Tokyo

Photography

Inside Japan’s most notorious Love Hotel

Tokyo’s Alpha Inn has provided a vital home for underground erotic expression and Japan’s BDSM community – but can this iconic space survive?

Written by: Manami Okazaki

Culture

The UK‘s skate prodigies on the sport’s Olympics debut

Ride on — For the first time ever, skateboarding is embracing a more conventional status as an Olympic sport. Four skateboarders reflect on what happens to a subculture when it’s thrust into the mainstream.

Written by: Chloé Meley

Culture

The dystopian megacities of anime architecture

Brave new world — A new book celebrating the creative process behind Japan's animated cityscapes offers both architectural escapism and bold imaginings of a near future.

Written by: Gunseli Yalcinkaya

Culture

Gritty images of everyday life on the streets of Tokyo

Unexpected beauty — Photographer Tatsuo Suzuki discusses his compelling portraits of contemporary Tokyo, and finding fascination and tensions in the mundane.

Written by: Miss Rosen

Photography

Documenting urban underbellies across the world

From New York to Tokyo — Featuring photographs taken over the course of his career, Miguel Rio Branco’s long-term project explores cities across the world, examining our relationship with the spaces we inhabit.

Written by: Huck

Culture

The extraordinary rise of Japan's unlikely tattoo hero

The art of intimacy — Horiren 1st is one of the world’s most sought-after tattoo artists, celebrated for keeping the ancient Japanese method of Tebori alive. But in a country where body art is considered taboo, her journey to the top hasn’t been easy.

Written by: Michael Magers

Photography

Magic in the mundane: candid shots on the streets of Japan

Blink & you’ll miss them — Travelling back and forth between Tokyo and Kamakura, photographer Shin Noguchi seeks out the extraordinary in the everyday. “I want to share these beautiful moments with other people,” he says.

Written by: Niall Flynn

Magazine

Secret snapshots of Tokyo's vivid street life

Poetic timing — Mikiko Hara doesn’t need a viewfinder. Instead the Japanese street photographer shoots from the chest, allowing the camera to capture happy accidents that come as a surprise... even to her.

Written by: Mikiko Hara

Photography

Voyeuristic portraits of Tokyo’s hidden faces

Shibuya Unmasked — Standing on the corner of the Shibuya Crossing, photographer Oleg Tolstoy was met with a familiar sight: floods of people in white, near-identical surgical masks. Intrigued by the visual uniformity among the frantic crowds, he decided to document the city’s concealed faces.

Written by: Niall Flynn

Magazine

Japan's Radiohead transcend all notions of a tribute band

A parallel reality — Every time cover band On A Saturday perform, they briefly transform into their idols. But this isn’t just an uncanny simulation – it’s a moment of togetherness shared with other fans.

Written by: Niall Flynn

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...

Accessibility Settings

Text

Applies the Open Dyslexic font, designed to improve readability for individuals with dyslexia.

Applies a more readable font throughout the website, improving readability.

Underlines links throughout the website, making them easier to distinguish.

Adjusts the font size for improved readability.

Visuals

Reduces animations and disables autoplaying videos across the website, reducing distractions and improving focus.

Reduces the colour saturation throughout the website to create a more soothing visual experience.

Increases the contrast of elements on the website, making text and interface elements easier to distinguish.