This year, 2025, marks Renesas' 15th anniversary, a significant milestone in its journey. Renesas Electronics Corporation began operations in 2010, consolidating several of Japan's major semiconductor businesses. Over the past 15 years, Renesas has actively transformed its business through strategic changes to its corporate structure, investments in its product and technology innovation, and through its expansion to encompass a globally diverse workforce. This pursuit of transformation has helped the company succeed in a fiercely competitive global semiconductor industry. To visually express this journey and share our vision for the future with all employees, we launched a mural project that transforms our office walls into a canvas.
What makes this initiative truly special is the decision to entrust the mural creation to student artists. We saw a shared spirit between Renesas, which continues to take on global challenges, and the art students who are working hard to refine their craft and express their vision for the future. The "Renesas × Rising Artist Program" drew 32 applicants from 16 art universities across Japan. Two students were selected to create large-scale murals at Renesas' Toyosu and Musashi offices. Each was completed in just four days.
We're pleased to share the creative journey of the two student artists, their thoughts, unique styles, and how they brought their murals to life.
Toyosu Office Mural
Ms. Kotori Nakamura
4th year student, Oil Painting Course, Department of Fine Arts, Faculty of Art, Kyoto Seika University
At the Toyosu office, Kotori Ms. Kotori Nakamura took on the challenge of creating a mural in the guest area. Standing before a blank wall on the first day, she described feeling both nervous and excited, calling it "a big challenge" and hoping to "create something I can be proud of" through trial and error.
Ms. Kotori Nakamura used her signature technique called "Kagetori" (shadow tracing), where she captures shadows of plants and urban structures on paper, traces them with pencil, and then layers and colors the resulting stencils to build her composition.
The mural came to life as she carefully applied color directly over a massive 2 x 6-meter stencil affixed to the wall, transforming the space with each stroke.
She found the roller brush surprisingly difficult to master. "It looks beginner-friendly, but it's actually very delicate. Even a slight lapse in focus affects the layering of colors. I had to stay fully concentrated the entire time," she explained.
Throughout the process, employees stopped by to offer words of encouragement, and Ms. Kotori Nakamura began to reflect on the meaning of creating art in a workplace. Seeing the faces of those who work in the Toyosu office and sharing meals with some of the employees helped her realize, "I'm creating this for them."
After completing the mural, she shared her thoughts. "We often think we're seeing the world clearly, but in truth, much remains unseen. Just like semiconductors, hidden heroes, my work aims to express what's visible yet overlooked. I hope this mural offers a moment of reflection during difficult times. Also, creating for others has brought me a deep sense of fulfillment. I want to continue making art that connects with society."
Musashi Office Mural
Mr. Ujitoshi Akasa
4th year student, Department of Graphic Design, Faculty of Art and Design, Tama Art University
At the Musashi office, Mr. Ujitoshi Akasa created a mural inspired by the Edo-period picture scroll "Kidai Shōran" and depicts society supported by semiconductor technology and human connections in a futuristic cityscape.
Before starting, he expressed excitement about the scale of the project, saying, "It's my first time working on something this big, and I'm absolutely thrilled. I want to give my absolute best effort with all the ability I have."
His mural is filled with thoughtful details and creative experimentation. In one section, he incorporated semiconductor patterns using his own hand-crafted silkscreen technique. At the foundation of the composition, he placed Renesas' purpose, "To Make Our Lives Easier," as a central message anchoring the entire piece.
As a new creative challenge, he also experimented with using gravel as a material in the mural. It was his first time applying gravel directly to a wall, and he recalls it being far more difficult than working with panels laid flat on the ground. "In our daily lives, gravel is something we walk on without much thought," he explains. "But in this mural, it represents semiconductors, unseen, yet essential elements that support society."
He was encouraged by the reactions of employees who passed by and commented on the work. Some even stopped to say, "That's amazing!" "It was the first time so many people were involved in my art. I'm grateful for the experience," he said.
The mural was placed at the main entrance, where employees see it every morning. Mr. Ujitoshi Akasa wanted the artwork to inspire positivity, so he included gerbera flowers in each corner, symbols of hope, positivity, and progress. He explained, "I wanted the message of the flowers to align with the mural and leave a positive impression on those who see it."
Mr. Ujitoshi Akasa had previously worked on pieces no larger than B1, approximately the size of a poster, making this his first time tackling a mural of this scale.
Faced with such a large canvas, he focused on how to fill the space meaningfully, choosing to embrace bold use of negative space as a key part of his composition.
Reflecting on the experience, he said, "I learned a lot about how semiconductors function in society and how to translate that into visual expression. I want to create more opportunities like this and work with more people to make meaningful art. If this mural can help someone feel a little more hopeful or give them a moment to pause and reflect, I will be happy."
*Please note that Mr. Ujitoshi Akasa worked on this mural in collaboration with friends, so some of them are featured in the photos below.
This mural project has been shared not only with employees at the Toyosu and Musashi offices, but also with Renesas' global workforce of approximately 22,000 people through our company intranet. The creative process and the thoughts of Ms. Kotori Nakamura and Mr. Ujitoshi Akasa have resonated across borders, sparking heartfelt responses from around the world. Messages such as "Beautiful work," "I'm inspired by the imagination and care you put into this work," and "I couldn't see the mural in person, but I truly enjoyed watching the process. It's a wonderful piece," have poured in from Renesas employees across the globe.
We hope this mural project brings a sense of color, positivity, and renewed energy to our employees everywhere.
Heartfelt thanks to Ms. Kotori Nakamura and Mr. Ujitoshi Akasa for their incredible and inspiring work.