According to Japanese press, local real estate values increased a millionfold. Over the decade, the area's infrastructure improved and it became a popular tourist destination. In the early 1960s, Kashiwagi moved to Kawaguchiko, and became a real estate developer.

He dropped out of high school and worked as a farmhand before becoming a mountain guide and luggage handler at Mount Fuji. Kashiwagi was the son of a carpenter and was born in a poor family, with nine siblings. In 1992, Kashiwagi was murdered in his home in Japan, and the culprit was never found. He was involved in several publicized incidents, including a dispute with then businessman Donald Trump and with other casinos over his gambling debts. In the early 1990s, Kashiwagi gained international notoriety for his high-stakes gambling at casinos in the United States and Australia. Akio Kashiwagi ( 柏木昭男, Kashiwagi Akio), also known as 'The Warrior', was a Japanese businessman and gambler who was known for his extravagant lifestyle and alleged connections to organized crime.