Illustrator Hikaru Ichijo creates artwork for magazines and books, advertisements, product packaging, and more. She is known for her dynamic composition and use of pop colors, with a texture that feels reassuringly analog. Her unmistakable style has been featured in works for major firms such as NIKE, Netflix, and Calbee. To take a break from her creative endeavors, Ichijo-san likes to stroll. From her base in Shibuya, she walks up to Shinjuku and Kagurazaka and even over to the Skytree. We asked Ichijo, whose motifs are sometimes inspired by things she sees on the street, to share a few of her favorite haunts in Shibuya Ward.
The inextricable link between illustrator and walker.
”I just love to walk. It’s fun to stroll aimlessly around Yoyogi Uehara and Shibuya and just take in new information.”
So says Hikaru Ichijo as we walk around the inner reaches of Shibuya. Her intention is not just to have a break from illustrating, but to actually be inspired.
“Even in the same place, there are scenes that are unique to a particular time. Some days I stumble upon something interesting, and some days I don’t, but it is still nice to change things up a bit. Rather than looking for motifs, I just wander around purposelessly and take pictures with my smartphone when I see something that catches my eye.”
Relationships forged by spaces and people
As we head from Shibuya to Yoyogi Uehara, Ichijo-san mentions “stacks bookstore” as one of her favorite spots. In August, she held a solo exhibition “ennui”, having personally approached proprietor Maruro Yamashita.
“Of course I am grateful to be allowed to exhibit in galleries and commercial facilities, but this time I wanted to do it in a place close to me. I often stop by the gallery to chat with Yamashita-san. We also asked NOTEWORKS in Wakabayashi to frame the works. To collaborate with people I know and exhibit in a store that I have a close relationship with is how things should be naturally and was just a purely enjoyable experience for me.”
Yamashita-san, who is grounded in street culture, says that he too was intrigued by Ichijyo-san’s work. He explained that it would even appeal to people who love street culture, who would no doubt think it was cool. It was also a great pleasure for Yamashita-san to hold a solo exhibition for an artist with such a familiar face.
Favorite places and feelings hard to put into words.
Near the bookstore, the Uda River walkway snakes its way through a series of narrow alleys. Ichijo-san’s approach is to just meander around these streets with nothing in mind. The town, people, streets, and parks…something just catches your eye at a moment’s notice.
”When illustrating I am chained to my MacBook. Despite taking up pottery for a break, I ended up creating artworks. That’s why I decided to devote one day a month to just walking, which forces me to take my mind off work and to hit the reset button. While “Tomigaya Crossing” is an unremarkable place, I grew to like it as I walked around. It might not necessarily be a specific store, but more like a space of feeling that I kind of like.”
Disjointedness is what gives the town its charms.
“Yoyogi Park Dog Run” is another favorite spot that I found while on a stroll. I don’t own a dog, but just peering in from outside the fence is a nice change of scenery. There are also lots of trees for shade and greenery. If I can get some of the delicious biscotti from Mille Cinquecento in Yoyogi Uehara, I’m golden.”
If she ends up in Hatagaya, Ichijo often buys pottery by American artists from Portland and original fragrances at BULLPEN, a store she frequents and knows well. Her top haunts include bookstores, streets, parks, furniture and household goods stores, and others. But perhaps it is the air of inclusion that makes Shibuya such an appealing place to reside.
”This area is disjointed, in a good way. Everyone is just going about their respective business. It’s got style without being ostentatious, and a lived-in feel without feeling shabby. That’s why it’s such a nice place to be, and there’s always the potential for something to just spring up and inspire you.”
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Inner Shibuya
Around Kamiyacho, Uehara
Yoyogi Uehara to Shibuya is Ichijo’s regular stroll course. She describes it as a comfort zone, with private homes that have a lived-in feel alongside trendy stores.
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Tomigaya Crossing
Tomigaya, Uehara, Shibuya-ku
Intersection of Yamate-dori and Inokashira-dori. The overpass spanning the street is often used for filming dramas and movies. Ichijo-san likes the view toward Shinjuku.
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Mille Cinquecento
4-2, Moto-Yoyogi-cho, Shibuya-ku
TEL : 03-5738-8821
Italian bar open from 9:00 to 23:00. The name of the restaurant, which means “1500” in Italian, is called “Mileci” by locals.
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Yoyogi Park Dog Run
2-1 Yoyogi-Kamizonocho, Shibuya-ku
TEL : 03-3469-6081
At 3,620 ㎡, it is one of the largest in Tokyo. The lush green and open atmosphere, with the original left in place, brings in dog walkers in droves.
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BULLPEN
1-18-7 Nishihara, Shibuya-ku
TEL : 03-6407-0526
Furniture and general merchandise store facing the Nishihara shopping street. The store has forged relationships with craftsmen and artists in Japan and abroad and is known for its discerning eye for quality.
Hikaru Ichijo
Born in Tokyo, 1989. Illustrator. After completing the Graduate School of Visual Communication at Tokyo University of the Arts, she worked at a design office before focusing on illustration and graphic design. 13th Graphic “1_WALL” Finalist. Her major client work in 2022 includes NIKE BY YOKOHAMA store interior graphics, Netflix monthly programs, and “Kappa Ebisen” packaging for Calbee. She has frequently held solo exhibitions in Shibuya Ward, including at Shibuya PARCO in 2021.
