Akira Satake was born in Osaka, Japan, and has been living in the United States since 1983. In 2003, he relocated from Brooklyn, New York to Swannanoa, North Carolina. 
The Philadelphia Museum awarded him the National Award for Excellence in Contemporary Clay.  A Craftsman’s Legacy, a national weekly television series on PBS, featured his life and work.
Akira is widely sought after for workshops, lectures, and exhibitions and has been invited to France, Belgium, Israel, Australia, Spain, Hong Kong, Bali, and Chile.
Select collections include the Mint Museum, the Phillips Collection, and the Asheville Art Museum.