Japan Visions Photobook

Japan is a country of contrasts from the futuristic glowing neon of Tokyo to the historic temples and shrines of ancient Kyoto. You don’t even have to leave town to see the ultra-modern mixed in with the traditional.

One of the many things that I love about Japan is seeing this constant on a daily basis. I could be walking down the street in Gifu and see a high-tech vending machine on a corner which leads to an old street lined with lattice-walled houses from the Edo period (1603-1868).  

Japan Visions is the debut photographic book from Amélie Ravalec which highlights through images the colouful contrast that is the land of the rising sun.

The Book’s Content

Here’s what Amélie Ravalec says: “Japan Visions is an evocative and colourful journey through the streets of Japan, from Tokyo’s neon lights and underground culture to the ancient beauty of Kyoto’s temples and gardens. Amélie Ravalec debut photographic publication captures the country’s odd beauty: android robots, erotic wooden plaques, guillotined dolls and cyberpunk warehouses.”

Showa Period Robots

My View

Why I really like this book? It is the perfect size for picking up and flicking through to enjoy the many wonderful large and vibrant colour photos. I also really like how it has absolutely no text, but just lets the colour photos do the talking. As they say, “A picture is worth a thousand words”.

A picture is worth a thousand words

As a photographer, I really like the way that Amélie Ravalec captures the essence of daily life in Japan from ordinary street views to people just going about their regular life. The photos also show the underground side of Japan from weird and wonderful Showa period (1926-1989) robots and dolls to erotic ema plaques and neon-lit alleyways.

Daily Life on the Streets of Japan

Neon Light Life in Japan

About the Writer

The author, Amélie Ravalec is a London-based documentary filmmaker and photographer. She is the director of Industrial Soundtrack for the Urban Decay (2015), Paris/Berlin: 20 Years of Underground Techno (2012) and the forthcoming documentary Art & Mind (2019).  

Japan Visions offers you a glimpse into the colourful contrast that makes Japan the special place that it is for many of us expats living in the Land of the Rising Sun.

Japan Visions is available now via Amélie’s website.