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Marc Matsumoto speaking into a microphone and gesturing to an audience

Marc Matsumoto

Speaking & Events

Seminars, event MC work, and guided sake, shochu, and awamori tastings in English and Japanese.

For the past fifteen years, I have helped people understand Japanese food on television, in boardrooms, at trade events, and around the table. I bring the same approach to every setting: make the subject accessible without oversimplifying it.

I give seminars and private briefings, MC events, and lead sake, shochu, and awamori tastings for cultural organizations, trade groups, and corporate leadership teams. Each program is built around who is in the room and what they should leave understanding.

I am based in Tokyo and can present in English, Japanese, or both, in person or remotely.

Beyond Miso Soup · MOC, Miyazaki · May 2026
Taste the Spirit of Japan

Speaking formats

Seminars and executive briefings

Japanese food trends and consumer behavior, taking food brands between Japan and markets worldwide, and the practical impact of AI on the food business. Designed for corporate audiences, trade groups, and industry events.

Event MC and presenting in Tokyo

MC and presenter for brand events, product launches, cultural programs, and tastings, in English, Japanese, or both.

Sake, shochu, and awamori tastings

Guided sake, shochu, and awamori tastings, with food pairings designed around the drinks, the audience, and the occasion.

Culinary experiences

Cooking demonstrations, private classes, and food-focused tours that combine hands-on technique with cultural context.

Selected engagements

  • “Beyond Miso Soup,” a seminar on communicating Miyazaki's food to the world at MOC in Miyazaki City, May 2026
  • Recurring presenter at an annual shochu and awamori tasting organized by the Japan Sake and Shochu Makers Association
  • Sake-cocktail presentations at Hakutsuru Sake Brewing's FOODEX Japan booth in 2018
  • Private briefings on Japanese food trends and market opportunities for visiting leadership from a European food-technology group
  • A multiyear Japan food-trends briefing series for the global leadership of one of the world's largest confectionery companies
  • Private bento classes and market-to-table culinary experiences for Palace Hotel Tokyo
  • Seminars on food blogging, photography, and styling at industry conferences including TechMunch and the Foodbuzz Festival

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