Tokyo Times

There’s definitely something special about old Tokyo laundrettes. Their soapy smell is certainly a factor, but more than that it’s their wonderfully dated signs and retro details. Elements that hark back to a different time. An era that nowadays at least seems simpler and slower, making it easy to imagine the conversations that were had in such spaces. Also the books read rather than screens scrolled.

All of which is more than likely a rather romanticised ideal, but either way, these old and surprisingly resilient businesses are almost always interesting, so this is a selection from over the years, with all of them taken in Tokyo except the last one. A lovely little place that I simply couldn’t leave out.

There are lots of dilapidated structures on these pages, from dated markets to once busy drinking streets, but due to its location and truly tumbledown nature, this old corner building is without a doubt really quite extraordinary.

A lot of my time is spent in Tokyo’s older, eastern districts, but I also like to wander areas more towards the west, and especially Shinjuku and its environs — a part of the city I’ve been photographing for years. These then are images taken on a couple of recent meanders in and around those neighbourhoods.

Tucked away near a dated shopping street, this small block of houses was a traditional oasis of colour and old school charm. There was also its narrow, stone paved pathway, which was an incredibly appealing little extra.

However, just like so many other spots, its time was always limited, and as more of the properties emptied, the more likely demolition became. And when it did eventually happen, the end was swift and stark, leaving behind an empty plot with no lasting remnants of the lives lived there whatsoever.