Nostalgic Tea Shop in the Old Japanese Market (2014) Original Watercolour by Masato Watanabe

This watercolor sketch captures the unique atmosphere of a traditional indoor market in Japan, focusing on an old storefront selling tea and local goods.
Unlike my open-air landscape paintings, this piece allowed me to explore the rich harmony of shadows and indoor lighting. I was fascinated by the warm glow of the shop lanterns illuminating the rows of vintage tea tins and handwritten signs. I carefully balanced the muted earthy tones to recreate the deep, historic mood of the market hallway. Rather than polishing every edge, I kept the brushwork soft and natural, hoping to share the comforting warmth and faint aroma of tea from this hidden corner of Japan.

Materials used:

Watercolor on Paper

Details:

• Watercolour on Paper
• One of a kind artwork
• Size: 38 x 29.5 x 0.01cm (unframed) / 38 x 29.5cm (actual image size)
• Signed on the front
• Style: Impressionistic
• Subject: Architecture and cityscapes