Eco received his Ph.D. in Contemporary Asian Studies from Doshisha University in March of 2024, after having spent nearly seven years living and working in Japan’s ancient capital Kyoto. Contemporary encompasses his personal favourite eras of Japanese history, including the Edo, Meiji, Taisho and early Showa periods. Since graduating Eco has been working as a lecturer in International Law at the Graduate School of Law of one of the top public universities, where in his lecturers he uses examples from Japan’s early interactions with the western world during the aforementioned periods to explain how specific elements of modern international law developed.

That is not to say his interests in Japan are not varied, originally coming to Japan as an undergraduate student to conduct an internship related to the development of geothermal power at Tohoku University’s Graduate School of Environmental Studies. An interest which grew from a love for Japanese ‘onsen’ hot springs during numerous holidays to the country. After graduating with an ingenieur’s degree (B.Sc.) he moved from Sendai to Kyoto changing directions to study both philosophy, culture, and law at Doshisha University, one of the oldest and most prestigious educational institutions in the country. This change was a result from a ever deepening respect for the local culture, which he loves to share while working part-time as a tour guide, aiming to show the wonderful off the beaten path sights Kyoto and the wider Kansai region have to offer.

Also Japanese pop-culture is something which had particularly captivated the younger Eco, growing up playing Japanese video games and watching Japanese animation. He hopes to have the chance to discuss all the different aspects of this rich culture with travellers wishing to experience Kyoto and Japan.