Born in Shiga, Japan, in 1972, she went on to study photography and graphic design at the Seian University of Art and Design, graduating in 1993. She started working as a photographer on freelance basis from 1997. Kawauchi has joined and held many group and solo exhibitions both at home and abroad. Among others, major solo exhibitions are: the one at Foundation Cartier pour l'art Contemporain, Paris, 2005 and at the Photographers Gallery, London, 2007. She currently lives and works in Tokyo.