kjˌʊɹɹɐmˈɑːɾə stˈʌdid ˈɑːɹkɪtˌɛktʃɚɹ æt ðə tˈoʊkɪˌoʊ tˈɛknɪkəl kˈɑːlɪdʒ bᵻfˌoːɹ nˈaɪntiːnhˈʌndɹɪd fˈɪfti θɹˈiː ænd wʌz tɹˈeɪnd æz ɐ kˈæbᵻnət mˈeɪkɚɹ æt ðə kjˌuːwəsˈɑːwə ˈɪnstɪtˌuːt ʌv dɪzˈaɪn ɪn tˈoʊkɪˌoʊ ɪn nˈaɪntiːnhˈʌndɹɪd fˈɪfti fˈoːɹ, ˈæftɚ wˌɪtʃ hiː wˈɜːkt fɔːɹ mˌʌltɪpəl kˈʌmpəniz sˈʌtʃ ɐz ðə fˈɜːnɪtʃɚ pɹədˈuːsɚ tˈeɪkoʊkˌuː.
Kuramata studied architecture at the Tokyo Technical College before 1953 and was trained as a cabinet maker at the Kuwasawa Institute of Design in Tokyo in 1954, after which he worked for multiple companies such as the furniture producer Teikoku.