Akiko Iwasaki (岩崎明子, Iwasaki Akiko) is a Sterling Professor of Immunobiology and Molecular, Cellular and Developmental…
Akiko Iwasaki (岩崎明子, Iwasaki Akiko) is a Sterling Professor of Immunobiology and Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology at Yale University. She is also a principal investigator at the Howard Hughes Medical Institute. Her research interests include innate immunity, autophagy, inflammasomes, sexually transmitted infections, herpes simplex virus, human papillomavirus, respiratory virus infections, influenza infection, T cell immunity, commensal bacteria, COVID-19, and long COVID. Iwasaki was elected to the National Academy of Sciences in 2018. She was the 2023–2024 president of the American Association of Immunologists.
Famous People Born in the Year of the Dog
Dog: 1,900 people
Hiroko Tsukumo (born 11 September 1970) is a retired volleyball player from Japan, who competed for the Japan women's…
Hiroko Tsukumo (born 11 September 1970) is a retired volleyball player from Japan, who competed for the Japan women's national team in the 1990s. She was named Best Digger and Best Receiver at the 1998 FIVB World Championship. Tsukumo played as a libero.
Tomoya Higashino (東野智弥, Higashino Tomoya) is the former Head coach of the Hamamatsu Higashimikawa Phoenix in the…
Tomoya Higashino (東野智弥, Higashino Tomoya) is the former Head coach of the Hamamatsu Higashimikawa Phoenix in the Japanese Bj League.
Tadahisa Maruyama (丸山 忠久, Maruyama Tadahisa; born September 5, 1970) is a Japanese professional shogi player ranked…
Tadahisa Maruyama (丸山 忠久, Maruyama Tadahisa; born September 5, 1970) is a Japanese professional shogi player ranked 9-dan. He is a former Meijin and Kiō title holder.
Tatsushi Ōmori (大森立嗣, Ōmori Tatsushi; born 4 September 1970) is a Japanese film director and actor.
Miho Murata (村田 美穂, Murata Miho; born 3 September 1970) is a Japanese former volleyball player. Murata won a bronze…
Miho Murata (村田 美穂, Murata Miho; born 3 September 1970) is a Japanese former volleyball player. Murata won a bronze medal with the Japanese women's national volleyball team at the 1994 Goodwill Games in Saint Petersburg. Murata also played with the national team at the 1994 FIVB World Championship in Brazil, where she finished in seventh place. On club level she played with Hitachi.
Shinji Ando (安藤 真児, Andō Shinji) (born September 2, 1970) is a former professional baseball player based in Japan. He…
Shinji Ando (安藤 真児, Andō Shinji) (born September 2, 1970) is a former professional baseball player based in Japan. He played second and first base for the Seibu Lions of the Japan Pacific League.
Hiroya Saito (斉藤浩哉, Saitō Hiroya) (born 1 September 1970) is a Japanese former ski jumper.
Takashi Niigaki (新垣 隆, Niigaki Takashi; born 1 September 1970) is a Japanese composer, pianist and music teacher, known…
Takashi Niigaki (新垣 隆, Niigaki Takashi; born 1 September 1970) is a Japanese composer, pianist and music teacher, known for having composed pieces on behalf of the celebrated allegedly-deaf composer Mamoru Samuragochi, and for admitting his role in this deception in 2014 prior to the use of one of his pieces at the 2014 Winter Olympics by figure skater Daisuke Takahashi.
Ryuji Kimura (木村 龍治, Kimura Ryūji; born September 1, 1970 in Nagoya, Aichi, Japan) is a Japanese former Nippon…
Ryuji Kimura (木村 龍治, Kimura Ryūji; born September 1, 1970 in Nagoya, Aichi, Japan) is a Japanese former Nippon Professional Baseball pitcher.
Gakuto Mikumo (三雲 岳斗, Mikumo Gakuto; born 1970) is a Japanese writer of mystery and science fiction light novels from…
Gakuto Mikumo (三雲 岳斗, Mikumo Gakuto; born 1970) is a Japanese writer of mystery and science fiction light novels from the Oita Prefecture in Japan. He is a member of the Mystery Writers of Japan and the Honkaku Mystery Writers Club of Japan. He studied the English language at Sophia University, where he graduated. In 1998 Mikumo won silver in the fifth Dengeki Novel Prize with his debut novel, Called Gehenna. He went on to win the Japan SF Rookie of the Year Award in 1999 with M.G.H., and a special prize in the Sneaker Awards in 2000 with Earth Reverse. Mikumo is currently most well known for the Asura Cryin' series and the Strike the Blood series.
