Of late I’ve been posting photos of old and dilapidated markets from other regions of Japan. Locations that in some respects are quite shocking in their semi-dereliction, and yet at the same time, the combination of a shrinking population and urbanisation makes such sights wholly understandable. In fact, it’s probably fair to say that away from the country’s main cities and tourist spots, such scenery is increasingly becoming the norm.
Far more unexpected, on the other hand, is to see similar scenes in Tokyo, and while certainly a lot rarer, they aren’t all that uncommon either. The mostly shuttered shopping centre below being one such example.
Recently I mentioned that a key aspect of my photography is returning to places I like to try and build up a series of photos. In that way I can try and tell some kind of story, or at the very least produce a more representative set of images. Something I’ve tried to do in this area, with the most recent visit being last week, and the first back in 2020.
Needless to say there have been some changes over the years. The shutters were painted a while ago to try and brighten things up a bit, and perhaps not surprisingly, one or two more businesses have closed down. Also, the government housing buildings that are a part of the shopping complex, and completely surround it, are, just like the stores, becoming increasingly unoccupied. A sort of vicious circle that will presumably see the whole area demolished at some point. For now though, it remains the kind of urban landscape almost never associated with the capital.