fun and highly informative podcast Sake Evolution.  He joined us on Japan Eats! in Episodes #32, #100, #337, plus #241 with co-host of Sake Revolution John Puma.  This is Tim’s 5th appearance on Japan Eats!    In this episode, we will discuss the new and notable trends and products in the sake market in Japan and the U.S., successful collaborations between American and traditional Japanese sake breweries, how American sake brands are recognized by the Japanese consumers, and much, much more!!! See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Our guests are Yusuke Fukuzaki and Ryo Yamazaki, co-owners of SSAW www.ssawbrooklyn.com/ in Brooklyn, New York.  The duo opened SSAW in November 2024 to serve “a refined ‘New Japanese’ dining experience, where traditional craftsmanship meets contemporary innovation,” according to its website.       Yusuke has worked at top restaurants in Japan, including the three-Michelin-starred Kagurazaka ISHIKAWA and KOHAKU. Along with Ryo’s Japanese-style Omotenashi hospitality, the eight-seat charming space has become a quintessential Japanese restaurant where you get the sense of belonging to a special community like in the popular Japanese drama series Midnight Diner.   In this episode, we will discuss why Yusuke left a successful chef career in Japan and moved to the U.S., how he balances authenticity and creativity on his dishes, how Ryo manages to realize the Japanese-style hospitality at SSAW, the restaurant’s unique sake list and the principle behind it and much, much more!!! See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Our guest is Reverend Dr. Masaki Matsubara who is an eighteenth-generation Zen priest in the Japanese Rinzai tradition. His career is unique and impressive. Following his Zen monastic training in Heirinji Monastery in Japan, he moved to the US in 1999 to study at Cornell University where he eventually earned a PhD in Asian religions.  Since then, he has taught Buddhist studies at prominent institutions, including U.C. Berkeley, Stanford University, Cornell University, Brown University and The University of Tokyo.  Also, Rev. Matsubara is the head abbot of Butsumoji Zen Temple in Chiba, Japan,    We tend to think of Zen as a part of Buddhist practices but it is quite prevalent in Japanese people’s minds and their society overall.  It would be valuable for us to get to know the idea of Zen in understanding Japanese food culture as well as living a good life.     In this episode, we will discuss why Rev. Matsubara decided to study and teach Buddhism abroad, what exactly Zen is and why it is instrumental and effective for us in navigating our daily lives, the concept of Engi, which can give us a fresh way to see our existence, Rev. Matsubara’s personal Zen practice and much, much more!!! See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Our guest is Joshua Walker who is the President and CEO of Japan Society https://japansociety.org/  in New York.  Joshua has a very intriguing background.  He was raised in Japan and spent his formative years in Hokkaido, northern Japan.    Since Joshua left Japan at the age of 18, he has been working in global affairs and is known as a perpetual bridge-builder, citizen diplomat and trained academic with a specialization in East Asia and the Middle East.  After gaining diverse global experiences, he became the president and CEO of Japan Society in December 2019.    Joshua joined us in Episode #210 in November 2020 and discussed his fascinating background and the culture of Hokkaido he loves.    In this episode, we will discuss various topics about Japanese culture overall with Joshua’s profound perspective, including what makes Japanese culture distinctive, where the unique Japanese mindset comes from, his thoughts on the lessons learned during World War II that ended 80 years ago with the Hiroshima and Nagasaki atomic bombings and much, much more!!! See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Our guest is Gento Torigata  https://gentotorigata.com/  who is the owner and mixologist of Waltz https://waltzbar.uk/ in East London.  After diverse culinary and bartending experiences in Japan, Australia and Singapore, Gento moved to London and opened Waltz in April 2024. Waltz is truly a unique place.  With his traditional Japanese mindset of appreciating seasonality, Gento offers original cocktails inspired by micro seasons along with Japanese hospitality, or Omotenashi.  In this episode, we will discuss how Gento has built a strong career as a bartender through his global experiences, how he creates cocktails based on Japanese traditional micro seasonal calendars called NIjyushi Sekki and Shichiju Niko, the essence of Omotenashi Gento aims to practice at Waltz and much, much more!!! See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

