Career
He taught in Europe (Paris and Germany) as well as in Japan (he was also emeritus professor of the University of Palermo). Beginning in 1979 he was the president of the Centre International pour l"Étude Comparée de Philosophie et d"Esthétique and after 1997 of the International Institute of Philosophy. In 1976 he founded the journal Aesthetics.
He translated Aristotle"s Poetics into Japanese (in 1972) and has written numerous books in Japanese.
Imamichi is a supporter of communication between cultures. Imamichi sees in both stances two incomplete and complementary humanisms, and observes that since the publication of The Book of Tea, some Western philosophers have adopted a more Eastern stance while other Eastern philosophers have attempted to reach the Absolute or the Eternal.
Tomonobu Imamichi was the father of Japanese guitarist and songwriter, Tomotaka Imamichi.