Inspiration in Tsukijishijo Station

Tokyo is huge. On my first visit, I tried to walk as much as possible but distances on a map are easily underestimated, it is certainly comparable to London in that way. As much as I loved walking all day and discovering the transitions between neighbourhoods and the residential streets, I nearly missed this beautiful mural:

This mural is on the Oedo line in Tsukijishijo Station, and is reflective of a typical Japanese woodblock painting. From what I understand, there is a drive in the city to project national culture where possible, including artwork on subways.

I was really drawn to a pattern on the central characters kimono, and we've developed it into one of our favourite prints that we love in a number of colour-ways:

It's funny how you can find inspiration so easily in another country, where your eyes are open and looking around. Maybe there are murals in London stations that I've missed as I trudge along in the centre of a conveyor of commuters, focusing on my phone, the floor, or just generally avoiding eye contact. Part of being inspired is being open to inspiration.