ESOW’s World: Where Tokyo’s “Iki” and Tradition Blend with Street Art

I originally wanted to surf, but surfboards were expensive, so I started with skateboarding instead. As a kid, I got a cheap skateboard from a hardware store and skated with a friend from my neighborhood. Later, I started going to Shonan, where I stayed at the home of the manager of the shop "Hot Buttered" in Shichirigahama while continuing to skateboard and surf. As I became more immersed in skateboarding, I started frequenting "Betty’s," a shop in Kugenuma that imported DOGTOWN decks. Naturally, I was drawn to that culture. At the time, T19’s founding members, O-san and MINO-kun, would often visit the shop, and they became figures I deeply admired

No, before that, I wanted to go abroad, so I got a Social Security Number (SSN) and worked part-time at a sushi restaurant in Venice while skateboarding. After about a year, I returned to Japan, then got a student visa and spent two years in Hawaii studying. Back then, I only knew O-san casually. One day, I saw SALUDA and AKIRA holding skateboard decks and asked, "What are those?" They told me, "O-san makes these for us and AKEEM’s, too." That conversation really intrigued me. Later, I ran into O-san in Harajuku and told him, "I’d love to ride one," to which he replied, "Of course, go ahead." That’s how I became the fourth member of T19.

While in Japan, I was shocked after reading the books "Spraycan Art" and "Subway Art" . Then, when I first went to L.A., I found an abandoned railroad tunnel called "National" near my neighborhood, which had become a graffiti yard. I saw tags by artists like CHAKA and DREX everywhere—not just large murals but even small tags on the edges of phone booths.

Skateboarding was fun, but making a living from it was tough. Around that time, I became fascinated with the graffiti designs on skate decks and thought, "It’d be great if I could make a living from this." My first paid work was painting murals in the Roppongi club "EROS" and later at a beach house owned by the same club owner. That’s when I realized, "Maybe this could work."

At first, I tried to follow American graffiti styles and rules. But graffiti is an American-born culture, and I realized that merely imitating it wouldn’t fully resonate with me as a Japanese artist. Through trial and error, I became interested in Japanese painting and began incorporating traditional motifs. I love graffiti, but as a Japanese artist, I thought it would be interesting to use kanji and hiragana in my work. I studied the works of Japanese painting masters, especially Maruyama Ōkyo and Sesshū, whose sense of space and "wabi-sabi" aesthetics fascinated me. On the other hand, artists like Kano Tan'yū and the Kano school had highly intricate compositions that I felt were beyond my ability to replicate.

I’ve always wanted to create characters. I love Shigeru Mizuki’s works and aspired to create something with a similar aesthetic. My characters have a consistent nose and ear shape, with expressions changing only through the eyes and mouth. By keeping some elements fixed, I hoped to make them instantly recognizable as my work.

I don’t try to replicate Edo-style typography exactly since it follows strict historical rules. For example, Yose lettering is designed to symbolize a packed house at performances, with thick lines and minimal spacing. While I find its cultural background fascinating, I prefer to develop my own approach to lettering.

IESOW: I try to depict everyday life, from local izakayas to neighborhood festivals. This exhibition was an extension of that. Japan’s four seasons bring constant changes in scenery and events—summer festivals and fireworks, winter’s Tori-no-Ichi and New Year celebrations. I love how people always find a reason to gather and drink. Living in downtown Tokyo makes these seasonal shifts feel even more tangible. That might be the real charm of the old town.

Two photographers, Shinsaku Arakawa and Noriyuki Sekikawa, who are active in skateboard media, formed a unit called "Kawa/kawa." I collaborate with them by painting over their photographs. Their work captures Japan’s shopping streets and rural landscapes rather than the American-style skate spots seen in overseas magazines. I find that uniquely Japanese approach very appealing.

Skating along riverbanks has long been a tradition, with spots like Kanegafuchi. It’s easier to skate there compared to the city center. But lately, more skaters have been using skate parks, causing a shift in the culture.

I’d love to legally paint on trains or public bathhouse walls. But more than anything, I just want to keep drawing every day.