Kazutaka Nishiyama (西山 一宇, Nishiyama Kazutaka; born August 28, 1970) is a retired Japanese professional baseball player…
Kazutaka Nishiyama (西山 一宇, Nishiyama Kazutaka; born August 28, 1970) is a retired Japanese professional baseball player from Kōchi, Japan. Nishiyama was drafted in the 5th round of the 1988 amateur draft by the Lotte Orions, but did not sign with the team. He entered the professional leagues in 1993 as the 3rd round draft pick of the Yomiuri Giants. He marked a 5–1 record and 7 saves with a stunning 0.55 ERA in his 3rd year, but his pitching deteriorated afterwards. He was a vital part of the relief staff in 1998, marking a 2.48 ERA in 49 appearances, but was inconsistent in the following years. He began throwing from the sidearm in 2002 to fix his control problems, but was not signed for the next season. He currently works as a coach for the Yomiuri Giants organization. He won a bronze medal in the 1992 Summer Olympics before entering the Japanese professional leagues.
Masanori Taguchi (田口 昌徳, born 26 August 1970) is a former Nippon Professional Baseball catcher.
Yukinaga Maeda (前田 幸長, Maeda Yukinaga; born August 26, 1970 in Chikushi District, Fukuoka, Japan) is a professional…
Yukinaga Maeda (前田 幸長, Maeda Yukinaga; born August 26, 1970 in Chikushi District, Fukuoka, Japan) is a professional Japanese baseball player.
Yoshihiro Nakamura (中村義洋, Nakamura Yoshihiro) is a Japanese film director and screenwriter, known for his 2009 film…
Yoshihiro Nakamura (中村義洋, Nakamura Yoshihiro) is a Japanese film director and screenwriter, known for his 2009 film Fish Story, which premiered at the New York Asian Film Festival, and A Boy and His Samurai, which won the Audience Award at the 2011 New York Asian Film Festival.
Takuro Ishii (石井 琢朗, Ishii Takurō; born August 25, 1970 in Sano, Tochigi, Japan) is a retired Japanese professional…
Takuro Ishii (石井 琢朗, Ishii Takurō; born August 25, 1970 in Sano, Tochigi, Japan) is a retired Japanese professional baseball player. He currently is a coach for the Yokohama DeNA BayStars. He batted left-handed and threw right-handed. Ishii was regarded as one of the best Japanese shortstops of the late 1990s and early 2000s. Though late in his career his stats declined due to age, he still contributed with his precise fielding and solid batting abilities, as well as his veteran leadership. Ishii entered the professional leagues with the Yokohama Taiyo Whales, and played with the franchise for most of his career. (The team changed its name to the Yokohama BayStars in 1993.)
Jiro Matsumoto (Japanese: 松本次郎, Hepburn: Matsumoto Jiro) is a Japanese manga artist most known for his work on Freesia.…
Jiro Matsumoto (Japanese: 松本次郎, Hepburn: Matsumoto Jiro) is a Japanese manga artist most known for his work on Freesia. Much of his manga is explicit in nature, frequently containing copious amounts of sex and violence. Matsumoto's work Becchin & Mandara was released in English August 2011 as Velveteen & Mandala by North American publisher Vertical Inc. Other works by Matsumoto include Uncivilized Planet, Keep on Vibrating, Wendy, Avant-Pop Mars, Little Feet, A Revolutionist in the Afternoon and Tropical Citron
Maki Mori (森 麻季, born August 19, 1970) is a Japanese soprano.
Yuki Nakai (born 18 August 1970, Japanese: 中井祐樹) is a retired Japanese mixed martial artist. He currently teaches…
Yuki Nakai (born 18 August 1970, Japanese: 中井祐樹) is a retired Japanese mixed martial artist. He currently teaches Shootfighting and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, and is the president of the Japanese Confederation of Jiu-Jitsu. He competed in Shooto, an early MMA promotion where he won the Shooto World Welterweight Championship, as well as Vale Tudo Japan 1995, where he was outweighed by every opponent in the tournament. Despite this, and despite suffering a severe eye injury in the first bout, Nakai managed to make it to the finals where he lost to Rickson Gracie. Nakai is considered a legend of Shooto by many fighters and fans. He is the founder of the Paraestra Shooto Gym and coaches fighters such as PRIDE and DREAM stand out Shinya Aoki, who also earned his A-Class Shooto rank and jiu-jitsu black belt from Nakai.
