Japamburg Meetup 04/25

Japamburg is a non-profit German-Japanese network founded in 2021 and based in Hamburg. The community aims at linking business representatives in Hamburg, Germany and Japan even more closely via regular event formats covering innovation topics of German-Japanese interest. Since 2023, Japamburg is organized within DJW as working group creating deepening synergies between our two organizations.

Connect with professionals from the German-Japanese business community, gain valuable insights from expert speakers, and engage in meaningful discussions on market entry, digital transformation, and cross-cultural collaboration. 

Explore the challenges of bringing Japanese products and services to Germany, the role of language in business expansion, and the key legal and logistical obstacles when collaborating with Japan.  

Learn how businesses successfully adapt their products to new cultural markets and whether localization or standardization is the key to success. 

This event also provides a platform to share personal experiences, including unexpected challenges and lessons learned in international business. Whether you are an entrepreneur, business leader, or industry expert, this event provides the perfect opportunity to expand your network and explore new opportunities. 

Agenda

• 18:30 - 18:45 | Welcome & Opening Remarks
• Introduction to the event and its objectives
• Presentation of Japamburg and its mission
• 18:45 - 19:30 | Interview: Gastronomy Between Cultures – Life as a Japanese Restaurant Owner in Frankfurt and Paris
• Speaker: Azko Iimori, entrepreneur, owner of traditional Japanese restaurants in Frankfurt and Paris, and real estate investor
• Azko’s story: How, why, and when was she inspired to open her business?
• Authenticity vs. adaptation – balancing Japanese tradition with the European customers
• Business Philosophy & Management – working with local staff and providing Japanese hospitality “omotenashi”
• Challenges and resilience – experiencing COVID as a gastronomy business owner
• The vision for the future of Japanese gastronomy in Europe
• Q&A session with audience
• 19:30 - 20:30 | Networking Session
• Open discussion and exchange among attendees
• Opportunity to connect with experts and businesses from Japan and Germany

Speaker Profile

Azko Iimori, born in Tokyo, discovered her passion for cooking and baking early on, developing a love for French pâtisserie alongside traditional Japanese sweets. After finishing high school, she moved to Europe, quickly learned German, and in 1993 opened her first Japanese restaurant in Frankfurt’s Westend. With the IIMORI House, a French-Japanese pâtisserie and boulangerie in Frankfurt’s old town (since 2008), she created a successful concept that blends refined sweets with Japanese aesthetics. She also runs a historic Japanese restaurant in Paris, bridging culinary traditions between France and Japan. Her career reflects the fusion of her Japanese heritage with her entrepreneurial spirit in the gastronomy world of Germany and France.

Language

German (with Japanese translation assistance, if needed); for the open networking, as usual, feel free to use any language that feels comfortable. 

Number of Guests

Max 35 people; waiting list is available. 

Costs

5€ for DJW & Japamburg members; 10€ for non-members

Everyone interested in joining is welcome! Non-Members of DJW and Japamburg are most welcome to explore the benefits of a DJW membership and join us as a member. 

Prior registration is to be completed via the above green button.

Contact

Japamburg
Johannes Budkiewitz
Network Lead
contact@japamburg.com

Everybody interested is most welcome to join the networking event, meeting with business representatives within the Hamburg-Japanese community. We look forward to seeing you then and there!