Brand Story

Libby Tseng (Shan-Hui Tseng) began her career as the founder of Jiou Jiu Shang (酒久賞), an academy dedicated to wine and sake education. Through years of teaching and cultural promotion, she established close ties with wineries and sake breweries across the world. These relationships inspired her to extend her mission beyond education and into importation, leading to the creation of Yamamori (山盛)—a brand committed to curating limited, distinctive, and high-quality selections of sake, shochu, and wine.

Her approach was shaped by direct, first-hand experiences. Libby traveled extensively throughout Japan, engaging in conversations with master brewers (toji), learning their philosophies, and observing their craftsmanship. She also visited wineries worldwide, immersing herself in terroir and production methods. These journeys enabled her to build a portfolio that reflects authenticity and artisanship—driven not by reputation or volume, but by quality, character, and cultural significance.

As her work in education grew, Libby encountered a recurring question from students and guests: “Where can we buy these bottles?” This demand highlighted a need to bring these remarkable products beyond the classroom. Libby recognized the opportunity to serve not only as a trusted educator but also as a reliable importer and cultural ambassador, bridging producers and consumers with integrity.

Her expertise is particularly evident in the world of ZIGSAKE (地酒). With a deep understanding of local sake traditions, she seeks out small, family-run breweries whose production is limited but whose character is profound—bringing their stories and flavors to new audiences abroad.

For Libby, sake is not bound to Japanese cuisine alone. She has long championed its versatility, demonstrating how it can pair harmoniously with French cuisine, Korean dishes, or even desserts, thereby expanding the perception of sake and showcasing its refinement and adaptability.

In pursuit of this mission, Libby established the Japanese Heritage Sake & Spirits U.S. Association, a nonprofit organization based in the United States. The Association is dedicated to preserving, promoting, and advancing the cultural heritage of Japanese sake and shochu through education, cultural exchange, and partnerships between Japanese producers and U.S. communities.

Building on this foundation, Libby is now leading 寅 / IN, a new initiative in Los Angeles that brings together beverage curation, a micro-museum, art exhibitions, dining, and cultural programming. As she describes it: “This is not merely a place to drink, but a space where one can slow down, reflect, and experience culture and art through the lens of a glass.”

“IN” is envisioned as a multidisciplinary cultural destination—featuring curated sake ware collections, art showcases, and even wellness programs such as yoga—while serving as a platform for collaboration with sake associations and cultural partners.

For Libby, wine and sake embody both everyday enjoyment and poetic depth. She devotes herself to learning Japanese daily, driven by a desire to connect more deeply with the artisans whose work she represents. Her philosophy is clear: culture must be grounded in daily life in order to endure.

Through Yamamori, IN, and the Association, Libby infuses education, aesthetics, and memory into every endeavor—creating not simply points of sale, but platforms for cultural exchange and preservation.

This journey begins with a single glass, but extends far beyond. From palate to heart, from individual to community, and from one culture to another, Libby Tseng and her team are shaping a new chapter in the global dialogue of wine and sake.