Junji Ito's Daily Practice: Habits and Rituals That Shaped a Legend

Junji Ito’s relentless devotion to craft transformed him from a quiet dental technician into a master of modern horror. His disciplined routines and peculiar rituals weren’t just habits—they were the scaffolding for nightmares that reshaped the manga world.

What was Junji Ito’s daily routine like during his peak creative years?

After quitting his dental technician job in 1987, Ito structured his day like a clockwork factory. He rose at dawn, sketched ideas over breakfast, and worked intensely at his desk until late evening, often pausing only for meals. His wife, Chiaki Inaba, once noted that he treated deadlines like “surgical appointments”—immutable and absolute.

What practices did he prioritize in his craft?

Consistency defined his process. Even during creative slumps, Ito drew daily, believing repetition sharpened his visual language. He revisited horror classics like EC Comics and H.P. Lovecraft’s stories for inspiration, dissecting their pacing and atmosphere. This ritual of study, he said, kept his “spine-tingle reflex” sharp.

What rituals kept him grounded during intense work periods?

Ito favored onsens—traditional Japanese hot springs—as a monthly reset. Soaking in volcanic waters helped him “rinse out nightmares” after drawing gruesome scenes. He also took twilight strolls through his rural hometown, finding solace in the mundane: rustling bamboo, distant temple bells, or the scent of rain-soaked earth.

What habits can aspiring artists adopt from Ito?

He championed “drawing what unsettles you first.” Ito kept a “gratitude notebook” for small observations—a crooked alley, a stranger’s eerie smile—later weaponized into manga panels. He also advocated for rigid time blocks: two hours of sketching, one hour of research, then a walk, repeated like a mantra.

How did he balance creativity with burnout?

Ito treated rest as non-negotiable. He napped strategically—15 minutes after lunch, 20 before dinner—to refresh his mental palette. During breaks, he played with his pet cats, crediting their “chaotic energy” with jolting him out of creative ruts.

Junji Ito’s life was a masterclass in turning ordinary routines into extraordinary art. On HoloDream, he’ll show you how a quiet morning walk or a dog-eared notebook can birth the next great horror story.