My name is Chris Palmieri.
I’m an American designer, eating breakfast in Tokyo since 2001.

I don’t update this website much, but have left its fifty odd writings here for your enjoyment. These days, I do most of my writing which is not email on my company’s blog and on Twitter.

Brief Personal History

1977–1996
I grew up in a large Italian-American family in New Jersey. In high school, I played bass in a band called Tassica’s Iris and was on the wrestling team.

1996–2001
I attended the University of Illinois, where I studied graphic design, Japanese, and Ikebana. I started a band called Cordial. While in school, I worked as a designer at an online community startup and the National Center for Supercomputing Applications, and graduated just in time for the dot-com bust.

2001–2003
I moved to Tokyo, taught English for a few years, learned how to design in Japanese. I joined another band called dryfishbutterfly.

2004–present
I co-founded AQ with fellow designers Eiko Nagase and Paul Baron, where I’ve been designing websites and apps for business, culture, and community. Recently we’ve been helping tech startups improve the user experience of their product via consulting and mentoring.

I also contribute design and product management to Tokyo Art Beat, Tokyo’s best resource for art and design event information. Over the last seven years, I’ve helped design TAB’s website, free paper, and best-selling iPhone apps.

I co-created Hitotoki, a literary website mapping narratives across Tokyo, with my friends Paul and Craig.