Born in 1970 in Nibutani, Biratori Town, Hokkaido. Raised watching his father, Kaizawa Koichi, practice woodcarving, he began woodcarving as a school project in elementary school. His great-great-grandfather was Kaizawa Uesanashi, one of two master craftsmen from the Meiji era, whom he regards as a model for his own woodcarving works.
After graduating from university in Sapporo, he worked for 16 years at a research facility dedicated to Ainu culture, acquiring specialized knowledge especially on the Ainu people's use of plants. Drawing on this experience, he conducts activities that allow people to experience the relationship between nature and Ainu culture, such as instructing in woodcraft production and Ainu cultural nature experiences. He also manages agriculture on ancestral land and serves as chairman of the Specified Nonprofit Organization National Trust Cikornay.

His main works are accessories and small items inspired by traditional Ainu crafts such as nuytosayep (thread spool) and cispo (needle case). He carefully balances Ainu patterns with blank space in his designs and creates works with wishes for the safety of the user. He strives to use local materials from Nibutani as much as possible and aims to preserve forest environments and pass down traditional culture and nature by reusing wood from old house beams and old boards used for playing Go.
In addition to hand carving, he is also committed to creating accessible works using laser cutting and various materials.

He participated in the collaborative product development project for “Nibutani Ainu Craft” (2020, 2021) and belongs to the Nibutani Craft Association.

Contact Information

Instagram https://www.instagram.com/taichikaizawa/
Facebook https://www.facebook.com/taichi.kaizawa

Visit online shop (Japanese)