Running Art

In late 2010 I found myself struggling to complete the long training runs needed for the upcoming Tokyo Marathon. I found running long distances by myself quite boring, and also, being a productivity freak, I felt frustrated at not being able to get anything else done whilst running.

It was then that I came up with the idea to use a GPS app on my iPhone to draw a picture, using the streets as my canvas. By doing so, my runs were instantly transformed from merely being a matter of training my legs to keep moving for a long time, into a form of art. I was hooked!

However, I never saw it as anything other than a way to entertain myself during long runs.
I certainly didn’t see it becoming the core of a number of collaborative projects with major companies such as Nike & J-Wave radio, or the subject of a series of TV shows for national networks such as NHK, NTV, Fuji TV, and international networks such as Discovery Channel.

Find out more about my Running Art adventures through the posts below.

Nazca Lines Found in Tokyo?

Nazca Lines Found in Tokyo?

The 2016 Tokyo Marathon (my 8th Tokyo Marathon, and 7th full Marathon) was the first for which I actually managed to train properly. When I say train properly, I mean spend about 4 months running several times a week, gradually building up to marathon distance. Why? I...

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TV: Collaboration with NTV for Running Art Series

TV: Collaboration with NTV for Running Art Series

Earlier this year we joined forces with Nippon TV and Hiroshima TV, to make a three-part series focused on Running Art - "Chikyu Mapping” (literally 'Globe Mapping'). For the first episode, we headed on down to Hiroshima, where me met up with Haruna Ai-san (a well...

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TV: Tokyo Kurasso! Joseph Tame on MXTV

TV: Tokyo Kurasso! Joseph Tame on MXTV

Earlier this year I was invited to appear on Tokyo MXTV’s Tokyo Kurasso! (‘Let’s live in Tokyo’), to talk about my Running Art, and the Tokyo Marathon project. This was the first time to appear without my wind-turbine-hat-of-power, but despite that it all went well.

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NHK World: Featured Tokyo Artist

NHK World: Featured Tokyo Artist

Back in September 2014 I was contacted by NHK World regarding a couple of programs that they were planning focused on Tokyo-based foreign artists. Broadcast worldwide on Satellite TV, online, via their mobile apps, the program, Tokyo Eye, introduces various aspects of...

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TV: Art of Running Introduced on NHK Education

TV: Art of Running Introduced on NHK Education

If you start seeing little children running the streets of Japan whilst carefully checking their routes using a GPS tracker, it'll be thanks to NHK's morning kids show 'Shakiin' which today had a section all about funny ways of running. Featured alongside a backwards...

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The Art of Running: Ishinomaki

The Art of Running: Ishinomaki

One of the most memorable Art of Running projects I have done to date took place about 9 months after the devastating March 11th Earthquake and Tsunami.

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Art of Running: 16KM Tokyo Sky Tree

Art of Running: 16KM Tokyo Sky Tree

This morning I ran the new symbol of the city – Tokyo Sky Tree. At 634m it’s the tallest tower in the world, and the second tallest structure in the world今朝、東京の新しいランドマーク「東京スカイツリー」をGPSで書きました。本物のスカイツリー付近から開始して、5キロ以上南方面に走った

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PROJECT CATEGORIES

Joseph Tame's Tokyo Marathon Project

TOKYO MARATHON

Nike's Run Like Me campaign to launch Lunderglide 4

NIKE CAMPAIGN

Joseph Tame's Running Art Project

RUNNING ART

Joseph Tame's Wearable Wonders

WEARABLE DEVICES

Joseph Tame's Christmas Tree Project

CHRISTMAS TREE

Joseph Tame on TV

ON TV


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