Sebastian Masuda, the leader of Japan’s culture of kawaii, released his first art book Masuda Sebastian Artworks PAINT IT, COLORFUL on July 31, 2020.
The scope of Sebastian Masuda’s influence is unrivalled. His touch can be seen all across Japanese kawaii culture, ranging from his work on Kyary Pamyu Pamyu’s viral hit music video PONPONPON which skyrocketed her career, to Harajuku’s famous concept restaurant KAWAII MONSTER CAFE, the Miracle Gift Parade at Sanrio Puroland, as well as countless work on TV, commercials, advertisements, characters, stage, concerts, and more.
Printed in full colour, the art book covers Masuda’s art direction from 2010 to 2019 in the form of photos of his actual works, design sketches, and plenty of other content for fans to soak up.
It also includes photos of an installation that has been visited by over 20,000 people which was created during Masuda’s time overseas in places like New York and Amsterdam, as well as his art exhibit currently on display at World Disney World Florida.
Sebastian Masuda’s career as an artist spans over 30 years. Get your hands on a copy of his first art book to see his success over the past decade.
Sebastian Masuda to open SUSHIDELIC, a new sushi restaurant in Soho, New York City. The location will open on June 28, 2023.
“King of Kawaii” Sebastian Masuda, creator of Harajuku’s “KAWAII MONSTER CAFE,” loved by celebrities around the world, has created a new restaurant concept in New York City
Sebastian Masuda is a multi-disciplinary artist whose unique sense of color transcends the boundaries of art, fashion, and entertainment. His restaurant “KAWAII MONSTER CAFE” opened in Harajuku in August 2015 and quickly became a popular spot in Tokyo, frequented by celebrities from around the world, including BLACK PINK’s Jenny, Katy Perry, and Ariana Grande.
His next project will take place in New York City, where he is currently based. The restaurant will offer a completely new perspective on sushi, the most popular Japanese food in the U.S. and an integral part of the American lifestyle.
Enjoy an Immersive Kawaii Experience
The new location is meant to be an “immersive Kawaii experience.” Once you step into the restaurant, you’ll find yourself in a psychedelic and one-of-a-kind space that will make you feel as if you’ve wandered into another world. Guest will be guided by employees clad in colorful custom-made costumes, and three rotating cats will be suspended by the ceiling, rotating to reveal a secret image. Guests sitting at the counter will enjoy a pink custom-made conveyor belt, a.k.a a sushi lane.The restaurant will offer artist Sebastian Masuda “Immersive Kawaii Experiences” that go beyond THE DINING EXPERIENCE.
Featuring a Menu Developed by Japanese Chefs and Supported by AUTEC, Inc.
Chef Hiroki Abe and Sebastian Masuda collaborated to create an unforgettable menu, fully supported by AUTEC. After moving to the United States in 2001, Abe worked as an executive chef at EN Japanese Brasserie in NYC. He now works as a private chef at corporate events and parties around the U.S. On the technical side, AUTEC, which boasts the number one share of the automatic sushi machine market in North America, is backing up the venture. The sushi is sure to be as tasty as it is kawaii!
Featuring Restaurant Music by RAM RIDER, the Music Producer Behind the Score at KMC
The in-store background music is essential when cultivating an immersive experience. Music producer RAM RIDER, who created the music for KAWAII MONSTER CAFE, has written an incredible 70-minute ambient track for SUSHIDELIC. Guests can look forward to losing themselves in the adorable ambiance.
Tons of New Yorkers Visit During Pre-Opening, SUSHIDELIC Trends on Social Media
During SUSHIDELIC’s limited pre-opening, scores of New York-based celebrities and
influencers visited the shop. The unparalleled ambiance, food presentation, and experience have quickly become a hot topic on social media!
Opening in SoHo, the Trendiest Neighborhood in New York City
SUSHIDELIC is scheduled to open at 177 Lafayette St. in the heart of the SoHo area, where the latest fashions and trends are born and where many fashion brands have opened their flagship stores.
We will keep you updated with the latest information as it becomes available. Please look forward to the chemistry between “Sushi” and “Kawaii,” two of Japan’s proudest exports.
Sebastian Masuda
Information
Shop Overview
Name: SUSHIDELIC
Opening: June 28, 2023
Address: 177 Lafayette St, New York, NY 10013
The Tokyo-based girl artists and creators' collective bala has finally launched for real! The group will release its first single barla on March 8.
bala consists of MANON, SUNNY ONLY 1, DAN, and KANO, each with their own global background. The project aims to resonate with Gen Z youth culture and to be a collective of artists that connects hybrid Japanese pop culture with audiences around the world.
The debut song barla was produced by Shinichi Osawa, who has numerous hits under the name Mondo Grosso. It was co-written by Kenmochi Hidefumi from Wednesday Campanella. With Y2K culture making a comeback around the world, the track features the house sound popular in the late 90s which is showing signs of becoming the next musical trend yet again. The groovy dance tune is a perfect theme song for these girls who will lead the next generation of pop culture.
