OKAMOTO NobuharuWagashi artisan based in Yokkaichi, Japan

Mr. OKAMOTO Nobuharu is the third general manager of the family business, Yumekashi Kobo Kotoyo, a Japanese confectionery shop located in Yokkaichi, Mie Prefecture.

After training at Kaho Omiya in Toyota, Aichi Prefecture, he joined his family's company at the age of 28 and became its general manager. Possessing exceptional talent, he won second place in the TV Champion Japanese Confectionery Craftsman Championship, broadcast on TV Tokyo. His remarkable skill earned him the title of "Mie Master Craftsman" (the most talented craftsman in Mie Prefecture).

He is also certified as a "Japanese Confectionery Craftsman of Excellence" by the Japan National Confectionery Association. Today, while creating Japanese confectionery that blends tradition and innovation, he teaches part-time at universities and confectionery schools, provides technical advice to professionals, and leads Japanese confectionery workshops for the general public. He also conducts workshops abroad, dedicating himself to promoting Japanese culture both in Japan and internationally, and to training the next generation of wagashi artisans.

He has worked abroad in France, Australia, China, Hong Kong, Taiwan, South Korea, Germany, Thailand, and the Philippines.