Mai Kitai (b. 1985) was born in Kanazawa City, Ishikawa, Japan. She graduated from the Ishikawa Prefectural Kutani Ceramics Technical Training Institute in 2012 and obtained a postgraduate degree from Kanazawa College of Art in 2015. In 2014, she was awarded the Grand Prize at the Second Tenjin Festival 108 "Zojoji Modern Collection Award".

During her student years, Kitai focused on the theme of "circulation", exploring the growth of water, plants and animals, the circulation of decay and soil, and reincarnation. She also paid attention to things that hinder circulation. Later, Kitai turned to the theme of "discomfort in daily life" and expressed her creative thinking more freely in her recent works. She believes that her unique ideas from her student years are still deeply rooted in these works, but she now appreciates relying on her instincts with her hands for the creative process, rather than overthinking. Kitai personally completes all the processes from moulding the base to painting the design, and she strives for perfection in the shape and patterns of her works. Each of her works is full of originality and can make people smile unconsciously. They are like stories that fascinate people.