The Find Your Leadership Confidence Podcast with Vicki Noethling

Christopher Pellegrini on Doing Business in Japan

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🎙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:

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

    9. 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/

     

     

     

    The post Christopher Pellegrini on Doing Business in Japan first appeared on The Find Your Leadership Confidence Podcast with Victoria Noethling.

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