Light plays with Shadows in Shinjuku (14 photos)
In the canyons of Nishi-Shinjuku, the sun doesn’t just illuminate; it sculpts. The steel and glass giants of the city become immense sundials, casting sharp, geometric shadows that crawl across the pavement with the passing hours. For two days this past January, I set out to capture this daily performance of light.
My hunt focused on the architectural icons west of Shinjuku Station. The latticed façade of the Mode Gakuen Cocoon Tower throws complex, web-like patterns, while the monumental Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building carves the sky with stark, powerful lines. Each structure offers a different canvas, a new way to see the interplay between mass and light.
The resulting 15 photos were taken a week apart, capturing two distinct moods of winter light. I invite you to explore these fleeting moments of stark beauty. Which architectural shadow captivates you the most?
Rohan Gillett
Rohan has photographed Tokyo since 2011. He shoots it with his Canon EOS R5. The project will take more than one lifetime to complete.
