Kenji Kobayashi studied engineering and landscape gardening and design in his native Japan, but it was in Portland, Oregon that he discovered a love for Bonsai and the art of creating miniature landscapes. When he returned to Japan, he became absorbed in the study of Bonsai and created a new style called Keshiki Bonsai (landscape Bonsai). He has exhibited his landscapes widely throughout Japan. He is a teacher, the author of several books including Keshiki Bonsai: The Easy Mode, and the owner of the Tokyo shop Sinajina.