I just happened to stumble across this night shot of a Toyko street yesterday (via Bored Panda) and was instantly hooked. It looks very Miyazakian to me, for some reason. Especially reminiscent of the night sequences in the little town and outside the bathhouse in his masterpiece, Spirited Away.
I think it's because the image is so busy -- even chaotic -- visually, yet the overall mood and tone are ones of such peace and quiet. A strange (and appealing) dichotomy.
The photographer behind this image is one Masashi Wakui, a "talented and self-taught Japanese photographer who has expertly managed to capture the capital in all of its nocturnal and neon splendor." His "Street Shot" album over at Flickr (from which that image came) is just amazing, and his tumblr account is every bit as spectacular.
Also, "self-taught?" Gosh!
Here's another.
The quality of light is stunning, isn't it? It's not entirely "genuine," though, as BP notes:
Navigating the winding backstreets and alleyways of Shibuya, Shinjyuku and various other districts, Masashi creates an almost surreal atmosphere with his kaleidoscopic portrayal of Tokyo by night. He uses high-performance compact cameras and then alters the colors in order to create a vivid and magical quality to scenes of everyday life in the city.
You know what? I don't even care. Because they're just lovely, however they came to be.
