Check Out Yoko Hasebe’s Story

Today we’d like to introduce you to Yoko Hasebe.

Hi Yoko, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I am originally from Saitama, Japan. I began dancing at the age of seven and moved to the United States when I was nineteen. Although I had long dreamed of studying abroad and pursuing dance professionally, I struggled with confidence throughout my youth. After graduating from Inagakuen High School in Saitama, I enrolled at Nihon University in Tokyo as a Western dance major.
After one year, I realized I could not let go of my dream of moving to the United States. In 2013, I made the decision to relocate to California, where I majored in Business at a college while training at studios such as the Academy of Performing Arts and Culture Shock Dance in San Diego. During this time, my passion for dance deepened, and my life as a dancer began to expand in meaningful ways.
In 2015, following the passing of my older brother, I felt an even stronger calling to pursue my dreams wholeheartedly. I auditioned for the EDGE Scholarship Dance Program and was grateful to receive intensive training through the program. After completing it, I signed with a dance agent, marking an important turning point in my journey.
However, being signed also brought new challenges. I worked long hours as a server and chef to support myself while continuing to train and attend auditions, yet I often felt stuck. That began to change when I committed more deeply to my Buddhist practice. By placing it at the center of my life, my path gradually shifted toward genuine happiness, rather than chasing a narrow definition of success as a professional dancer.
As a result, opportunities began to flow more naturally. I started booking dance jobs, but just as my career was gaining momentum, the global pandemic brought everything to a sudden stop in 2020. During that period, I questioned my direction and purpose in Los Angeles. I had long wanted to start my own business, and since I was already developing a plant-based sushi menu at Sushi Enya, I began delivering plant-based sushi boxes to close friends.
That project unexpectedly opened many new doors. Although the years that followed unfolded very differently than I had planned, they brought meaningful opportunities. In 2020, I had the chance to work for Chef Morihiro Onodera, a legend of traditional sushi, when he reopened dine-in service in Atwater Village. I was later featured as a competitor on Hulu’s Best in Dough, had pop-ups at LA Homefarm, Brain Dead Studios, Jewel, and Sesame LA, and collaborated with Naoko Takei at a New York Times Cooking event and a plant-based sushi workshop at her artisanal Japanese cookware store, Toiro. Through these experiences, I met business owners with diverse perspectives and lifestyles, which helped me realize that there are limitless ways to live as an artist.
While I experienced many fulfilling opportunities as a chef during the pandemic, my passion for dance continued to grow. In 2022, I attended a professional dance program in New York to further my training and was signed again with a dance agent. My current goal is to build a sustainable career as both a dancer and a chef, exploring how I can thrive in both paths while continuing to grow as a person. I have been featured in the Los Angeles Times as both a chef and dancer, and in 2025, I appeared on Morimoto’s Sushi Master on Roku, as well as in several commercials.
As I look ahead to 2026, I am excited to continue expanding and deepening my life through both movement and food.

I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
Definitely not. I always felt behind in my training and struggled deeply with comparison. I experienced this as a young dancer in Japan, and that tendency naturally followed me to America as well. Over time, I began to lose my enjoyment of dance and training altogether.
That started to shift when I began teaching young children. They constantly remind me of what pure joy looks like—the joy of learning new steps, making mistakes, and sharing moments with friends. It is the simple joy we often forget when we become too serious about turning our passion into a career.
Working with youth and choreographing for them has been one of the greatest gifts of my journey.

Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
As a dancer, contemporary dance is where I feel the most free and deeply human. My next dream is to create a non-profit dance company that brings together people of all ages and backgrounds, embodying what it truly means to work in unity as global citizens.
As a chef, I specialize in plant-based sushi. I envision Plant Sushi Yoko growing into a worldwide platform that empowers youth and artists while honoring traditional techniques in a sustainable and accessible way. My goal is to build community at the intersection of plant-based sushi and art.
As a first step, I will be hosting the inaugural Plant Sushi Art Collective: Ikigai on April 26, 2026. This event is a starting point to reconnect and grow the community that supported Plant Sushi during the pandemic and beyond. Ultimately, I hope to bring this collective worldwide and collaborate with chefs and artists across the globe.

We love surprises, fun facts and unexpected stories. Is there something you can share that might surprise us?
I have been developing an idea for a children’s book, and I am excited to bring it to life this year. I have also been working on fun merchandise for Plant Sushi Yoko. I am deeply excited to share and connect with others not only through food, but also through movement, art, and community.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.plantsushiyoko.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/plantsushiyoko/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/plantsushiyoko
• Other: https://www.instagram.com/itsyokohasebe/

Image Credits
Alyssa Cancilla (@cancillascamera)