Marvel at these miniature worlds made out of masks and toilet paper

Tom Maxwell Aug. 30, 2020 Design Tanaka Tatsuya repurposes COVID-19 staples in tiny, creative scenes that depict the fun and adventure we're all missing right now. Tatsuya Tanaka

Tatsuya Tanaka has been constructing miniature worlds for years, using everyday objects in combination with tiny figurines to create intricate, adventurous scenes that he shares online. Tatsuya Tanaka

The coronavirus has, of course, made face masks much more commonplace than ever before. Tanaka finds incredibly creative ways to make new environments out of these and other COVID-19-related items. Tatsuya Tanaka

Nintendo's Switch, and gaming consoles in general, have been in high demand as a way to relieve boredom in isolation. Here a Switch was repurposed as the basis for a swimming pool scene. Tatsuya Tanaka

The irony is that some of the scenes use items newly associated with isolation to evoke fond memories of outdoor adventures with others, which today largely aren't kosher under emergency orders preventing public gatherings. Tatsuya Tanaka

You might forget now, but early on in the pandemic, there was an unnecessary rush on toilet paper when everyone briefly feared the world would fall into anarchy. It seems quaint now, really. Tatsuya Tanaka

Even when you can go places, social distancing requirements mean you have to enjoy others' company from afar. But it's better than nothing — and keeps everyone safe. Tatsuya Tanaka

Tanaka has, astoundingly, managed to create one of these miniature worlds every day since April 2011. He shares them all on Instagram , where he's amassed over 2.6 million followers. We'll never look at toilet paper the same way again. Tatsuya Tanaka

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