Masako Carey was born in Tokyo, Japan. She is trained as a kindergarten teacher, interpreter, and cultural trainer. She met her Irish born husband through business and came to Northern Ireland 20 years ago. She always loved reading but also watching animated Japanese folktale stories on TV as a child. The combination of her experience as kindergarten teacher and the influence of the world of animation gives Masako an expressive telling style. Her increasing repertoire of traditional Japanese tales, some comical, some serious, is now expanding to include tales from around the world. She recently completed a National Open College Network Level 2 qualification in oral storytelling, a course supported by funding from Libraries NI.