Michiyo Funyu joined Urakasumi Sake brewery, Saura Co., Ltd. in 2010.
Before joining the company, she acquired high level of competence in English through her study in Australia, graduating from the Master of Arts in Japanese Interpreting and Translation in Queensland University.
 
Since she first visited Shiogama city, in Miyagi where the brewery is located, she was fascinated with the natural beauty and its local cuisine, as well as the warm heart of local people.
 
Shiogama is a famous port town facing the Pacific Ocean and is located approximately 300 km north of Tokyo. The nearby town of Matsushima is acknowledged as one of Japan’s most scenic sites. Although Shiogama is rather small with a population of around 55,000 people, the number of sushi restaurants compared with a population is considered the most in Japan. The brewery is located close to Shiogama Jinja (shrine) that has a history of over one thousand years. Urakasumi was founded in 1724 when it received a sake making license and about 200 years ago, it was appointed as a brewery to dedicate sake to the gods of the Jinja.
 
Urakasumi started exporting its quality sake to overseas since around 1980 and her role is to further increase the volume of export by introducing Urakasumi sake to overseas market. Last year, Urakasumi sake was exported to 25 countries expanding to central Europe, Hungary.
 
Although it will take time until sake becomes a common beverage for overseas consumers, as the ability of sake to match with food is so great that she strongly believes that the world of gourmet will expand with a selection of quality sake.