Outsider Art: 10 Japanese Artists You Should Know

by Cath Lealand | ART

© Borderless Art Museum, Barabara Sowaka by Suzuki Marie, 2015

Artworks by famous Japanese artists take pride of place in renowned art galleries and museums the world over. But there are many talented artists in Japan you have probably never seen. What about those artists who are a little bit outside of the art world's definition of normal?

Let's take a look at some Japanese outsider artists you should know!

What is Outsider Art?

© Wellcome Library, Untitled by Sawada Shinichi, 2006-2010

As is always the case when trying to categorise art, the definition of outsider art is somewhat disputed. One common definition describes it as: art that is removed or at a distance from the mainstream art world. In particular, art that is not featured in large or well-known galleries or art museums, or artists without formal training. Another common description of outsider art is works or artists that make use of unconventional or neglected art forms; particularly art techniques that may be considered crude or even child-like to some.

© Small Museum, Mermaid Princess by Tatsushima Yuko

The term “Outsider art” can also be used to describe the works of artists with disabilities, mental illnesses or individuals that are perceived to be different from a societal norm. This definition tends to define Japanese outsider art. Many Japanese outsider artists use their works to share their world with others.

History of Japanese Outsider Art

© Borderless Art Museum, The End by Suzuki Marie, 2007

Whilst there are examples of what we may consider outsider art from the 1930s in Japan, the term did not take root in Japan until the early 1990s. The first exhibition dedicated to Japanese outsider art in Japan was held in 1993, and since then the use of the term has grown. Japanese outsider art has begun to see a number of exhibitions abroad, including in Switzerland in 1997, and the Art Brut From Japan exhibit which toured over Europe in 2012 and 2013.

1. Yamashita Kiyoshi (山下清)

Yamashita, regarded as one of the first Japanese outsider artists, was born in Tokyo in 1922 and, after suffering neurological damage at 3 years old, was moved to an institution. During his time in the institution, Yamashita spent his time creating works of art through a technique called chigiri-e. Chigiri-e is a collage technique wherein small pieces of torn colored paper are arranged to create an image.

In an attempt to avoid conscription into the Japanese Imperial Army during World War II, Yamashita ran away from the institution and travelled around Japan for over 10 years. Due to his vivid memory, Yamashita was able to recreate many of the different sights and landmarks he saw during his travels in his chigiri-e works. Due to the impressionist-like nature of his works, some have nicknamed Yamashita as the Japanese Van Gogh.

2. Miyama Eijiro (宮間英次郎)

If you ever google a phrase like ‘crazy Japan’, you are sure to come across an image or two of Miyama! Nicknamed hat man, Miyama is a performance artist known for his outlandish headwear and equally loud outfits. Until his 60s, Miyama lived a somewhat regular life, working a number of different jobs. He started his dive into headgear by using an empty instant ramen cup as a hat, adding a hole for his ponytail to poke through once his hair grew too long.

He gradually moved onto larger headdresses, growing as tall as one meter, using a variety of found, gifted or thrifted items including lamp shades and traffic cones. Miyama’s headgear and clothes often carry messages about peace, environmental protection, and current social issues.

3. Obata Masao (小幡正雄)

Born in 1943, Obata is said to have enjoyed painting since a young age. However, he began to paint seriously following being admitted to a facility for people with intellectual disabilities. Obata created works mainly with red colored pencils on cardboard collected from the facility, with the corners of the cardboard rounded off to create a circular or oval-shaped canvas (apparently to reduce damaging the cardboard during transport). Initially his works were made in secret, with completed work hidden under his bed or in the closet.

© Art Brut from Japan, Untitled by Ogata Masao

Unfortunately, this led to many of his works being destroyed during regular cleaning. Obata’s works often featured weddings and family reunions - things he had never personally experienced. His work also includes figures from Japanese folklore, and items from his upbringing in the small islands of Seto Inland Sea, such as crabs, fish, and Shinto shrines.

