WABI SABI
WABI SABI
Wabi Sabi Studios is an independent entertainment company founded in Tokyo by actors Ken Watanabe, Tomohisa Yamashita and writer/producer Satch Watanabe.
For more than 25 years, Watanabe has worked across the Japanese and international film and television industries, producing projects including Tokyo Vice, Drops of God, Neuromancer, The Outsider, The Sea of Trees and Cottontail. Wabi Sabi Studios was founded to build on that experience with a larger ambition: to develop and own original IP, create long-term partnerships with exceptional filmmakers and talent, and build a new generation of internationally focused film and television from Japan.
The company develops projects in Japan and internationally, working with creative, production and financing partners across the United States, Europe and Asia.
Born in Japan and raised in the United States, Satch Watanabe is a seasoned film and television producer with over 25 years of experience working with international crews across cultures and continents.
Satch began his career as a sales agent representing Japan’s major publishers Kodansha and Shogakukan, facilitating the sale of Japanese film rights to U.S. studios. In 2011, he wrote, produced, and directed the PSA Unite for Japan in response to the Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami. The project featured global icons such as Clint Eastwood, Leonardo DiCaprio, Matt Damon, and Johnny Depp.
Satch has worked with some of the world’s most respected filmmakers such as Gus Van Sant and Michael Mann. He produced the feature film The Sea of Trees (2015) starring Matthew McConaughey, and The Outsider (2018) starring Jared Leto. His producing credits in television includes Seasons 1 and 2 of Tokyo Vice for HBO Max, Season 1 of the anticipated Apple TV series Neuromancer, and Season 2 of the critically acclaimed Apple TV series Drops of God.
View on IMDb →Masa is an experienced Producer and Supervising Location Manager of Japanese film and television whose career path turned global when he worked on a Chinese feature shot in Tokyo. This led to his work as location scout under Janice Polley and later the Supervising Location Manager of Tokyo Vice seasons 1 and 2.
Masa steered a complex process of opening Tokyo streets for the high-profile HBO series. He enabled logistics and secured filming permits in neighborhoods historically resistant to filming like Akasaka, Akabane, and several major landmarks in and around the city.
In 2023, Masa became the first Japan-based member of the Location Managers Guild International (LMGI), earning a nomination for his work on Tokyo Vice in 2024.
As a cultural liaison Masa continues to support international productions filming in Japan – most recently lending his expertise on Apple TV’s upcoming series Neuromancer. His commitment to authenticity and collaboration has been instrumental in transforming Japan into a dynamic backdrop for global storytelling.
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