Tatsuzo Shimaoka lived and worked in Mashiko, Japan, a town celebrated for its rich pottery heritage. He studied ceramics at the Tokyo Institute of Technology and later apprenticed under renowned potter Shoji Hamada (1894–1978). In 1953, Shimaoka established his own kiln and studio complex in Mashiko. Between 1950 and 1953, he worked at the Tochigi Prefecture Ceramic Research Center, where he developed many of his signature rope-inlay decoration techniques. From the 1960s through the 1980s, Shimaoka traveled internationally, exhibiting his work across North America, Asia, and Europe. In Japan, he received numerous awards in recognition of his outstanding contributions to traditional Japanese folk art. In 1996, his mastery of the jomon zogan technique (rope-impressed inlay) earned him the prestigious title of Living National Treasure.

He passed away in 2007, yet he is still regarded as one of Japan's most influential potters.