Thomas Jorion, French Photographer Captures Japan's Desolate Izu Peninsula

Lonely Planet: Japan's Crumbling Holiday Resorts

Nearly half a century of neglect has left sections of Japan's once bustling Izu peninsula a veritable ghost town.

The crumbling ruins of this once popular holiday camp and surrounding apartments are a jarring sight.

Once a thriving holiday destination for the Japanese, the area saw a steep decline in domestic tourism as affordable overseas flights became increasingly accessible at the turn of the 1970s, the Mail Online reported.

Photographer Thomas Jorion is inspired by urban ruins and condemned buildings

The images were shot by photographer Thomas Jorion, who specialises in picturing urban ruins and condemned buildings.

In an interview with AnOther magazine in September, Jorion explained what draws him to such desolate scenes.

"The joy of imagining the photographs I’ll realize with light present in the place."

He added that he never stages a picture, nor does he ever use original light. Jorion uses a 4x5" large format camera and color negatives.

The Lonely Planet plugs the Izu peninsula as an antidote to the bright lights and buzz of Tokyo, though acknowledges it is "largely off the tourist radar."

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