Hello! Thank you for visiting Azito.
Azito is an online gallery specializing in Japanese contemporary art started in 2009. If you live outside of Japan or do not speak Japanese, there are very limited chances to know about Japanese contemporary art. We seek to connect you with artworks deeply more than ever, and wish you would own a piece of work in the end. The name "AZITO" comes from the phrase "agitating point," which also means "a secret place" in Japanese. Azito started as a little place in the art world but I hope it will become a place to agitate the world.
For the past few years, we've met many artists and noticed that there's no "Japanese-ness" that is same among the all artists. Individual artists have their own perspectives to capture the world in a unique way. Hope you find that your senses are similar to one of them.
AZITO Team
Azito deeply connects you with artwork.
Feel Intimate with the artwork by knowing its background.
Knowing the work visually is the first step. We want you to feel much more connected with the artwork and the artists behind them through our website. Since we have a strong partnership with the galleries who manage and know the artists in person, we can provide rich information about the artists, not only about their biography but also their personality, thoughts and the background of their artwork. This is essential to enjoy art.
Your purchase supports the artists' thoughts and ideas.
When you purchase an artwork through Azito, it means that you are supporting the artist since your money will also go to the artist through our partner galleries. Our transactions are different from purchases in the secondary market, where deals occur only between the buyer and seller. If you purchase an artist's artwork, it means that you like their work, but you are also praising and endorsing their ideas and philosophy. And showing your appreciation through owning an artist's work is a commendable way to support the artist.
Become a leading collector in your neighbor.
Viewing an artwork physically is the best experience. There is no doubt about it. But in fact, not everyone has the chance to view Japanese contemporary artwork in their nearest museum. When you become a collector of a specific artist, please show his/her artwork to your friends and families and increase interest in your area. It might help the artist hold an exhibition in your city in the future. As art knows no boundaries, we ship all over the world with a simple click. In fact, our audience is 30% from Europe, 25% from the US, 25% from Asia, 15% from Japan, 5% from Australia. Our customers range from collectors in Dresden to Alaska.
Azito was introduced on;
Japan Times: Japan's modern art gets an online boost
Rasa Tsuda / Founder, Manager
Runs AZITO since 2009. She moved back to Tokyo from two years living in NY. Before moving to the art industry in 2006, she also worked in the Central Bank of Japan after graduating from Keio University. Worked for OCULA (Art portal website focused on Asia Pacific region), NY Art Beat, TAGBOAT in the past. Art x IT x Abroad is her main focus to spread the idea of artworks worldwide.
Photograph by Chika Takami
AZITO Team
Makiko Arima, Translator / Writer (twitter)
Makiko enjoys good food and good design (but mostly good food). With a background in history, she appreciates creative uses and interpretations of historical artifacts, traditions, and spaces. She lives and works in Yokohama.
Ruben van Mansum, Translator / Writer
Ruben is originally from New Zealand and moved to Japan in 2012 to study Modern Japanese art at Tokyo University of Arts. He works for AZITO to develop his knowledge with contemporary Japanese art scene.
Anna Gonzalez Noguchi, Writer / Photographer
