I am a multidisciplinary artist, scholar, and cultural advocate working to amplify Ainu voices through performance, visual media, and academic inquiry. Originally from Japan and currently based in Norway, I hold a PhD in Community Planning and Cultural Understanding from UiT The Arctic University of Norway. My research centers on urban diasporic Indigeneity, with a particular focus on Ainu perspectives in Japan.

My artistic practice spans contemporary dance, film, animation, and collaborative installations that reimagine Ainu cultural knowledge in relation to identity, memory, and belonging in today’s world. I co-directed the art film Aynupuri and have performed and exhibited internationally—from the Banff Centre for Arts and Creativity in Canada to the Rautenstrauch-Joest Museum in Germany—bringing together traditional Ainu elements with experimental forms.

Currently, I serve as Visiting Assistant Professor at Hokkaido University and work as a guest curator at the University of Michigan Museum of Art and the National Museum of Lithuania. I also lead my own consultancy, K. Uzawa Consult, offering lectures, performances, and cultural advising on Ainu and Sámi issues.

Whether through exhibitions, university talks, or community projects, I strive to bridge academic research with lived experiences and artistic expression. My work seeks to spark conversations about Indigeneity, cultural preservation, and the future of Indigenous rights—both within Japan and in the global context.