Takero Doi (土居 丈朗, Doi Takerō; born August 17, 1970 in Nara, Nara) is a Japanese economist. Doi received his B.A.…
Takero Doi (土居 丈朗, Doi Takerō; born August 17, 1970 in Nara, Nara) is a Japanese economist. Doi received his B.A. degree from Osaka University in 1993 and Ph.D. degree from the University of Tokyo in 1999. He has served as a professor of economics at Keio University since 2009. In 2007, Doi was awarded the Fiftieth Nikkei Prize for Excellent Books in Economic Science, Japan Center for Economic Research, and the Twenty-ninth Suntory Prize for Social Sciences, Suntory Foundation.
Masahiro Endo (遠藤 昌浩, Endō Masahiro; born August 15, 1970) is a Japanese former professional footballer who played as a…
Masahiro Endo (遠藤 昌浩, Endō Masahiro; born August 15, 1970) is a Japanese former professional footballer who played as a left-back. At international level, he made eight appearances for the Japan national team.
Masashi Kato (加藤 真志, Katō Masashi) (born August 14, 1970) is a retired Japanese male freestyle swimmer. He represented…
Masashi Kato (加藤 真志, Katō Masashi) (born August 14, 1970) is a retired Japanese male freestyle swimmer. He represented Japan in two consecutive Summer Olympics, starting in 1988. His best Olympic result was the 16th place (15:40.94) in the Men's 1500 metres Freestyle event at the 1992 Summer Olympics in Barcelona, Spain.
Jun Onose (Japanese: 小野瀬 潤, Hepburn: Onose Jun; born August 12, 1970), better known by his stage name J, is a Japanese…
Jun Onose (Japanese: 小野瀬 潤, Hepburn: Onose Jun; born August 12, 1970), better known by his stage name J, is a Japanese musician, singer-songwriter and record producer. He is best known as bassist and co-founder of the rock band Luna Sea since 1986. After they disbanded in December 2000, he focused on his solo career, which first began in 1997. He rejoined Luna Sea when they reunited in August 2010. J ranked tenth on Bass Magazine's list of the 100 Greatest Bassists, and Luna Sea are regarded as one of the most influential bands in the visual kei scene. Musicians such as Shun (Totalfat), Ni~ya (Nightmare), Reita (The Gazette), and RxYxO (Coldrain) have cited him as an influence. Since 1997, J has had prominent names in the music industry playing on his albums, as his backing band, or appearing as guests at his concerts, including Scott Garrett, Billy Duffy and Ian Astbury (all three from The Cult), Franz Stahl (Scream), Steve Jones (The Sex Pistols), Duff McKagan and Slash (both from Guns N' Roses), and Takashi Fujita (Doom).
Hidetaka Yoshioka (吉岡 秀隆; born on August 12, 1970) is a Japanese actor known for his performance in several movies as a…
Hidetaka Yoshioka (吉岡 秀隆; born on August 12, 1970) is a Japanese actor known for his performance in several movies as a child and the TV drama Dr. Coto's Clinic. He played the part of Tora-san's nephew in the Otoko wa Tsurai yo film series, and he appeared in Akira Kurosawa's Rhapsody in August and Madadayo. He won two Japan Academy Awards Best Actor for Always: Sunset on Third Street and its sequel Always: Sunset on Third Street 2.
Bokuzō Masana (正名 僕蔵, Masana Bokuzō) is a Japanese actor. Masana starred as Asao Konishi in L: Change the WorLd.
Chiyako Shibahara (芝原 チヤコ, Shibahara Chiyako; born August 9, 1970 in Saitama Prefecture) is a Japanese voice actress.…
Chiyako Shibahara (芝原 チヤコ, Shibahara Chiyako; born August 9, 1970 in Saitama Prefecture) is a Japanese voice actress. Previously affiliated with 81 Produce, she became a freelancer as of November 30, 2022.
Nobuyuki Fukushima (福島 伸享, Fukushima Nobuyuki; born 8 August 1970) is a Japanese politician, who served as a member of…
Nobuyuki Fukushima (福島 伸享, Fukushima Nobuyuki; born 8 August 1970) is a Japanese politician, who served as a member of the House of Representatives.
