Katana Japan
CO-FOUNDER & CEO
Yosuke Sakurai
Born in 2001, Sakurai spent 11 years of his childhood in the United States, gaining firsthand exposure to baseball and developing a global mindset from an early age. At 15, he launched a baseball media platform that organically grew to over 83,000 followers, generating revenue through advertising and brand partnerships.
In 2020, he entered Doshisha University, and by 2022, co-founded Katana Japan with Riki Yamazaki, not simply to make gloves, but to build a globally recognized Japanese brand.
Driven by a deep belief in the beauty, precision, and integrity of Japanese craftsmanship, Sakurai aims to bring Japanese brands and services to the international stage, where they have long been underrepresented. Katana has operated exclusively through a direct-to-consumer model, with zero wholesale and no advertising spend.
By 2023, within just one year he scaled Katana into a six-figure brand, entirely through organic growth. Today, Katana is trusted by over 1,000 glove users, including a growing number of professional athletes worldwide.
With hands-on experience in international marketing and brand building since the age of 15, Sakurai continues to champion the rise of Japanese excellence on a global scale, one product, one story at a time.
CO-FOUNDER & COO
Riki Yamazaki
Born in 1992 in Saitama Prefecture. Yamazaki attended Seibō Gakuen High School where he played in Japan's legendary Koshien tournament and later attend Aomori University.
After graduation, he worked under Itochu Corporation, excelling in logistics management before transferring to the sales department. Within one year, he was entrusted with the branch’s largest client, generating $41 million in sales and earning top-sales honors.
In 2019, he joined a sports manufacturer as part of the marketing department. During his tenure, the company grew rapidly over two years to become the industry’s No. 1. Through marketing, he planned and promoted numerous events, making a significant contribution to the company’s growth.
In 2022, he co-founded Katana with confidence in his deep knowledge and understanding of the craft, where he continues to give back to the baseball community through his commitment to high-quality equipment.
CO-OWNER & CGO
Ben Meyer
Born in 1997 in Los Angeles and half Japanese. Meyer has played baseball professionally in 10 countries, including representing the national teams of Curaçao and St. Martin in international competition. He is currently playing in Japan’s BC League.
Alongside his baseball career, he worked for four years as an engineer at Diamond Kinetics, a U.S. based baseball technology company, where he gained practical insight into strategic growth within the baseball industry. He also founded a private real estate company, which has acquired over $1 million worth of rental properties.
In 2023, during his time in Japan, he met Katana Japan’s CEO, Yosuke. Impressed by the high-quality craftsmanship of Katana’s Japan-made gloves, he recognized the brand’s potential and value, and joined as an investor, contributing to business expansion and brand strategy.
Drawing on his playing experience, business acumen, and technical expertise, he aims to share the quality of Japanese glove craftsmanship with the world and grow Katana into a globally recognized brand.
Executive director
Taisei Miyake
Born in 2002, Miyake began playing softball in 5th grade and transitioned to baseball in junior high. He later played for one of the top high school teams in Okayama.
During his third year, an injury sidelined him but it also opened a new path. While being unable to play, he began repairing gloves for his teammates, discovering the joy of working with gloves.
That experience sparked a lifelong passion. Determined to pursue glove-making at the highest level, he entered the highly competitive world of Japanese glove craftsmanship.
His skills quickly gained recognition across the industry, leading him to produce gloves for roughly eight brands, each seeking his precise, reliable handwork. Miyake is now regarded as one of the most promising young craftsmen in Japan.
Everything began with a simple message from him:
“I can build even better gloves for you.”
From the first prototype, his craftsmanship exceeded expectations. In 2023, after meeting Katana Japan CEO Yosuke Sakurai, Miyake officially began producing Katana gloves, becoming a central figure in our product creation.
Miyake’s mission is to elevate Katana’s presence in Japan and inspire players around the world to truly want to use our gloves.
CEO of Katana USA
Triston Busse
Busse played Division 1 college baseball at BYU and ACU.
After graduating, he worked as a private pitching instructor, as well as head coach and recruiting coordinator for Phenom Texas.
In 2023, he connected with Sakurai, the founder and CEO of Katana Japan. From the very first phone call, it was clear that Katana was a brand he wanted to be involved in.
After two and a half years representing and expanding Katana’s international presence, he was promoted to serve as CEO of Katana USA, where he drives sales and business connections within the U.S.. Together, he aims to help drive the brand to new heights.