“There is a sacredness in tears….They are the messengers of overwhelming grief, of deep contrition and of unspeakable love.”
― Washington Irving
Life is a struggle. Born and raised in Japan, I sometimes feel that the dark side of this country overwhelms me. Walking across Shibuya Scramble Crossing with garish neon signs, every passing face seems to have darkness inside. The emotional struggle can be seen everywhere. It is like having a battle day-in, day-out. The hardest part is trying to hide it. Japan perhaps needs some help. Most of us don’t even aware of how bad things have got in terms of emotional and mental health.
Watching Tokyo’s skyline as neon buildings light the crisp night sky, I saw myself several years ago. Confused and distracted. He didn’t even know what direction he was going in with his career, but it was inevitable to blend himself with his surroundings. Eventually, he vanished into the crowd.
Maybe I’m still confused and search for the meaning of life. But one thing I’m certain of, beyond a shadow of a doubt, is that life goes on and there’s always a tomorrow. Nothing stays the same. Your struggle of today will soon vanish into the past. Maybe tomorrow isn’t so bad. Here, these photographs explore streets of Shibuya, Tokyo, in the age of emotional struggle hidden away under the surface of an ordinality.
