Moving from Tokyo to New York for university in 1993 sparked my interest in ethnic diversity and reactions to intergroup tensions, unfamiliar concepts for me growing up in homogeneous Japan.

 

Over time, I unconsciously sought to assimilate into American society, driven by my unnoticed discomfort as a person of color.

 

My fascination with culturally diverse symbols led to my 100-day project on Instagram, "100 fine lines," studying cross-cultural symbolism, perception, and semiotics.

 

This project aims to guide brands toward empathy and compassion, promoting understanding and respect across diverse cultures.