Masa is one of those skippers who have seawater running through their veins. He’s been sailing his whole life: starting at age 5, his parents took him out on sea trips and cruises. As a student, he sailed with the Hosei University sailing club. He initially pursued a professional career (while racing diligently in international Moth class regattas) before his passion caught up with him.
In 2018, he left everything behind to move to Lorient and prepare for the 2019 Mini Transat, where he finished in a respectable 24th place.
This only strengthened his desire to push further, and in 2023, he set out on the Globe 40: a double-handed, stopover-style round-the-world race contested in the Class40 class. This 10-month adventure ended with a podium finish, despite a breakdown that prevented the Japanese team from participating in the final two legs.
The next step is a natural one for Masa: the Vendée Globe : the Vendée Globe. To make this project a reality, this serious and methodical man in his forties acquired the IMOCA previously skippered by Fives Group – Lantana Environnement in May 2026.
2025: Transat Café L'OR – 14th
2023: Globe40 – 3rd
2021: Transat Jacques Vabre Normandie Le Havre – 18th
2021: Rolex Fastnet Race – 12th
2021: Les Sables – Horta – 16th