#hikicafe

I’ve fallen waaaaay behind in my art journal. Today is September 7, 2013, and I’m just finishing up some drawings from June/July 2012.

This drawing is of Hiki Cafe in Shibuya, Tokyo. The signage for the café is a living and breathing vertical garden, so lush that pedestrians always stop and do a double take. The interior of the café is equally adorable, with wooden benches covered in Native American throws, mismatched wooden tables and friendly young Japanese hipsters serving small yet prettily crafted cocktails.

Architecture and interior design in Japan are modern marvels, with designers taking influences from all around the world and across centuries to create unique spaces that take people away from the contradictory nature of life in Tokyo; chaotic, yet often monotonous. Wander through the winding backstreets of areas like Shimokitazawa, Aoyama and Omotesando, and you will inevitably stumble upon a beautiful restaurant, café, or boutique that will take you to another time or place. If you are romantic enough, you may have a Proust-like out-of-body experience.

It has only been a month since I moved back to Toronto but reminiscing like this makes me feel a bit homesick for my home away from home.