Kanto Gakuin University
Born in Kyōtanabe, Takao attended Kyotanabe Municipal Tanabe junior high school then went on to graduate from Uji High School in 1993. That same year, he set a Japanese high school best of 47:46 minutes at the Himeji Castle 10-Miler and joined the Asahi Kasei corporate running team. While at high school he competed at the All-Japan High School Ekiden Championship. He passed the entrance exam to attend Kanto Gakuin University, but instead decided to run professionally.