Biography
1947 — Born in Tokyo, Japan.
1972 — Graduated from the School of Literature at Waseda University.
1973 — Began training in bamboo craftsmanship under his father, the bamboo artist Kiyoshi Tanaka.
1976 — Graduated from the Bamboo Crafts Department of the Oita Prefectural Beppu Vocational Training School.
1980 — Selected for the Japan Traditional Art Crafts Exhibition for the first time; subsequently selected continuously thereafter.
1984 — Received the Highest Award at the 24th Traditional Crafts New Works Exhibition.
1989 — Held his first solo exhibition at the MOA Museum of Art Nagoya Gallery.
1990 — Received the Chairman’s Award of the Japan Kōgei Association at the 37th Japan Traditional Art Crafts Exhibition.
— Received the Mitsukoshi Award at the 29th Traditional Art Crafts New Works Exhibition.
1994 — Received the Japan Kōgei Association Award at the 6th Wood and Bamboo Crafts Exhibition.
1998 — Held a solo exhibition at Akasaka Yū Gallery, followed by four subsequent solo exhibitions.
2004 — Received the Prince Takamatsu Memorial Prize at the 51st Japan Traditional Art Crafts Exhibition. The awarded work was acquired by the Imperial Household Agency.
2005 — Held a solo exhibition at TAI Modern in Santa Fe, USA.
2008 — Awarded the Medal with Purple Ribbon in the Spring Honors.
2009 — Invited to hold a solo exhibition at the Asian Art Museum. (Photos Here)
2011 — Received the Governor of Iwate Prefecture Award at the 51st Eastern Japan Traditional Art Crafts Exhibition.
2013 — Received the Commissioner for Cultural Affairs Award at the 14th Traditional Wood and Bamboo Crafts Exhibition.
2014 — Participated in the 60th Anniversary Exhibition “From Crafts to Kogei” at the National Crafts Museum.
2015 — Held a second solo exhibition at TAI Modern in Santa Fe, USA. (Photos Here)
— Participated in the exhibition “Expressions of Warmth” at the Ise Jingū Museum.
2017 — Participated in and entered the collection of the Japanese Bamboo Art Exhibition at the The Metropolitan Museum of Art.
2023 — Held a third solo exhibition at TAI Modern in Santa Fe, USA.
— Invited to give a demonstration at the San Antonio Museum of Art. (Photos Here)
— Received the Japan Kōgei Association Award at the 63rd Eastern Japan Traditional Art Crafts Exhibition.
— Served as judge and committee member for the Traditional Crafts Branch Exhibition, the Traditional Wood and Bamboo Crafts Exhibition, and the Japan Traditional Art Crafts Exhibition.
Museum collections:
— 宮内庁 (Imperial Household Agency), Japan
— Asian Art Museum, San Francisco,CA, USA
— Philadelphia Museum of Art, USA
— The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, USA