AKI KOBORI: Aki Kobori at 74 years old is an artist and an expert in aikido. He began painting on his own while in junior high school, and in 2014 won the grand prize at the Northern Yokohama Art Competition for his work on pomegranates. That was the beginning of his journey as an artist. He enjoys drawing, sketching and painting so much that he refers to himself not as a "painter" but a "free artist without a style”. He has won several awards, including the NICKER Prize at the World Art Exhibition in 2017 and the Grand Prize at the Aoba Art Competition 2021