Yu Godai (五代 ゆう Godai Yū, born August 7, 1970) is a Japanese writer from Nara Prefecture. Her father was a Japanese…
Yu Godai (五代 ゆう Godai Yū, born August 7, 1970) is a Japanese writer from Nara Prefecture. Her father was a Japanese language teacher at Todaiji Gakunen middle school and high school. While Godai was still a university student her The Story of the Beginning of Bone was selected for the fourth annual Fantasy Novel Prize, which was sponsored by the Japanese publisher Fujimi Shobo. Godai was the first person to receive the grand prize. Before this novel was published, Godai made her debut with the story "Capital of Kyoshin", which appeared in the monthly Dragon Magazine. Godai was contracted by Atlus for drafting the story of Shin Megami Tensei: Digital Devil Saga video game series. She left the project partway due to health issues but held the contract right to publish her own version of the novel based on the setting of the game, which later became the Quantum Devil Saga series.
Sebastian Masuda (増田 セバスチャン, Masuda Sebasuchan; born August 7, 1970), is a Japanese artist, art director, and producer…
Sebastian Masuda (増田 セバスチャン, Masuda Sebasuchan; born August 7, 1970), is a Japanese artist, art director, and producer of the Harajuku shop 6%DOKIDOKI. Born in Matsudo City, Chiba Prefecture, Japan. He has been active from 1995 to current day. He has directed and designed performances for Kyary Pamyu Pamyu. He is known as a pioneer of kawaii culture and often referred to as the "king of kawaii" or "father of kawaii"
Yutaka Akita (秋田 豊, Akita Yutaka; born 6 August 1970) is a Japanese football manager and former player who played as a…
Yutaka Akita (秋田 豊, Akita Yutaka; born 6 August 1970) is a Japanese football manager and former player who played as a defender. He is currently manager of J3 League club Kochi United. He played for Japan national team until 2003.
Ganyū Kenji (born 6 August 1970 as Kenji Hirano) is a former sumo wrestler from Himeji, Hyōgo, Japan. He made his…
Ganyū Kenji (born 6 August 1970 as Kenji Hirano) is a former sumo wrestler from Himeji, Hyōgo, Japan. He made his professional debut in March 1986, and reached the top division in March 1996. His highest rank was maegashira 1. He retired in 2000 and became an elder of the Japan Sumo Association. In 2015 he became the head coach of Yamahibiki stable following the death of his old stablemaster, Kitanoumi.
Yumiko Takeshima (竹島 由美子, Takeshima Yumiko; born 1970) is a Japanese designer and former Principal dancer with…
Yumiko Takeshima (竹島 由美子, Takeshima Yumiko; born 1970) is a Japanese designer and former Principal dancer with Semperoper Ballett, Universal Ballet, the Alberta Ballet Company, Feld Ballet, and the Dutch National Ballet. Born in Asahikawa, Hokkaido, Takeshima began dancing at the age of four in Sapporo. At the age of thirteen, she studied at the San Francisco Ballet School in the United States. Takeshima continued to dance throughout the 90s and early 2000s and started designing dancewear and costumes for ballet companies from all over the world. Takeshima founded the dancewear company YUMIKO and the YumiGirl Network in 2002. Her dancewear was used in Darren Aronofsky’s 2010 award-winning film Black Swan. She was the 2003 and 2005 recipient of the 'Best Female Dancer Award' by Dance Europe Magazine and won a gold medal at the 1996 Serge Lifar International Ballet Competition in Kyiv.
Kiyoko Fukuda (born 4 August 1970) is a Japanese former volleyball player who competed with the Japanese women's…
Kiyoko Fukuda (born 4 August 1970) is a Japanese former volleyball player who competed with the Japanese women's national volleyball team at the 1992 Summer Olympics in Barcelona. She helped Japan win the bronze medal at the 1994 Goodwill Games in Saint Petersburg.
Masaharu Suzuki (鈴木 正治, Suzuki Masaharu; born August 3, 1970) is a former Japanese football player. He played twice for…
Masaharu Suzuki (鈴木 正治, Suzuki Masaharu; born August 3, 1970) is a former Japanese football player. He played twice for the Japan national team.
