Insanely Detailed Sculptures Made From Japanese Snack Packages
From the nation of insane Japanese modelmakers, this.
The artist known as “Karabako Shokunin Harukiru” (That’s “Empty Box Craftsman Harukiru” to you), snips and folds and glues the unlikely medium of Japanese snack food boxes into unbelievably intricate sculptures, and right now there’s a killer exhibit of his work at the Ikebukuro PARCO museum.
And if seeing all these snack boxes makes you hungry, you can buy the real thing at the exhibit shop on your way out. Or if you’re a madman, and this inspires you to try making these on your own, there’s a how-to book for sale too!
One more thing I really admire about this artist: his work first became famous on Twitter, and he utterly understands that MORE people will come see his work if visitors upload pix and tell others how great the show is, instead of prohibiting photo snapping. Photography is not only encouraged, there’s even a hashtag! This is it: ＃空箱職人はるきる
If you want to follow Harukiru on Twitter, he’s @02ESyRaez4VhR2l
There’s still plenty of time to see “A Fantasy World Made From Snack Boxes,” so put Ikebukuro on your list for this weekend or you’ll have REGRETS
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Where: Ikebukuro Parco Museum, Minamiikebukuro, 1-28-2 (Go out the East Exit of Ikebukuro station, and turn left at the top of the steps. Go into the PARCO and up to the seventh floor)
Hours: 10:00 – 21:00 p.m. (final admission at 20:30)
Admission: ¥800 yen (high school and up); ¥500 yen (elementary/junior high); Younger children free
If you’d like to wander the neighborhood after you finish ogling the snack sculptures, my favorite stuff to do in Ikebukuro is on my other website, The Tokyo Guide I Wish I’d Had
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The Last Tea Bowl Thief was chosen as an Editor’s Pick for Best Mystery, Thriller & Suspense on Amazon
“A fascinating mix of history and mystery.” —Booklist
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Jonelle Patrick writes novels set in Japan, produces the monthly newsletter Japanagram, and blogs at Only In Japan and The Tokyo Guide I Wish I’d Had
Categories
Awesome Stuff To Do, Cute to the nth, Just...Beautiful, Made In Japan
Jonelle Patrick View All
Writing mystery books set in Tokyo is mostly what I do, but I also blog about the odd stuff I see every day in Japan. I'm a graduate of Stanford University and the Sendagaya Japanese Institute in Tokyo, and a member of the International Thriller Writers, the Mystery Writers of America, and Sisters In Crime. When I'm not in Tokyo, I live in San Francisco. I also host a travel site called The Tokyo Guide I Wish I'd Had, so if you're headed to Japan and want to check out the places I take my friends when they're in town, take a look!
Jonelle Patrick's Only In Japan 
Wow, amazing!
So glad you like them! I wish my photos could convey the workmanship of these. Between the cakes and these sculptures, this fall’s blog theme is shaping up to be “unexpected amazingly perfectly-crafted things”
Makes me wish I knew how to make things like this! Inspiring!
Me too! Even with the book, though, I fear mine would look NOTHING like his. lol
I guess our talents lie elsewhere. LOL!
It’s insanely well done!
Sasuga, JAPAN, right? I mean, if attention to detail and making tiny handcrafts were major exports, they’d be the world leader
Beautiful! Thanks.
I thought you might enjoy the obsessive attention to every little detail in these, just like I did!
This is out of control….how can they do this? it’s like Origami on steriods!
I could hardly believe my eyes, watching the guy’s video. I mean, his Super Glue skills alone are a marvel to behold. If it were me making them, my fingers would have been a permanent attachment to all those sculptures
Yeah I know! How he managed to do it without gluing himself I wonder?