4. Sawada Shinichi (澤田真一)

Sawada is one of the most well-known Japanese outsider artists both in Japan and abroad. Born with autism, Sawada is a self-taught ceramics artist who makes his pieces from the distinctive orange Shigaraki clay. He creates multiple-faced figures that are covered in small spikes, which Sawada applies painstakingly by hand.

He works in a small workshop in the forest of Shiga Prefecture over a few months of the year, and his works are only fired in the kiln twice a year due the winter season being too cold to use the hut. Sawada’s works were featured in the 55th Venice Biennale, and continue to be exhibited in galleries around the world.

5. Herai Takanori (戸來貴規)

© Yokohama Art Gallery, Diary by Herai Takanori

Herai started writing diaries from a young age, which developed into him beginning to write diaries in his own special script. His work consists of a large bundle of paper, covered with a seemingly unintelligible geometric pattern. However, this ‘unintelligible pattern’ actually follows Herai’s own specific rules and rhythmic structure.

The diary is written on both sides of the paper, with the month, day of the week, weather, temperature, and name written on the front, and the happiest event written repeatedly every day on the back with black ink. Herai has been continuously writing these diaries for well over 10 years with one more journal entry added to the stack every day.

6. Tanaka Noriko (田中乃理子)

© Atelier Yamanami, 5 Colors and Other Colors by Tanaka Noriko, 2007

Tanaka has been sewing as an art for over 16 years. Her textile-based work is heavily influenced by Japanese sashiko embroidery (What is Sashiko? 7 Things to Know About Japanese Embroidery). Tanaka’s work consists of only sewing in straight lines, using 5 to 7 different colored threads to cover a cloth.

© Atelier Yamanami, 7 Colors and Other Colors by Tanaka Noriko, 2020

Over the course of months and days, her meticulous stitching spreads from one end of the cloth to the other, forming a band that eventually becomes a surface. What appears like a woven tapestry is actually thousands of tiny stitches.

7. Katsube Shota (勝部翔太)

Since elementary school, Katsube has been making thousands of mythical monsters, robots and characters from plastic twist-ties. All of his tools are purchased at 100 yen stores. Each figure stands at only 3cm tall, described by Katsube as an easy size to create, and is inspired by his favourite animes. With craftsman-like precision, Katsube can create one of his figures in 5 minutes. He does not hold on to almost any of his work, instead he is said to hand them out as gifts to people he meets.

8. Nishikawa Yasuhiro (西川泰弘)

Born in 1960, Nishikawa was raised in a strict family with ADHD. From the age of 43 he began to pursue art as his career. Often unable to control his emotions and having conflict with people around him, he uses his art as a way to help interact with people and be recognized. Nishikawa uses a form of dot painting to create abstract paintings inspired by flowers, fields, and fireworks. Some have commented that his works are somewhat reminiscent of that of traditional Australian Aborigine art.

9. Tatsushima Yuko (立島夕子）

Tasushima is a painter, puppet artist and performer who was diagnosed with borderline personality disorder following the death of her mother. A graduate from the Joshibi University of Art and Design, she creates works that are intended as rebellions against sexual crimes. She has said that most of her works are self-portraits, and many of her works focus on the theme of atomic bombing.

10. Suzuki Marie (魲万里絵)

Whilst a student in high school, Suzuki developed schizophrenia. Despite her title as an outsider artist, she does not let this limit the scope of her activities, nor does this stop her from exhibiting her works in a variety of different galleries. Suzuki’s works focus on creating colorful paintings with striking motifs such as women's bodies and scissors, as well as creative patterns using dots and lines.

Her paintings highlight the female body as matter being looked at, worked on, treated scientifically, or exploited as an object of lust by the male, heads and hands. Suzuki often uses simple materials such as magic markers and paper.

For more of Japan’s best artists, check out 25 Famous Female Painters in Japanese Art.