<Comment from Shinichi Osawa>
“I’m honored to be involved in bala’s debut. The members are super unique, and collaborating with Kenmochi-san for the first time was a dream come true.”
<Comment from Kenmochi Hidefumi>
“I’m happy to be able to work with the members of bala and Shinichi Osawa. Everyone is so uniquely talented, and this song is filled with everyone's energy and excitement inspired by their long-awaited debut!”
Art collective TeamLab has redesigned two exhibitions at Marina Bay Sands Singapore. The world’s first permanent exhibition from the creators, Future World: Where Art Meets Science, was opened in 2016 at the Museum of Art and Science. Guests can now enjoy three new works along with the Digital Light Canvas, a huge, interactive space inviting guests to share their own pieces of art.
Drawing Flight
Visitors can immerse themselves in these impressive new works while experiencing a complex, three-dimensional world. They can also create new worlds with others!
Future World
The Drawing Flight, part of the Amusement Park of the Future series, is based on the concept of co-creation, allowing visitors to not only draw an airplane that will fly but also allowing them to operate it from a pilot's point of view using a tablet. Whether visitors draw a butterfly or a hawk, they’ll see the world from the perspective of each creature and enter a world constructed by the creature's unique perceptions.
Aerial Climbing through a Flock of Colored Birds
In Aerial Climbing through a Flock of Colored Birds, guests are asked to perceive the world with their entire bodies. Visitors cross a space with sticks floating three-dimensionally in the air.
Autonomous Abstraction, Continuous Phenomena from the Universe to the Self
Autonomous Abstraction, Continuous Phenomena from the Universe to the Self offers a new and abstract concept. As people touch the dots, the rhythm of the dots flickers and their hue changes and disintegrates. The picture will then change dramatically, and despite these changes, the beauty remains.
Digital Light Canvas
Graffiti Nature - Red List Digital Light Canvas
Digital Light Canvas is a space consisting of a 15-meter-diameter circular link of light and a 20-meter-high cylinder of light made up of a collection of light dots. Team Lab's interactive artwork, which changes depending on how many people are around, is on permanent display.
Yoshitaka Amano, known by international fans as the artist behind the legendary Final Fantasy video game series, is celebrating his 70th birthday with a unique art project from November 23 until December 8 at Myoshin-ji in Kyoto. On the first day of the event, the venue, decorated with autumn leaves, was crowded with visitors including foreign tourists, who marveled at the fantastic space filled harmoniously with gold and blue. The exhibition will be held at Myoshin-ji, the head temple of the associated branch of Rinzai Zen Buddhism. This collection of works was designed to question visitors’ sensibilities and provide a new kind of art exhibition for fans to enjoy.After the exhibition, the main art piece by Yoshitaka himself will be converted to 3DCG, and a Virtual Golden World will be developed in collaboration with the Yoshitaka Amano VR Museum. By integrating traditional and modern art methods, guests will be able to engage more deeply in the art by enjoying digital works, the metaverse, and NFTs.Don't miss this curious exhibition!
The historic Nagoya Castle will hold a special nighttime viewing event for 14 days only, from November 25 until December 8, 2022. During this period, Honmaru Palace will be open to the public at night, and the Chrysanthemum Corridor inside will be open to visitors for the first time. The Ninomaru Garden will also be illuminated and will transport guests to a different place and time by showing a space only possible during dark hours.Inspired by the relationship between light and shadow, this event focuses on changes that occur over time and the creation and emergence of new ideas and things.Honmaru Palace, Typically Closed to the Public, to be Open at NightNagoya Castle’s Honmaru Palace was completed in 1615 and served as the primary residence of the Lord of the Owari Domain and as the Domain’s government office. The interior of the palace was lavishly decorated with paintings and other art pieces and was praised as a masterpiece. Sadly, it was destroyed by an air raid in 1945. Restoration work began in 2009 and was completed in 2018 with unparalleled accuracy. The Honmaru Palace gives off a completely different aura at night.
First Public Viewing of the Jodan-no-ma in the Joraku-den
The Joraku-den was added to Nagoya Castle to accommodate the third Shogun, Iemitsu, on his way to Kyoto. It is the most luxurious of all the Honmaru Palace buildings, and this event marks the first time that the Chrysanthemum Corridor on the north side will be open to the public. Visitors are welcome to admire the golden-blue paintings as they stroll through the historic site.
See Spectacular Paintings when Entering the Tsugi-no-ma Room
During this period, visitors can enter the Tsugi-no-ma room to view classical period paintings, giving a more clear idea of how people acted and dressed during this time in history.
[Ninomaru Garden Special Viewing]
~Witness a Never-Before-Seen Feudal Lord's Garden through a Spacial Presentation~Scenography for this unique show was provided by the creative label PERIMETRON. In order to show another side of the Ninomaru Garden at night, the company focused on light’s characteristics, from reflection and transmission to refraction and absorption. Light and shadow intertwine in various ways, and guests will be transfixed by this curious showing.