Peter Brune, 45, is a Web designer and photographer who has been a Japanese resident for 10 years. Born and raised in East Berlin, Brune was a world traveler even before he set foot outside the walls of his home: Absorbed in books and glued to the television and radio, he was constantly crossing borders and exploring faraway corners of the earth, inspired by the stories that flowed freely between both sides of the Iron Curtain. His virtual trips turned real when, in 1987, he flew out of his cocoon of East Berlin and transformed into a globetrotting photojournalist. In 1997, 10 years and 60 countries later, he settled in his favorite spot on earth — Japan. Here, Brune established the piichi design office and turned the computer screen into his canvases. With his sophisticated palette, Peter creates works of arts, easily recognizable by their kakkoii (cool) look and user-friendliness. Luckily, the piichi Web site aesthetic is spreading, replacing banner-infested messy sites with stylish, uncluttered pages, one after the other.

Good manners are the most important thing in the world. That's what's so great about Japan! The Japanese say little but mean a lot. They never want to bother anyone and always put others first.

To see the real picture, always look for the details. When you encounter Tokyo, you think it is chaotic — endless concrete mushrooms on top of each other. But once you see one tiny mushroom locally, it is so lovely. You look at a small house with a grandma and a cat and some little flowers; it is idyllic, peaceful and that's Tokyo for me. I see the macroview as a photographer, but I rest my eyes on the microcosmos.