After he graduated from the Tokyo Fisheries (東京水産), now called Tokyo University of Marine Science and Technology (東京海洋大学), at the age of 24, he moved back to Koriyama, where in 1965 at the age of 29 he married Keiko Sugano.
There he studied under Stanley William Hayter at his studio Atelier 17.
In 1974 he exhibited some of his mezzotint works at the Galerie Genot in the Marais near his own workshop.
[1] Tōru Iwaya went back to Koriyama in 1999 due to his wife's deteriorating health and his sister's mental illness.
He continues his work and has begun teaching his techniques to young students at his workshop.