Shuetsu Sato: Tokyo’s king of tape calligraphy
While Shinjuku Station underwent major redevelopment in the early 2000s, security guard Shuetsu Sato watched commuters struggle with confusing temporary wayfinding every day. Instead of accepting it, he began cutting oversized letterforms from construction tape, creating signs that were impossible to miss.
What started as a practical fix soon became an iconic example of functional typography, earning Sato cult status among designers.
Nearly 20 years later, his unmissable tape lettering has returned to Shinjuku as part of a collaboration with Nike's new flagship store.
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