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Sep 26 2018 24 Comments

The stark, unconventional beauty of Japan’s northern coastline

Japan has more than its fair share of stunning scenery, but personally, it’s the less conventionally striking sights that appeal the most. Tokyo’s faded and crumbling urban structures for example, or the countryside’s many abandoned homes and buildings.

With this in mind then, the nation’s northernmost coastline between Wakkanai and Cape Soya made for a wonderful half day of photography and exploration. Scenes that most definitely won’t make the guidebooks, but for me at least they possess a sort of forlorn beauty all of their own.

the harsh beauty of Japan's northernmost coastline

the harsh beauty of Japan's northernmost coastline

the harsh beauty of Japan's northernmost coastline

the harsh beauty of Japan's northernmost coastline

the harsh beauty of Japan's northernmost coastline

the harsh beauty of Japan's northernmost coastline

the harsh beauty of Japan's northernmost coastline

the harsh beauty of Japan's northernmost coastline

the harsh beauty of Japan's northernmost coastline

the harsh beauty of Japan's northernmost coastline

the harsh beauty of Japan's northernmost coastline

the harsh beauty of Japan's northernmost coastline

the harsh beauty of Japan's northernmost coastline

the harsh beauty of Japan's northernmost coastline

the harsh beauty of Japan's northernmost coastline

the harsh beauty of Japan's northernmost coastline

Categorized: Photography

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Ron says

    9/26/2018 at 10:03 am

    Wow! Nice. In certain ways, it reminds me of Southern Saskatchewan. I really liked the last picture with the old lady right next to the kiwi vine.

    Reply
    • Lee says

      9/26/2018 at 9:02 pm

      Thanks. It was an interesting few hours. The old lady was funny. She gave my mate a real dirty look as he walked past, but thankfully didn’t notice me at all!

      Reply
  2. Daniella says

    9/26/2018 at 10:48 am

    To be frank I’d always choose the more conventional image of beauty, but I totally understand where you are coming from. I also really appreciate this *other side* of Japan you always show us. To me I feel it makes Japan more relatable.

    Reply
    • Lee says

      9/26/2018 at 9:03 pm

      I can understand that. Definitely not for everyone. There are so many genuinely beautiful places to see out there too.

      And thanks, that’s very nice to hear.

      Reply
  3. cdilla says

    9/26/2018 at 4:09 pm

    An amazing collection of photographs. Some interesting colour matching too with the sky and roof blues, and that blue and white coach. The deer look custom camoflaged to blend in against the rust, showing how nature tends towards certain colours I guess rather than evolution.
    The sinister/sad element though, comes not from the beautiful and intricate way the artifacts of humans just melt away when left untended, but the noose in the window of the blue-roofed shack. I don’t think I want to know the stoy behind that. Hopefully it’s of some kind of fishing/farming origin.

    Reply
    • Lee says

      9/26/2018 at 9:06 pm

      Thank you. Yeah, the colours were wonderful that morning. Clouded over in the early afternoon, so got the timing just right for once.

      You know, I hadn’t even noticed that. Now, of course, I can’t not see it. But yes, let’s hope it’s for something entirely innocent…

      Reply
      • spanish fan says

        10/1/2018 at 7:31 am

        Wow, that noose.

        Great set, and great last weeks, you have now a unique style, serendipity just cements it!

        Lastly, a suggestion for another project in your portfolio: start one with that “Tokio reflections” fabulous photo.

        Reply
        • Lee says

          10/1/2018 at 8:06 pm

          Yes, that really does make the photo very different from the one I thought I took…

          Thank you very much!

          And yeah, I’d really like to do something like that. Very pleased with the way that reflections shot came out. But sadly those chances don’t come round so often.

          Reply
  4. GenjiG says

    9/26/2018 at 10:18 pm

    This is my kind of gorgeous ^^ Lovely pictures that show an unknown part of Japan, being the declining economic power that it is.

    I will visit Hokkaido (and Wakkanai) myself next year so hopefully I see some of this mixed with the well known touristy highlight!

    Reply
    • Lee says

      9/27/2018 at 9:48 am

      Thanks, and good to know it’s not just me who thinks that way!

      Oh, excellent. It’s a wonderful part of the country — somewhere I like more every time I visit. With its Russian influence, famous landmarks and rough around the edges feel, Wakkanai is very interesting to say the least.

