Kazuhiko Ota

Art director/writer. Born in Beijing in 1946. Originally from Matsumoto, Nagano Prefecture. Joined Shiseido's advertising production department in 1968. Founded Amazon Design in 1989. Professor at Tohoku University of Art and Design from 2000 to 2007. In addition to his main job, he has made visiting izakayas his life's work, and has written and appeared on many television programs. His main works include "Nippon Izakaya Wanderings," "100 Famous Izakaya Mountains," and "Oku no Hosomichi" (Izakaya: The Narrow Road to the Deep North). Currently airing on TV "Kazuhiko Ota's Wandering Journey: New 100 Izakayas" (BS11).