Overgrown industrial ruins reclaimed by nature in post-apocalyptic scene.

Urbex in Japan: Haikyo

The 80’s in Japan. Japan boosts its economy vehemently: the loans are made easier, there is a lot of money available, liquidity, and the Japanese have wages 30 to 40% higher than European salaries. They buy and speculate by every means. New factories, apartment buildings, golf courses, amusement park are built … the champagne flows! The speculative bubble, for its part, increases dangerously and eventually explodes on December 29, 1989. Two years later, the value of the Nikkei slumped over 50% and since then it has never stopped falling. A new landscape – post-apocalyptic – takes birth: haikyo world. A playground for enthusiasts of all kinds.

Tokyo Genso

Many haikyo (“ruins” in Japanese) are born in recent years. Amusement parks and arcades neglected, abandoned construction sites, forgotten hotels, ghost towns, deserted hospitals and schools… these places are thousands in Japan.

I started in 2010, and those explores are my first adventures (and therefore, photos aren’t so good, but the excitement is at its maximum):

Then, in 2011, I really got more serious, and more professional about it:

And here is the best I have visited: Gunkanjima. An abandoned island-city, the most famous ruin in Japan! 

Last but not least, I published a book with a selection of my best stories and photos. If you enjoy Japanese ruins, you will love this book. It’s available on Amazon (Amazon US) or you can ask your bookstore to order it.

abandoned, asia, book, japan, japanese

Then for more, visit my category Urbex: Urbex on Offbeat Japan 🙂 I have also made another website dedicated to ruins, it’s simply called Haikyo, and it’s here: Haikyo.

Haikyo - Tokyogenso Green

The images have been created by Tokyogenso. I suggest you visit his gallery here.

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Who Am I

Jordy Meow
This is me!

I am Jordy Meow, a French photographer based in Tokyo. I explore offbeat places in Japan.

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Rust embraces gray tones, Moss dances in vivid green— Nature's quiet claim.錆びた灰色に抱かれ 苔が鮮やかに踊る 自然の静かなる主張#offbeatjapan #japan #industrialart #rustandruin #naturewins #urbanexploration #mossybeauty
Concrete gray fortress Amidst the blue sea's embrace— Silent echoes speak. コンクリートの城 青い海の抱擁の中で— 静かな声が響く。 #Gunkanjima #HashimaIsland #BattleshipIsland #Nagasaki #Urbex #offbeatjapan #japan
Ancient coaster sleeps, Twilight whispers pinks and blues, Nature reclaims all. 崩れたコースターが眠る、 薄桃色と青の夜明けのささやき、 自然が全てを取り戻す。 #offbeatjapan #japan #abandonedplaces #rollercoaster #twilightbeauty #nostalgia #naturestriumph #forgottenamusement
Pink blossoms whisper, Quiet streets cradle old tales, Sky and mountains dream.桃の花囁く、 静かな道に古い物語を抱え、 空と山は夢見る。#cherryblossoms #japanesetradition #countrysidecharm #historicaljapan #sakura #offbeatjapan #japan
Dust veils whispered past, Ghostly echoes cradle dreams, Where silence presides.静寂の中で、 囁かれた夢は、 埃に包まれる。#offbeatjapan #japan #urbandecay #abandonedplaces #hauntingbeauty #forgottenworlds #silenthalls #explorejapan
Yellow noren glow, In a calm, verdant alley— Silent history.---黄色の暖簾、 静かな緑の小路に— 静寂の歴史。---#japanesehistory #traditionaljapan #serenealley #historicdistrict #japanesearchitecture #offbeatjapan #japan
Moss whispers secrets, Autumn leaves paint quiet dreams— Water sighs with light. 苔が秘密を囁く 秋の葉が静かな夢を描く 光とともに水がため息をつく #satoyama #woodlandwonder #serenejapan #waterfallmagic #naturepoetry #offbeatjapan #japan
Looped silhouette stands, Twilight's hues of purple blend, Echoes softly fade. ループの影 紫の黄昏が 静かに消える #offbeatjapan #japan #abandonedplaces #rollercoaster #hauntingbeauty #duskcolors #urbanexploration #abandonedthemepark