Spoon & Tamago - japanese art, design and culture

a pattern that resembles the traditional Japanese asanoha floral pattern, carved into broccoli

(This article was updated on 4/17/2017 with new images)

Japan has a rich tradition of food carving called mukimono. If you’ve ever eaten at a fancy restaurant in Japan you might have found a carrot carved into a bunny, garnishing your plate. But in the hands of Japanese artist Gaku, the art of fruit and vegetable carving is elevated to a new realm of edible creations.

One constraint to carving fruits and vegetables is that sometimes you must work fast. The moment a peel is removed, oxidization will start to discolor your artwork. So, depending on the variety, Gaku’s carvings are probably created within several minutes. Armed with a tool similar to an x-acto knife and a fruit or vegetable from the grocery store, Gaku carves intricate patterns that are often inspired by traditional Japanese motifs.

Gaku points out that the banana is great fruit to practice with because it’s cheap and easy to carve. When asked what he does with all his creations after he’s done, his reply is simple: he eats them. “Except for the banana peel.”

You can see more of Gaku’s creations on his instagram account.

radishes carved with traditional Japanese floral and wave patterns

an apple, also carved with a variety of Japanese patterns (wagara)

a carrot carved with the traditional Japanese asanoha floral pattern

a kyo-imo (a type of taro root) carved with the kumikiko pattern

Tweet

Related posts:

Food for thought | intelligent design Japanese Artist Turns Paper Cups, Food and Cigarette Ash Into Playful Works of Art Sushi-Roll Artist Tama-chan is back with a new book Realistic Animal Lollipops Created By Amezaiku Artist Shinri Tezuka