Christopher Pellegrini on Doing Business in Japan

🎙EPISODE DESCRIPTION

Find Your Leadership Confidence Podcast
Host: Vicki Noethling
Guest: Christopher Pellegrini

What happens when a lifelong explorer, brewer, educator, and cultural bridge-builder dedicates his life to sharing Japan’s best-kept liquid secrets with the world? In this fascinating episode, Vicki Noethling welcomes Christopher Pellegrini—shochu and awamori expert, author, podcaster, founder of Honkaku Spirits, and one of the most influential voices elevating Japanese artisanal spirits on the global stage.

Christopher’s journey is as dynamic as his expertise. Originally from Bristol, Vermont, he went from brewing beer in the U.S. to becoming a full-time professor in Tokyo, and now a respected global educator and entrepreneur shaping the world’s understanding of shochu and awamori. With fluency in English and Japanese (plus conversational Spanish and Korean) and accreditations held by only a handful worldwide, Christopher is uniquely positioned to champion Japan’s deeply traditional, koji-based spirits.

In this conversation, he shares what drew him to Japan more than 20 years ago, how Honkaku Spirits came to life, and why shochu and awamori remain under-recognized despite centuries of craftsmanship. He also contrasts doing business in Japan versus the U.S., offering unique lessons from both worlds.

Christopher’s dedication extends far beyond the spirits industry—he supports several meaningful organizations including the Minga Foundation, the Providence Saint Joseph Foundation, and the Ray Pellegrini “Reach for the Stars” Scholarship.

Some questions asked and answered include:

You’ve lived in Japan for two decades now. How did that happen?
How did you get interested in Japanese shochu and awamori?
How is doing business in Japan different from doing business in the U.S.?
What exactly are shochu and awamori?
Why are they still relatively unknown outside Japan?
What have you learned from doing business in Japan?
What have you learned from doing business in the U.S.?
Do you think shochu and awamori can become popular globally?

This is Christopher’s import company’s website which is designed to be a gateway to greater understanding of Japanese spirits in general and koji-based spirits in particular.

https://honkakuspirits.com/

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Connect With Our Guest

Website: https://honkakuspirits.com/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/christopherpellegrini/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pellegrinichristopher/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/christopherpellegrini/

Christopher Pellegrini is a shochu and awamori expert, author, podcast host, and die-hard Tokyo Swallows fan, incorporating his infectious enthusiasm and knowledge of Japanese spirits in all his professional endeavors. He launched Honkaku Spirits in March of 2020 with the mission of bringing intensely artisanal Japanese spirits to discerning American consumers, especially koji-based spirits including shochu, awamori, and koji whiskey. Hailing from Bristol, Vermont, Christopher received his B.A. in Spanish from Wittenberg University and his M.A. in language education from University College London. He is currently pursuing a PhD in Bioresource Economics at Kagoshima National University in Japan. After honing his skills as a brewer at Otter Creek Brewing Company in Middlebury, Vermont, Christopher became a full-time professor at Waseda University in Tokyo, Japan. Following the launch of Honkaku Spirits, he now lectures at the university on a part-time basis. In addition to being a contributor to the award-winning “Oxford Companion to Spirits and Cocktails,” his extensive understanding of shochu inspired him to write the first non-Japanese book about shochu and awamori, “The Shochu Handbook.” He also co-hosts two podcasts focused on the education of Japanese spirits: Japan Distilled and Sake on Air. Fluent in English and Japanese, Christopher’s contribution to increasing global knowledge of Japanese spirits continues to shape opinion on the burgeoning category. Christopher was the first person to be certified by the Sake Service Institute as a Shochu Kikisakeshi (specialist) in Japan and as a Shochu Advisor by the Sake School of America; he is one of a select few that hold both accreditations. Christopher also speaks conversational Spanish and Korean. Passionate about giving back, Christopher proudly supports the Minga Foundation, the Providence Saint Joseph Foundation, and the Ray Pellegrini ‘Reach for the Stars’ Scholarship.