Hotaka Kawai is a playwright, dentist, and researcher of oral pathology. Born in Kobe, Hyogo in 1987, he works as a playwright in Okayama, writing plays on a commission basis rather than running his own theater company. He is also a Research Associate Professor at Okayama University Graduate School of Medicine, Dentistry, and Pharmaceutical Sciences currently focusing on oral cancer. Incorporating cutting-edge information obtained through his research in biology and medicine, he writes works that contemplate how contemporary science can coexist with humans.
In 2020, his work “The Gene of Spring,” inspired by research into growing organs derived from human cells within animals, was selected as a finalist for Japan Playwrights Association’s 26th New Playwright’s Award, and was performed again in 2021 as a project organized by Tenjinyama Cultural Plaza of Okayama Prefecture. In recent years, he has been writing for theater companies in Okayama, Osaka, Kagawa, and Tokyo.
He won the grand prize of the Sendai Short Play Award in 2022 for his work “Yellow Airship” and Okayama Art and Culture Award Runner-up in 2023.

Founded in 2004, Shimogamo-shasow is a group dedicated to creating contemporary theater works, led by Kyoto-based playwright and director Tsuyoshi Tanabe. The group’s performance activities extend beyond its home base, with tours held across Japan. In 2015, it made its international debut in Hong Kong and Macau. In addition to producing theatrical works, the company is also active in public outreach, offering initiatives such as playwriting courses to promote interest in the performing arts.