πŸ‘‹Hello

HelloπŸ§‘β€πŸŽ¨

Akira Tanaka

Product Designer & Creative Technologist based in Tokyo πŸ‡―πŸ‡΅
Crafting digital experiences that feel surprisingly human

Akira Tanaka - Creative portrait sketch
Available for new projects
247
Coffee Shops
Visited
1.8k
Days
Sketching
23
Cities
Explored

HelloπŸ“–

I believe design should be invisible yet impactful β€” like the perfect cup of coffee that just makes your morning better without you thinking about why.

My journey started with a sketchbook and curiosity about how things work. Eight years later, I'm still sketching every day, but now those sketches turn into digital experiences used by millions of people.

Currently exploring the future of AR interfaces and how they might enhance rather than replace real-world interactions.

Let's work together→

Currently

  • ●Leading design at Tokyo Design Studio
  • ●Mentoring junior designers at ADPList
  • ●Writing about sustainable design practices

Outside Work

  • 🎡Producing ambient music as "Midnight Sketches"
  • 🚲Exploring Tokyo's hidden neighborhoods by bike
  • 🌱Growing rare Japanese maples and bonsai

HelloπŸ› οΈ

🎨

Design Tools

Figma
Sketch
Adobe Creative Suite
Principle
Framer
Blender
πŸ’»

Development

React
TypeScript
Next.js
CSS/SCSS
Three.js
Git
πŸ”¬

Methods

Design Systems
User Research
Prototyping
A/B Testing
Workshop Facilitation
🌍

Languages

Japanese (Native)
English (Fluent)
Korean (Conversational)
Spanish (Basic)

Hello✨

β˜•

Coffee Connoisseur

Visited 247 coffee shops across 12 countries. Current favorite: Blue Bottle in Shibuya.

🎡

Ambient Music Producer

Released 3 albums on Spotify under "Midnight Sketches". 50k+ monthly listeners.

🚲

Tokyo Explorer

Cycled every single ward in Tokyo. Discovered 23 hidden ramen shops in the process.

✏️

Daily Sketcher

1,847 consecutive days of sketching. Current streak started January 1st, 2020.

🌱

Plant Parent

Successfully keeping 31 plants alive. Specializing in rare Japanese maples and bonsai.

πŸ“š

Design Book Collector

Own 127 design books. Favorites: "The Design of Everyday Things" and "Atomic Design".

HelloπŸ—“οΈ

2024

Senior Product Designer

Tokyo Design Studio

πŸ“ Tokyo, Japan

Leading design systems and user experience for emerging tech products. Specializing in AR/VR interfaces and sustainable design practices.

πŸ’Ό Work Experience
2023

Creative Director

Freelance

πŸ“ Remote

Founded independent practice focusing on brand identity and digital experiences for startups across Asia-Pacific.

πŸ’Ό Work Experience
2022

Design Lead

Minimal Inc.

πŸ“ Singapore

Built and scaled design team from 2 to 12 people. Shipped award-winning mobile applications used by 2M+ users.

πŸ’Ό Work Experience
2021

UX Designer

Tech Collective

πŸ“ San Francisco

Designed user flows and prototypes for B2B SaaS platforms. Reduced user onboarding time by 60% through research-driven iterations.

πŸ’Ό Work Experience
2020

Master of Design

Tokyo University of Arts

πŸ“ Tokyo, Japan

Thesis on "Digital Minimalism in Japanese Aesthetic Principles". Graduated magna cum laude with focus on interaction design.

πŸŽ“ Education