A Japanese contemporary sculptor, he is especially known for his "ANIMALS" series of life-size wood sculptures with animal motifs. Born in Kyoto, Japan, he studied sculpture at Tokyo University of the Arts, receiving his MFA in 1989. 2000 marked the start of his "ANIMALS" series, in which he creates realistic and powerful animal sculptures made of camphorwood. These works are full of life and are characterized by a presence that seems to have a soul.