Those who visited Tokyo from October 31 to November 8 could have witnessed something a little unusual—a “Zip-Fastener Ship” trailing through the Sumida River. The impressive ship was part of the outdoor installation in DESIGNART Tokyo 2020 and was titled “Opening the River,” as the ship gives the impression of splitting the water’s surface into two, like a zipper on a jacket. Scroll down below to see the ingenious design!

More info: Instagram

This impressive ship is shaped like a zip fastener

Image credits: mabataki_suzuki

The ship was designed by Japanese artist Yasuhiro Suzuki, who’s known for drawing inspiration from everyday objects. The artist got the idea for the impressively unusual ship design while flying above Tokyo Bay on an airplane. While looking down from the airplane window, he observed ships trailing across the water, which sparked an idea that they look like they’re splitting the water apart—just like zippers split jackets apart. He then turned his vision into reality by creating a 9-meter-long zip-fastener ship.

It is 9 meters long

Image credits: Akio Watanabe, Shuta Hasunuma

And was trailing across the Sumida River in Tokyo this fall

Image credits: sumiyume

The ship was designed by Japanese artist Yasuhiro Suzuki

Image credits: mabataki_suzuki

Who got the idea for the zip-fastener ship as he was flying above Tokyo Bay, observing ships and boats

Image credits: sumiyume

The ship is made up of a chrome-colored body, bridge, and puller—just like a regular zipper. Interestingly enough, the Sumida River where the zip fastener trailed about was the border between the ancient provinces of Musashi and Shimousa. Thus, this large zip-fastener perfectly conveys history and is reminiscent of the historical divide.

The ship is made up of a chrome-colored body, bridge, and puller

Image credits: mabataki_suzuki

Just like its real counterpart

Image credits: mabataki_suzuki

And was featured in DESIGNART Tokyo 2020

Image credits: mabataki_suzuki

“Due to the recent corona storm, the Sumida river has been visited by unprecedented silence on the surface of the water. Suzuki says that it was not until this situation that he noticed the ‘now’ that appeared on the surface of the river,” reads the page for the event of the zip-fastener ship journey. “If you look at the gently flowing Sumida river, you can see the swaying water that changes its shape due to the splash of waves that the ship has set up on the sparkling water surface that reflects the sky. As the fastener ship sails, we will bring out and convey the various expressions of water that lurks around us.”

Here’s what people online had to say about it

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