For almost a century, tourists in Japan have documented their travels by collecting Eki stamps, a form of commemorative stamp often found at train stations in tourist locations. Generally featuring imagery of local landmarks, mascots and delicacies, they encapsulate the identity of iconic destinations within a simple ink imprint, providing a lasting memory of past adventures.
Now Welsh illustrator Jonathan Edwards has created his very own Wales-Japan designs. The four new Eki stamps display the legendary dragon, emblazoned on Wales’ national flag, against backdrops representative of the two countries. These include Japanese and Welsh textiles, typical forests from Wales and Japan, and iconic locations from both nations: Yr Wyddfa and Mount Fuji, and Conwy and Himeji castles, which became the first UNESCO World Heritage Sites to be twinned in 2019.
The Welsh dragon, a proud symbol of Wales’ national identity, was “crying out to be featured on an Eki stamp", said Jonathan. He ought to know, given he has sketchbooks embellished with stamps from over 20 years of travel to the land of the rising sun.
But it isn’t just Eki stamps within these notebooks. The pages are filled with drawings that keep memories from his trips to Japan alive. From neon-lit streets to endless UNESCO World Heritage Sites, Japan has some of his favourite places to draw.
For Jonathan, having a notebook packed with illustrations from his travels gives him comfort when he looks back at them, letting forgotten memories come flooding back.
“I enjoy Japan’s focus on art and creativity, and with every visit I discover something new that makes me love it more,” he said, “I’ve been visiting regularly over the past 20 years and it’s become a very welcoming and special place for me.”
Jonathan grew up in Wrexham, a Welsh city that’s seen its fair share of excitement over recent years. It became Wales’ seventh city in 2022 and has gained global attention after Hollywood stars Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney bought the city’s struggling football club, helping it rise in the league rankings and lifting the spirits of thousands of fans in the process. The club’s journey has been documented by the Welcome to Wrexham series on Disney+, which received critical acclaim.
When in Japan, the tradition of the Eki stamp is something that always draws Jonathan in and he was delighted to create his own version to celebrate the links between Wales and Japan. He was invited to take on the task because of his artistic connections to the country. Along with his partner Louise, known as the Felt Mistress, Jonathan had gallery residencies in the Nara and Osaka in 2011, which were part funded by Wales Arts International. This was the root of many Japan-based or inspired projects that followed.
In 2017, their friend and Tokyo based illustrator, Katsuya Kurosawa, staged an exhibition of the pair’s work at the Hilton hotel in Shinjuku, catching the eyes of Cube - a company created by art director Kaoru Sasaki – who went on to represent the couple in Japan. One of the fruits of the collaboration was the windows of the prestigious department store, Hankyu, in Osaka, promoting the 2021 Spring/Summer collection. The store dedicated seven windows, alongside in-store displays, to their work.
Flicking through Jonathan’s portfolio, it’s clear Japan has had a huge influence on his oeuvre. However, his love for illustrating his travels started at a young age, long before laying eyes on the famous cherry blossom trees and neon-lit streets.
Jonathan says he can be found drawing in every childhood holiday photo as his parents would give him a book of A4 paper to keep him happy and occupied. Not much has changed - today he takes two notebooks away, one A4 for watercolour and an A6 that fits in his pocket. Armed with these, he’ll sit for hours on a bench or at a café, sketching anything catching his eye.
Beyond drawing the beautiful landscapes of Japan, Jonathan has also been inspired by its culture. In 2018, he illustrated an officially licensed watercolour print for Japanese animation giant Studio Ghibli, which is known to have taken inspiration from Wales in its work. Jonathan’s Ghibli artwork reached South Korean magazine, Indigo, featuring as a cover image.
Jonathan’s illustrations and comics have been equally successful at home and are behind a long and diverse career. His work originally appeared in Deadline magazine in 1993 and since then he has worked for the likes of NME and the Radio Times. He’s produced record sleeves for artists like the Black Eyed Peas and regularly contributed to the Guardian since 1999, having illustrated its Hard Sell column, known for reviewing adverts by well-known brands, for 10 years.
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