One of the great things about falling down the rabbit hole of the internet, is that you can find another world at the other end. In this case, an illustrated world. On one of my recent trips through the internet, I came across the colorful site of the Tokyo Illustrators Society. Their new page archives the work of some of Japan’s finest talent (and provides a somewhat addictive gallery of inspirational material). This was where I found the work of Kondo Yoshie, and her charming illustrated city guides.

I love the idea of having my very own, custom-made, illustrated guide. It makes the act of discovering a new city more personal. Japanese artist Kondo Yoshie turned simple black notebooks into secret tour guides with her beautiful, detailed illustrations. Her project includes small countries like Austria and Belgium, as well as big cities like New York. Be sure to also check out her website: an original source of design inspiration in and of itself.