As a teenage geisha-in-training, Moe developed a deep respect for Kyoto’s cultural traditions—especially its food. Years later, as a new mom seeking connection, she began sharing snippets of her daily life and home cooking online. Dressed in her kimono and joined by her spirited daughter, Sutan, Moe’s gentle approach to Japanese cooking quickly captured hearts around the world.
What began as simple kitchen videos has grown into a YouTube community of millions, all inspired by her warmth and creativity. When fans abroad couldn’t find the same ingredients, Moe decided to bridge the gap. After three years of testing and refining, Kimono Mom Umami Sauce was born—a vegan, gluten-free, non-alcoholic, and MSG-free way to bring authentic Japanese flavor to any kitchen.
Savory with just a hint of sweetness, the sauce works beautifully as a dip, marinade, or everyday seasoning. Most of all, it reflects Moe’s mission: to make the warmth and depth of Japanese home cooking something everyone can share.
Recently, we caught up with Moe to learn more about her journey and hear her advice for fellow entrepreneurs.
1. Why did you start Kimono Mom Umami Sauce?
I started Kimono Mom Umami Sauce because I wanted to make Japanese home cooking accessible to everyone, everywhere. As “Kimono Mom”, I shared Japanese home cooking online and realized that many people wanted to try it but struggled with ingredients or dietary restrictions. I dreamed of creating one magical sauce that could cross those barriers and bring the warmth of Japanese home cooking to any table in the world. As a former geisha who learned Japanese culture and as a new mother, I felt it was my mission to pass on the flavors of home to my daughter and to the next generation.
2. What obstacles did you face along the way?
There were many obstacles, but the first and biggest one was finding the courage to step out from being a stay-at-home mom struggling with postpartum depression to becoming an entrepreneur. It was scary to leave my comfort zone and enter a completely unknown industry. What gave me strength was the support from my viewers, who were waiting for Kimono Mom Umami Sauce even before it was completed. Another motivation was wanting to show my daughter the importance of pursuing one’s dreams. On a practical level, I couldn’t find a manufacturing partner and made more than 100 phone calls before finally finding the right one.
3. What lessons do you have for other entrepreneurs?
If you decide to become an entrepreneur, you must choose what you will devote your limited life to. The challenges and failures you face are not setbacks. They become part of your story. I share both my good days and bad days openly in my videos, because when someone who may be struggling sees my product on the shelf at their local market, I hope they might think, “Maybe I can do it too.”
4. What’s on the horizon for Kimono Mom Umami Sauce?
Kimono Mom Umami Sauce has already reached thousands of stores in the U.S., but this is just the beginning. We will soon launch new flavors, Yuzu and Spicy, and continue building other food brands and our frozen food line. Our vision is to create the world’s warmest food infrastructure, where the flavors of home cooking bring comfort and love to people everywhere.
5. How do you keep work/life balance? What drives/inspires you?
We came from Japan to America and traveled across the country for 9 months in an RV to share Kimono Mom Umami Sauce. We met many supporters and customers who actually use our product, and hearing their stories became a treasure for me and will continue to inspire me. And of course, my daughter is my greatest inspiration. By turning the flavors she is growing up with into products, and imagining her one day cooking those flavors for her own family, makes me realize how fortunate I am to be an entrepreneur. For me, work and life are not separate. Both are part of being a mother and a creator. Cooking is my way of caring for my family and also my way of sharing love with the world.