shashasha

Around the time of the 2002 World Cup, a number of cheap hostels for foreign tourists were built in the northeast of Tokyo, around Sanya, a neighborhood most known for its population of day laborers. Over the course of five years, Kazuhiko Washio spent time talking with and photographing the guests staying at one of these hostels. In the text for his book, he describes conversing with these people, until he forgot about the hostel itself, and "all that was left was a naked presence." In the photographs, we often see the travelers in a quiet moment, sometimes looking clearly at the camera. Washio records the date and home country of the subject, when available. "HOTEL FAREAST" is a simple meditation on how people can slow down, even while on the go.

Includes English versions of texts by the photographer and writer Natsuki Ikezawa.