May
27
Some more images of Yanesen in 1987-88
Here are some more comparison photos of lost Yanaka and Nezu, "then and now". (Part 1 here)
Over the years I experienced a lot of things in Japan, many of them amazing, and occasionally disturbing. There have been a few things that truly shocked me, but the destruction of the old buildings of Yanesen is really heartbreaking.
Yanesen was not like other areas, it was a survivor, with a culture and charm of it's own. Because the district was so untouched, every old building had a value to the town beyond it's own land price. Each one that is pulled down now is a destruction not only of the property, but of the heritage of the area. In a few years Yanesen will be just another faceless Tokyo suburb in the urban sprawl.
Over the years I experienced a lot of things in Japan, many of them amazing, and occasionally disturbing. There have been a few things that truly shocked me, but the destruction of the old buildings of Yanesen is really heartbreaking.
Yanesen was not like other areas, it was a survivor, with a culture and charm of it's own. Because the district was so untouched, every old building had a value to the town beyond it's own land price. Each one that is pulled down now is a destruction not only of the property, but of the heritage of the area. In a few years Yanesen will be just another faceless Tokyo suburb in the urban sprawl.
