The work of Aglaia Konrad is driven by her interest in urbanity and architecture in general, and cultural difference in particular. A comparative practice that runs equally warm for every possible experience of the local. Previous experiences, in 1994 and 2010, intrigued her to undertake a severe study trip across central Japan in September 2019, mainly in search of Metabolist projects. Such historical, iconic architectures were also the excuse to explore the unspecific and the non-iconic of their urban setting, with the same intensity. In Japan Works, free associations of full-page photographs alternate with contact sheets that follow the chronology of this last itinerary. These are illuminated by texts written by architect and Japan scholar Julian Worrall. Design: Roger Willems.