Session ⁄ Event

Regional Forum

Panelists

• 
  Advisor

  Sakata Chamber of Commerce and Industry Youth Division Chairman

  Keita Yano

  Born in Suginami Ward, Tokyo, Keita Yano graduated from the University of Arizona, School of Social and Behavioral Sciences and has a BA in Sociology and an Associate Degree in World Communication. After graduating, he returned home and joined Eurasia Travel Agency (Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo), which specializes in unexplored regions of the world. Over the course of 15 years, he has visited about 150 countries while serving as an advisor to the media and while developing and planning travel products, as well as acting as a guide. In 2015, he married the owner of Wakaba Ryokan, a long-standing local ryokan, and moved to Sakata, where he lives to this day.

• 
  Panelist

  Representative of The Hidden Japan LLC

  Saori Yamashina

  Born in Mikawa, Yamagata, Saori Yamashina studied abroad in America for one year in high school, and In March 2018, she established the inbound promotion and travel agency The Hidden Japan LLC. Her company plans and sells individual/group tours and experiences geared toward the American, Europen, America, and Australian markets.

• 
  Panelist

  Shimabito Tobishima Company Executive Partner

  Tomoya Matsumoto

  Born in the countryside of Yamaguchi Prefecture in 1988, Tomoya Matsumoto is a graduate of Kyoto University of the Arts Graduate School with a degree in Interdisciplinary Design Studies (Master of Fine Arts (MFA)). In 2012, he moved to Tobishima, a remote island in Yamagata Prefecture, and established the Shimabito Tobishima Company. He specializes in planning and design, and in addition, he also works as a CDO (Chief Design Officer) at several external companies. In recent years, he has been promoting Tobishima's online community, "Cloud Island."

• 
  Panelist

  Introducing Sakata in English Tourism PR Video Contest 2021 Delaware Award

  Cocoa Lovers Tohoku University of Community Service and Science Student

  left）Asuka Seki（Offline）
  Born in 2001, Asuka Seki graduated from Yamagata Prefectural Yonezawa Kōjōkan High School and is a current student at Tohoku University of Community Service and Science.

  right）Manaka Takahashi（Online）
  Manaka Takashi was born in 2001 and attended Yamagata Prefectural Yonezawa Kōjōkan High School before attending Tohoku University of Community Service and Science. Currently, She is studying abroad in Australia.

• 
  Panelist

  Specially-hired Assistant Professor

  Bunting Tim

  Tim Bunting was born in New Zealand in 1988, and after graduating from International Pacific University (IPC) located in Palmerston North, New Zealand, he applied for the JET Program run by the Japanese government and was sent to Shonai as an assistant language teacher. Tim also holds a master's degree in applied linguistics from the Victoria University of Wellington and currently teaches English at Tohoku University of Community Service and Science. In addition to his teaching career, he has also made a name for himself as the "Kiwi Yamabushi" and works fervently to promote both the charm of the Dewa Sanzan as well as Yamabushi culture abroad on both his YouTube channel and his blog.
  Learn more at https://timbunting.com/

• 
  Panelist

  BonSoir TV（YouTube channel）

  Amandine, Gentoku（Online）

  Born on December 4, 1998（Amandine）、Born on May 29, 1998（Gentoku）
  Living in Sakata City, the couple Amandine and Gentoku are active content creators who post videos about the unique points of being an international couple on their YouTube channel "BonSoir TV."

  In their mission to serve as a bridge between Japan and France, since April of this year, they have been working as Sakata Kitamae Ambassadors and highlighting spots around Sakata to both their domestic and international audiences that are unique and really stand out.

Facilitator Ken Miura Brand new day Co., Ltd. Representative ⁄ Branding Producer

Born in Yamagata in 1993, after graduating from Nihon University Yamagata Senior High School, Ken Miura studied abroad at the University of Washington in the United States. After consulting for sole proprietors, he ended up working in brand strategy consultation development for corporations. Currently, he mainly works on helping small and medium-sized enterprises formulate their missions and visions in order to discover and verbalize their unique values. His services cover a wide variety of fields including websites, advertisements, new business development, and recruitment,all of which lead back to him providing a total brand strategy that instills a strong internal company philosophy reflecting their values as companies.

Host Naoko Inoue

Born December 28, 1974, in Yonezawa City, Yamagata Prefecture, and raised in Kawanishi, Naoko Inoue is currently a proud resident of Nagai City. During her time as a student at Kunori Gakuen Girl's High School in Yonezawa, she transferred to Glendora High School in California, USA in 1991 before going on to study at California's very own Citrus College. In 1998, she returned to Japan after experiencing working at a travel agency in LA and trying her hand at the media talent industry.
Over the years, Inoue has worn many hats. Radio DJ, commercial narrator, lounge DJ, bilingual English and Japanese moderator, a TV reporter for YBC Yamagata Broadcasting, TUY, and SAY Sakurambo TV, a magazine model (Bi Story), an interpreter, and to top it all off, she is currently active as an English teacher at a nursery school as well as performing as one of the Yamagata Maiko. There are very few things that she hasn't done! In addition, she is one of the instructors of the Yamagata Prefectural Board of Education's "Learn from Professionals" program.