Tokyo Nights Illustrated by Mateusz Urbanowicz

Originally from Poland and now based in Kanagawa, Mateusz Urbanowicz creates watercolour illustrations of his walks through Tokyo’s residential zones, deserted in the middle of the night, but always lit up.

Having studied animation in Kobe before going on to work for the animation studio CoMix Wave where he worked with a team on the celebrated animé Your Name, Urbanowicz has since become a freelance artist. A veritable master of many talents, his work spans cartoon strips, animations, paintings, videos and illustrations. Blessed with a unique eye for detail and an unlimited curiosity, he never tires of discovering the length and breadth of Tokyo, photographing the city from every angle. However he does have one particular preference, he has extensively documented one part of the city, one which is frequently considered to be the least interesting of all: the residential zones with their empty streets and deserted car parks after night has fallen.

Working from his photographs, the artist retranscribes his memories through illustrations which he shares far and wide on the web. Urbanowicz also invites fellow ramblers to seek out specific locations featured in his drawings thanks to an interactive map on his website. A unique way to discover Tokyo off the beaten track.