Documenting Tokyo’s subways in the 1980s

Life underground — Lionel Derimais recounts photographing commuters packed into crowded subways in Japan’s capital.

In 1978, French photographer Lionel Derimais, then age 18, joined his father on a business trip to Osaka. He had began exploring his newfound love of photography, and the trip provided a new vantage point for his developing eye. 

“At the time, I didn’t know anything about Japan, so everything was new,” Derimais recalls. “I remember my amazement at how much light there was in some streets of Osaka at night, so much that I could take pictures without a flash. We were not the only ones surprised by what we were seeing; many children were surprised at seeing gaijins (foreigners) and wanted to be photographed.”

Scenes of the Tokyo subway, 1987

On that trip, Derimais bought his first photo book, Faces of Japan by Bob Davis, at the hotel gift shop. The work made a deep impression on the budding photographer. “His images capture the simplicity of Japanese life in a way that you rarely see,” he says.

Derimais naturally gravitated to street photography long before the term was common parlance. Inspired by the work of photographers like Robert Frank, Josef Koudelka and William Klein, he took to the streets to “keep a trace of the life around me”. 

After living in New York City, London, and Paris during the first half of the 1980s, Derimais was ready for a new adventure. With the emergence of Japan on the global stage, he began organising a move to Tokyo in 1987. 

While living outside the city centre in Urayasu, Derimais began riding the subway everyday. “The conditions in which commuters travelled were quite extraordinary,” he says. This provided the inspiration for his latest book, Tokyo Subway 1987 (Café Royal Books).

“When I was boarding the train in the morning it was often already quite packed,” Derimais recalls. “When we arrived at the following stations, I was certain that the people waiting on the platforms would not be able to board the trains – and every time they managed to get onboard. It must be said that Japanese have great patience when it comes to the invasion of personal space.”

Although Derimais had little space to make photographs, he was able to capture intimate scenes of daily life. “Your subjects would be literally a few inches from the camera so it was always a decision — to shoot or not to shoot,” he says. “But I never experience bad reactions. The fact that I was a foreigner certainly helped.”

Although strangers were frequently pressed together, they were able to carve out a little niche for themselves. “The strangest thing was the first time I realised that men on the subway were reading ultra-violent and pornographic mangas,” Derimais says.

“You’d take a cursory look over your neighbour’s shoulder until you slowly realised that the characters were involved in sex acts — and that the guy was reading it in plain sight as if he was reading a normal newspaper. In the end you just got used to it.”

Tokyo Subway 1987 is out now on Café Royal Books.

Enjoyed this article? Like Huck on Facebook or follow us on Twitter.


You might like

Group of young people dancing and embracing at a nightclub, with neon lighting and colourful outfits.
Culture

On a night out with the cast of Skins, Ewen Spencer captured millennial hedonism in all its unabated, messy glory

One Night in Watford — Commissioned to take promotional pictures for the generation-defining teen drama before it hit screens, the legendary youth culture photographer revisits the fun-fuelled evening, which was equal parts work and play, in his new photobook. 

Written by: Isaac Muk

Colourful collage of album covers and record sleeves on display in a gallery or museum setting, with glass panels on either side reflecting the vibrant arrangement.
Culture

Largest-Ever Display of UK AIDS Memorial Quilt Opens at Tate Modern

Grief Made Visible — Comprising hundreds of panels made by lovers, friends and chosen family, the UK AIDS Memorial Quilt returns in full for the first time since 1994 – a testament to grief, friendship and the ongoing fight against HIV stigma.

Written by: Ella Glossop

Children playing in a park fountain, black and white image
Culture

The carnival and community of New York’s block parties

Soul of the Summer — Since attending his first street party in Crown Heights two decades ago, photographer Anderson Zaca has spent his summers travelling across New York’s five boroughs, documenting over 300 in the process.

Written by: Miss Rosen

Three smiling women wearing glamorous dresses and fur coats posing together.
Culture

The Getty Center’s first exclusively queer exhibition opens today

$3 Bill: Evidence of Queer Lives — Running until September, it features paintings, ephemera, video and photography to highlight LGBTQ+ histories, culture and people from 1900 to the present day.

Written by: Isaac Muk

Diverse group of people with various expressions and styles, surrounded by bold text and graphics in dark colours.
Culture

Remembering New York’s ’90s gay scene via its vibrant nightclub flyers

Getting In — After coming out in his 20s, David Kennerley became a fixture on the city’s queer scene, while pocketing invites that he picked up along the way. His latest book dives into his rich archive.

Written by: Miss Rosen

Black and white image of several people in suits, some with long hair and unconventional appearances, alongside a large ship or boat model. Text overlaid: "FREAKS AND FINANCES".
Culture

On Alexander Skarsgård’s trousers, The Rehearsal, and the importance of weirdos

Freaks and Finances — In the May edition of our monthly culture newsletter, columnist Emma Garland reflects on the Swedish actor’s Cannes look, Nathan Fielder’s wild ambition, and Jafaican.

Written by: Emma Garland

Huck is supported by our readers, subscribers and Club Huck members. It is also made possible by sponsorship from:

Signup to our newsletter

Sign up to our newsletter to informed with the cutting edge of sport, music and counterculture, featuring personal takes on the state of media and pop culture from Emma Garland, former Digital Editor of Huck, exclusive interviews, recommendations and more.

Please wait...