About us

2006 March

PhD in Japanese studies, Faculty of Letters, Leuven University, Belgium. Dissertation (in English): Bashofu: Banana-fibre Cloth and its Transformations of Usage and Meaning across Boundaries of Place and Time in the Ryukyu Archipelago.

2001‐2006

Foreign visiting researcher, Faculty of Law and Letters, University of the Ryukyus, Japan. (major: history of banana-fibre cloth in the Ryukyus)

2000‐2001

Research student, Faculty of Education, University of the Ryukyus, Japan. (major: weaving and dyeing) One-year scholarship from the Europalia 1989 Japan Foundation.

1995

Master degree in Japanese studies, Institut National des Langues et Civilisations Orientales (INALCO), France. Dissertation (in French): Higashiyama Kaii ou la peinture de paysage.

1991-1992

Research student, Faculty of Letters, Waseda University, Japan. One-year international scholarship from the Japan-German Center Berlin, Japan Foundation. (major: Japanese art history)

1983

One-year French language course for foreigners, Faculty of Letters, Université Francois Rabelais, France.

2008‐2018 translation service Katokobo Translations (general & sworn translations French-Dutch & Japanese-Dutch)

2009-2010 Embassy of Japan in Belgium. Staff member at the ambassador's secretariat. Continuing my translation service as a secondary activity.

1996‐2000 Embassy of Belgium in Japan. Staff member at the Flanders Promotion Office.

2008-2013 adult education course Weaving & dyeing at the Antwerp Royal Academy of Arts.

2007 Okinawa Prefectural Crafts Institute (now called 'Craft Promotion Centre'). Major: basic techniques of warp ikat.

2001-2002 Trainee at Atelier ITO. Basic techniques of Shuri hanaori and Roton (both Shuri Weaving techniques).

2000 Basic course of hand weaving, Facutly of Education, University of the Ryukyus, Japan. Research student.

2022 琉球列島における芭蕉布文化の起源を探る at Shinsei Shuppan, Naha, Okinawa. ISBN 9784910937045 C3072.

2007 The Origins of Banana-fibre Cloth in the Ryukyus, Japan. Leuven University Press. ISBN 9789058676146.

2004  琉球列島における芭蕉布と糸芭蕉について. Okinawa Bunka Vol.39 : 1.

2003 芭蕉布の研究について. 沖縄染織研究会通信 Vol.29.

2002 糸芭蕉と芭蕉布について. monthly Senshoku Alpha No. 259 (October) 70-72.

2002  八重山諸島に見られる芭蕉織り. Okinawa-Yaeyama Culture Study Group Bulletin (Okinawa・Yaeyama Bunka Kenkyukai Kaiho) Vol.127.

2002 芭蕉布 島紀行 (5 series). Okinawa Times.

Weaving, animal care, bread baking (with homemade yeast)