Welcome to Tokyo: An Old Fishing Neighborhood Near Haneda Airport

In 2019, the reporter started photographing Tokyo amid the onset of COVID-19. Though the government did not enforce lockdowns, they advised people to remain indoors. During this period, the reporter encountered wary individuals on the streets, photographing them as they navigated the unfamiliarity of being observed. Post-pandemic, the reporter continued their street photography, yet Tokyo's vastness necessitated exploration beyond familiar territories.

The more they ventured, the more they marveled at the city's intricate nature, realizing they could not resist capturing Tokyo's essence.

Prior to focusing on Tokyo, the reporter had traversed North Korea seven times, lived for a year and a half in Okinawa, and documented the aftermath of the 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake in Tōhoku. They had spent a decade exploring Japan's peripheral regions, discovering Tokyo as a powerful metropolis, the hub of Japan's politics, economy, and media.

However, their upbringing in Tokyo led them to develop a biased perspective. Despite this, they resolved to dedicate their photographic work to a place where they could continue capturing images indefinitely.

Tokyo, as seen through the lens of visitors, differs from that of residents. The reporter believes that documenting the places where one has roots since childhood is a crucial endeavor for photographers. Initially, photographing familiar everyday sights posed a challenge, but the experience grew increasingly rewarding over time. Tokyo is currently undergoing a once-in-a-century period of redevelopment, with structures from the postwar era being dismantled to make way for generic high-rise towers.

In this initial installment, the reporter's theme is "Welcome to Tokyo," focusing on the area surrounding Haneda Airport, the city's primary aviation gateway. The neighborhood adjacent to the airport houses a historic fishing port, where traditional streets and festivals still thrive. While most visitors head directly to Tokyo's city center via rail, bus, or taxi after arriving at Haneda, a small neighborhood only one kilometer from the airport is deserving of attention.