Using Paperclips, Broccoli or Microchips, This Japanese Artist Creates a Whimsical Diorama Every Day · Global Voices
Nevin Thompson

Miniature Calendar by Tatsuya Tanaka. Image from Amazon.co.jp
Using common household items, Japanese artist Tatsuya Tanaka has been creating tiny whimsical dioramas every day since April 20, 2011.
Photos of more than 1,500 dioramas have been published on his website as a Miniature Calendar, which is also for sale on Amazon's Japanese site. He also uploads photos of his creations onto Instagram, where he has attracted a mass following of more than 260,000 followers.
Tanaka, whose Instagram profile says he works as an art director for an advertising agency in rural Japan, says on his website about the project:
Everyone must have had similar thoughts at least once.
Broccoli and parsley might sometimes look like a forest, or the tree leaves floating on the surface of the water might sometimes look like little boats. Everyday occurrences seen from a pygmy’s perspective can bring us lots of fun thoughts.
I wanted to take this way of thinking and express it through photographs, so I started to put together a “MINIATURE CALENDAR” These photographs primarily depict diorama-style figures surrounded by daily necessaries.
Just like a standard daily calendar, the photos are updated daily on my website and SNS page, earning it the name of “MINIATURE CALENDAR”
It would be great if you could use it to add a little enjoyment to your everyday life.
Here is a selection of just a few images of his dioramas that he has posted to Instagram. The photos typically include a whimsical (and sometimes nonsensical) caption:
. 7.28 tue "Solar power" . 「ソーラーパネルをもっと増やしたいよー」 「そらー、お金かかるよ」 . . #太陽光発電 #メモリ #memory #PCのメモリ増設したい
A photo posted by Tatsuya Tanaka (@tanaka_tatsuya) on
Man: We want to install more solar panels!
Worker: Well, that's gonna cost money!
. 7.27 mon "Escalator" . 何をしなくても時間はエスカレーターのように進み続けますぞ。 . . #ホッチキスの針 #クリップ #Staples #clip
A photo posted by Tatsuya Tanaka (@tanaka_tatsuya) on
“Without us having to do anything at all, time continues on like an escalator.”
. 8.5 wed "Tatooine" . タトゥイーン並みに暑いーん。 . . #猛暑 #ダンボール #Cardboard #緩衝材 #Cushioning #タトゥイーン #Tatooine #miniaturecal_starwars
A photo posted by Tatsuya Tanaka (@tanaka_tatsuya) on
“Tatooine is sure hot.”
. 7.19 sun "Search" . 「ちょっとまってね今調べるから」 . . #Google先生 #本棚
A photo posted by Tatsuya Tanaka (@tanaka_tatsuya) on
“Just a moment, I'm going to Google it.”
. 7.13 mon "Rice planting" . 「ほんなこて、半田ごて〜」 （なんとなく言ってみたかっただけです） . . #電子基板
A photo posted by Tatsuya Tanaka (@tanaka_tatsuya) on
“Time to pull out the soldering iron.” (I just wanted to try saying that)
. 7.7 tue "Bamboo forest" . 自分を曲げずにまっすぐ伸びよ。 今日は七夕です。 . . #竹 #笹 #ストロー #七夕
A photo posted by Tatsuya Tanaka (@tanaka_tatsuya) on
“Bamboo forest.” We grow straight and tall, without bending.
(Holiday: July 7th is the Tanabata Festival)
. 7.5 sun "Puddle" . 「なんで日曜なのに雨なんだよ！」と、水たまりに八つ当たり。 . . #梅雨 #水たまり
A photo posted by Tatsuya Tanaka (@tanaka_tatsuya) on
Why does it have to be rainy on Sun-day?
. 7.1 wed "Surf’s up!" . 今日から7月、いい波がきてますよ！ .
A photo posted by Tatsuya Tanaka (@tanaka_tatsuya) on
It's July 1st… Summer's here and surf's up!
Check out Tatsuya Tanaka's Instagram feed for more photos.