This Zipper Boat “Unzips” The Sumida River In Tokyo

Dec 17, 2020

Japanese sculptor and installation artist Yasuhiro Suzuki created this 9 meter-long “Zip-Fastener Ship” to “unzip” Tokyo’s Sumida River. From MyModernMet:

Suzuki—who is known for drawing inspiration from everyday objects—first got the idea for the unusual ship design when looking down on Tokyo Bay from an airplane window. He observed ships zipping across the water below, and thought about how they looked as though they were splitting apart the water (just like a zipper splits apart a jacket). He decided to take his vision further by creating a 9-meter-long ship in the shape of a jacket zipper.

Featuring a chrome-colored body, bridge, and puller (the three parts that make up a real zip), the Zip-Fastener Ship looks just like its tiny counterpart. The Sumida River was traditionally the border between the ancient provinces of Musashi and Shimousa, so the zipper ship is a visual reminder of the divide.