moom bookshop

After the successful parts of the Unseen series about New York, London and Berlin, "Tokyo Unseen" is another authentic approach to one of the largest and most fascinating metropolises of our civilisation. The impressive illustrated book presents the city of contrasts in a fascinating honesty that only an inhabitant of this city of millions can portray in such a direct way. In unique photographs, Polish photo artist Lukas Palka, who has lived and worked in Tokyo since 2008, succeeded in explaining his home city to strangers in pictures.

The streetlife photographer describes his own work as a by-product of his countless walks through the city, where he constantly encounters exciting scenes and people. The magic behind his pictures lies in the chance product, because the artist never searches for his motifs, they simply come across him.

In doing so, he manages to convey the fascinating contrast of the Japanese capital in an almost perfect way. For in hardly any other city do the future and the past exist so close together. The coffee-table book presents wonderful pictures of people going about their daily lives, of skyscrapers and temples, and of the unique culture of life that arises when 14 million people meet in a very small space.

Palka's style is characterised by his spontaneity and his keen eye for the mix of tradition and modernity. And you can really find it everywhere in Tokyo. In colourful photographs, he shows the Japanese inhabitants on their daily commutes to work, in their leisure time or on the numerous green spaces of the city. For life in Tokyo largely takes place outside the characteristic micro-apartments.

"Tokyo Unseen" is one of the most spectacular and honest contemporary documents of a city that is hard to beat in terms of innovation, tradition, variety and creativity. This wonderful illustrated book is a must-read for all Japan fans.