I grew up in Hirakata City, Osaka, in a typical Showa-era family where my grandfather had been a businessman. Everyone on my father's side was a businessman, and no one ever thought I'd become a farmer. Even now people find it very strange. I've always loved studying. I love things that you can do on your own. I graduated from a private high school in Osaka and went to Waseda University in Tokyo. I majored in Eastern philosophy, and the topic of my graduation thesis was "The Philosophical Development of Early Buddhism." It took me five years to finally graduate from university.