Meet Co-Founder of Fungisaurs, Faa!

I had the pleasure of interviewing Faa to ask her questions that will help us get to know her as Co-Creator and Creative Director of Fungisaurs!

Just like her co-creator Aiman, Faa also wears many hats and manages anything creative/branding-related (read more about Aiman here). The debate on whether Faa or Aiman is a better whistler is still TBD, but we will get to the bottom of this! One things' for sure, I absolutely want Aiman and Faa to be my travel buds! Aiman can speak 5 languages and Faa’s first language was Japanese, and can also speak English and Korean.

Before I keep talking about how amazing Faa is, let’s get right into it, so you can get to know her, too!

Moderator: What do you love about mushrooms and/or dinosaurs? Faa: What fascinates me about the mycelium network that mushrooms spring from is its holistic, intelligent, and communal nature. It’s so beyond civilized and sophisticated that we have a lot to learn from them! Fungi can also feed, heal, clean, decompose, and contribute so much to the ecosystem… Not to mention how adorable they are!

Still from film Fantastic Fungi. Image source One Earth.

Moderator: Do you love mushroom dishes? If so, which? Faa: Growing up in Japan was great because of the wide variety of mushrooms available. For breakfast, my mom would often make miso soup with nameko mushrooms. Nameko is delicious with soba noodles as well. For school lunch, I’d find sauteed shimeji mushrooms in my bento box. Every fall, we’d get one or two, if we are lucky, fragrant matsutake mushrooms in a pine box to celebrate the arrival of the season. My favorite way to enjoy matsutake is to submerge thin slices in a clear savory broth. You sip the broth and indulge in the subtle yet woody and beautiful aroma and flavor of the mushroom.

Moderator: That sounds simple yet, delicious! Tell me about some things you care about? Faa: Nature, diversity in all beings, emotional connection, art, music, so all the beautiful things!

Moderator: Favorite childhood film that you still love? Faa: Alice in Wonderland. Kiki’s Delivery Service. Dead Poets Society.

Moderator: What is your spirit Fungisaur? Faa: Pterocap. I want to fly!

(Above) Kiki’s Delivery Service, Soba with nameko mushrooms, made by Faa, Pterocap, Faa’s fav, along with 7 other Fungisaurs are available as mystery box toys on our online store.

Moderator: Where is your happy place/dream vacation? Faa: My happy places are Costa Rica, southern Spain, Hawaii, Tokyo, Kyoto, Florence, and Tulum. Also, the Kyushu region of Japan, particularly Kumamoto and Oita, where I spent a lot of time as a kid. I’d love to finally visit Pakistan and India where Aiman and his family are from. I’d also love to revisit and spend more time in Germany.

(Above) Faa's travel photos from Tulum, Kyoto, and Florence. Via @hwaness. Moderator: What do you enjoy doing outside of the office/work? Faa: I love talking to people and listening to music. Preferably in nature under big trees. I feel that conversations and music do the same, good things to my well-being. Here’s a playlist I recently created for peace, productivity, and a bit of inspiration.

Moderator: What is your favorite tip/fact/funny story about Fungisaurs? If you don’t have one, just share a quote that inspires/motivates you as a creator/contributor! Faa: Over the past few years at different events pre-covid, we got to meet so many of our supporters in person, which is one of my favorite things about being part of Team Fungisaurs.

Now that we are in the pandemic, our ways of interaction have changed. But thanks to social media, we’ve felt quite connected with our fans, like this long-time Fungisaurs girl Charlie :)

(Above) Faces of Fungisaurs fans, from babies to teenagers to respected mycologist Paul Stamets.

Moderator: As short as possible, what is your goal with Fungisaurs? Faa: To help people of all groups find their place in this confusing world.

Moderator: I love that! I know myself that since discovering Fungisaurs, it’s made me think a lot more creatively of the endless possibilities that our minds can create! Is there anything else fun to share about yourself? Hidden talents? Faa: I am an excellent whistler!

Moderator: Ha! I’ll be back to shoot a video and we’ll have to settle this on social media. Plus, you can fulfill my dreams of being an ‘America’s Got Talent’ show judge! To our readers, Thank you for reading! Stay tuned for more blogs from myself and the Fungisuars creators! Faa: See you on social media! @Fungisaurs