January 16, 2006

We all want to be Hikikomori sometimes

Everyone I know seems to be talking about this weekend's New York Times article about Japan's Hikikomori. This phenomenon has been widely covered on the Web. Watashi in Tokyo provides some context and links to a good BBC article as well as Hikikomori blog (love the Hikikomori ascii art).
Few articles show juse how demonized the hikikomori have become in Japan. They are portrayed in Japanese popular culture as evil hackers and violent misfits.

Anyway it's an interesting phenomenon... even aljazeera.net is writing articles about it. Some other links: A quicktime documentary, a Japan Times article, a pdf research paper, and a site studying the phenomena. That's probably enough hikikomori for now... What's missing from all these are good photographs of hikikomori in their rooms... Project perhaps?

posted at 02:37 PM by raul

Filed under: elsewhere

Comments:

01/16/06 10:30 PM

Glad you are enjoying the travel postings. I've been following your blog and your photo website for quite some time. You might like to know that when I was taking photos in Myanmar, I was constantly reminded of your photographic style. I found myself trying to shoot the way you portray people and activities. So to put it lightly, your work has had an influence on my own photographic process.
I know the center justification is not aesthetically pleasing. I found this was the only way I could make my photos bigger. Do you know how to keep the photos centered, but left justify the text. advice would be helpful.
Rosco,

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