floral designs carved into sweet potatoes, which were later cooked and served

Ah, Fall. After a scorching summer, a more gentle season has set in. And it’s reflected in several common Japanese associations such as dokusho no aki (“fall, the season of reading”), geijutsu no aki (“fall, the season for arts”) and shokuyoku no aki (fall, the season for appetites). Combining the latter two is artist Tomoko Sato, who creates edible artwork by carving intricate designs into fruits and vegetables.

apple carvings

Born and raised in Fukui prefecture, Tomoko Sato is currently based in Kyoto. After discovering her passion for the art in 2004, Sato traveled to Thailand, which is considered the home of fruit carving, to hone her skills. And hone she did. She has now advanced to the level in which she teaches the art to others in both Kyoto, as well as her hometown of Fukui, while producing her own artistic projects.

You can sign up for classes, as well as see more of her work, on her website. You can also keep up with the artist on Twitter.

pumpkin carvings

radish carvings

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