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Mar 30 2011 28 Comments

A little boy in a sleazy little alley

The fact that this little boy is stood in a dingy alley amidst a load of dodgy bars definitely has something to do with it, but there’s also something else — something more unsettling about this image.

But quite what that something is, I really can’t say.

Japanese alley

Or there again, maybe it’s just me.

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Categorized: Food and Drink, Photography

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Comments

  1. Chris B says

    3/30/2011 at 4:40 pm

    Looks like a bait….and your the fish…don’t go!!!

    Reply
    • Lee says

      3/30/2011 at 7:21 pm

      Don’t worry, I didn’t! I actually saw him come out of one of the houses nearby. Pretty much in the the middle of the red light district. Quite a playground he has…

      Reply
  2. andra says

    3/30/2011 at 7:46 pm

    maybe his mom works around there… ?

    Reply
    • Lee says

      3/31/2011 at 8:59 am

      Maybe. He definitely lived in the area, as I saw come out of a house.

      Reply
  3. Carrie Ann says

    3/30/2011 at 9:37 pm

    Reminds me of those scenes in classic horror movies of the creepy ghost kid standing in an empty hallway….REDRUM REDRUM

    Reply
    • Lee says

      3/31/2011 at 9:00 am

      Yes, there is definitely an element of that about it…

      Reply
  4. Brian says

    3/30/2011 at 10:27 pm

    You know, I’ve walked through dozens of these little alleys in Tokyo, there arre near every JR station…and I never once thought of them as sleazy or felt creeped out. If I saw this in another, western city, maybe…

    Reply
    • Lee says

      3/31/2011 at 9:03 am

      I personally really like them, and actively seek them out, but like you say, maybe not in a different country. This one was definitely pretty sleazy though as it was right in the middle of a sizeable red light district.

      Reply
  5. Jessica says

    3/30/2011 at 11:26 pm

    I think his mask adds to the creepy factor for me. And something about the way he’s holding his… uh… skateboard thing. I know it’s not a skateboard, but the proper word escapes me.

    Reply
    • Jeffrey says

      3/31/2011 at 3:08 am

      Pogo stick.

      Reply
      • Lori says

        3/31/2011 at 3:19 am

        It looks like one of those Razor scooters.
        I have to agree. He’s just standing there holding it. Not even riding it. I feel like his eyes are piercing into my soul. :-/

        Reply
        • Lee says

          3/31/2011 at 9:04 am

          Yeah, it’s a scooter. He does have quite a stare, doesn’t he?

          Reply
  6. dotOrion says

    3/30/2011 at 11:29 pm

    I’d say the contrast between the brighter end of the alley and the darker front of the picture also add to the unsettling feeling.

    Reply
    • Lee says

      3/31/2011 at 9:06 am

      It was that aspect that initially made me stop to take a photograph. But just the alley on its own didn’t really work. Then the little lad came along.

      Reply
  7. shah8 says

    3/31/2011 at 4:56 am

    What, no Paranoia Agent reference?

    Shame, your nerd quotient is deficient!

    Reply
    • Lee says

      3/31/2011 at 9:07 am

      Sorry, you’ve totally lost me there!

      Reply
  8. Lizzy says

    3/31/2011 at 5:41 am

    Definitely unsettling. Though, being a child, he could just as unsettled by you. Hrm. And I’m with Jessica. The mask doesn’t help. It almost covers his whole face!

    Reply
    • Lee says

      3/31/2011 at 9:10 am

      He was actually a really nice little kid, and was amused to see me taking photos in his area. We even had a brief conversation. Then he said goodbye and set off down the alley. But what prompted him to stop, turn and stand like that I don’t know. Glad he did though!

      Reply
  9. Matt says

    3/31/2011 at 6:10 am

    Be afraid, Lee, be very afraid. Another great picture. Glad to see you getting back to normal with the photos. My own trip to Japan has is now over, but will certainly remain with me for some time having started in March 11th. I’m so impressed with the response from everyone in Japan.

    Reply
    • Lee says

      3/31/2011 at 9:12 am

      I’m always afraid Matt!

      Wow, that was quite a time to come here. I hope you still had the opportunity to do and see everything you wanted to.

      Reply
      • Matt says

        3/31/2011 at 10:20 am

        We landed 1 hour before the quake. For myself and wife it was to see family and friends, but the children were more than a little disappointed that Disney Land was closed. A small amount of suffering compared to some though.

        Reply
        • Lee says

          3/31/2011 at 6:53 pm

          Yeah, plus Disney Land will still be there next time you come, although if you are lucky, they’ll be too old to want to go then!

          Reply
  10. Veronica says

    3/31/2011 at 6:47 am

    Shonen Bat

    Reply
    • Lee says

      3/31/2011 at 9:15 am

      I don’t know what that is Veronica, but I’m glad he didn’t have a bat, otherwise I really would have been worried!

      Reply
  11. Brett says

    3/31/2011 at 8:39 am

    I reckon you’re lucky he didn’t walk over and shiv you.

    Reply
    • Lee says

      3/31/2011 at 9:17 am

      I’m probably being over confident, but I’d like to think I could have handled him. Plus he’d have been hampered with his scooter. And I was with a friend!

      Reply
  12. will hayden says

    3/31/2011 at 12:34 pm

    I loved the allys of old Japan..and Tokyo and for sure the Shinjiku area.. lots of funn places to eat..and so many just served one item.. i am sorry you can not enjoy the life and color the wold has to offer..
    an
    “Older Traverler”

    Reply
  13. PETA says

    4/3/2011 at 3:27 am

    I saw this and thought of you… http://grcade.com/viewtopic.php?t=2217
    My recent status on Facebook said “A controversial thing to say, but…Chernobyl is a Lomographers dream…. Once again, there is beauty in the ugly! Haikyo lovers also…. well we are very similar aren’t we? Lomographers and Haikyo-jin?”

    Reply

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