A Tokyo native, Keiko Onodera graduated from the Kuwsawa Design School. While a student, she worked at a design studio and created the official Takigawa Beauty College logo, which is still in use today. Following graduation, she was hired as a packaging designer by foodmaker Yukijirushi's R&D center, the lartgest such research group in Japan, where she was granted patents for her innovative designs. Next, she joined a team of more than 100 creatives at global cosmetics giant Shiseido, where she designed promotional products and packaging.
Keiko moved to the United States in 1991 and worked with Honolulu-based visual design firm UCI, focusing on graphics and packaging, while serving as a freelance graphic designer for magazines and other publications. She then co-founded an online market research and customer acquisition services consultancy, where she designed Japanese language Web sites and online marketing programs for clients such as Amazon.com, JCPenney, and Neiman Marcus. Today she works as an independent designer.