Intro Video from founder Steve Beimel

As a long time Japan resident and founder of Esprit Travel & Tours, Steve Beimel has been involved with Japanese culture since the early 1970s.  He holds an M.A. in Applied Counseling Psychology and runs A to B Seminars for goal clarification and attainment. His activities and writings can be found at https://japanlivingarts.com/

American entrepreneur, philanthropist, political activist and passionate student of Japan and her Crafts. He is founder and Chairman  of TIGER 21, the Chairman of Earthjustice Action, Chairman of both MUUS & Company and MUUS Climate Partners, an investor in young companies that focus on decarbonizing the atmosphere. The MUUS Collection is a growing archive of renown photographers featuring quintessentially American photographers.

A fresco painter and architectural restorer who divides her time between Paris and Los Angeles. With experience as curator and manager at two art galleries, she originally studied art history at Duke University. 

A long time high school history teacher at the American School in Japan (ASIJ). An active member of the expat community in Tokyo, she is currently working with the International Womens College in Bangladesh. She holds an M.A. in Japanese history.

Leading authority and collector of Japanese Bamboo art baskets and a forest  business owner. Following a record industry career, he managed performers  through his company, Saito & Associates, Ltd., and headed PR branding and identity projects for the Hawks baseball team and the Japan Racing Association.  Saito coordinated major Japanese bamboo art basket exhibitions (works of Iizuka Rokansai, the Lloyd Cotsen Collection, etc.) and other exhibition work involved the Musee du quai Branly in Paris, the Metropolitan Museum in NY, and the Tomo Museum in Tokyo.

Executive Director. Keiko Kamei has a background in gallery management and art museum education and has worked with a number of galleries in the Tokyo area. She has a MA with a concentration in art museum education from New York University. Keiko is based in Tokyo and Gunma and is a freelance art consultant and guide.

Art critic; Chief Executive Director at Nerima Art Museum

秋元　雄史

練馬区立美術館館長、美術評論家

Textile artist specializing in Japanese Indigo “aizome”

福本潮子 

藍染作家

Washi designer; Director of Eriko Horiki and Associates

堀木エリ子

和紙デザイナー、堀木エリ子＆アソシエイツ代表

Co-chair of the Arts Committee at Asia Society Japan Center; Deputy Director and Professor at Center for Social Investment of Tama University

堀内勉

アジア・ソサエティ・ジャパン・センター アート委員会共同委員長、多摩大学社会的投資研究所教授・副所長

Textile designer; Founder, Director and Chief Designer of NUNO Corporation; Honorary Professor at Tokyo Zokei University

須藤玲子

テキスタイルデザイナー、株式会社 布 取締役、東京造形大学名誉教授

Benjamin Boas

Cool Japan Producer, Cabinet Office of the Japanese Government

ボアズ　ベンジャミン

内閣府公認クールジャパン・プロデューサー

As a long time Japan resident and founder of Esprit Travel & Tours, Steve Beimel has been involved with Japanese culture since the early 1970s.  He holds an M.A. in Applied Counseling Psychology and runs A to B Seminars for goal clarification and attainment.

Executive Director. Keiko Kamei has a background in gallery management and art museum education and has worked with a number of galleries in the Tokyo area. She has a MA with a concentration in art museum education from New York University. Keiko is based in Tokyo and Gunma and is a freelance art consultant and guide.

Website and Accounting Support.  Technical support with websites and accounting. She is based in the USA.

Creator of the Ronnie Prize sculpture.

Most of the photographs on this website from multiple events were by Taishi Yokotsuka. 

In March 2018, Asia Society Japan was launched in partnership with the International House of Japan as a new global hub in East Asia. For sixty-five years since its establishment, Asia Society has been dedicated to nurturing peace and development in Asia. It has been a platform for dialogue and exchange, for promoting mutual understanding between Asia and the United States. Respecting this philosophy and tradition, the Japan Center offers various programs covering the fields of policy, economy, diplomacy, arts, culture and business, led by the three committees for “Policy,” “Art” and “Asia 21.”

Read more about the Asia Society Japan on their website.