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Illustrative Magazine Covers Celebrate the Eclectic Experiences of Living in Tokyo

By Margherita Cole on August 27, 2022

Since 2016, The Tokyoiter project has been showcasing illustration talent and the eclectic experiences of living in Tokyo. Created by illustrators David Robert and Andrew Joyce, the ongoing artistic endeavor features illustrations by artists from around the world who have one thing in common: they are inspired by Tokyo.

“The original story was that Andy and myself were living in Japan at the time and got to meet each other in the illustrator community circle,” David Robert tells My Modern Met. “We were both so much into illustration and had many talented friends in our community. I was working as a graphic designer at the time and was a fan of The New Yorker cover tradition and the ‘fake' version called The Parisianer. I thought it would be great to launch a Japanese version and ask all of the talented artists that I loved.”

From falling cherry blossoms to charming alleyways, each fictitious magazine cover features a work of art centered in Tokyo and is accompanied by the elegant title “The Tokyoiter.” Many of the contributing illustrators are either based in Japan or spent a significant amount of time there. While anyone can submit to The Tokyoiter, they do require that artists have been to Japan at least once, so that the project “stays as far as possible away from the cliché around Japan.” As a result, these modern covers include lesser-seen glimpses into Tokyo living, like the unique vending machines and the routines of preschoolers.

Robert and Joyce hope that one day they can compile these images into an official book. You can learn more about The Tokyoiter by following their website, and keep up to date with their latest illustration covers by following them on Instagram.