OSAMU WATANABE

Osamu Watanabe is a prominent artist who has transformed the art of sweet decoration into a captivating art form. In 2000, Watanabe ventured into a new artistic field that he pioneered, known as ‘Fake Cream Art.’ This distinctive style uses artificial food materials to craft decorative and edible-looking treats inspired by various themes. Watanabe’s deep passion for confectionary art stems from his childhood, where his mother, a confectionary schoolteacher, instilled in him a love for sweets associated with joyful memories of anniversaries and birthdays. As a result, the idea of utilising candies became a focal point of his works.

Watanabe’s highly entertaining works have garnered widespread recognition, with prominent features on TV shows, department store displays, and collaborations with animation creators and beauty salons. Even among those with limited exposure to art, his creations have gained considerable acclaim. In an interview, Watanabe expressed his aspirations to collaborate and promote his artistic vision on a global scale, stating: “I would like to collaborate with various media and companies to realize projects that will link my style of expression with all kinds of cultures and spread it across the world as if the cream is volumizing itself.”

Using references from classical subjects frequently encountered in art history, Watanabe adds his unique touch to create a series of artworks that challenge conventional values and perceptions. While his renowned series revolves around animal themes, he has also produced various other series, such as adorning famous paintings and sculptures with fake cream and sweets, crafting dry landscape gardens adorned with fake white cream, and depicting decorated world heritage sites.

Watanabe’s talent has gained international recognition, leading to solo exhibitions in Japan and China, Italy, Belgium, Turkey, the United States, and South Korea. Furthermore, his works have been in prestigious collections, including the Ohara Museum of Art in Okayama Prefecture and the Kiyosu City Haruhi Art Museum in Aichi Prefecture.

Sanctuary -Sweet Horse-

See all artworks

Osamu Watanabe Hosts a Workshop for Elementary School Students

2025.02.26
FEATURE

Sculpting Happiness with Sweets: Interview with Osamu Watanabe

2025.02.07
INTERVIEW

Indulge in Art and Sweets at 'Watanabe Osamu's Art Museum' Exhibition in Sakata City Museum of Art

2022.11.15
ART NEWS

OSAMU WATANABE: Unseen Sweet Nostalgia

Ginza New Gallery
2025.02.07 - 03.01

OSAMU WATANABE: Vanity of vanities

Ginza New Gallery
October 4 - October 27, 2019

OSAMU WATANABE: Sweet Summer

HK Hollywood Road
August 4 - September 10, 2017

OSAMU WATANABE: Chocolate river

Karuizawa Gallery2, 3
May 24 - June 18, 2017

EXHIBITIONS

2026: “How do you do? Snoopy”, Wooyang Art Museum / Korea
2025: “How do you do? Snoopy”, Taipei, Taiwan
“Osamu Watanabe Museum of Sweets”, Kyushu National Museum
“Osamu Watanabe Sweets Art Museum”, Fukui City Art Museum
“Osamu Watanabe Unseen Sweet Nostalgia” Whitestone Ginza New Gallery / Tokyo, Japan
“Osamu Watanabe Cute Sweets Museum”, Museum of Ehime History and Culture
“Osamu Watanabe Sweets Art Museum”, Woodone Museum of Art
2024: “Osamu Watanabe Museum of Sweets” Himi Arts Hall / Toyama, Japan
2023: “Osamu Watanabe Museum of Sweets” Kasama Nichido Museum of Arts / Ibaraki, Japan
2022: “Osamu Watanabe Museum of Sweets” Sakata City Museum of Art / Yamagata, Japan
2021: “Osamu Watanabe Sweets Deco Art: Kingdom of Sweets Exhibition” Akita Prefectural Art Museum / Akita, Japan
2020: “Osamu Watanabe Museum of Sweets” Huis Ten Bosch Museum / Nagasaki, Japan
2019: “Sweets exhibition” Nagoya city Science Museum / Aichi, Japan
“Osamu Watanabe Museum of Sweets” Odakyu Department Shinjuku store / Tokyo, Japan
2018: “Osamu Watanabe exhibition MUSEUM CAKE” Art 1 new Museum / Jakarta, Indonesia
2017: “Osamu Watanabe Sweet Summer” Whitestone HK Hollywood Road / Hong Kong
“Osamu Watanabe Chocolate river” Whitestone Karuizawa Gallery / Nagano, Japan
2016: “Osamu Watanabe exhibition Pure Land” Okazaki World Children Museum / Aichi, Japan
2015: “Hello! Exploring the Supercute World of Hello Kitty” Japanese American National Museum / L.A., U.S.A
“Osamu Watanabe exhibition Sweet Wonderland-Sweets park-”Aspirante / Yamaguchi, Japan
2014: “Osamu Watanabe Sweet sentiment” Pola Museum Annex / Tokyo, Japan
“Osamu Watanabe Sweets kingdom-Sweet fantasy quest-”Takasaki city Museum / Gunma, Japan
2013: “Welcome to the small world” Takamatsu Art Museum / Kagawa, Japan
“Osamu Watanabe Sweet god” Hyogo Prefectural Maruyamagawa Kouen Museum / Hyogo, Japan
2012: “Osamu Watanabe OHARA DECO” Ohara Museum of Art / Okayama, Japan
“Osamu Watanabe Museum of Sweets” Kiyosu city Haruhi Museum / Aichi, Japan
2010: “JAPAN” Modern Art Center of Turkey / Ankara, Turkey
“Super KAWAII-ism” Shiga Kogen Roman Museum / Nagano, Japan
2009: “Echigo-Tsumari Art Triennale” / Niigata, Japan
2007: “Art with five senses” Nagano Prefectural Shinano Art Museum / Nagano, Japan

COLLECTIONS

Ohara Museum of Art / Kiyosu city Haruhi Museum / Shiga Kogen Roman Museum / Takasaki city Museum / Okazaki World Children Museum / Hirano Museum / Kasama Nichido Museum of Art / Sakata City Museum of Art / Niimi Museum of Art / Museum of Ehime History and Culture

AUTHORED WORKS

ART WORKS SWEET OR UNSWEET?, BNN, Inc. / OSAMU WATANABE POSTCARD BOOK, Parco Publishing / Fake Cream Art Technique, Seibundo Shinkosha Publishing

OSAMU WATANABE

ARTWORKS

ARTICLES

GALLERY EXHIBITIONS

MAJOR EXHIBITIONS, COLLECTIONS

IMAGES

Subscribe to our newsletter to receive the latest updates.