Hanako Clulow left Japan in 1997 for Ireland, where she studied visual arts and English. She then headed to England to explore her passion for child psychology, obtaining a BSc in psychology from the University of London in 2007. While she was deeply fascinated by child psychology, her passion for the arts re-emerged, which led her to pursue life as an illustrator. Her work draws upon a broad range of interests such as nature, the animal kingdom, psychology, fantasy, and her native culture.