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Tokyo: Lost in Modernist Translation

Photographing the contrasts of brutalism, everyday life, and pop culture in Japan’s capital.

Tokyo is one of those rare places that was exactly as I expected. A modernist megacity where I often felt Lost in Translation, grounded only by those familiar slice-of-life scenes I knew from anime I binge-watched: convenience store runs, quiet backstreets and schoolkids in uniform racing to catch their trains.

What strikes me most is Tokyo’s dichotomy: raw brutalist structures sit alongside paper lanterns in ancient temples; cutting-edge technology contrasts with gaming arcades that feel frozen in the ‘80s; Shintoist minimalism coexists with kawaii shops that seem plucked from a “horror vacui” painting.

Written and photographed by Alexandra van der Essen  

A bustling street in Akihabara, Tokyo, featuring a large red and white outlet store sign, capturing the vibrant energy of the manga and gaming district.
A brutalist-style transportation hub in Tokyo, Korakuen Station’s geometric architecture contrasts with the soft golden light of sunset.
A modernist building in Tokyo with a striking triangular glass roof, as a woman in pink pants walks past, blending urban life and minimalist design
From left to right:
Akihabara (manga and gaming district), Korakuen station, unknown
Two young women in trendy Tokyo street fashion walk through Shibuya, surrounded by shopping malls and glowing billboards.
Street style in Shibuya. Tokyo
A stunning example of Japanese modernist architecture, Yoyogi National Stadium in Shibuya features angular concrete structures and a dynamic roofline.
Yoyogi National Stadium, Shibuya, Tokyo. 国立代々木競技場
A small acupuncture and massage clinic in Tokyo with a retro orange storefront, where a shopkeeper sits inside surrounded by potted plants.
Unknown (or, more precisely, “unremembered”)
Two women chat outside a Hong Kong-style street food stall in Shibuya, Tokyo, as neon lights reflect off the wet pavement.
Shibuya, Tokyo
A vintage electronics store in Akihabara, Tokyo, showcasing old-school signage and retro advertising for computer parts and gadgets.
Akihabara (manga & gaming districit), Tokyo
A lively tax-free drugstore in Akihabara, filled with colorful signs and customers browsing Japanese beauty and health products.
Akihabara (manga & gaming districit), Tokyo
A stylish izakaya in Koenji, Tokyo, where patrons enjoy drinks under glowing lanterns and a facade covered in traditional Japanese calligraphy.
Koenji, Tokyo
A rustic, hole-in-the-wall izakaya in Koenji, where a man in a denim jacket and hat sits alone under the soft glow of red paper lanterns.
Koenji, Tokyo
A cyberpunk-inspired gaming arcade in Akihabara, Tokyo, where players sit at retro gaming machines illuminated by the glow of LED screens.
Akihabara (manga & gaming districit), Tokyo
A charming pink-roofed building at the entrance of Ueno Park, Tokyo, surrounded by autumn foliage and bicycles.
Uneo Park, Tokyo
A contemporary minimalist building in Daikanyama, Tokyo, with tiled facades and soft sunset hues, reflecting the neighborhood’s upscale aesthetic.
Daikanyama, Tokyo
The modernist, tiered structure of Korakuen Station in Tokyo, with an elevated pedestrian walkway and a grand beige facade.
Korakuen station, Tokyo
A sophisticated shopping plaza in Daikanyama, Tokyo, with modern brutalist concrete stairs and warm lighting from boutique stores.
Daikanyama, Tokyo

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