Mie Aso
Born in Oita Prefecture, graduated from Kyoto Women's University and worked for an antiques and academic publishing company. After moving to the United States, she worked as a freelance writer for a film magazine. She has been a reporter for the Rafu Shimpo since 2017.
(Updated February 2019)
Stories from This Author
"Chikara Mochi": The road to recovery: The skills of a Japanese confectioner, passed on from brother to sister - Part 2
Feb. 15, 2019 • Mie Aso
Read Part 1 >> Bank balance is only $1. Debt "Repaying with gritted teeth" "In 2009, the store was on the verge of bankruptcy." They can now talk about it casually, but the two will never forget the days that led them to this point. "Because I was an employee before I took over the store, I didn't know (the store's financial situation). When I looked into it, it was in a terrible state," Kinue said. The company's bank account …
"Chikara Mochi": The road to recovery: The skills of a Japanese confectioner, passed on from brother to sister - Part 1
Feb. 14, 2019 • Mie Aso
In 1985, a craftsman from Kumamoto opened a Japanese confectionery shop in Los Angeles. Led by a confectioner who had made a name for himself all over Japan, it didn't take long for the shop to become a trusted presence in the local tea ceremony community. The shop was doing well, but then the first misfortune struck, and it found itself in dire straits. The younger sister and her husband took over the shop from the founding family and rebuilt …