Masahiro Sakurai (桜井 政博, Sakurai Masahiro; born August 3, 1970) is a Japanese video game director and game designer…
Masahiro Sakurai (桜井 政博, Sakurai Masahiro; born August 3, 1970) is a Japanese video game director and game designer best known as the creator of the Kirby and Super Smash Bros. series. Apart from his work on those series, he also led the design of Meteos in 2005 and directed Kid Icarus: Uprising in 2012. Formerly an employee of HAL Laboratory, Sakurai left the company in 2003 and in 2005 with his wife Michiko Sakurai (also ex-HAL Laboratory) founded their company Sora Ltd., under which they work on a freelance basis. He was also an author of a weekly column for Famitsu magazine from 2003 to 2021, and has done voice acting work in some of his games, most notably providing the voice of King Dedede in Kirby 64: The Crystal Shards and the Super Smash Bros. series. From 2022 to 2024, Sakurai ran an educational YouTube channel, Masahiro Sakurai on Creating Games, which discussed various topics in game design and his career.
Jun Senoue (瀬上 純, Senoue Jun; born August 2, 1970) is a Japanese composer and guitarist. He is a sound director for the…
Jun Senoue (瀬上 純, Senoue Jun; born August 2, 1970) is a Japanese composer and guitarist. He is a sound director for the Sonic the Hedgehog video game series by Sega and is also the songwriter of the rock duo Crush 40 which has contributed music to the series as well.
Masafumi Takada (高田 雅史, Takada Masafumi; born August 2, 1970) is a Japanese composer and sound designer, best known for…
Masafumi Takada (高田 雅史, Takada Masafumi; born August 2, 1970) is a Japanese composer and sound designer, best known for his work on the soundtracks for killer7, God Hand, No More Heroes, and the Earth Defense Force and Danganronpa series. Takada has worked on multiple projects for Goichi Suda's studio Grasshopper Manufacture and co-founded Too Kyo Games in 2017.
Chiho Torii (鳥居 千穂, Torii Chiho) (born 29 July 1970) is a Japanese former volleyball player who competed in the 1996…
Chiho Torii (鳥居 千穂, Torii Chiho) (born 29 July 1970) is a Japanese former volleyball player who competed in the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta. In 1996, Torii was eliminated with the Japanese team in the preliminary round of the Olympic tournament.
Nobunaga Sato (佐藤信長, Satō Nobunaga; born July 29, 1970) is a former professional basketball head coach for Aomori Wat's…
Nobunaga Sato (佐藤信長, Satō Nobunaga; born July 29, 1970) is a former professional basketball head coach for Aomori Wat's in Japan and the former head coach for Noshiro Technical High School in Noshiro, Akita.
Koichi Toyama (Japanese: 外山 恒一, Hepburn: Toyama Kōichi; born July 26, 1970) is a Japanese street musician and a fringe…
Koichi Toyama (Japanese: 外山 恒一, Hepburn: Toyama Kōichi; born July 26, 1970) is a Japanese street musician and a fringe political activist who was a candidate for the governor of Tokyo in the year 2007. He was born in Kagoshima Prefecture and lives in Fukuoka. He gained notoriety with his provocative 2007 Tokyo gubernatorial election speech.
Nobuyuki Hosaka (保坂 信之, Hosaka Nobuyuki; born July 23, 1970) is a former Japanese football player who is the current…
Nobuyuki Hosaka (保坂 信之, Hosaka Nobuyuki; born July 23, 1970) is a former Japanese football player who is the current first-team coach J2 League club of Tokyo Verdy.
Kenji Nomura (乃村 健次, Nomura Kenji; born July 23, 1970) is a Japanese voice actor from Okayama Prefecture affiliated…
Kenji Nomura (乃村 健次, Nomura Kenji; born July 23, 1970) is a Japanese voice actor from Okayama Prefecture affiliated with Aksent. Known for playing characters large in size, he has starring roles in anime shows, including Mitsunori Kugayama in Genshiken, Chairman Harabote in Kinnikuman: Ultimate Muscle, Lorenzo in Ristorante Paradiso, and Gilles de Rais in Drifters. He also voices in a bunch of supporting roles in anime series including Battle Spirits, First Love Limited, Jormungand, Kanokon, Valkyria Chronicles, Yes! PreCure5, and Yu-Gi-Oh! 5D's. He voices several villain characters in One Piece.
Hideki Niizuma (新妻 秀規, Niizuma Hideki; born 22 July 1970) is a Japanese politician from Komeito who served as the State…
Hideki Niizuma (新妻 秀規, Niizuma Hideki; born 22 July 1970) is a Japanese politician from Komeito who served as the State Minister for Reconstruction from 2013 until 2025.
Seiichi Ogawa (小川 誠一, Ogawa Seiichi; born July 21, 1970) is a Japanese football manager and former player who plays as…
Seiichi Ogawa (小川 誠一, Ogawa Seiichi; born July 21, 1970) is a Japanese football manager and former player who plays as a defender. He currently manager of Wyvern FC.
