Yuko Okumura is an accomplished okesa and rakusu sewing teacher, lifelong Soto Zen lay practitioner, and devoted lover of strawberries. A native of Japan, Yuko attended her first zazen retreat at age 16 and graduated from Komazawa University where she studied Buddhism. Yuko has served in the role of tenzo at temples in Japan (Zenjoji, Shorinji) and the US (Sanshinji). Her love of strawberries has led to the creation of La Fraise Do’r clothing and is discussed in a short documentary ‘Strawberries Will Save The World’ by her daughter, film director Yoko Okumura. Yuko lives with her husband of 40 years, Shohaku Okumura, in Bloomington, Indiana, where they founded Sanshin Zen Community/Sanshinji in 2003.
In case it’s tricky to hyperlink the “Strawberries will save the world”, the link is here:
http://www.yokookumura.com/strawberries-will-save-the-world.html
