Hikaru Matsubara

Hikaru Matsubara, born in 1988 in Okayama, spent his early childhood in the US and Hong Kong before settling in Kobe, where he still lives today. After studying foreign languages at Kyoto Sangyo University and working various jobs—including two years as a fisherman in Kobe Bay—he began sharing his artwork online. In 2015, his Tumblr sketches gained rapid attention, leading to freelance opportunities and eventually a full-time career as a graphic artist.

Matsubara’s work blends drawing, graphic design, and visual storytelling, and he has collaborated with brands such as Stripe Group, Journal Standard, and Beams. In 2019, his art was featured on the cover of POPEYE, a leading Japanese lifestyle magazine, and he received the Jeon Woochi and Makoto Ikeda Award at the UNKNOWN ASIA Art Contest in 2018. His work has been exhibited in Tokyo, Osaka, Fukuoka, and Bangkok.