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Jun 26 2008 13 Comments

Japanese hospital haikyo (part 2)

In part 1 (go here for a gander), the lower floors of Keishin Hospital’s abandoned shell offered little apart from dereliction and destruction, but higher up, the building’s wall-cum-canvases are a genuine goldmine of graffiti,

Japanese haikyo graffiti

with a varied collection of characters peering out from the plaster,

Japanese haikyo graffiti

and at the same time presenting little in the way of privacy.

Japanese haikyo graffiti

However, this focus on the human form,

Japanese haikyo graffiti

soon turns to more faithful reproductions, with faces,

Japanese haikyo graffiti

and especially foreign ones,

Japanese haikyo graffiti

being most favoured.

Japanese haikyo graffiti

Plus, the female figure in particular,

Japanese haikyo graffiti

is a firm favourite.

Japanese haikyo graffiti

Although despite seeing a different drawing at each turn, the biggest surprise of the whole hospital haikyo was the appearance of some rather more real faces.

Japanese haikyo graffiti

(click images for grander-sized graffiti)

*Huge thanks to Mike in Japan for kindly supplying a map to the hospital, and, needless to say, his own hike round the ruin is well worth a look.

Categorized: Haikyo, Photography

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Michael Grist says

    6/26/2008 at 6:15 pm

    That’s quite a gang of school-kids. I wonder what they’re doing there in school uniform on a Sunday- you went on Sunday right?

    Looks like the graffiti has changed a fair bit since I was there- a lot more half-naked women now. Cheers for the link back.

    Reply
  2. Lee says

    6/26/2008 at 6:43 pm

    Yeah, it was Sunday I was there Michael.

    I’m guessing the uniforms were just a cover for their far from education-based activities, as they really didn’t seem the studious types.

    Unfortunately they surprised me so much, as I had know idea they were there until I reached the top of the stairs, that I didn’t have my camera set up right. Hence the rather poor shot.

    Going back and asking for more pics didn’t seem like the right thing to do!

    Reply
  3. Bunny says

    6/26/2008 at 6:50 pm

    I love your new pad, Lee! I had no idea that you had such a large number of offspring.

    They certainly don’t look like medical students… Ooh, what shenanigans the youth of today get up to. Chills the backbone, when you see a bunch of kids displaying individuality and smiles. In England, they would have stabbed you… multiple times!!!

    Reply
  4. claytonian says

    6/26/2008 at 10:52 pm

    I doubt they are displaying much individuality.

    Hope to go there someday myself!

    Reply
  5. Paul says

    6/27/2008 at 12:21 am

    Awesome stuff. Some accomplised artwork there as well, especially the first one.

    Though I have to echo the sentiment above about British kids. They’d have been sniffing paint or doing something worse.

    Teenagers wandering about in an abandoned hospital. How very Scooby Doo.

    Reply
  6. Neil Duckett says

    6/27/2008 at 6:44 am

    Some real artists there …. and hows some of the girls in the last pic!

    Reply
  7. Fuzzims says

    6/27/2008 at 9:22 am

    Nice pics.. the arts is very quality

    One question though the kid on the far left is he smoking with a face mask around his nexk?

    Reply
  8. Lee says

    6/27/2008 at 9:58 am

    Yeah, Fuzzims, smoking with a face mask is the new cool!

    Reply
  9. Kelliente says

    6/27/2008 at 12:40 pm

    Oh…. So that’s where all the good graffiti was hiding.

    Reply
  10. Angel H. says

    7/1/2008 at 2:45 am

    The whole building has been turned into a wonderful work of art! Vivid, stylized paintings on the crumbling walls and shadowy walkways – just gorgeous!

    ~~Chills the backbone, when you see a bunch of kids displaying individuality and smiles.~~

    Yep, they’re oh-so special and unique.

    Just like everyone else.

    Reply
  11. gb says

    7/3/2008 at 7:51 am

    those girls are kinda cute! should have taken more pics and asked what their story was. would have been interesting.

    Reply
  12. Jason says

    8/2/2008 at 12:30 am

    Nice, very colorful shots of the graffiti. Good thing the school kids did startle you so much that you dropped your camera!

    I went on another haikyo adventure with the same Michael earlier in the year in Gunma to three different spots:

    http://jasoncollin.org/2008/08/01/gunma-japan-haikyo-urban-exploring/

    Reply

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