Authors
Meet our contributors
Kirsten K Shockey
Author and co-author of 4 books including recently released Homebrewed Vinegar. Leads workshops worldwide and online to connect people through fermentation. Co-founder of The Fermentation School. Based in Oregon.
Naoko Asai
Editor and writer specializing in food and sake. Former deputy editor in chief of Ryouri Oukoku (料理王国). Born in Mie, raised in Aichi and currently based in Tokyo.
Marika Groen
Head of Malica ferments / Kojiologist / Traveling brewer / Photographer / Writer. Published Cosy Koji in 2021. Born and raised in Japan, currently based in Europe.
Misaki Iwaki
Culinary expert and miso explorer. Has visited more than 60 miso breweries across Japan to connect brewers and consumers. Reside in Japan.
Misaki Iwaki Official Site (Japanese page only)
Saki Kimura
Sake journalist. After receiving a Journalism Certificate from UCLA, she started reporting on sake consumption and production in the world.
Keiko Kuroshima
Soy sauce sommelier / Certified soy sauce sensory inspector. Born and raised in Shodoshima, a small island in Japan with a 400-year history of soy sauce production.
Tateki Matsuda
Founder of Biohacker Center Japan (Japanese page only). M.S. in Applied Nutrition, B.S. in Sports Movement Science. Professional MMA fighter and health consultant in Boston, MA.
Yuichiro Murai
President of Bio’c as the 29th head of Kojiya Sanzaemon, family owned tane-koji manufacturer in Toyohashi, Aichi, established in Muromachi era.
Kojiya Sanzaemon Online Store (Japanese page only)
Hiraku Ogura
Fermentation designer. Founded Hakko Labo in Yamanashi, Japan after studying fermentation science at Tokyo University of Agriculture. Author of Hakko Bunka Jinruigaku.
Hiraku Ogura Official Site (Japanese page only)
Maiko Otsuka
Bonito flake coordinator / Director of Sales at Taiko (Japanese page only), a bonito flake wholesaler located in Tokyo, Japan.
Maho Tanabe
Organizer of “Mirin Sweets and Fermented Foods” at Minamoto Shokudo (Japanese page only) / Inner Beauty Planner / Mother of two children. Reside in Gifu Prefecture.
Takashi Sato
Founder of Hakko Hub. President of San-J International, tamari soy sauce brewery in Virginia, USA.
8th generation of founding family of the parent company San-Jirushi Corporation established in 1804. Father of two.