Shoka was born in Fukuoka, Japan, and grew up in a Buddhist temple family, where Japanese culture and the arts were an integral part of daily life. Naturally drawn to traditional arts, she began practicing Shodo(Japanese calligraphy) in early elementary school.

Her passion for Japanese art deepened after moving to the U.S., where raising her child in a foreign country gave her a renewed appreciation for her cultural heritage. Since 2010, Shoka has operated a Japanese immersion art program for both youth and adults. She became a certified calligraphy instructor through Bunka Shodo Japan in 2016 and has been teaching Japanese calligraphy since 2017.

Since 2022, Shoka has been teaching Etegami (Japanese postcard art) at Richmond Elementary School’s after-school program while pursuing a teaching certificate from the Japan Etegami Association in Tokyo as an active member of Etegami Tomonokai. In January 2024, she also led a Sumi-e (Japanese ink painting) workshop at the Portland Japanese Garden.

 北九州大学外国部学部卒業 / 1996年渡米カリフォルニア州立大学教育心理学修士号卒業 / 日米で教育とメンタルヘルス業務 / 2010年日本語プリスクール寺子屋創立 / 2016年文化書道学会書道師範取得 / 2017年書道会和桜の会設立 / 現在日本語アート＆書道教室主宰 / 趣味：ウェルネス全般, 発酵食、ヨガ、華道、菜園など。