Korin Japanese Trading Corp.

Fostering Cultural Education and Understanding through Japanese Kitchenware

Korin Japanese Trading Corp., founded by President Saori Kawano in 1982, has been an industry leader in the distribution and import of fine Japanese knives, tableware and restaurant supplies to Japanese and American restaurants and hotels. Kawano moved from Japan to New York in 1978 to pursue her lifelong dream of bringing Japanese knives and tableware to American homes and restaurants. Kawano's finely tuned business and management skills have earned her numerous awards including the 2003 Top Diversity-Owned Business Award and 2004 Asian Women in Business Entrepreneurial Leadership Award. She has been an active member of the James Beard Foundation since 2002 and has received the James Beard Foundation Angel Award in 2005 for her independent vision, dedication and support.

Korin was formed in New York City for the reason that NYC is considered a center of culture, food and new trends. International visitor count is high, and just as it would not be an exaggeration to say that New York helps to boost the popularity of Japan, Korin brings Japanese culture into the US, raising customer interest and awareness about their products and Japan. Kawano's passion for Japanese tradition and culture is evident in the New York showroom where she hopes for customers to feel as if they have stepped into Japan and for customers to feel at peace.

Although Korin is currently considered a successful industry leader in providing quality knives to chefs from all over the world, Kawano began her business thirty years ago with months of cold calls and restaurant visits to gain the attention of interested buyers. During the launch of the Korin showroom, there was a minimal budget and therefore no PR or market research. All market "knowledge" came from the experience of building relationships by visiting customers, seeing vendors and believing in the quality of Korin's products. The Korin team has, and continues to pride itself on offering the highest level of customer service as well as provide information on trends in Asian cuisine. They aim to find new products from Japan and other countries to meet and excel the highest expectations of their customers.

Throughout the years, Korin has had to adjust and adapt to the differences between the Japanese and American markets. For example, the most obvious difference is the vast size difference between the American and Japanese markets. The market scale and size of restaurants in the US are larger than in Japan. The Japanese tend to have similar color tastes to Europe - simple designs and softer, natural colors, while in the US, stronger solid, bold colors fare better. The American market is also concerned about tableware being dishwasher-friendly, while that is not so much a concern in Japan since many households do not have dishwashers and hand wash their dishes instead.

Today, to continually serve Korin's thousands of local, national and international commercial clients and chefs, Korin meticulously chooses and creates the right products to enhance customer's cuisines and brands - Kawano travels to Japan at least once a year in search of products to introduce to the United States.

Korin offers Japanese knives (ranging from $69~$7250), kitchenware, tableware and kitchen equipment from brands including Togiharu, Misono, Suisin, Nenox, Masanobu, Masamoto and Glestain. Korin also offers a variety of services including, but not limited to: knife sharpening, knife repairs, knife length adjustment, knife style change, left-handed conversions, custom engravings, knife handle replacements, knife sharpening demonstrations, restaurant opening consultations and more.

The knife sharpening services are offered by knife master, Chiharu Sugai and apprentice, Vincent Kazuhito Lau. Sugai learned traditional knife sharpening techniques through grand masters in Japan, and realized the need for Korin to have somebody who truly understood how to take care of Japanese knives. Sugai frequently travels to Japan to find the best knives. He also uses his extensive knowledge of knife sharpening to check the quality of knives Korin receives from manufacturers, and shares his knowledge with Korin's customers - spreading the art of knife sharpening at the country's leading culinary schools and by sharpening the knives of world-renowned restaurants such as Nobu, Bouley, Morimoto and others.

Kawano is also the founder of The Gohan Society whose mission is to foster an understanding and appreciation of Japan's cultural and culinary heritage in the United States and bridge the cultural gap between the two countries by reaching out to chefs, culinary arts professionals and anyone interested in Japanese culture. She believes that without educational programs, the mass public will never truly understand the usefulness and greatness of Japanese products and ingredients. Therefore, Kawano implements education through enjoyable events where audience participation is greatly encouraged. Kawano hopes that her work at Korin and The Gohan Society will foster cooperation, learning and a spirit of friendship between nations and cultures.

Korin: http://www.korin.com
The Gohan Society: http://gohansociety.org