Comments on: The hotel on Yamanaka lake they never finished

By: Jeffrey

Jeffrey — Thu, 25 Nov 2010 03:30:20 +0000

I quite enjoy all you explorers of modern and contemporary archeology. The one thing missing, though, from most is that very few sites give us much historical perspective on why buildings were abandoned and why so many, especially the larger structures and such, aren’t razed or aren’t repurposed.

I’d like to think this one here at Yamanaka-ko has a happy ending.

By: Tom (Cousinmacho)

Tom (Cousinmacho) — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 16:07:16 +0000

Just a heads-up:

They came back to finish it! I visited Yamanakako on Sunday, and the hotel is now freshly fenced-off, cleaned up and crawling with workmen. Looks like it’s being turned into luxury apartments.

Still plenty of other Haikyo to be found around Yamanakako, though I noticed signs for the same company that’s taken control of the hotel outside some of them – how much longer they’ll remain accessible isn’t clear.

Happily, the bank vault and neighbouring spa hotel don’t appear to be slated for redevelopment just yet.

Photos of them (and a few from an old ryokan up the road from the hotel) here: http://www.flickr.com/photos/cousinmacho/sets/72157622494411643/

By: Alice

Alice — Mon, 20 Apr 2009 19:18:35 +0000

Love the pics mike you have such a good eye. The body parts are superb, very eerie and moving. x

By: Mike

Mike — Sat, 18 Apr 2009 14:36:43 +0000

Nice photos as always Michael! I can really identify with the feeling of walking empty corridors like you were in the video now having done a few of these myself! I always get startled by flapping curtains or banging windows caused by the wind – it’s quite unnerving!

Btw, I wanted to ask you. Do you wear any protection from asbestos? I recently bought particle filter masks as many of the places I end up going to are closed because they have been gutted for asbestos.

By: Adrian Tan

Adrian Tan — Sat, 18 Apr 2009 13:25:23 +0000

Cool photos the bathtub and arm you might wana check this out for composition ideas/inspiration.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/foamygreen/sets/72157607433061977/

I agree with theJapaneseeye too, it’s nice to see more surrealism in your photos. the butterfly and broomstick shot are cool too.

By: thejapaneseeye

thejapaneseeye — Fri, 17 Apr 2009 21:00:00 +0000

Thanks for the link, your photos suddenly have suddenly got a lot better, really like this set, the bath tub and arm shots are particularly good , I always imagine as I enter a room in haikyo that a body will be hanging from the ceiling, hopefully i wont walk into a room one day and find you naked in a bathtub either!

There is an surreliast photographer on flickr that does similar kinds of shots to for further inspiration her name is brooke shaden
http://www.flickr.com/photos/brookeshaden/

By: Tornadoes28

Tornadoes28 — Fri, 17 Apr 2009 18:02:43 +0000

The blue light bulb photo is very good.

The arm photo looks like a dead body. Maybe your specialty could be “Dead Body Haikyo” photos.