Under the influence of his father, Ikuma Dan-a well-known composer of symphonic music and operas-Norihiko Dan returned to Japan right after receiving his master's in architecture from Yale to start his own practice, unlike so many architects who stay abroad to get experience with European or American architecture firms.
受到父親──日本知名歌劇及交響樂作曲家團伊玖磨──的影響，團紀彥在美國耶魯大學拿到建築碩士學位後，並不像一般人那樣留在歐美大建築事務所工作以獲取經驗，反而選擇即刻返國創業。