Spoon & Tamago - japanese art, design and culture

It’s been a while since we checked in on our favorite faux-magazine covers, The Tokyoiter, and were reminded that we need to do so more often. The initiative, originally inspired by magazine covers from The New Yorker, invites graphic designers and illustrators from all over the world to present their unique vision of Tokyo. From vending machines and convenience stores to dichotomies of old and new, check out some of our recent favorites below and come with us on a journey as we travel vicariously to Japan.

Illustrator Amy Maitland presents the ubiquitous vending machines but imagines it filled with a vestige of old stores, restaurants, and other less-touristy spots that seem to have stopped in time.

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Illustrator Benjamin Mills depicts an encounter he had in Ryōgoku, before watching a sumo tournament. The lower division wrestlers arrive first, hopping out of taxis and into the convenience stores for a quick onigiri.

Part architect, part illustrator, Jalcalara captures a moment at Shinjuku Station from a trip to Tokyo in late 2019, right before the pandemic shut the country’s borders.

French watercolor artist Iriya depicts a nondescript yet peaceful backstreet in the Tokyo neighborhood of Daikanyama. “This particular street caught my attention because of its many charming restaurants, slightly crooked buildings and the little Tanuki posted on the balcony”

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Dao Nguyen (Pampululu) is a French illustrator based in Montreal. Her cover captures the ordinary, daily routines of the city’s dwellers right around the time of dusk.

Asian-brazilian illustrator and motion designer Kenji Lambert captures the scenery and nostalgia of a lived experience in Japan.

French game artist Elora‘s interest in ukiyo-e, impressionism and colour therapy inspired this modern twist on a woodblock print.