Born in Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan in 1956. After graduating from the Department of Architecture, Faculty of Engineering, the University of Tokyo in 1979, Dan studied under Fumihiko Maki in a postgraduate program. Completed his Master's degree at the School of Architecture, Yale University in 1984. Participated in creating the proposal submitted to bid for EXPO 2005 AICHI, JAPAN. Against abandoning the environmentally-weighted original plan and reviving the land-leveling plan after winning the bid, Dan harshly criticized conventional development methods in Japan and paved the way to preserving the Kaisho Forest. Under Nagano Prefectural Mayor Yasuo Tanaka, Dan assumed the post of Master Architect to preserve the environment of Karuizawa Town (2003-2006). Through his Universal Form theory, he integrates architecture and landscape. Also he advocates a new street rejuvenation type city planning with his new townhouse methods.
