Meet KINOKOCURRY | Clothing and Graphic designer

We had the good fortune of connecting with KINOKOCURRY and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi KINOKOCURRY, why did you decide to pursue a creative path?
When I first met my husband, an artist, I thought art was something that other people did. Then he and I decided to stay in Thailand for a while and since I couldn’t work there, I decided to start designing T-shirts when I thought about what I could do online. I had never studied design before, but it was a joy to see something I made in someone’s hands and have them like it. I was not well known, but as I continued to work steadily, I began to be invited to art shows and events as KINOKOCURRY. I am not a very social person, and since I now live with a second language, I usually feel that others don’t understand me very well, but I found that I could communicate through my artwork. I just couldn’t stop!

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
I am a self-taught artist, and as a result, my work has a “raw” quality to it. I think it might actually be hard for me to copy the refined sharp line work of more mainstream artists, but I don’t need to because my lines represent my brain well. When I first started, it took me a long time to go from a rough sketch to a finished work of art. I felt overwhelmed, but I learned that you get better at this kind of thing with practice. KINOKO means mushrooms in Japanese, and the designs under the KINOKOCURRY brand name always feature mushrooms. The name of my brand comes from my simple love of mushrooms and curry. KINOKOCURRY is about passion.
However, it was cannabis, not mushrooms, that made my brand known to people. Marijuana is still illegal in Japan, but of course there are many hidden enthusiasts. When I started making and selling 420 shirts for them, I was excited because I felt I could participate in the movement for legalization activities.
As this is still a drug-friendly brand, it is very difficult to go mainstream, but I am not too concerned about that. I just think it is easier to gain acceptance and adoption in the US than it is in Japan.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
Japan is a humid country, so I would like to invite them to Colorado for a comfortable summer. ★One-week travel schedule
Day 1: We go to a dispensary, which still does not exist in Japan, and buy a lot of green stuff. I know they are tired on the first day, so I have them relax in their rooms.
Day 2: We watch a show (Shpongle if possible) at Red Rocks!
Day 3: We go to Smith Lake, which I love, after a bike ride on the Cherry Creek Path. When we get back to our house, we have a real American BBQ experience on the grill. The Japanese style of grilling a variety of foods from vegetables to seafood is great, but I also love the simplicity and deliciousness of authentic American BBQ.
Day 4: You can’t miss out on visiting Meow Wolf when you come to Denver. After enjoying the innovative and exciting art, it is time to miss the taste of home, so we eat ramen at TOKIO, where Ichiro used to go during his time playing baseball here.
Day 5: It’s Friday, so head out to the First Friday Art Walk on Santa Fe Drive. I hope my stickers are in the stores by then.
Day 6: This is the last day available for a full day of fun. After enjoying the Denver Art Museum, we eat hamburgers at Cherry Cricket. We end the day with a ride around downtown on our lime scooters.
Day 7: It’s sad, but time to go home. We have breakfast at Denver Biscuit Company, as you don’t find places like this in Japan. Until the flight, we relax by smoking what we got at the dispensary. Looking forward to seeing you all again!

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
It is true that I was influenced immeasurably by a punk band and its singer whom I met when I was 14 years old, but as I mentioned earlier, if I had not met my husband, I would have never left Japan by now and would have lived my life in despair. When I was in my twenties, I was already suffering from alcoholism and an eating disorder, so I had no time to think about the future. My husband also had many problems, but he always created wonderful collages and inspired people. He never gave up on me, encouraged me, and believed in my talent when I thought I had none. I can’t thank him enough.

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