Kumai was born in 1941 in Ashia (Japan); he moved the following year to Kurume, Fukuoka district. In 1961 Kazuhiko Kumai started studying at the Musashino Art University were he took his degree in 1965. Since 1967 he lives and works in Milan, Italy, where, in his studio, besides devoting himself to playing Renaissance music, he teaches a  group of keen pupils the old art of japanese fencing (Iaido).

1971 - Personal exh. at Centro Artistico C.B., Pavia 1972 - "A6" Gallery, Olbia 1973 - "Il Giorno" Gallery, Milan 1973 - "Silver Jewel show",  Bernasconi Jewelry, Milan (Italy) 1974 - "Il Centro" Art Gallery, Pavia 1975 - 2nd Biennial intern. of the Bronzetto Dantesco Prize "Senato della Repubblica Italiana" 1976 - Construction of string instruments 1977 - 3rd Biennial of the Bronzetto Dantesco, (Italy) 1978 - 6° Kyushyu Art New in Ooita (Japan) 1978 - Personal exhib. in Kurume (Japan) 1978 - 1st Contemporary Kyushyu Sculpture Open "Nishippon Shimbun Shya" Prize (Japan) 1978 - "San" Gallery in Fukuoka (Japan) 1980 - Fukuoka Garo (Japan) 1981 - Citibank, Milan (Italy) 1981 - "L'Argentario" Gallery, Trento (Italy) 1985 - 7th Bienn. Intern.del Bronzetto Dantesco, (Italy) 1989 - "Center Point" Gallery, Ginza Tokyo (Japan) 1989 - Kurume "I Wataya" (Japan) 1990 - "Gray" Gallery, Fukuoka (Japan) 1991 - Palazzo "Beauharnais", Pusiano (Italy) 1993 - “Centro Civico", Guardia di Folgaria (Italy)

Kumai is a versatile man, who develops his creative energy in different directions and with different facets. The common denominator of  his works as a sculptor, as a musician and as a teacher is the sense of discipline taken to extremes, which is tipical of the japanese culture, and which is here used by the artist to reach an absolute degree of perfection  in his projects. In his works he introduces the idea of totality, consisting in thinking about the object, carrying it out, taking care of the settlement and finally in inserting all those particulars suitable to bring it to life. His sculpture are made of different materials: bronze fusion, silver and aluminium wire, precious woods such as mahogany and mixed structures made of strings and rice paper, to end with monumental works made of granite and marble. He carries out both fixed installations and travelling exhibitions modifying them according to the available space.