Dunedin has benefited from Covid-19 travel restrictions which turned a planned short New Zealand visit by Mr Aoshima (32) into a much longer stay.
Mr Aoshima, known as Koryu, is excited about completing his first street art work in Dunedin at the weekend, and adding to the city’s wealth of mural art.
This was a private commission by Dunedin gastrointestinal and weight-loss surgeon Mark Grant, focusing on the wall of his Hargest Cres house in St Clair, which was once a church.
"Dunedin has massive street art culture," Koryu said.
The city was "already painted by so many famous artists" and he was happy to contribute.
He had enjoyed the "rare chance" to work on a former church wall, and he had worked steadily since last Tuesday.
This would also be a public art work, and his client had told him “the street art is for everyone".
Born in China and raised in Japan, he earlier worked as a graphic designer in Japan for five years, but then felt "a little bit bored" and first went to Melbourne, Australia, to explore his passion for art.
There he undertook street art and, early last January, contributed to a series of street art tributes to Australian firefighters, which attracted BBC coverage.
After visiting New Zealand early last year, he was caught up in the pandemic lockdown.
He then left crowded accommodation in Wellington to stay with a Japanese childhood friend who was living in Geraldine, where Koryu has created 12 lively street art works.
Koryu recently won a people’s choice award at a street art contest in Bluff, and is keen to do more work in Dunedin.
He enjoyed learning more about New Zealand’s history and its natural world.
"I love to have a chat with locals always."
He also liked painting big murals and to "leave my footprint in many places".
