shashasha

Photographed in various regions of western Japan, from Kansai to Shikoku, Kyushu, Okinawa and San’in, “Town of Lights” by Yuma Honjo (herself a native of San’in) captures Japan’s rural landscapes and towns with a hint of nostalgia. Though shot between 2008 and 2022, the images are strangely imbued with the visual charm of Showa-era Japan, and feel like being sent to visit a distant relative for the summer or winter holidays. Atmosphere is also the driving force behind Honjo’s choice of subjects and framing, which create a peculiar, slightly magical, sometimes humorous (e.g., in the photograph of a local bodybuilding contest held on a beach) ambience.

“Am I the only one who feels nostalgic even when walking in an unfamiliar town? I was born in the San’in region, so I guess I was tired of the high humidity and the bad weather, and went out searching for light.”
― from the artist’s afterword (included in Japanese & English)