Neon Dawn 暁 is 5C5V's Tokyo after dark: the hours between the last train and the first, when arcades, ramen counters and vending machines are still lit and the city slowly turns blue. 暁 (akatsuki) means daybreak. The newest pieces are each stamped with the minute their scene happens, from 03:10 to 05:40.
Where Neon Dawn comes from
The collection started while I was living in Japan and was designed after I moved to Copenhagen. In Tokyo I kept noticing the same thing at the edges of the night: a city that never quite switches off, but goes very quiet just before it wakes up. The last trains have gone, the signs are still burning, and the first commuters haven't arrived yet.
Copenhagen added the other half. Scandinavian design is calm, functional and unfussy, and that steadied the noise of Tokyo neon into something you can live with every day. Neon Dawn sits between the two: Tokyo energy, Nordic restraint.
Five moments between 03:10 and 05:40
The heart of the collection is five scenes from one Tokyo night, each released as a framed art print:
- 03:10 · Shuya Eigyo 終夜営業 (shūya eigyō, open all night). A worn enamel sign for an all-night diner, a smiling rice bowl, and the promise of food when everything else is shut.
- 04:20 · Asa no Ippai 朝の一杯 (asa no ippai, the morning cup). A hot can glowing in a rainy vending machine. In Japan the labels say あったか〜い (attaka-i, warm) or つめた〜い (tsumeta-i, cold), and at 4am you want the warm one.
- 04:58 · Shihatsu 始発 (shihatsu, the first train). A lone commuter on a wet platform as the departure board glows amber. Anyone who has missed the last train in Tokyo knows this moment.
- 05:12 · Tokyo Bay 東京湾 (Tōkyō-wan). Dawn over the bay in an Edo woodblock style, with a single red sun.
- 05:40 · Kage 影 (kage, shadow). Flat orange and teal buildings and long morning shadows: the city just after sunrise.
If you're wondering how they'd look at home, I've written a guide to choosing, sizing and hanging Japandi wall art.
Also in Neon Dawn
- Hansha 反射 T-shirt: 反射 means reflection. A Tokyo street corner just after rain, when every sign is lit twice, once in the air and once in the puddle at your feet.
- Radiant Dawn hoodies: carrying 夜行 (yakō), night journey, about progress made quietly.
- Level Up hoodie: a game-inspired back print, with 五つの都市・五つの徳 (Five Cities, Five Virtues) embroidered on the front.
- Retro 8-Bit hoodie: a tribute to pixel graphics and early home computers.
See everything in the Neon Dawn 暁 collection.
Frequently asked questions
What does 暁 mean?
暁 (akatsuki) means dawn or daybreak, the moment night turns into morning. It is the kanji for the Neon Dawn collection.
Why do the pieces have times on them?
Each scene happens at a specific minute of one Tokyo night, from 03:10 (an all-night diner) to 05:40 (shadows after sunrise). The time is part of the artwork, so the series reads like a clock running towards morning.
What does 始発 mean?
始発 (shihatsu) is the first train of the day. 始 means begin and 発 means depart. In Tokyo the first trains run from around half past four in the morning.
Is everything made to order?
Yes. Every piece is made when you order it, so nothing is overproduced. Framed prints take 2 to 5 business days to make before they ship.
Ordering from the US? Most of the range is made to order in the US, priced in US dollars, with $5.95 flat shipping. Here's how US orders work.
Keep reading
- Japandi wall art: how to choose, size and hang it
- The meaning behind the kanji on every 5C5V collection
- Why I built 5C5V: five cities, five virtues
Written by the founder of 5C5V. I design every collection from Copenhagen, built around five Japanese cities and the virtue each one stands for. Questions about a design, sizing or an order? Email matthew@5c5v.co.uk. It comes straight to me. More about 5C5V.
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