Paper Treats passion for storytelling and connection is deeply rooted in my background.

My father was born and raised in Gifu prefecture; the youngest of nine. He didn't enjoy school or studies, so chose the path of apprenticeship working on and restoring many of the temples in Kyoto. In the 1970s, he immigrated to the United States, wanting to share his craft of traditional wood joinery to western carpenters without the use of machinery.

My mother, born in Osaka, experienced a very difficult childhood growing up in poverty and losing both of her parents when she was still in elementary school. After facing many hardships through her life and societal judgment, she went to visit a friend living in Berkeley in the 1970s. It was at a coffee shop in the Bay Area that she met my dad.

Through my parents' perseverance, hard work and values, I have carried those experiences throughout my own life and journey. Now, with a family of my own, I feel content and humbled to be able to share my culture through Japanese stationery and always creating a sense of meaning and purpose.