Nao is a third-year at Iwatobi Junior High School when Makoto and Haruka enter as first-years. He is the co-captain of the school's swimming club and president of the library committee, as revealed in the light novel.

In Free!-Take Your Marks-, Nao goes on to attend Soufukan High School, graduating and moving to Tokyo, where he studies sports medicine at Oudoukan University.