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Photography

Jul 01 2022 8 Comments

A very urban Tokyo game of golf

During Japan’s bubble years, golf was the game in regards business and prestige. Deals were done on the course, and club membership was a status symbol — the cost of which could be truly astronomical. Of course at the time it was simply an economic miracle and not a bubble. Then all of a sudden it was a bubble, and the value of club membership collapsed, resulting in many golf clubs going out of business.

Since then the sport has struggled on, but coronavirus has unexpectedly resulted in fresh interest, both on the course and at driving ranges. A shift in attitudes towards leisure time, and golf’s relative safety during a pandemic seemingly the key factors.

That said, it’s still far from cheap, and players need to both book and travel to get a game. Alternatively, an hour or so at the driving range may suit some, but for those looking for a bit of competition and a chance to improve their putting, a day under the motorway might well be the best bet.

urban Tokyo golf

urban Tokyo golf

urban Tokyo golf

urban Tokyo golf

Categorized: Photography

Jun 28 2022 20 Comments

Tokyo summer and spring urban pinks

Tokyo summer and spring urban pinks

Categorized: Fashion, Photography

Jun 24 2022 15 Comments

An overgrown and crumbling old Tokyo hotel

Fairly recently, I documented one of Tokyo’s many old and rundown hotels. Like all such properties, they are bookable by anyone, but in reality they mostly cater to the city’s poor who sadly don’t have the means, or indeed the necessary documentation, to get better and considerably more secure accommodation.

The building below is one such place, and it has intrigued me for the longest time due to its truly unique appearance. In winter, it’s possible to see just how worse for wear it really is, but from spring onwards it almost completely disappears beneath the leaves of trees that now seem to be an integral part of the structure.

Whether it was still a functioning business, on the other hand, was always impossible to discern. It remained listed as open with rooms priced at ¥1,700 per night, which is quite a bit cheaper than the area’s going rate of ¥2,200. That said, there has never been any displayed information whatsoever, and apart from someone once going in and out when doing some electrical work, I’d never seen any signs of life beyond the botanical. Then, when recently photographing the freshly grown greenery, I got an answer. It is actually occupied, and by several people at the very least.

An overgrown and crumbling old Tokyo hotel

An overgrown and crumbling old Tokyo hotel

An overgrown and crumbling old Tokyo hotel

An overgrown and crumbling old Tokyo hotel

An overgrown and crumbling old Tokyo hotel

An overgrown and crumbling old Tokyo hotel

Categorized: Photography

Jun 21 2022 12 Comments

Tokyo dingy alleyway fruit and vegetables

When looking for some photos the other day, I found this old shot of a distinctly grungy looking Tokyo fruit and vegetable shop. It’s a business that always fascinated me. Partly because of how it looked, and partly due to its location in a dark and dingy Shibuya alleyway.

But that was then and this is now and sadly it doesn’t exist anymore, so seeing the photo again brought back how truly out of place it always seemed. Almost everything was wrapped in plastic too, which is unusual for such a small shop. However, when passing by one evening, that aspect at least suddenly made sense, as I saw the owner frantically trying to shoo away a couple of rats that were clearly not going to give up on a fresh fruit buffet without a fight.

Tokyo dingy alleyway fruit and vegetables

Categorized: Food and Drink, Photography

Jun 17 2022 12 Comments

Tokyo underpass parasol blues

I’ve posted a photo of this spot before, but with the sun’s intensity rapidly rising, it seemed like the perfect time to head back and hope that the right person with a parasol would walk by.

Tokyo underpass parasol blues

Categorized: Photography

Jun 10 2022 17 Comments

An amazingly decayed Coca-Cola vending machine

Last year I posted a set of old and no longer functioning Japanese vending machines. From booze, cigarettes and even batteries, those one time dispensers now stand empty and unused — their former necessity usurped by convenience stores and a rapidly changing culture.

Some of those machines I still have a real soft spot for. They look incredible, plus they also have an impossible to describe character. I even went as far as saying they possess a quiet dignity of sorts, which despite sounding a bit far-fetched isn’t all that difficult to imagine.

Since then I’ve been lucky enough to find several more, but the one below deserves a post all of its own. Design-wise it’s not all that different to its more modern cousins, but the decay and rust stains really set it apart. Now whether any of that means it has dignity or not I don’t know, but what isn’t up for debate is how truly unique it looks.

a decayed Japanese Coca-Cola vending machine

a decayed Japanese Coca-Cola vending machine

a decayed Japanese Coca-Cola vending machine

Categorized: Food and Drink, Photography

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