My guest today is Tim Fronzek who is a co-founder of Nosh.bio https://www.nosh.bio/ based in Berlin, Germany.    Plant-based protein has been gaining attention, particularly since the 2010s for our growing health and environmental concerns. However, various products in the market may not be as ideal as it was thought to be. Some are not so environmentally friendly in their manufacturing process, or undesirable compounds are created during the high level of processing of ingredients.  Also, their flavors and textures may not be very satisfying.    To conquer these issues, Tim came up with the idea of using Koji, the beneficial mold used to make a majority of traditional Japanese food.  His company Nosh.bio has been offering protein made with koji since 2022 to global clients.    In this episode, we will discuss how Tim discovered Koji’s potential, the health benefits and sustainable nature of Koji protein, what diets are possible to keep our earth healthy and much, much more!!! See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Our guest is Takashi Sato who is the 8th generation family member of Sanjirushi Jozo in Mie Prefecture and the president of San-J International https://san-j.com/ in the state of Virginia.    Sanjirushi Jozo has been making soy sauce and miso since 1804, and in 1978, the company decided to expand its business to the U.S.  Now, San-J is one of the most familiar soy sauce brands in the U.S. and its products are distributed through online and notable retailers, including Whole Foods Market. Takashi joined us in Episode 297 in May 2023 and talked about various topics, such as how the company managed to expand in the U.S. market and its unique, natural, gluten-free products.   Takashi is back on the show to discuss fermentation.  Fermentation has been one of the keywords in the culinary world and among consumers globally these days.  In 2023, the global fermented food market was valued at $578 billion and is expected to grow further, according to research.   In this episode, we will discuss why fermentation is gaining so much attention these days, why fermented food is valuable to our society overall, the tours that Takashi organizes to visit producers of traditional Japanese fermented products and much, much more!!!  See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

https://yamatozakura.com/　 https://www.thespiritofjapan.com/   Our guests are Stephen Lyman and Joseph Overbey who have produced the documentary The Spirit of Japan.  It is the story of the Wakamatsu family, who have been making the traditional Japanese distilled spirit, shochu, at their Yamatozakura Distillery in Kagoshima Prefecture since the 1850s.   The duo follows the life of Yamatozakura’s 5th generation toji/master distiller Tekkan Wakamatsu and how the distillery’s tradition is being passed down from the 4th generation toji and Tekkan’s father Kazunari Wakamatsu.    The film is beautifully shot and captures many aspects of Tekkan’s career, life with his family and the shochu industry.    In this episode, we will discuss how Joseph and Stephen got involved in Yamatozakura Distillery, what they want to communicate to the audience through the film, gifts and challenges of succeeding a traditional family business, what is happening with the Japanese shochu industry right now and much, much more!!! See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Our guest is Kyle Connaughton, who is the chef/owner of SingleThread https://singlethreadfarms.com/ in California. SingleThread is a very unique farm, restaurant, and inn, which has earned numerous accolades since its opening in 2016, including three Michelin stars, three Michelin keys and a Michelin Green Star, which recognizes the outstanding sustainability at the farm managed by Kyle’s wife and co-owner Katina Connaughton.     Kyle began his culinary career in L.A. with an apprenticeship at one of the oldest Japanese restaurants in the city, followed by training at top restaurants, such as Spago Beverly Hills, The Dining Room at Ritz-Carlton and A.O.C.  Then he moved to Japan and cooked for the famed French chef Michel Bras, as well as at traditional Japanese restaurants.  On top of these diverse experiences, he also worked at the highly innovative restaurant The Fat Duck in the U.K. as the Head Chef of Research & Development.    In this episode, we will discuss how Kyle fell in love with Japanese cuisine at a very young age, how his global experiences formed his unique culinary philosophy and style, the fascinating concept of SingleThread, the idea of Omotenashi that Kyle highly values and much, much more!!! See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Our guest is Takahiro Sakaeda who is the chef/partner of Nami Nori https://www.naminori.us/.  Nami Nori is a unique concept of temaki sushi bar that serves open-style hand rolls on a U-shaped stand. Since its opening in 2019 in New York, Taka has created many fans of his beautifully made, casual and high-quality sushi.  Now he operates four locations of Nami Nori in New York, New Jersey and Miami.   But his success didn’t come easily.  Taka spent 10 years at Masa, one of the best sushi restaurants in the U.S. with three Michelin stars and acquired an authentic mindset and sushi-making techniques under the master chef Masayoshi Takayama.   