Who is Kouchi Matsuda?
The Japanese Artist Who Transforms Cultural Memory Into Urban Art
Kouchi Matsuda is a visual artist and illustrator born in Tokyo in 1983. Growing up in the Nakano district — known for its mix of underground culture, flea markets, and old artisan workshops — Matsuda was influenced from a young age by the aesthetics of vintage manga , traditional theater posters , and Japanese Irezumi tattoos .
After studying at Tokyo University of the Arts , where he specialized in printmaking and illustration, Matsuda has refined a distinctive technique: a mix of black ink on rice paper , spray art and digital graphics , with which he reinterprets ancestral symbols in a contemporary way. His recurring subjects include oni (demons from Japanese folklore) , samurai , Noh masks and Shinto architecture , always revisited with a street touch that borders on Japanese post-pop .
Over the years, his work has attracted the attention of international galleries — from Berlin to New York — but has always remained anchored to a precise mission: to preserve Japanese cultural memory through urban art .
With his clean lines and bright colors, Kouchi Matsuda manages to capture the madness and absurdity that hide in the small gestures of everyday life. His style, inspired by the famous Japanese underground graphic movement known as “Garo” , gives life to illustrations that can be both ironic and disturbing at the same time.
Unlike many artists who only celebrate the nostalgic side of Japan in the 80s and 90s, Matsuda goes further: his works also reveal modern anxieties, urban frustrations and social tensions , making his art extremely current and personal.
The capsule collection created with Edwin fully reflects this double soul. Composed of two t-shirts , a hoodie , a short-sleeved shirt and a selection of limited edition accessories , the collection is led by a visually striking printed scarf . Each piece is an explosion of visual energy, with Matsuda's iconic graphics telling stories of contrasts, memories and rebellion.
Not Just Art: Matsuda as a Visual Storyteller
In addition to his production on canvas and paper, Kouchi Matsuda has worked as an art director for multimedia projects, curating animations for music videos and independent series. His storytelling is powerful, visual, immediate: he manages to convey emotions, spirituality and irony in just a few strokes.
Artistic collaborations
Before Edwin, Matsuda had already signed graphic capsules with Japanese skatewear brands , as well as collaborating with tattoo studios and calligraphy artists. This new partnership represents a natural evolution for him: taking his art out of the galleries and making it walk among the people.
EDWIN x koutchi Matsuda collection is available at LIKE A PRO STORE!
