Experience

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  Little Tokyo Business Association

  • Los Angeles, California, United States

  • Member Board of Directors

    • Dec 2023 - Present
    • Los Angeles, California, United States

    Elected as a board member of the Little Tokyo Business Association in Los Angeles, California. This will be a remote position from Japan. The Hidden Japan plans to increase our cooperation with the Japanese American and Little Tokyo community to bring various cultural events from Japan to America. We also hope to cooperate with businesses and groups seeking programs and projects within Japan.

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  The Hidden Japan

  • Yamagata, Japan

  • Co-Founder

    • Apr 2018 - Present
    • Yamagata, Japan

    Our company specializes in inbound tourism promotion, content creation, and is a nationally licensed type 2 travel agency in Japan. Our Japanese team focuses on government promotion projects for inbound tourism and my team handles tour arrangement and custom tour planning services. We are partnered with travel agencies around the world and are one of the top inbound companies based in Northern Japan focusing on the Western market. We have also expanded our arrangements to Tokyo where we are creating exclusive tours like Toyosu Market and culinary experiences with famous chefs and other culinary programs with our partners. See our travel website here. https://www.thehiddenjapan.com/

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  平田牧場 Hirata Bokujo

  • Sakata City

  • PR

    • Oct 2016 - Apr 2018
    • Sakata City

    Employed in the management and PR division of Hiraboku. Plans and produces a wide variety of advertisement content for the many divisions of this conglomerate. I also serve as the product photographer. This includes:-Content for their website. http://hiraboku.info/ -Content for their Ecommerce sites http://www.hiraboku.com/-Content for newspapers, magazines, etc-Menu and flier design-Social media (FB, Instagram, Google My Business, various food apps)-Various work for Somaro, a maiko teahouse our company operates https://www.somaro.net/I also am helping to promote tourism for Yamagata Prefecture by creating and running this travel site with a team. https://www.thehiddenjapan.com/Also serving as the first foreign employee for Hiraboku.

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  Japan Exchange and Teaching Program(me) (JET)

  • Tsuruoka, Japan

  • Assistant English Teacher

    • Jul 2015 - Jul 2016
    • Tsuruoka, Japan

    Employed as an Assistant English teacher at both middle schools and elementary schools under the Tsuruoka Board of Education. Created and carried out lesson plans for classes ranging from elementary first grade to third grade middle school students. JET runs on a yearly renewable contract up to 5 years. I chose not to renew due to a job offer from Hirata Bokujo.

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  University of California Education Abroad Program

  • University of California Santa Barbara

  • Peer Advisor

    • Sep 2014 - Jun 2015
    • University of California Santa Barbara

    Employed at the Education Abroad Office at UCSB. Worked as an adviser to counsel applicants and promote UCSB’s Study Abroad Program. Organized promotional events such as workshops, socials, booths at events, etc. Filed application paperwork and helped lead orientations for outbound study abroad students.

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  Bingham McCutchen LLP

  • Tokyo, Japan

  • Legal Intern

    • Nov 2013 - Jun 2014
    • Tokyo, Japan

    Legal intern in the Tokyo office of American multinational law firm Bingham McCutchen. Worked under Bingham’s Global Funds Team on the structuring and formation of legal documents for investment funds, including both private equity and hedge funds. Worked on a pro bono case involving the successful refugee application of an Ethiopian graduate student.

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  Japan America Society of Southern California

  • Gardena, California

  • Programs Assistant Summer Intern

    • Jun 2013 - Aug 2013
    • Gardena, California

    Drafted documents, filed paperwork, handled email correspondence, and assisted with event planning for JASSC’s educational and social events. Also helped plan and carry out JASSC’s inaugural Fukushima Youth Cultural Exchange Program.Later produced this article to share the stories of JASSC's work to support children's homes in Fukushima. https://medium.com/@derekyamashita/coping-in-the-shadow-of-a-nuclear-disaster-55528f63756a