After graduation from Chiba University's Image Science program, Naoko Ogigami went to the United States in 1994 to study film at the University of Southern California. During this period, she worked as an assistant for TV commercials, promotional videos, and films, and also created short films of her own. Returned to Japan in January 2000. Yoshino's Barber Shop is her feature length film debut. By: C. Deisler