Having lived in the United States for nearly twenty years, I can’t help but notice the English appearing in and around Tokyo. But I often wonder: Do they know?

I am a Japan-based artist creating photographic diptychs using English words and phrases found on clothing and personal items on the streets of Tokyo. By pairing these fragments of language, I create unexpected conversations and new meanings. My bilingual experience and the way English is used in Japan influence my practice. I am inspired by the unexpected and often overlooked moments I encounter in everyday life, which make me stop, look, and wonder. In a fast-paced city, I want to make the familiar strange and bring the unnoticed into focus, inviting the viewer to pause, look twice, and see things in a new way.