Ben The City Explorer

PARIS TOKYO pixel art cat Rue Sainte Anne

The "PARIS TOKYO" pixel art cat on Rue Sainte-Anne is a colorful mosaic created by the French street artist Invader, who is famous for placing pixel-inspired artworks on walls in cities around the world. Unlike many of his mosaics based on classic video game characters, this one features a white cat with a red collar and a raised paw beside the words "PARIS TOKYO." The artwork is located in the heart of Rue Sainte-Anne, a street widely known as Paris' Japanese district. For decades, this neighborhood has been home to authentic Japanese restaurants, cafés, shops, and cultural businesses. The cat is inspired by the traditional Japanese maneki-neko, or "beckoning cat," a symbol believed to attract good luck, happiness, and prosperity. By creating it in his signature pixel-art style, Invader combines Japanese tradition with the nostalgic look of early video games. Today, the mosaic has become a small landmark for visitors exploring the neighborhood. Many people stop to photograph it while discovering Rue Sainte-Anne's unique atmosphere, and fans of Invader even search for it using the artist's FlashInvaders app, which lets users collect his artworks around the world. Although it's relatively small, this pixel art perfectly represents the blend of Japanese culture, contemporary street art, and Parisian city life, making it one of the most charming hidden artistic gems in the French capital. Ishikari Lore by Kevin MacLeod is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 license. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ #pixelart #parisart #tokyo