Writer and Teacher, Melissa Uchiyama. Photography by Sam Spicer.
This is an exciting new podcast, Tokyo Shishi, which Melissa hosts and narrates.
From “Any Ring is Commitment, Even One Made of Fire”, first published in Kyoto Journal.
Melissa has been featured on Zibby Owens’ Moms Don’t Have Time to Write.
Writing for Kyoto Journal
Writing about Japanese Love of Mon Blanc for Taste
Writing Camps and Workshops
for Kids, Teens, & Adults
Taking our writing outdoors for fresh inspiration
About the Author & Teacher
Writer
Melissa is an essayist, poet, journalist, teacher, and food writer. She is a champion of young people and their voice.
Mentor to Adults and Young People
She leads writing workshops and camps with international school groups and learning communities, both online and in-person! She serves not only Japan, but kids everywhere as a judge and letter writer for the annual Young Inklings Book Contest.
Melissa works one-on-one, online with kids across Japan, Hong Kong, and parts of the US. She also works with teens and adults to encourage and fine-tune their writing for elite university admission and various creative projects.
Melissa has given workshops talks at forums for professional writers such as the Japan Writers Conference.
As an educator in south Florida and a graduate of Florida Atlantic University, she has taught at every developmental age, from preschool to kindergarten, as classroom teacher to first and second graders before working as her school’s writing teacher. As a National Board Certified Educator, she also mentored teachers.
Upon moving to Tokyo, she continued in education, at American School in Japan, with kindergarten. She branched out into working as a literacy coach and writing specialist for students at varying ages, from emerging readers and writers to high schoolers desiring individual writing support for their application essays. Her writing instruction has been put to use in MBA programs, as well.
Melissa assists writers from the idea stage, helping with organizational structure, creativity, and the ability to publish.
Melissa is a mentor for writers of all ages. She sparks a fire for writing, using creative writing camps and workshops within Tokyo and globally, online. She is also a passionate writer.
Published and Featured
Melissa’s essay, titled “Being a Woman at Night” earned an honorable mention in Women on Writing’s creative nonfiction contest, Jan. 2023. Another essay of hers was a finalist in the 2022 creative nonfiction contest.
Her long-form essays can be found in such journals and sites as Kyoto Journal.
On Japanese food and culture: in such sites as The Epoch Times, The Japan Times, The Washington Post, Taste, Kyoto Journal. Find more on Medium.
She writes about Japanese cocktails, spirits, pastry, culinary ingredients and techniques.
Melissa is a guest teacher at Temple University Tokyo’s food and culture class where she teaches on Jewish food writing. Her AISH piece, “How to Stock a Jewish Pantry Wherever You Live” is here.
Melissa’s leads challah workshops and Jewish History Through Food Workshops and lectures.
More published pieces
On motherhood and finding culture: Compound Butter, Kveller, Mamalode, Brain, Child, and within various anthologies like Mothering Through the Darkness and Knocked Up Abroad.
On Zibby Owens’ Moms Don’t Have Time to Grieve.
On poetry: LA Review of Books, The Sunlight Press
On the craft of writing: Brevity’s Nonfiction Blog, and again, in Brevity, Literary Mama, and The Sunlight Press.
Pictures taken by author. Ki No Bi Gin article originally at Kyoto Journal.
Various Travel and Food Culture Writing as a longtime resident of Japan, photo by Stasia of Inkimono