Born 1970, Yaita City, Tochigi Prefecture, Japan. He started studying Japanese calligraphy at the age of five, and began apprenticeship under his father Suiryu Kakinuma and afterwards Yukei Teshima, a Sanitsu or “three brushes” of the Show Era, and Ichijo Uematsu. A graduate of the Department of Visual and Performing Arts, Tokyo Gakugei University, Kakinuma was invited as a visiting scholar at Princeton University from 2006-2007.
Major prizes and awards include the Higashikuninomiya Cultual Award (2012), the 4th Teshima-Yukei Award (2009), “The Huge Work Prize” at the 50th Anniversary of Dokuritsu Shojindan Foundation (2002), the Mainichi Award, Mainichi Calligraphy Exhibition (1996 and 1999).
Based on his traditional calligraphic techniques, his work field has been extended beyond a conventional category of calligraphy. His notable works include large-scale calligraphies using an enormous brush and a new method he developed which he named Trancework. He is the first living calligrapher to ever hold a solo exhibition at the Kanazawa 21st Contemporary Art Museum in Japan.
Besides his two- and three-dimensional works as well as films, his extensive performing styles has been demonstrated in numerous sites in the world including the Metropolitan Museum, NY, Washington D.C. Kennedy Center, Philadelphia Museum, London County Hall, and the Earth Celebration.