About the artists

Ai Takaoka

Born in Kyoto prefecture, this female Kyoto calligrapher explains the path (way or michi) of traditional Japanese calligraphy through her elegant and powerful performance of living brushwork.

Through the originality of her calligraphic technique, creativity, and ability to understand the feelings of others, Takaoka offers energy and hope to enrich the spirit. For more than 30 years, she has built up her skill through continual practice which has given her exceptional technical strength. Bringing together tradition and innovation while expressing the full range of human emotions, she has developed her creative power; and through overcoming several illnesses she has developed a fighting spirit that helped her empathize with others. Upon coming into contact with Takaoka, many people have been moved to tears.

She received in 2008 the LUX Shine Award, a cultural prize for sparkling female artists that recognized her image as a strong and beautiful woman. In 2012, she was invited to Paris, France, where she gave a performance at a solo exhibition.

Born in in the Tango region - the northern part of Kyoto prefecture - she was named the tourist ambassador for Tango. As an expression of love for her home district, she has made Kyoto the base of her activities. At the same time, she has opened her school, Shoraku room, where she not only teaches and transmits calligraphy but also acts as a therapist with more than 80 students.

For people who have lost confidence in themselves due to the stress and pressure of society, Ai Takaoka teaches that being as you are is good, and it is good to more fully express yourself.

Her hobbies include running marathons and developing physical strength. Her belief in simultaneously training the body and the spirit is such that she has been called the athlete calligrapher.

Sensui Oikawa

Oikawa represents the 4th generation of a family of calligraphers, a history which originated with her great grandfather, a calligrapher some 150 years ago towards the end of the Edo period in Japan.

At four years of age, Oikawa started to learn calligraphy from her grandfather, Oikawa Habei.

In 1967, when she was 16 years old, she earned her first award as a calligrapher, and subsequently she received many important awards for her Japanese calligraphy. Oikawa has been certified to teach calligraphy, and in 1972 opened a calligraphy school.

In 1973, she also took up the Okoto, a traditional Japanese instrument, and played a concert at NHK Hall National Theater.

Oikawa’s calligraphy was displayed as a Japanese national treasure, at the Bulgarian National Library, and was collected by the library along with the calligraphy of former Prime Minister, Shinsuke Kishi - (grandfather of the current Japanese Prime Minister, Shinzo Abe).

She has exhibited in Hong Kong, Paris (at the Salon du Dessin), Los Angeles, Zurich, Lublin (Poland), Metz (France), Honolulu, Seoul, Cairo, Prague, Vienna, Moscow, Tokyo, and many other places.

Her art has been collected by various museums, including Taiwan National History Museum, Ethnographic Museum of the Republic Bulgaria, National Museum of Serbia in Belgrade, Ichikawa City Museum in Chiba Prefecture (Japan), Oriental museum German cairn, as well as by private collectors in Poland and in France

Oikawa showcases her various skills, combining calligraphy performance with playing Okoto and singing the Japanese 31-syllable Japanese poem called “tanka” to make Japanese culture more accessible to non-Japanese.

Emi Kikuchi

A native of Japan, Kikuchi came to the U.S. in 1989.

She is a certified Shihan (master) Kimono Teacher who can issue certificates from the institute in Japan.

She studied at the Naganuma Shizu Kimono School, one of the top kimono schools in Japan. Kikuchi teaches classes in New York City on kimono dressing, proper setup, and appropriate fashion standards.

In 2007, she established the “Kimono Experience” initiative in New York City, presenting the rich tradition of kimonos at various public events such as the Kimono Show at Queens Flushing Library in 2007, 2013 and 2016 and Yukata Show at the Japan Block Fair in 2013.

Most recently, Kikuchi presented a kimono show at Japan Fest in Atlanta, Georgia, produced by the Consulate General of Japan in Atlanta in September 2016.

She also produced a kimono show in “Waku Waku +NYC” in August 2015 and presented various pop kimono styles, arranged a traditional wedding kimono in “Japan Week 2015” at Grand Central Terminal in February 2015, and performed “Obi-Tying Demonstration -Kimono: A Modern History” in October 2014, and “Gallery Talk- Get Wrapped Up: Poetry and Art of the Kimono” in December 2014 at the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

Akiko Tokuoka (dancer, choreographer, model)

Akiko is a Japanese Dancer, Actor, Model and Choreographer. She was featured in roles at Kennedy Center (D.C.)., Lincoln Center, Blue Note, Brooklyn Ballet, New York Fashion Week Collection, Off-Broadway Musical "Heather Smiley for President.” Akiko aspires to uplift and inspire her audience through the creation of multi-media pieces that combine her skills in acting, dancing and choreography.

Mami Inari (model)

Mami is a hair, makeup artist.  Mami was born and raised in Kyoto, Japan. She worked at a hair salon for 7 years and moved to New York in 2012. Mami have gained experience doing fashion shows and wedding. 

Manami Noguchi (model)

Manami is an Artist of Beads jewelry, Power stone jewelry, Needle felting and Japanese sweets deco over 20 years in New York. Instagram : MARINERYU

Alisa Kikuchi (dancer, model)

Alisa Kikuchi was born and raised in New York. She has learned Japanese Classical Dance with Ms. Sachiyo Ito since she was six years old. She performed the dance in Sachiyo Ito & Co. at Sakura Matsuri in Brooklyn Botanical Garden for eight consecutive years. Recently she modeled in kimono shows at Japan Fest in Atlanta, Georgia in 2016 and Waku Waku +NYC in 2015. Other credit includes Solo vocalist in “World Music” by Baby Einstein in 2009, Choir for the film “Drawing Restraint 9” by Matthew Burney in 2005.

Yael Acher “KAT” Modiano

The shakuhachi is a Japanese end-blown flute. Originally introduced from China into Japan in the 6th century, it and underwent a resurgence in the early Edo Period. It was used by the monks of the Fuke school of Zen Buddhism in the practice of suizen (吹禅 blowing meditation).

Acher-Modiano plays the modern Western flute, in the style of the shakuhachi.

Acher-Modiano is an award winning Flutist, Composer, and Educator. She has participated in the following types of performances: Classical, Contemporary, Free-Improvisation, Progressive electro/instrumental Jazz, Free Jazz, Funky, Electronics, and live Electro/acoustic music for Silent Movies and choreography, in collaboration with ensembles, choirs, Modern Dance, Visual artists, DJs, MC Poets and Spoken WordArtists.

Educated at Empire State College, New York University, and Hunter College, she studied at Rubin Academy for Music and Dance, in Jerusalem, Israel where she earned a Bachelor Degree in Classical Flute performance Arts.

Tomoko Kawamura

An art consultant and manger, lives and works in Kyoto, Japan. She has organized a number of art events in Japan and internationally.