Arata Takebe (born 20 July 1970) is a Japanese politician of the Liberal Democratic Party, who is serving as a member…
Arata Takebe (born 20 July 1970) is a Japanese politician of the Liberal Democratic Party, who is serving as a member of the House of Representatives for Hokkaido 12th district since 2012. He is the son of Tsutomu Takebe, who also served as a member of the House of Representatives.Serves us Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries from October 2026.
Kankurō Kudō (宮藤 官九郎, Kudō Kankurō; born July 19, 1970 in Miyagi Prefecture) is a Japanese screenwriter, dramatist…
Kankurō Kudō (宮藤 官九郎, Kudō Kankurō; born July 19, 1970 in Miyagi Prefecture) is a Japanese screenwriter, dramatist, director, actor and member of the theater company Otona Keikaku. He won the 'Best Screenplay' award at the 2002 Japanese Academy Awards for Go, which explores problems faced by people of Korean-heritage living in Japan. He acted in Crying Out Love in the Center of the World, and is also guitarist in the Japanese comedy rock band Group Tamashii.
Takamitsu Ota (太田 貴光, Ota Takamitsu; July 19, 1970 – August 12, 2026) was a Japanese footballer who played as a…
Takamitsu Ota (太田 貴光, Ota Takamitsu; July 19, 1970 – August 12, 2026) was a Japanese footballer who played as a midfielder.
Kenichi Sako (佐古 賢一, born 17 July 1970) is a Japanese former basketball player and current coach. Nicknamed "Mr.…
Kenichi Sako (佐古 賢一, born 17 July 1970) is a Japanese former basketball player and current coach. Nicknamed "Mr. Basketball", Sako played as point guard and is widely regarded as one of the best Japanese players in history, having won twelve Emperor's Cup titles and nine JBL championships. Representing the Japan national team, Sako played at one FIBA World Cup in 1998, and won one silver and one bronze medal at the FIBA Asia Cup. He was enshrined into the FIBA Hall of Fame in 2020, becoming the first Japanese player to be inducted.
Satoshi Taira (平 聡, Taira Satoshi; born July 16, 1970) is a former Japanese football player.
Kōji Kakinuma (柿沼康二 Kakinuma Kōji, born July 16, 1970) is a Japanese calligrapher. Kakinuma was born in Yaita, Tochigi…
Kōji Kakinuma (柿沼康二 Kakinuma Kōji, born July 16, 1970) is a Japanese calligrapher. Kakinuma was born in Yaita, Tochigi Prefecture. He began his calligraphy training at the age of five first under his father, Suiryū Kakinuma, and then under Yūkei Teshima, who is considered one of the Sanpitsu (“Three Brushes”) of the Shōwa Era, and Ichijō Uematsu. In 1993, Kakinuma graduated from the Department of Visual and Performing Arts, Tokyo Gakugei University, with a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree. Before becoming a full-time fine artist, he worked as a high-school teacher. From 2006 to 2007 he held a visiting fellowship at Princeton University. Two trademarks of his calligraphy work are oversized formats of up to 750 × 1100 cm painted with giant brushes, and the frequent repetition of the same character or phrase, which he calls "trance work". Kakinuma considers himself not only a calligrapher but also "a contemporary artist, using tools other than my brush or expressing something other than writing, happily working in genres outside calligraphy, such as performing art, installation, etc." For instance, he has used masking tape in the creation of some of his works. Kakinuma has held solo exhibitions at, among other places, the Tarō Okamoto Memorial Museum (in both 2010 and 2021/2022) and the 21st Century Museum of Contemporary Art, Kanazawa (2013) where he was the first living calligrapher to do so. He has performed his calligraphy to live audiences around the world, at venues such as the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, D.C., and the 2005 Earth Celebration festival at Sado island. He has won numerous awards including two Mainichi Calligraphy Exhibition awards in 1996 and 1999, the Dokuritsu Shojin-dan award in the "huge work" category in 2002, and the 4th Teshima Yukei Award in 2009. Kakinuma is one of twelve artists who are the subject of the 2018 documentary film Traces of the Soul about contemporary calligraphy worldwide. He also appears in the 2022 documentary The Colour of Ink, creating work using handmade ink from inkmaker Jason Logan. He was the only calligrapher besides Shōko Kanazawa to contribute to the Tokyo 2020 Official Art Posters Collection.