Japan’s shrinking population is well documented, but while it’s hard to appreciate such societal changes when in and around Tokyo, once away from the capital or the country’s other major hubs, the resultant decline and distinct lack of people very quickly become apparent.
Closed businesses, abandoned homes and general decay are often the norm, and the images below are an example of that. A small selection of the photographs I took during 3 days driving round a relatively small area several hours north of Tokyo.