About AKANETTI

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Hello, and thank you for visiting my portfolio website : )

I am Akanetti, a Narrative Visual Artist & Writer based in Tokyo, Japan.
I create illustrated stories inspired by everyday life.
 
People sometimes ask me why I turned out the way I did. To be honest, that remains a bit of a mystery.
 
Perhaps part of the answer lies in my childhood. My mother was a painter, my father a poet, and our home was often filled with artists, musicians, and wonderfully eccentric creative people.
Art classes for children were held there almost every weekend, and conversations about creativity felt as normal as talking about the weather.
 
Growing up in rural Aomori in northern Japan, it was perhaps a slightly unusual environment.
Then again, maybe none of that explains anything at all.
Perhaps I was simply born a little strange.
 

Later, living in Australia and the UK helped me develop my own artistic voice through storytelling.

Today, that journey continues through both drawing and writing.

What I Create

I combine drawings, words, storytelling, and observation.

Something like visual poetry for modern life.

I am interested in the moments that often pass unnoticed — a casual conversation, a passing thought, an unexpected feeling, or the quiet beauty hidden in everyday life.

Why I Create

For much of my life, I have struggled with things that are often difficult to explain — feeling different, being highly sensitive, and sometimes feeling slightly out of step with the world around me.

These experiences have taught me that many people carry invisible struggles that others may never see.

Through art and writing, I hope to create a space where people can feel a little less alone.

A place that gently says:

You do not have to fit perfectly.
You do not have to be strong all the time.
You are allowed to be exactly who you are.

 
If my work can bring someone a little comfort, a small smile, or the courage to keep going, that is more than enough for me.
 

Thank You

Thank you again for visiting my portfolio website.
I hope these small stories bring a little comfort, curiosity, or quiet joy to your day.
 

If you are interested in exhibitions, publications, collaborations, or simply wish to say hello, I would love to hear from you.

— Akanetti

Biography

2026  Solo Exhibition “Tiny Notes From Ordinary Days” — Cohaze Coffee, Waseda, Tokyo

2026  Solo Exhibition “Tiny Notes From Ordinary Days” — BONUS TRACK, Shimokitazawa, Tokyo
2020  Solo Exhibition “Happy Dots…” — TULLY’S COFFEE, Shinjuku, Tokyo
2018  Solo Exhibition “Good Morning” — ASAGAO, Nezu, Tokyo
2018  Selected for the art wine label contest “WINZER VON ERBACH”, Germany
2017  Solo Exhibition “You are Okay” — TULLY’S COFFEE, Shinjuku, Tokyo
2017 Group Exhibition “Ikepos Exhibition” — Ikebukuro, Tokyo
2017 Solo Exhibition “WE LOVE HAPPY CATS!” — Lounge, Yokohama
2016  Solo Exhibition “Welcome to the World of A-nya.PoPo” — Blank_Gallery, Harajuku, Tokyo
2015  LCC Graduation Exhibition “Inside Out” — Upper Gallery, London
2015  Completed the Art & Design course at London College of Communication, University of the Arts London
2013  Completed the Graphic Design course at Tokyo Designplex Institute, Tokyo
2011  Graduated from the School of Culture, Media and Society, Waseda University, Tokyo