Ageing residents, a rather ramshackle home, and seemingly quite distinct, old fashioned gender roles. A fairly accurate sense of Japan in a single frame?
A window into the real Japan?
Photographs from a small group of islands
Photographs from a small group of islands
Ageing residents, a rather ramshackle home, and seemingly quite distinct, old fashioned gender roles. A fairly accurate sense of Japan in a single frame?
Coli says
What is she cooking in there? Croquettes? Got a place nearby home that is really similar to this. One old lady spends the day cooking an assortment of deep fried goodness.
Lee says
Good question. Didn’t have time to look. Or at least didn’t think to. We were leaving a little restaurant opposite, and it was raining, so just quickly fired off the shot. Probably something very similar to the lady near you though I guess.
Have you tried the food near you?
Coli says
Yes I have several times. The chicken katsu and ika geso karage were pretty decent.
Lee says
Excellent. A very nice option to have nearby.
melissa says
amazing capture. love the glaring juxtaposition between the two individuals.
it’s unfortunate what your wife is going through. hope things will only get better?
Lee says
Thanks! Yes, I really liked the contrast, and her expression. Her husband has presumably watched a lot of TV over the years while she’s been cooking…
And thank you. Yes, we are hopeful she’ll get through it. She’s got the best of care, and support, so we still have a lot on our side.
John says
This would be a good location for that before after tv show.
Lee says
It would. Dare say there’d be a few interesting stories from the old couple too.
Hans ter Horst says
Great photo, Japan in a nutshell. 🙂 Friends ask me sometimes about Japan, wanting to visit themselves, and when I don’t give them a story of the beauty of Kyoto, Nara or Ginza, the stories that the NHK World is dishing up, I can see they barely believe me. Frankly I find the stories of everyday Japan, the stories that you tell with your photos, real and the stories my friends are expecting a falsehood. 😀
Linda says
You know, I’m a bit unnerved by those enthusiastic stories in the Japanese news about increased tourism numbers, so I think it’s great if everyone wants to go to Nara and Ginza. Then they won’t be underfoot where I want to go.
Lee says
Thanks! These are certainly the Japanese scenes and stories I like to see. Not that the touristy spots aren’t Japan, but they invariably aren’t the actual Japan where people live, work etc.
That’s a good point, Linda. Pretty sure that’s the way it will stay too. Certainly hope so anyway.
willy says
Those old blokes in the sauna, seemed like it went on for while. hot springs and sauna baths were some tucked away pearls away tucked away from of the world. but we had neighbourhood.
willy says
Those old blokes in the sauna, seemed like it went on for while. hot springs and sauna baths were some tucked away pearls away tucked away from of the world. a neighbourhood.
cdilla says
Seeing past the spotless neon, steel and glass scales of the Tokyo dragon through your lens provides a necessary (to me) counterpoint to the the national media outlets. Much as I enjoy NHK World programs (disclaimer: I am a paid program monitor) the appeal of the big city is knowing that past that door, down that alley, under that bridge, is another world composed of the many tiers of city life upon which the finely crafted and marketed veneer is built.
I’m long past the age where I can roam the back street of most cities with impunity and to have a window through the eyes of a professional photgrapher made available for free is a great privilege and one I greatly appreciate.
Lee says
More than happy to share them, as I’m even more happy to take them. And it’s always great to hear that other people share my interest in the ‘other’ Japan. The one that’s all too rarely seen. At least in the media anyway. So there’ll be plenty more to come.