Artist and TV personality Tomomi Kunishige is exhibiting and selling her "Eekanji" works, which combine kanji characters and the alphabet, at the Isetan Shinjuku Main Building's 5th floor art gallery and 7th floor Kimono Promotion until May 27th.

"Eekanji" is a calligraphy piece that combines words that have the same meaning in both alphabet and kanji. On the 5th floor, approximately 40 new pieces, including new works, are on display. Unique pieces include "peace + harmony," "speed + fast," "groan + groan," and "smile + laughter." Kunishige will visit the store from time to time to personally explain her works.

On the 7th floor, a complete selection of Japanese goods based on her signature work, "smile + laughter," is on sale, including Isetan's original unisex yukata (45,000 yen), obi (25,000 yen), geta (18,000 yen), and folding fans (8,000 yen). Kunishige will also be introducing dresses (starting at 120,000 yen) and bags (starting at 40,000 yen) remade from old kimono fabric. These remade dresses were created in response to requests from fans and are now available for the first time. (Pointing to the yukata,) "I imagined this yukata as a blank canvas, and created it with the image of a smile in mind. To me, each character looks like a smile. I want young women to embrace the slow life of cherishing the beauty of unique things. I also want to spread the uniqueness of English kanji from Japan." Kunishige obtained a calligraphy teaching license while a student and began working as an English kanji artist in 2003. He has held solo exhibitions both in Japan and abroad, and has also performed calligraphy performances at corporate and local government events.