Born to farmers in Uwajima, Ehime prefecture, Umetaro Azechi came from humble beginnings. As a young man he secured a job at a government printing company in Tokyo, where he soon developed a curiosity in printmaking. Pursuing his newfound interest, Azechi introduced himself to Unichi Hiratsuka, an established artist of the time, and became a member of the Sosaku Hanga print movement. Overtime, he gained access to exhibitions, met other artists, and honed his own skills, eventually participating in major print biennials in Sao Paulo, Tokyo and Lugano. An avid mountaineer, Azechi is best known for his mountain scenes, which can now be found in the Achenbach Foundation in San Francisco, the Art Institute of Chicago, the Boston Museum of Fine Arts and The British Museum in London.