Photography

I’ve already posted a couple of series from a recent road trip to central Japan. One documenting a quiet town and its long unused public bath, plus another exploring a truly fascinating street lined with abandoned pre-war houses.

This set, however, is slightly different, as it doesn’t have a distinct theme or location. Instead, it’s a collection of scenes and moments that provide a good sense of what I saw and experienced. Brief glimpses of places that are reminiscent of so much of Japan, and yet despite that they still possess a unique atmosphere all their own.

Quite a few of these lovely old machines have appeared on Tokyo Times before, although most are newer photos or re-edits. There are, however, a very welcome number of new finds. Broken and long unused sentinels that still stand proud despite their lack of products.

So here then is my latest set of favourites. A series that all being well I’ll still be able to add to as time goes by.

Faded and long past their population peak old Japanese towns and cities are a common theme on these pages, and in most ways, this central Japan municipality had a similar look and feel with its quiet streets and shuttered shop fronts.

Strikingly, however, there was one key difference — the location’s beautiful and long unused public bath. A facility that was once an integral part of the community until its closure in 1988, meaning that nowadays it’s merely a time capsule of sorts. One that in many ways poignantly encapsulates the town itself, along with all those like it, providing a touching reminder of a different era that is slowly but surely fading away.

Almost two months ago I posted a series of photos featuring a variety of Tokyo citizens in places they lived, worked or spent a good deal of their time. Local, everyday locations that benefited massively from having a person in the frame, and in particular someone familiar with the environment.

These then are more photographs along the same theme. Little vignettes that in so many ways make Tokyo the city it is.