The Japanese Artist Who Is More Popular Outside of Japan Than at Home

Murakami Takashi Current Exhibition in Kyoto

Photo by the author

You probably already know that in some Asian countries, such as China or Japan, we do not refer to people with their given name first, but start with their family name. For example, when we talk about the filmmaker Akira KUROSAWA, Japanese speakers are used to saying KUROSAWA Akira. 

Kurosawa has long been considered a classic filmmaker and is well known both in Japan and abroad. But what about artists who are more famous outside Japan than at home? It is with this humorous question that I would like to introduce you to the work of international artist Murakami Takashi.