Koji and Micah Sato are no ordinary couple.
One is a leather craftsman, the other is a photographer. Together, they are the creative force behind Yah Collections, a clothing and accessory line centred on the Gospel.
Founded in 2024, Yah Collections is the married duo’s expression of their God-given creativity, fueled by the choice to steward the talents He has placed in their hands.
Their t-shirts are designed by Micah and feature minimalistic artworks often anchored on a story or character from the Bible.
“I get my inspiration through the Word of God, often in ‘the secret place’ — that space where it’s just me and the Lord. As I spend time with God and in His presence, I’ll feel led to create and come up with new designs,” she revealed.
Their earnest desire to honour the Lord with their time and talents is an overflow of gratitude; both of them were rescued by God in their adult years and given new purpose.
“Follow Me and you’ll be happy”
Micah grew up in a strict Buddhist household, raised mostly by helpers while her working father was away and her mother was too busy with her social life.
Early experiences of rejection left her wrestling with self-worth and a craving for love and acceptance.
As a young adult, she drifted through relationships, searching for validation in all the wrong places. When a difficult breakup hit at age 21, she felt utterly broken and contemplated ending her life.
With a knife beside her, she made a desperate plea: “If there is a God out there, speak to me now or else, goodbye.”
That night, she had a vivid dream.
Jesus appeared at the top of a stairwell, while her ex-boyfriend stood at the bottom. Jesus looked at her and said lovingly, “Follow Me and you’ll be happy.”
“I didn’t know who Jesus was, so I found the dream quite unsettling; all my flowery language came out,” Micah laughed.
The dream repeated twice more. In the third and final dream, Jesus smiled gently and said, “Your life will never be the same again if you would just follow Me.”
Micah woke the next morning transformed. The weight of depression and rejection lifted, leaving her filled with hope and peace. Walking into the radio studio where she worked as a deejay, a colleague remarked, “You look different. You’re glowing.” Micah knew it was Jesus.
Incidentally, that day was her birthday, the perfect day she walked into church and began a life forever changed by Him.
A divine set-up and partnership for life
As God was working in Micah, He was also preparing Koji for the adventure of a lifetime.
The Brazilian-Japanese grew up Catholic, but drifted in his adult years. Little did he know that the woman he’d connect with on a social site for creatives would be instrumental in his return to the Lord.
Micah reached out to Koji after seeing a beautiful photo he’d created with fire. “I knew no English, so I had to use a dictionary to speak to Micah,” he grinned.
Their friendship deepened over Yahoo! Messenger chats and Skype calls, discussing Christianity and faith because Micah was spiritually hungry.
“Deep in our hearts, we knew God was moving, even though we were not mature in the faith. We knew we were meant to journey together and that God had to be the centre of our relationship,” Koji shared.
After two visits to Japan, Micah told Koji she didn’t want to continue a long-distance relationship. “When I heard that, I said, “So how? You want to get married?” That was my proposal!” he said with a hearty laugh.
They signed marriage papers in April 2009 and had a church wedding in 2011.
A catalyst for conversations
In KL, they continued working and serving in the church together; Koji is a percussionist, and Micah plays the piano. For 12 years, they found great joy in their creative careers and serving the Lord, and built a family.
In 2020, however, Micah felt an urge to step out of her comfort zone. “I had a thought from God to start a clothing line, and in December 2024, we started Yah. It’s our expression of worship, using our talents to glorify His name.”
“Yah is the original name of God, but not everyone knows this. Our prayer is that we will carry the weight of who God is, and that our products will carry His presence,” she said of the name’s origin.
Yah Collections features limited edition tees designed by Micah and leather goods handcrafted by Koji. Their desire is not to build an empire, but space for meaningful conversation pointing to Jesus Christ.
“Christian designs are often loud and in-your-face. We hope to open a gentler way for conversation and opportunities to share God’s love,” Koji explained. “We’re not aiming for the masses; this is more than a business.”
For example, Micah’s uncle wore Yah’s Gladiator shirt to meet his friends at a kopitiam, and he was quizzed about the shirt. Immediately, he was able to share Jesus with his friends.
“A woman with a daughter fighting cancer told me that our David and Goliath shirt has given her strength. For her, every day feels like a battle. It is a visual reminder that in God’s strength, she can slay her giants,” Micah shared.
The couple have also come across Christians who have no idea what the stories in their shirts are. “So our products become a Bible quiz and then a lesson, to help believers grow in their knowledge of the Word,” Koji finished.
Bringing glory to His name
Koji and Micah love Jesus and just want to give back to Him. For them, Yah Collections is their alabaster jar, a fragrant offering unto the One who has been so good to them.
“We are proud of our God, and one of the ways we love Him and share the Gospel is through our creations and products,” Micah said.
Yah Collections has a pop-up store in the heart of Kuala Lumpur, where Micah’s aesthetic designs and Koji’s brightly-coloured leather bags pique the interest of passers-by.
It has become a hub for fresh conversations with not just Christians, but tourists and Malaysians of other faiths.
“If you look at Yah from a business perspective, our vision is not a great idea because our target demographic seems limited. But I don’t think mass production is what God has called us to do,” Koji said. “This is more than a business.”
Visit Yah Collections at Sungei Wang Plaza (First Floor) and follow them on Instagram here.
