Growing up on a farm in northern Japan, Akemi’s first weaving experiences were with her grandfather, creating seasonal crafts, such as the New Year’s decoration kadomatsu, as well as shimenawa, sacred ropes, woven from rice straw. Her grandmother taught her sewing, gardening and other hands-on skills.

Akemi began her formal practice as a basket weaver at GrayMist Studio in Cambridge, MA in 2010, where she went on to be a Nantucket basket instructor for the next 10 years.  In 2020 she relocated to the Northampton area, and opened her own studio in 2022. In 2024 her Nantucket baskets were exhibited at the Northampton Center for the Arts as part of their Open Vessels exhibit, the inaugural exhibition of their redesigned gallery on Hawley street.

In recent years, Akemi has expanded her repertoire to include another traditional Japanese basket craft, ikkanbari. Akemi has studied under a Japanese Ikkanbari sensei during her visits to Japan. Ikkanbari is a traditional Japanese form of basketry where a light ”base”  basket is covered with layers of washi paper, and pieces of kimono fabric in a style of paper mache. The result is a lightweight, yet sturdy and beautiful object that is water resistant. 

Akemi also grows dahlias and flowers, and creates crafts made from dried and pressed flowers as well as the Japanese plant technique of kokedama. 

Akemi teaches classes and sells her Nantucket and Ikkanbari creations, as well as fresh flower arrangements, dried flower crafts and kokedama. .