Trivia

Born to the son of Buddhist priest and his wife, daughter of an Osaka merchant, who both taught Japanese literature, he grew up in Kobe.

After studying theater arts at Waseda University in Tokyo, he ran his jazz bar "Peter Cat" from 1974 to 1982.

Has participated at long-distance-races since 1982, running his first marathon on the original track between Athens and the city of Marathon.

Translated into Japanese many of the works of F. Scott Fitzgerald, Truman Capote, J.D. Salinger and John Irving.