Born in 1933 Kawakami studied at Tokyo National University of Fine Arts and Music (1953-56) and then started working in advertising. In 1963 Kawakami took up glassmaking, joining the design department of Hoya Glass (where he worked until 1986) and studying at glass factories in Sweden and Finland in 1965. As in other Japanese craft-based factories, at Hoya Kawakami was able to design both production wares and unique pieces.
He was part of the team that designed pieces for Hoya's Museum Crystal series, and this sculpture shows some influence from that work. Collectors Weekly: