Joe Hisaishi was born in Nakano, Nagano, Japan as Mamoru Fujisawa. When he started to take violin lessons at age five, Hisaishi discovered his passion for music. Realizing his love, he attended the Kunitachi College of Music to major in music composition in 1969. He is best-known for his work with animator Hayao Miyazaki, including the soundtracks to Spirited Away (2001), Howl's Moving Castle (2004), Princess Mononoke (1997), My Neighbour Totoro (1988), and Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind (1983). He's also known for the soundtracks he has provided for filmmaker 'Beat' Takeshi Kitano, including Dolls (2002), Kikujiro no Natsu (1999), Hana Bi (1997), Kids Return (1996), Sonatine (1993) and A Scene at the Sea (1991). In 2016, he was inaugurated as art director of Nagano City Art Museum, completed in 2016. In 2017 he performed three concerts in Paris based on his setup for the 25-year Ghibli collaboration anniversary concert, performed in Palais des Congrès de Paris. In May 2018, Hisaishi performed five sold-out concerts in his North American debut in California, USA at the San Jose Center for the Performing Arts with Symphony Silicon Valley. He also composed the soundtrack for the TBS Nichiyō Gekijō drama In This Corner of the World.