Towards the east of Tokyo, watched over by the needle-like Skytree, are a loose collection of districts collectively known as Shitamachi - "lower city".
Historically cast as the inverse of Tokyo's wealthier and hillier Yamanote (the ultramodern districts for which the city is most renowned), Shitamachi is more home to fading awnings and potted plants than neon lights and dense highrises.
It's a glimpse of an older, slower-paced Tokyo, with pockets that escaped the sweep of post-war modernisation, yet still face an uncertain future.
All photos: Pentax 67 medium format, Kodak Portra 400
