Having lived in Bangalore, India for two years and in Shanghai, China for five years, Masuki has had many opportunities to discover and try many types of Asian food. After returning to Japan, Masuki often visits Singapore to meet her friends and savor local food. At home, her husband cooks Hong Kong dishes sometimes.
“It is difficult to find dishes from other countries in Japan so that has become my motivation for drawing Asian food.”
For Masuki, the fun part of making a zine is to think of the concept and design. Preparing the text, photos and illustrations feels more like being at her day job – and can be even harder in comparison.
Usually she looks for photos of Asian food she wants to eat on Instagram. Then she draws and gets permission from the photo owner. “As I draw, I am already drooling in my mind. Even if I don’t get to eat the food, I feel satisfied after drawing. It is like a make-believe meal!”
When it comes to actual meals, Masuki’s regenerative ritual at the end of a long day is to talk and drink with her family at dinner. “I love discussing things with my husband. Recently we were talking about weeds and survival of the fittest. It was very interesting!”