Kumi was born in Tokyo, Japan, where she began studying Flamenco with the Lucia Hashimoto Flamenco Institute, and later with Ami and Naoko Kaeyama. Since 2003, Kumi has studied flamenco in Spain with the following masters: in Sevilla, with Angelita Vargas, Lola Jaramillo, Rosario Toledo, Concha Vargas, among others; and in Granada, with Fajardo, Luis de Luis and Esther de Marin. In 2007, Kumiko was a finalist in the Flamenco Maruwa Competition in Japan. Throughout her career, she has performed in many Flamenco theater shows and tablaos in Tokyo, and has instructed many workshops in Japan. Since Kumi’s move to the United States, she has attended many master flamenco workshops with artists such as La China and Soledad Barrios.