I was born in Ise, Japan, home to the most sacred Shinto shrines.

My grandmother was a tea ceremony teacher who started my study of tea ceremony.
This led me to the study of pottery and ceramics at University in Tokyo, the world of kintstugi and food styling for clients such as Hermes and Sotheby's.

Being elements of tea ceremony, I am also a licensed ikebana and kimono teacher.

​My surname is Kado, which means 'gate' in Japanese, but can also be read as 'mon'.  
A friend told me 'mon cadeau' meant 'my gift' in French, and I thought that felt right.​

I love the beauty and depth of tea ceremony, kintsugi and Japanese culture, and this is what I want to share with my students.