Nao was born and raised in Japan. Since childhood, he always loved to draw bikes, motorcycles, and cars. He came to the United States to study to be a sculptor and graduated in 2000. After graduation he worked for 12 years as a sculptor in Massachusetts with an emphasis on sculpting, crafting molds, restorations, and casting. During this time he also created his own pieces that have been featured in numerous galleries around Boston.

In 2006 he started to take cycling seriously and connected with many local riders, some of whom were frame builders. The artistic beauty of their hand-made, custom-built frames inspired him to create chain rings under the brand 3RRR Products. This ultimately fueled his desire to build custom bicycle frames. His comfort grew and eventually, frame building became his sculpture.