Japanese tattoo artist Ichi Hatano poses with a "hannya" mask digital image.

Gulf Today Report

Japanese artist from Tokyo 44-year-old Ichi Hatano found a new source of income with the region's first crypto art exhibition held in the Japanese capital city.

The artist's work, which features creatures from Japanese folklore, had gained popularity among international tourists, but took a backseat due to the pandemic and lockdown.

 Hatano speaks during an interview at his studio in Tokyo.

But to his good fortune, the most loved designs will now be available in digital art forms, as non-fungible tokens (NFTs).

The NFT’s that cannot be duplicated became an overnight sensation in a very short span of time.

 Hatano draws a digital image of a "hannya" mask .

The CrypTokyo exhibition features the artist's work along with many others in Tokyo’s Harajuku district.

Hoping to take home a huge sum of money for his artwork, the artist will finally be given his due.