De ontdekking van Japan

De ontdekking van Japan, published in 1988 by Fragment, represents a significant retrospective of the work of Dutch photographer Ed van der Elsken. The volume compiles his extensive photographic documentation of Japan, a country he visited repeatedly beginning in the late 1950s. These images capture the rapid modernization and shifting cultural landscape of post-war Japan, showcasing his signature raw, journalistic approach to street photography and his deep interest in the human condition within urban environments.

Van der Elsken was known for his intimate and often provocative style, deeply influenced by the humanist tradition of photography. In this collection, he sought to create a narrative that moved beyond the typical tropes of Western observers, favoring a visceral, immediate connection with the people he encountered. The book is widely regarded by photography critics and historians as a crucial piece of visual history, documenting a pivotal era of Japanese history through the unique and restless lens of a roving, deeply observant outsider.