In this episode, we will discuss how Taka grew up in the U.S. under Japanese parents and got into cooking against their will, what he learned from the master chef Masa Takayama, the unique concept of Nami Nori, his original culinary vision that merges two cultures of Japan and the U.S., his new 10 counter-seat restaurant in Miami and Japanese bakery in New York and much, much more!!! See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Our guest is Takumi Kuwabara who is the toji or brewmaster at SakéOne in Forest Grove, Oregon.   SakéOne (https://www.sakeone.com/) is a unique sake brewery.  It was founded in 1992 by Momokawa Brewing in Aomori Prefecture, Japan, which was founded in 1889. SakéOne started sake-brewing in 1997 and since then, its sake has won multiple awards at prestigious competitions like the U.S. National Sake Appraisal and the San Francisco International Wine Competition.  And of course, a big part of its success has come from Takumi’s craftsmanship.   In this episode, we will discuss how Takumi studied sake in Japan and also in the U.S. after he arrived in the country in 2004, the unique terroir Oregon offers to make high-quality sake, challenges in making sake outside of Japan, how he sees the past and future of the American sake market and much, much more!!! See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Our guest is Yoshinori Ishi who is the executive chef and producer of Auberge TOKITO https://www.aubergetokito.com/en/ in Tachikawa, Tokyo.  Chef Ishii’s background is unique and spectacular.  He worked at one of the top Kaiseki restaurants in Kyoto called Arashiyama Kiccho as a sous chef and moved abroad to cook at the United Nations Ambassador's Residence in Geneva and New York.  Then he moved to London to open Umu, which earned two Michelin stars—the first two stars by a Japanese restaurant in Europe.  After 10 years of success at Umu, he decided to open Auberge Tokito in the suburb of Tokyo.   In this episode, we will discuss how Chef Ishii’s philosophy of Japanese cuisine transitioned and expanded over the last 35 years of his career in Japan and abroad, why he decided to go back to Japan to start a new project, the innovative concept of Auberge TOKITO, which focuses on the Japanese cuisine that never existed before and much, much more!!!   The documentary film TOKITO:  https://www.tokitofilm.com/en See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Our guest is Isao Yamada who is the chef-owner of Yamada https://www.yamadanewyork.com/ in New York.  He was classically trained in Kyoto as a Kaiseki chef and opened his own restaurant at the age of 25 in his hometown Fukuoka.  He could have successfully built his career in Japan but he decided to move to the U.S. in 2006 to pursue new challenges. Chef Yamada’s career in the U.S. evolved as he worked closely with the legendary chef David Bouley in New York.  He earned a Michelin star as the executive chef at Chef Bouley’s Kaiseki restaurant Brushstroke.  In April 2025, Chef Yamada opened his own beautiful restaurant Yamada in Manhattan. In this episode, we will discuss Chef Yamada’s unique career, how he collaborated with the legendary Chef Bouley, his Kaiseki dishes at Yamada that seamlessly merge authenticity and creativity, his joy and challenges in cooking in America, how Japanese cuisine in America has changed in the last two decades and much, much more!!! Follow Chef Yamada on Instagram @chef_yamada.isao, as well as his restaurant Yamada @yamadanyc! See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Our guests are Rahul Saito and Mitsu Nagae.  Rahul is the owner and Mitsu is the co-owner and executive chef at l’abeille https://www.labeille.nyc and l’abeille à côté https://www.labeilleacote.nyc/ in Tribeca, New York.   The duo opened l’abeille in March 2022 and shortly after, they won a Michelin star, thanks to Mitsu’s unique and outstanding culinary background as a Japanese chef classically trained in Paris, Tokyo and New York as well as Rahul’s sound management despite being new to the industry.   Mitsu’s menus are characterized by a seamless merge of French and Japanese cuisines, which seems to have become a relevant genre in places like Paris and Japan as well.   In this episode, we will discuss how Mitsu got into French cuisine from a young age in Japan and eventually trained under top chefs like the late Joel Robuchon, why the seemingly opposite French and Japanese cuisines can go so well together as you can see in Mitsu’s menus, the keys to run successful restaurants in New York and much, much more!!! See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Our guest is Takatoshi Kadowaki who is the chef-owner of Sushi Kadowaki https://sushi-kadowaki.jp/eng/ in Tokyo.  He started his sushi-chef training at 17 and after his master retired, he moved to the U.S. and developed a global mindset.  Now he serves authentic Edomae-style sushi in the Ginza area of Tokyo, where every sushi chef dreams about opening a sushi bar.   Chef Kadowaki is known for his meticulous sourcing of his fish and his skills in maximizing umami through careful aging, which is a part of the Edomae-sushi traditions.   In this episode, we will discuss what Edomae-sushi is compared to other styles of sushi, the key to maximizing umami in fish through aging, his unique beverage pairing philosophy, including red wine and sushi and much, much more!!! See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.