Erika Salmon - Illustrator in Tokyo

Erika Salmon

I'm an illustrator in Tokyo, Japan

Available for contracts

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I speak English, Japanese, and French

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My activity

About me

I am an illustrator and allergen-free sweets-baker.

Born and raised in America, I moved to my mother's Japan as an adult 3 years ago. Now I serve roasted green tea sweets in a hundred-year old Japanese tea shop. Someday I dream of making a space where books, sweets, music, and faith come together.

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My Creations

  1. Food Allergy Infographic

    12 November 2019
    Food Allergy Infographic

    I got to write a blog article for Tokyo Room Finder Blog about how to enjoy good food in Japan despite having multiple food allergies. They requested that I turn my written list of allergens into an Infographic–voilà, this was the result.

    Blog title: "Quick Guide: How to deal with... continue reading (0, 1 image)

  2. Golden Amazake Cornbread

    8 November 2019
    Golden Amazake Cornbread

    Cornbread is American soul food, but it is a rare find in Tokyo. Even rarer is gluten-free, dairy-free, egg-free, AND 100% sugar-free cornbread. Although multiple food allergies keep me from indulging in store-bought baked goods, my limitations have taught me to experiment in my own kitchen with alternative ingredients, and... continue reading (0, 1 image)

  3. La Récolte: Harvest Time

    25 November 2019
    La Récolte: Harvest Time

    These fall flowers are crispy on the outside, もっちり on the inside, and totally allergen-free using only oats, gluten-free flour, ground flax seeds, salt, and water.

    Private message me if you'd like the recipe!

  4. Introducing どんどん the Donkey

    5 December 2019
    Introducing どんどん the Donkey

    I want you to meet どんどん (don-don) the curious and colorful Donkey! どんどんくんは何でもどんどんやって行きたいロバです。If you are bilingual, you may get the wordplay. If not, you can still enjoy his cute, curious, carefree look.

    I drew this greeting card for a co-worker who was transferring to a new job.

  5. Regular Customers - ほあん

    17 December 2019
    Regular Customers - ほあん

    One in a series of sketches I've made of my cafe's regular customers. A fun personal project.

    ほあん (ho-an) is cafe lingo for ほうじ茶あんみつ (houjicha anmitsu).

  6. どんどん Study #1

    8 January 2020
    どんどん Study #1

    Playing with color and themes for this cute, clumsy, but always curious little fellow.

  7. Shiratama Snowballs

    23 December 2019
    Shiratama Snowballs

    It's too warm for a white Christmas in Tokyo, but why not make it snow in your kitchen?
    All you need is amazake and shiratama powder to make plump, chewy, subtly sweet shiratama snowballs! The best part: they're allergen free!

    #nosugar #nohoney #allergenfree #wagashi

  8. Food Puns - Souda!

    2 March 2020
    Food Puns - Souda!

    Working part-time at a sweets cafe, I sometimes hear funny food puns from my co-workers. This time the image stuck in my brain, so I turned it into a postcard.

  9. All Pickles Were Created Equal

    9 March 2020
    All Pickles Were Created Equal

    Again, the idea behind this illustrated postcard idea came from a conversation with my co-worker. We were discussing how to explain "tsukemono" to foreigners. It wasn't until she said "this is pickles" and I corrected her that I realized in English, every individual pickle is a pickle.

  10. Illustrator Business Card

    21 March 2020
    Illustrator Business Card

    My first attempt at a business card design for my food illustration/menu translation services. I had fun with the colors!

    Next step, figuring out how to put it in a digital format from an iPad in order to get it printed. Any pointers are welcome.

  11. Food Sketches: Avocado

    13 April 2020
    Food Sketches: Avocado

    Drawn with Alice in Wonderland Disney Pen on plain postcard.
    Color filter added on iPad.

    Avocado: delicious as an edible bowl for your rice, as creamy cubes on your salad, or mashed into guacamole.

    How do you eat your avocados?

  12. I Have a Bird in My Pocket

    28 April 2020
    I Have a Bird in My Pocket

    I drew this as a personal favor for a friend.

    What I enjoyed drawing most were the nostrils (cute little concentric circles) and eyes (bright, black, intelligent beads). What I struggled with most was shading. Also, if you are wondering why it has a crease, it's because I put it... continue reading (0, 1 image)