Mitsuo Masuda was born in Saitama Prefecture on 24 April, 1909. In 1991, he was designated as an Important Intangible Cultural Property Holder (a Living National Treasure) for his 'chokin' work.

After graduating from the Sculpture Department of Tokyo National University of Fine Arts and Music, he was apprenticed to Kenkichi Tomimoto and began his creative career.

The term chokin encompasses several decorative techniques, including carving with chisels, piercing, metal inlay, and patterning in relief using hammers on metals.

Masuda works with silver, bronze, brass and other metals using two processes. First he forms the metal into shapes such as jars and boxes. He then adds designs with motifs of nature and seasons. His inlay work with thin sheets of gold and silver is especially highly praised.

As a teacher in Urawa High School, he asserted that 'talent is only one part – it is the endeavor that changes things'. In his work, as he claims, we can see his 70 years of 'principle' and 'effort'.

Inami woodcarving is a traditional handicraft of Toyama prefecture. Both sides of the wood, which may be camphor, zelkova and paulownia, are carved in deep relief with landscapes, flowers, birds and people. The carving requires great skill and the artisans use more than 200 chisels.

In the mid-Edo period, when the main building of Zuisenji Temple (which had been destroyed by fire) was rebuilt, woodcarvers were invited from Kyoto to complete the work. The local Toyama people learned the skills of woodcarving from them, and this is said to be the origin of Inami woodcarving.

Until the late Edo period, carpenters did most of the work for temples. But, after the Meiji period, professional woodcarvers appeared, who created many of the public works we see today.

With the passage of time, Inami woodcarving has changed from rich temple carvings into interior wooden pieces for private homes, mainly to make transom windows.

Inami woodcarving was designated as a Traditional Handicraft by the Ministry of International Trade and Industry in 1975.