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Fruits of my labour! Artist's amazingly intricate carvings on fruit and veg

This Japanese chef has spent years teaching himself how to make incredible carvings out of fruit and vegetables.

Takehiro Kishimoto, 38, has been perfecting his intricate designs for the last five years, using just food items and a single knife.

Pictures show detailed tessellating patterns where different shapes interlock with each other.

These cutting edge patterns have been carved into a stem of broccoli and the flesh of avocados.

One image shows the skin of a pomelo – a large yellow citrus fruit – transformed into hundreds of tiny leaves.

The art of carving fruit and vegetables is an ancient tradition in Japan, known as Mukimono.

Father-of-two Takehiro was inspired to learn the art form after seeing it on TV, and started practising in his spare time.

He said: “The ideas for many of my designs come from traditional Japanese patterns.

“I enjoy doing it because, as a chef, I find it extremely pleasing to create beautiful objects from food.

“People also find it entertaining, which I think is important.”

Takehiro, from Kobe, said the carvings took him anything from 30 minutes to three hours, depending on the size of the object.

As well as his geometric designs, some of his sculptures take on floral forms.

Photographs, which he posts on his Instagram account, show radishes, carrots, and kiwis all turned into delicate rose-like shapes.

Takehiro said: “I always eat the food after I finish each sculpture.

“I value the things I make for their visual beauty, but also appreciate them as food.

“I don’t want them to go to waste either.”