A native of Gunma Prefecture, Sakazume (b. 1941) graduated in 1965 from the Faculty of Engineering at Kyoto University. He was awarded the Kaiyusho Prize of the Japan Print Association in 1973, the Grand Prix of the Nichido Print Exhibition, and the Jury Prize of the New Hampshire International Graphics Annual in 1974.

Sakazume’s exposure to the international print art scene remained high over the following years with his participation in the Varna International Print Biennial in 1977 and 1983, the Ljubljana Biennial of Graphic Arts, the International Print Triennial in Krakow, and the Osaka Triennial.