At the heart of Wataru's artistry lies an exceptionally wide-ranging repertoire. Equally drawn to well-known masterpieces and to works that remain largely undiscovered by audiences, he seeks to reveal unexpected connections across different musical styles, traditions, and eras. Contemporary music forms a natural part of this artistic landscape, enriching an approach that values both discovery and tradition, and inviting listeners to encounter familiar repertoire from fresh perspectives.

This spirit of exploration has accompanied an international career marked by recognition at some of the world's most prestigious competitions, including Second Prize at the 2025 Queen Elisabeth Competition, Third Prize and the Special Prize for the Best Interpretation of the commissioned work at the ARD International Music Competition, and distinctions at the Concours Géza Anda. As a soloist, Wataru has appeared with the Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra, the Antwerp Symphony Orchestra, the Belgian National Orchestra, the Brussels Philharmonic, the Musikkollegium Winterthur, and the Tokyo Metropolitan Symphony Orchestra, collaborating with conductors including Michael Francis, Marc Albrecht, Mikhail Pletnev, and Kazushi Ono.

Chamber music occupies an equally important place in Wataru's musical life. The collaborative process continually broadens his artistic horizons and serves as a lasting source of inspiration. Valued by colleagues for his natural musical responsiveness and ability to lead, support, and adapt within an ensemble, he views music-making as a shared artistic conversation, one that deepens understanding and creates meaningful connections between musicians.

Wataru studied in Japan, Germany, and France with Kuniko Murakami, Yasuko Tasumi, Gilead Mishory, Emmanuel Strosser, Pascal Devoyon, and Klaus Hellwig, developing a distinctly international artistic outlook. In 2025, he released Did it again on GENUIN classics in collaboration with Bayerischer Rundfunk, a recording devoted to the piano music of Pascal Dusapin that reflects a longstanding engagement with the composer's work and a commitment to bringing compelling contemporary repertoire to wider audiences.

Across all aspects of his work, Wataru combines artistic openness, imagination, and a deep commitment to communication, creating performances that invite audiences to discover both the familiar and the unexpected.