Watercolor illustrations of Tokyo retro storefronts.

From the artist:

When I moved to Tokyo, in 2014 I was really surprised that upon my walks I encountered so many shops still in business in really old buildings. Differently to Kobe, where the earthquake wiped out a lot of these old downtown houses and shops, in Tokyo they still survive.

I chose the best reference pictures from the ones I took during my explorations and decided to make an illustration series of old Tokyo storefronts.

This illustration series became the starting point for my art book of the same title published in Japan in 2018.

From the publisher:

Polish illustrator Mateusz Urbanowicz's "Tokyo Storefront" series depicts classic old buildings in Tokyo, Japan. The long-awaited book version of the popular illustration project that was announced on the internet in 2016 and became a hot topic, and was also featured in newspapers and TV. This book includes 50 illustrations, including 10 already published illustrations and 40 newer ones. In addition, this book introduces the making of the building, bird's-eye views, and anecdotes related to the building. This is a guide to Tokyo buildings with a nostalgic atmosphere written through the perspective of a foreign writer.

After joining the animation production company Comics Wave Film, Mateusz Urbanowicz worked under animation director Makoto Shinkai. Worked on the background art for numerous works such as "Your Name" and "Flower and Alice Murder Case". He is a noted illustrator who publishes his works mainly on the internet and has many fans all over the world.