Kazuhide Takahama studied architecture at university in Tokyo from 1949, taking his degree in 1953. Kazuhide Takahama is, however, primarily known as a furniture and lighting designer. Kazuhide Takahama met furniture-maker Dino Gavina in Milan in 1957 and remained in Italy to design for Gavina's firm. Kazuhide Takahama's designs are distinguished by clarity of line and form, qualities that reveal his Japanese origins. He often combines traditional forms and techniques with Western elements in his designs. In 1957 Kazuhide Takahama designed the "Naeko" sofa bed for Gavina. In 1965 Kazuhide Takahama created "Marcel", "Suzanne", and "Raymond", seat furniture named after Marcel Breuer and his brother and sister. These Kazuhide Takahama pieces are made of large blocks of polyurethane foam in various combinations. A seating system on similar lines is "ESA", which Kazuhide Takahama designed in 1968. "ESA", however, is composed of hexagonal blocks of foam plastic, which can be assembled as desired or simply stacked. For Sirrah, Kazuhide Takahama designed "Kazuki" (1975), which can be either a floor lamp or table lamp. Its wire frame is covered in stretchable white jersey, a reminder that this is an adaption of the South-East Asian rice-paper lantern. In 1961 Kazuhide Takahama designed "Gea", a semicircular shelving system with lacquer-coated wood. The 1971 Kazuhide Takahama "Kazuki" chair is also made of straight, lacquered boards although the seat is leather-covered. In 1968 Kazuhide Takahama designed "Acca", a table with a glass top and aprons and substructure of black lacquered wood. In 1970 Kazuhide Takahama created the "Olinto" line in lacquer furniture for B&B Italia.