(b. Feb. 21. 1973, Japan) I was born in Okayama, Japan, and at 18 moved to California, where I studied at the San Francisco Art Institute. I began there as a painting major, but little by little turned to photography. In 1995 I moved to Montreal, Canada, where I finished my fine arts degree at Concordia University. Upon graduation, I returned to Japan and became a journalist, producing TV news and documentary programs for foreign news outlets. After a year covering the 2011 Tohoku earthquake and tsunami for a Brazilian news program, I decided to go back to photography.
Awards:
2016
Long listed, Steidl Book Award Japan, Tokyo Art Book Fair 2016, Tokyo
Shortlisted for LUMA Dummy Book Award Arles, Arles, France
2015
The runner-up for best series, Renaissance Photo Prize, London, UK
Visitor Award, Portfolio Review, Dusseldorf Photoweekend, Dusseldorf, Germany
2014
-Finalist, 2014 Emergentes dst 2014 at Encontros da Imagem, Braga, Portugal
-Finalist, 2014 Voies Off Prize, Arles, France
-Finalist, 2014 Boutographies, Montpellier, France
2013
-Second place, 2013 Portfolio Italia, Gran Premio Epson, Bibbiena, Italy
-First place, 2013 Fotoleggendo Award, Roma, Italy
Exhibitions:
2014
-LAYERS, Microprisma, Rome, Italy (Solo)
-as it is, Fotografika galerie, Gland, Switzerland (Solo)
-Voies Off "Les Nuits de Projection", Arles, France (Group)
-Balade(s) Parcours Photographique, Galerie Le Neuf, Lodève, France (Group)
- Boutographies, Montpellier, France (Group)
- Catching tails, Linke., Milan, Italy (Group)
2013
- As It is, Centro Italiano della Fotografia d’Autore, Bibbiena, Italy (Group)
- Reality and Emotion, Valid Foto BCN Gallery, Barcelona (Group)
2012
- Frames, Utility Canvas, Tokyo (Solo)
2001
- One night, Kyozon @ Las Chicas, Tokyo (Solo)
2000
- Tomotocafe, Huckleberry, Tokyo (Solo)
