Born in Tokyo in 1970, he worked as a company employee before beginning to create netsuke in 1996. Drawn to small and vulnerable beings, he chose the art name “Ippū” in pursuit of a distinctive and unconventional style. His works often feature imaginary creatures such as yōkai; by imagining what they might eat and how they would behave if they truly existed, he brings a sense of realism into the world of fantasy.
