Kokoro (written as 心 in kanji) translates into “heart” in Japanese, yet has a much deeper meaning. It represents the “spirit”, “soul” and “emotion”, and is the foundation of each of our Kokoro Care Packages.

Our adventure began during one of Lillian's frequent visits to Tokyo. A mutual friend thought we would hit it off given our similar backgrounds in finance and our passion for health and fitness. We met over one of our favorite activities (enjoying Japanese food, of course) and quickly realized we had so much more in common.

We both truly believe that the food we eat plays an important role in nourishing our bodies and shaping our health and wellness. We strongly believe in community and sustainability, and connecting with the people who produce our food and supporting their local communities. All our products are made from natural ingredients, many using traditional methods that have been passed down through generations.

Our desire and commitment to deliver the highest quality flavors from Japan while sharing the personal stories behind the people and the regions they come from, is the core of everything we do at Kokoro Care Packages.

We are excited to have you as part of the Kokoro community and are looking forward to getting to know you as we share our passion for healthy all-natural Japanese food and connecting you to the people and culture from where they came.

Nice to meet you and see you soon!

Lillian and Aki

Lillian Hanako Rowlatt, CFA

Fun facts:

• I'm half-Japanese (my mother is from Osaka), half-English, 100% Canadian and living in Los Angeles. 
• My middle name is Hanako which is a traditional Japanese name meaning "flower child".
• I lived in Kashiwazaki-shi, Niigata-ken for two years teaching English on the JET Programme. Niigata is famous for making the best sake in Japan and for its huge snowfalls. 
• I'm a bit of a math nerd and was ranked #1 in North America for 14 years while taking Kumon as a child. I also majored in math at university.
• Spent almost a decade in finance/capital markets.

Aki Sugiyama

Fun facts:

• I am half Okinawan (half Saitama and half Okinawa) and was born and raised in Tokyo. Ishigaki island in Okinawa, which is located next to Taiwan, is my second hometown.
• I used to be a fitness competitor and represented Japan several times on the global stage.
• I love books, coffee, the gym and of course, all types of FOOD (except for carrots)!
• Though I started to learn English with the goal of studying in the US, I actually ended up in Australia. 
• I worked in finance as a currency option trader and software testing lead.