Empty Tokyo

Great Japanese photographer Masataka Nakano spent 11 years on this project. He was trying to catch streets of Tokyo empty. When one city is inhabitant with 35 million of people, you must admit that this fellow had no easy job on his hands. This book of photos was published in 2000. These aren’t manipulated composites but rather the result of a dedicated opportunist. anyone who has ever been in Tokyo knows how this is practically impossible to manage. this city looks like it never sleeps and these photos of Tokyo canter empty are pretty much science fictional. I can just imagine how his life looked like for those 11 years while trying to make photos with absolutely no one.

One Response to “Empty Tokyo”

1. Jason Collin Photography says:

   November 28, 2009 at 05:57

   I recently lived in Tokyo for 6 years, in Shinjuku no less, and can attest to the patience this photographer had to employ to make these shots. I could go out on my balcony at any hour of day or night and 95% of the time, even at 3am on a Tuesday, see someone walking down it.

   This is a great idea for a photo series.

   Anyone trying to replicate it your best chance is coming up: the New Year’s holidays when the city is its emptiest.