MASARU WATANABE, LONDON / TOKYO
CONSULTANT, NOMURA SECURITIES
Masaru is a consultant at Tokyo-based firm, Nomura Securities. He was given the opportunity
by the company to pursue any line of interest for a year. With a passion for sake, Masaru came to
London in 2014 and has been working with Natsuki on the Museum of Sake Journal to further
promote sake in the UK through education and information.
REBEKAH WILSON-LYE, TOKYO
TOKYO FOOD & SAKE CONSULTANT, FOUNDER OF ICHI FOR THE MICHI
WWW.ICHI-FORTHEMICHI.COM
Tokyo-based Rebekah Wilson-Lye works as a freelance writer, ‘food-fixer’ and sake consultant.
She is an Advanced Sake Professional, who was awarded her certification by the Sake Education
Council. Through Ichi for the Michi, she acts as guide for visiting chefs, restaurateurs, journalists,
designers and gastro-travellers. She also provides sake consultancy serves for businesses that are
interested in sake for import/export purposes, or, for those who want to deepen their knowledge.
SOHO+CO, LONDON
FOOD & DESIGN CONSULTANCY
WWW.SOHOANDCO.COM
SoHo+Co is a design consultancy with a love of witty ideas, food and drink. Founded by Jasmin
Sohi and Tom Holberton who trained in both architecture and graphic design, the studio enjoys
working with interesting people on quirky projects, from brand identities to installations. They
believe design should be playful - a recent collaboration with the Museum of Sake was a ‘floating’
sake bar with a roof held up by helium balloons, part of an Ukiyo-e exhibition in London.
SYLVAIN HUET, PARIS
FOUNDER OF ACADÉMIE DU SAKÉ AND SALON DU SAKÉ
WWW.NIHONSHU.FR
Sylvain holds the honour of being the first Sake Samurai in France. He is the founder of
Académie du Saké, an organisation that aims to popularise Japanese sake and a place where he
passes on knowledge of Japanese sake together with its charm to mainly wine sommeliers, chefs,
food-related press and other such professionals. Two years ago, he hosted the Salon du Saké,
the biggest Japanese sake festival in Europe.
TAKA YAMAMOTO, BEIJING
SAKE PROMOTER & COORDINATOR AND OWNER OF SAKE MANZO
HTTP://WAJO.BIZ/
After moving to Beijing in the year 2000, Taka launched Wajo, a company that exports and sells
Japanese sake. He is also owner of Sake Manzo restaurant and bar which boasts one of the best stocked
drinks cabinets in town with over 60 different sakes on offer. Taka is committed to popularising
Japanese sake in Beijing - the Japanese Cabinet Office selected him among the Japanese people
who are most actively promoting Japan around the world.
MUSEUM OF SAKE JOURNAL 5