He graduated from the Department of Geography, and did his Master Degree in Landscape Planning at The University of Tokyo, where he received his PhD in 2007. He specializes in landscape planning and anthropogenic geomorphology and conducts field research in Osaka, Bangkok, Chiang Mai, Metro Manila and other Asian cities as well as in the Netherlands and around New York. He also has interests in using indicator species (including frogs, Japanese pond turtle, Asian openbill stork, etc.) to evaluate Asian rice based urban-rural landscapes and ecosystem services. Recently he is also deeply involved in Globally Important Agricultural Heritage Systems by FAO.