Hi, I'm Saori Okada
Founder, Mogami
Here is my story...
With both parents in the medical field, my interest in health started at a young age. This interest, however, slowly but surely turned into an "unhealthy obsession to be healthy", specifically focused on my physical appearance.
I tried every diet and exercise type out there, and while there were periods where I may have looked great, I felt empty.
Ms. Perfect
With academic and athletic success growing up, I was often labelled as "perfect". Deep down, however, I never felt good enough. Always angry at my body for not looking "better" or "thinner".
One night, I was listening to a fitness podcast. I came across the idea of "holistic wellness", the idea that an individual's health comes from not only our physical health but also our mental and spiritual health.
I was intrigued.
I wanted to learn more and decided to study at the Institute of Transformation Nutrition (ITN) to become a Certified Transformational Nutrition Coach (CTNC) in the U.S.
Professionally, I was working in the technology space in New York City as a Director of Customer Success. While there were many rewarding aspects of my job, I couldn't help but shake the internal knowing that my path was taking me on a different journey.
2020 - A year too important to waste
I spent much of my time working remotely in Japan to be with my family. This time gave me the opportunity to appreciate my Japanese wellness culture with a new set of eyes. It helped me see how my 15-year practice of Japanese calligraphy, one of the three traditional arts, is built on the foundation of intention and presence. It allowed me to see that the concepts of ikigai, body & soul care, wabi-sabi & connecting with nature that I grew up with were there the whole time.
I was simply not paying attention.
This experience ignited my desire to integrate my passion with my professional skill set to contribute to society in a more meaningful way.
This was how Mogami 最上 was born.