      Reply
  5. WizardOfOss says

    9/27/2018 at 4:44 am

    The beauty of decay. Wonderful.

    I’m planning to visit Wakkanai in February next year, everything will probably look a bit less colourful then 🙂

    Reply
    • Lee says

      9/27/2018 at 9:51 am

      Cheers. Beauty for sure.

      It will. Be a very different place that time of year. From photos I’ve seen, it’ll be absolutely stunning.

      Reply
  6. qqwest says

    9/27/2018 at 10:10 am

    beautiful! as other has commented it’s the power of decay and rust. make me feel the long time (maybe not very long) that has passed throught there, on the bus, on the house, in the field. And people are still living in those well-shaped houses just next to these. They don’t bother to tear the old ones down.

    Reply
    • Lee says

      9/27/2018 at 5:08 pm

      Thank you! Yes, it’s hard to describe exactly, but it’s definitely the feelings such sights evoke, not just the scenery itself. The cycle of life in many ways I suppose.

      Yeah, nice, new houses next to ones that have completely collapsed, or in the case of many, are about to. Cost I imagine. If nobody is going to use the land, then why go through the expense of clearing everything?

      Reply
  7. Ex-expat says

    9/27/2018 at 11:01 am

    Hmmmm, seems a bit out of place. Reminds me more of photographs taken of the islands seized by the Soviet union at the end of WW2. From these photographs the Soviet/Russian “stewardship” of these islands has been lamentable.

    Reply
    • Lee says

      9/27/2018 at 5:00 pm

      Ah, ok. Interesting. That’s something I need to learn more about. Coincidentally, there is a real Russia connection in Wakkanai, as there used to be a lot of trade in the area. Signs in Russian are everywhere, which took some getting used to.

      The scenes above, however, aren’t that unusual. Well, perhaps the extent of the decay is — the severity of the winter up there is no doubt a big factor in that. But away from the big cities, such decline and abandonment is surprisingly common. Something that’s only going to increase as the population continues to both age and decline.

      Reply
      • Former expat says

        9/27/2018 at 8:58 pm

        Your last point is on the mark. It was in the early ’90’s when we drove around Hokkaido (didn’t get to Wakkanai) , so if we did the same now, things might indeed look different. There are occasional trips to some of the Russian-snatched island near Hokkaido, but if memory serves, they are limited to people who used to call it home, or perhaps descendants, for the purpose of visiting ancestral graves.

        Reply
        • Lee says

          9/28/2018 at 7:46 am

          Yeah, I’ve seen a fair bit of Hokkaido now, and there are lots of scenes similar to these. Sadly not surprising when you take into consideration issues regarding work, population and urbanisation. The population decline in some areas is absolutely staggering.

          Been doing a bit of reading on those islands, and for an issue that’s gone on for so long, it shows no sign of reaching any kind of compromise, let alone any kind of real resolution…

          Reply
  8. Mirudake says

    9/29/2018 at 4:34 pm

    Nice pics! Out of curiosity what has you at Japan’s northern coast?

    Reply
    • Lee says

      9/30/2018 at 10:38 am

      Thanks! It was a short trip with a mate. A journey and exploration using that part of the country’s incredibly infrequent, wonderfully relaxing local trains. And Wakkanai was the end point — both of the line, and Japan!

      Reply
      • Mirudake says

        10/1/2018 at 12:49 pm

        Haha. I wonder how many here will get that pun.

        Reply
  9. LAObserver says

    10/3/2018 at 12:57 pm

    Another nice set of photos Lee.

    I have a certain fascination with old petrol stations. They were all so necessary in their day, but like everything else just as disposable when no longer in demand.

    Reply
    • Lee says

      10/3/2018 at 10:29 pm

      Thanks a lot.

      Yeah, that’s very true. Not seen that many to be honest, but this one really appealed. Especially those incredibly deteriorated pumps.

      Reply
  10. Adi misda says

    1/21/2019 at 2:08 pm

    Wow amazing, i would like to see another face of japan like these, far cry from promoted places on the ads. Do you have any recomendation of slum areas or abandoned villages near from tokyo? And is it okey to take picture of strangers in japan?

    Reply

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