I’m truly honoured to have been selected by Forbes JAPAN 2025 as one of the CULTURE-PRENEURS 30.
When I first heard the news, I felt a mixture of surprise, gratitude, and perhaps most of all, a sense of responsibility.
The word “culturepreneur” is still quite new to me. But when I think about what we have been building at Simply Native, I realise that culture has always been at the heart of what we do.
And perhaps the best way to celebrate this recognition was not at the awards ceremony itself, but a few days before, surrounded by the people who made this journey possible.
A Gathering of Friends
Before the Forbes JAPAN awards night, we gathered with our friends and artisans who have been part of the Simply Native journey.
There was something particularly meaningful about seeing everyone together in one room.
Many of these relationships began through a shared appreciation for Japanese craftsmanship. Over time, they became friendships, collaborations, and a community where we have supported one another's journeys.
Each person brought a chawan with them.
Different shapes. Different materials. Different hands and histories.
Yet, together, they became part of the same tea gathering.
We were fortunate to have Urasenke Tea Master Hamana Sensei lead us through a tea ceremony. Sitting together, each holding a chawan brought by a friend, was a quiet reminder of why we began Simply Native in the first place.
A tea bowl is an object, but it is also a vessel for connection.
The person who made it.
The person who chose it.
The person who prepares the tea.
And the people who sit together to share it.
For me, that evening captured the meaning of this recognition far better than any award could.
More Than Products
When I founded Simply Native, I wanted to introduce Japanese craftsmanship to the world.
But very quickly, I realised that simply bringing beautiful things from Japan to Australia was not enough.
Behind every object is a person. A place. A climate. A history. A way of thinking.
A bowl is not simply a bowl. A piece of washi is not simply a piece of paper. Tea is not simply something we drink.
There is something invisible within these things—the hands that made them, the knowledge passed from one generation to the next, the relationship with nature, and the countless small decisions that give an object its character.
These are the things that are often the most difficult to communicate.
Perhaps this is why Simply Native has gradually become more than a business.
We try to create opportunities for people to see, touch, taste, listen and experience.
Through our store, workshops, tastings, collaborations and projects, we want people to encounter not only Japanese products, but the culture and values that surround them.
A Community, Not Just a Company
Over the years, I have learned that you cannot build something like this alone.
Simply Native has been shaped by the people who have believed in it, challenged it, collaborated with it and grown alongside it.
Our artisans in Japan.
Our team in Australia.
The makers, designers, chefs and creatives we have worked with.
The businesses that have taken a chance on introducing these crafts to their own communities.
And our customers, many of whom have been with us since the beginning.
We have celebrated each other's successes, navigated difficult moments together, shared knowledge, and opened doors for one another.
This community was never something we set out to manufacture.
It grew naturally from relationships.
And perhaps that is one of the most beautiful things about working with craftsmanship.
Craft is made by hand, but it is sustained by people.
What Does It Mean to Be a Culturepreneur?
Being recognised as a CULTURE-PRENEUR has made me reflect on what that word actually means.
For me, it is not about turning culture into a product.
It is about creating new opportunities for culture to be understood, experienced and carried forward.
Tradition cannot remain alive simply by keeping it untouched.
It needs people to use it.
To question it.
To share it.
To find new meaning in it.
When an artisan's work finds a new home in Australia, when someone learns to prepare tea, when a chawan becomes part of someone's daily ritual, or when two people meet because of a shared appreciation for craft—these small moments allow culture to continue moving.
That is what drives me.
Looking Ahead
There are still so many artisans we have not met.
So many regional crafts and materials that remain unknown outside Japan.
So many stories that have yet to be shared.
And so many people we have yet to meet.
I hope Simply Native can continue to be a place where these connections happen.
Not simply a shop selling Japanese products, but a community where people can encounter craftsmanship, culture and one another.
Looking back at that evening before the Forbes awards, surrounded by friends and artisans, each of us bringing a chawan to share tea together, I felt incredibly grateful.
The award may have my name on it.
But the journey belongs to all of us.
Thank you to everyone who has walked alongside Simply Native, supported one another, shared your craft, opened your doors, and helped us create this community.
I am deeply honoured to receive this recognition from Forbes JAPAN.
And I’m even more excited for what comes next.
The best is yet to come.
Thank you, everyone.
Yukino