Nishimura Kōdō

Buddhist monk, makeup artist, and model. Born in Tokyo in 1989. After graduating from the Parsons School of Design in New York, worked as a makeup artist, including at the Miss Universe pageant and New York Fashion Week events. In 2015, Nishimura trained to be a monk and was certified by the Pure Land school. After appearing in Queer Eye: We’re in Japan, he rose to prominence as an LGBTQ+ activist, speaking at the United Nations Population Fund, Yale University, and Stanford University and making multiple global media appearances. Selected by Time magazine as a Next Generation Leader. Author of Seisei dōdō: Watashi ga suki na watashi de ikite iinda, published in English translation as This Monk Wears Heels in February 2022. His website is www.kodonishimura.com.