Kurahashi studied political science at Ryukoku University, in Kyoto. During this time he became interested in African politics, later earning a Master's degree in Southern African Area Studies at the Post-Graduate School of Ryukoku University.​

After finishing graduate school, Kurahashi traveled to Europe where he learned about Blue Economy and Chido's Mushroom while in Hungary. He then went to Zimbabwe to join Chido's Mushroom project. learning about mushroom cultivation by volunteering in the project. ​

When Kurahashi returned to Japan, he started cultivating shiitake mushrooms as well as researching methods to grow mushrooms on coffee waste in Japan.