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"Hidden Details Only Hokkaido Locals Will Get!" Amazing Handmade Miniatures Full of Love for Hokkaido
#ProbablyOnlyImDoingThis
A miniature Hokkaido izakaya.
It has a little secret that only Hokkaido locals will understand 📺
Hokkaido love ❤️
Source: @miniatureaosan's post
A sea urchin rice ball with overflowing salmon roe, simmered skate wing (a local dish), and a familiar-looking TV show are all part of this palm-sized handmade miniature. The numerous details that would ring a bell for any Hokkaido local have drawn comments like, "This is so heartwarming" and "It brings back memories."
If you look closely, you can see an already empty beer mug and a duck made from a folded wet towel, hinting at a warm story behind the piece.
The creator of these love-filled miniatures is "ao, the miniature artist who loves Hokkaido," a Hokkaido native currently living in the Kanto region. What inspired her to start creating miniatures of Hokkaido's food?
The First Piece Was That Famous "Chikuwa Pan"
What got you started in making miniatures?
I never forgot how much fun I had making a miniature vegetable stand for a summer vacation project in elementary school. Once my own children were a bit older, I started my own journey into miniature making.
My first pieces were miniature breads. When I made the "Chikuwa Pan," a familiar treat in Hokkaido, I felt the same sense of accomplishment as when I completed that school project.
That's what sparked my passion for recreating the food of my beloved Hokkaido.
Handmade miniature of Chikuwa Pan
Are there any specific points you'd like people to pay attention to?
It's actually from a show I participated in a project for seven years ago, from an image my mother had saved on her phone. I wanted to recreate a fun Hokkaido izakaya scene, the kind where you're 'cheers-ing' while it's still light out.
"I want to express the charm of Hokkaido through miniatures" - ao's passion for her work
I left my beloved Hokkaido when I got married. At first, I made Hokkaido miniatures to feel nostalgic for my hometown, but now I create them with the desire to contribute to my beloved home by expressing its charm through miniatures.
I hope my miniatures can bring a little warmth to the hearts of those who, like me, have left their beloved Hokkaido, as well as to everyone who loves Hokkaido and sees my work.
Her works, filled with love for Hokkaido, have gained popularity, and she has recently started collaborating with companies in Hokkaido! Keep an eye on ao's future activities and the new miniature creations she will bring to life.
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