Araki: Tokyo Lucky Hole

Finally back in print: Araki's uncensored portrait of Tokyo's "forbidden city". This photobook offers a privileged view of Tokyo's underworld by Japan's greatest photographer, Nobuyoshi Araki.

Between 1983 and 1985, when Tokyo's sex industry was in full flower, Araki prowled Shinjuku, Tokyo's famous red light district, taking pictures in the sex shops and clubs. His project came to an abrupt end when the district was closed by judicial decree in 1985. Araki's photographs form a historical record of Shinjuku's glory days and a portrait of a lesser-known side of Tokyo life.
Source: www.taschen.com

Japan's greatest photogarapher? That's quite a statement!

Frankly, that's Taschen's statement, I took the liberty of copying their promo text! ;-)
But he is the most famous I think?

I'm not sure about either statement. Garo Aida is possible better known, and there are many other photographers I like better (like Hiroyoshi Saiki).

I will check him out.

Here is an interesting article about an exhibition of Araki's work in London.

Very interesting indeed. Liked this piece:
Are they art or porn, I ask him? "Each work definitely has a pornographic aspect," he says. "Otherwise it would just be eroticism, which is clean, intellectual - and uninteresting. I'm upgrading them with a bit of dirt. We all like dirt."

Lucky Hole ?