Masayuki Gato was born in 1975 in Yamanaka Onsen, Kaga, Ishikawa, and later moved to Tokyo at the age of 20 to work and study at a nationwide lacquerware wholesaler. In 2004, he returned to his hometown and joined the family business, Gado Mikio Shoten (originally founded in 1908 as Gato Wood Works). As a product planner, Masayuki has collaborated with various designers, leading to the development of over 500 products that have brought new stories to lacquerware. His work has received numerous design awards both in Japan and internationally.