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Daydreaming in Japan: a colouring book inspired by the streets of Nippon

If you've been lucky enough to visit Japan, you'll no doubt yearn to one day return to this most unique and visually inspiring of countries. But with global travel a little restricted right now, a new colouring book from German artist Denise Rashidi may be a better way to quench your thirst for the land of sushi, manga and 24-hour karaoke.

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A dreamlike illustration of a figure standing on stairs amid pastel pink and purple buildings beneath a sky with fluffy clouds, a moon and flying birds, with tangled power lines overhead

Denise is known for her dreamlike and vivid illustrations under her alias Surudenise. And her self-published book, Daydreaming in Japan: A Coloring Book and Travel Adventure, harnesses her distinctive style to bring both famous sights and the hidden backstreets of Japan to life.

Inspired by the theme of 'fernweh' (a German word meaning a longing for distant places), the book features 24 single-sided colouring pages and marks the first entry of a 'Daydreaming' series of colouring books. It's aimed towards anyone who feels a constant desire to explore, as well as people who like to experience distant places from the comfort of their own homes.

Daydreaming in Japan colouring book open to show a colourful illustrated cover and an interior line drawing page of a Japanese street scene on a purple background
Daydreaming in Japan colouring book by Denise Rashidi displayed at an angle against a pink background, showing an illustrated Japanese street scene with coloured sky and line-drawn buildings
Daydreaming in Japan colouring book by Denise Rashidi open to reveal an intricate line drawing of a traditional Japanese building facade on a purple background
Vivid pink and blue illustration of a Japanese urban street with tall buildings, power lines and Japanese signage under a clear sky
Binoculars with cityscape views reflected in the lenses against a dreamy pink and purple cloudy sky, in Surudenise's illustration style
Neon-lit Japanese street scene with glowing red lanterns, cyan signage and purple-toned buildings in a cyberpunk style illustration
A woman sits at a neon-lit ramen bar beneath glowing orange lanterns and pink Japanese signage in this illustration by Surudenise from Daydreaming in Japan: A Coloring Book
Dreamlike illustration of a neon-lit Japanese street scene with traditional architecture, glowing storefronts and a pink planet in the purple sky
Neon-lit Japanese street scene with a clock mounted on a pole, tangled wires overhead, and purple and pink buildings bathed in vivid magenta and violet light
Surreal cityscape with pink and blue glowing orbs floating above Japanese buildings and power lines at dusk
Japanese rooftops with curved tiles silhouetted against a vibrant pink and purple sunset, with a cityscape and mountains visible in the distance
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