
Saori Yamashina
Company President
After 8 years of freelance public relations and writing, she founded The Hidden Japan in 2018. She is a member of many Yamagata Prefecture Councils and comittees, which supports the operations of the Hidden Japan to help the tourism industry in less traveled places in Japan.

Derek Yamashita
Creative Director
Following his passion to connect with his roots as a Japanese American, Derek started a life in Japan after college living in Yamagata Prefecture. Falling in love with the trails, cycling courses, fishing and all that it had to offer, Derek co-founded The Hidden Japan in 2018.

Wesley Keppel-Henry
Inbound Operations
Graduating from UC Berkeley, Wesley moved to Japan one year after the Great East Japan Earthquake to teach English at a school for evacuees. After working for a Tohoku-based design and marketing company, she is now in charge of inbound tour operations at The Hidden Japan.