Masao Osagawa
Masao Osagawa spent nearly 15 years living in Central America, an experience that shaped both his worldview and his language skills. In fact, he feels more at ease speaking Spanish than English.

During the pandemic, Masao returned to Japan and eventually made his home in Kochi, a region surrounded by rich nature and deeply rooted in traditional Japanese culture. Before moving there, his drinks of choice were mostly beer and whisky. But life in Kochi gradually introduced him to a completely different world — the world of sake.

What first caught his attention soon became a deeper fascination. For Masao, the beauty of sake is not limited to premium bottles or prestigious labels. Every bottle carries a story: the people who brewed it, the land and climate that shaped it, the food culture of the region, and the unique character of its terroir.

He believes that understanding these stories can transform even the simplest experience. An ordinary meal can become more meaningful, and a single glass of sake can create a deeper connection between people, place, and culture.

One idea that particularly resonates with him comes from Proverbs 17:1, which speaks of the value of a simple meal enjoyed in peace over a feast surrounded by conflict. Masao sees sake in a similar way. For him, it is not about luxury, but about connection, enjoyment, and the moments people share around the table.

His goal is to become a sake educator who can bring people together through these stories, helping make shared meals a little happier, richer, and more memorable.

Fumiya Saito
Fumiya is originally from Yokohama, he has always loved travelling across Japan and discovering the unique food cultures that define each region.

When he first visited Kochi, one experience left a particularly strong impression on him: the way the local cuisine paired so naturally with sake. At the time, he rarely drank alcohol, but that encounter sparked a curiosity that gradually grew into a deeper fascination with sake.

A few years later, Fumiya moved to Kochi and began working as a tour guide, introducing international visitors to the region’s culture, food, history, and everyday life. As he shared Kochi with guests from around the world, he wanted to be able to communicate its sake culture with greater knowledge and confidence. This led him to obtain the Certified Sake Sommelier and Sake Educator certificate.

For Fumiya, what makes Kochi’s sake so special is the environment that surrounds it: pristine water, fresh local ingredients, and the rich natural landscape that shapes the region’s food culture. He believes that sake becomes even more meaningful when people understand the place, people, and traditions behind each glass.

His goal is to help visitors from overseas discover the distinctive character of Kochi’s sake while also gaining a deeper appreciation of the stories behind the region’s food and culture.

Fumiya is introducing guests to the flavours, traditions, and depth of Kochi’s sake.

Naoya Tsuji
Originally from Nagoya, Naoya moved to Kochi about a year ago and began working as an English-speaking guide, introducing international visitors to the region’s culture, food, nature, and everyday life.

Through meeting travellers from around the world, Naoya developed a growing passion for sharing Kochi’s distinctive food and sake culture. For him, food and sake are more than something to enjoy — they offer a way to understand Japan more deeply, connecting people with its traditions, local communities, and way of life.

Wanting to share these experiences with greater knowledge and confidence, Naoya decided to become a certified Sake Sommelier. His goal is to introduce Kochi’s food and sake culture to people from overseas, contribute to the local community, and create opportunities for visitors to discover the beauty of Japan and develop a lasting connection with the country.

As a native of Japan, Naoya brings a natural understanding of Japanese cuisine, local ingredients, culture, and traditions. Combined with his experience as an English-speaking guide, this allows him to share not only what guests are tasting, but also the stories, people, and culture behind each experience.

School Bio:
KochiAmigo is based in Kochi, Japan, and helps students experience sake not only as a beverage, but as part of
Japanese culture, community, and everyday life.

Rather than focusing only on tasting techniques or production knowledge, KochiAmigo places sake within a
wider cultural context. Students are encouraged to understand the people who make sake, the food that goes with
it, the traditions around it, and the environment that shapes Kochi’s brewing culture.

Kochi provides a unique setting for this approach. Known for its dry, crisp style of sake and rich food culture,
the region is home to 19 breweries, each with its own character and philosophy. The close relationship between
local cuisine and sake, together with traditions such as Shinto festivals and Okyaku gatherings, allows students
to see how deeply sake is woven into local life.

KochiAmigo brings these elements together through education and experience, giving students the opportunity
to explore sake in the place where it is made, shared, and enjoyed.

The school’s aim is to create a deeper and more meaningful understanding of sake — one that goes beyond what
is in the glass and connects students with the people, stories, culture, and traditions behind it.