Sky Tram

Oil on Canvas 30 in x 24 in / 76 cm x 61 cm

I wanted to capture the hectic, fast-paced life of a Japanese city in the early evening - with its flyovers (here, a tram) and its bars and stalls and colour. The restaurant to the right is an Okonomiyaki-ya, where okonomiyakis are on the menu (a sort of savoury pancake). When I first arrived in Japan, I spent many a happy evening in a local okonomiyaki-ya - where I was introduced to the Japanese language, food and locals.

The two badger like animals shopping for fruit are Tanuki. Tanuki appear often in Japanese folklore. Some say they can change their shape into those of humans and cause mischief - much the same as foxes. Bake-danuki are a kind of supernatural beings found in the classics and in the folklore and legends of various places in Japan.