Soraya Umewaka
Co-founder & CEO, MatchHat
Meet Soraya Umewaka
Co-founder & CEO of MatchHat, Director & Producer of Noh Theater 🎭
Soraya Umewaka was born into a family with over 600 years of Noh theater tradition. Currently based in Kyoto, she produces and directs contemporary Noh theater productions.
Alongside preserving tradition, she is building the future of creative collaboration. As the CEO of MatchHat, she's building a global platform that connects filmmakers, musicians, game developers, and other creatives to collaborate on passion projects. Today, MatchHat connects creators across Japan and around the world, making creative collaboration more accessible across borders.
With a background in Comparative Politics at Princeton and experience in filmmaking and production, her career has been driven by one thing: curiosity. Whether documenting field research with a camera or building creative communities through technology, she believes meaningful stories have the power to connect people across cultures.
What are you currently building?
MatchHat, a global platform that helps creatives find collaborators for passion projects across film, music, and gaming. Beyond connecting people online, MatchHat also organizes game hackathons, film screenings, and creator meetups in collaboration with game and film studios.
What excites you about Japan?
Japan is full of hidden creative treasures, from traditional performing arts and literature to local talent and intellectual property that deserve greater global recognition. She believes the next generation has an opportunity to help bring these stories to the world.
A risk that changed your trajectory?
While studying Comparative Politics at Princeton, she began documenting field research with a camera out of curiosity. That led her into filmmaking, which opened the door to a role in Google's YouTube team and ultimately inspired her to build a platform for creative collaboration.
A habit that has had the biggest impact?
Morning walks, especially along Kyoto's Kamo River. They provide the space to think, recharge, and often lead to unexpected conversations and connections.
Advice for your 20s?
Build your personal brand through writing, photography, filmmaking, or any creative outlet, and share your work so you can connect with people who share your passions.
Favorite cafes?
Kyoto: Hassui (Arashiyama)
Kamakura: bills
Yokohama: InterContinental Yokohama Pier 8