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Cinematic Tokyo: Colourful images of Japan that merge old traditions with modern life

The thing that strikes you the most when you visit Tokyo, or indeed anywhere in Japan, is the stark contrast between the country's heritage with the throbbing pulse of modern-day life. That's what Dutch photographer Stijn Hoekstra captures perfectly in his series, Cinematic Tokyo.

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All images courtesy of Stijn Hoekstra

All images courtesy of Stijn Hoekstra

He was visiting Tokyo last November to shoot a documentary about Azuma Makoto, a flower artist. He was lucky enough to book some extra days to explore some of the city. He explains: "I always try to take a cinematic approach in my photography, resulting in different perspectives and cinematic colour grading.

"If I see a nice corner, or the sunlight creates a perfect moment, I wait until there is the perfect subject to get in my frame. The only way I'm able to get what I want is to have a lot of patience and of course some luck."

Based in Amsterdam, Stijn describes himself as a "freelance cinematographer and photographer". In his spare time, he enjoys a healthy dose of street photography. Discover more of his exciting work on Behance or via his website: www.stijnhoekstra.nl.

Man in blue jacket jogging past modern concrete buildings and trees on a green paved street in Tokyo
Man cycling across a zebra crossing beneath an elevated railway structure in Tokyo, with pedestrians visible in the background
Woman in brown coat standing beside hedging and modern building with Japanese directional sign above
Two businessmen walk down a narrow Tokyo alleyway past a steep carpark ramp and modern beige buildings
Two people crossing a striped zebra crossing on a busy Tokyo street with pedestrians and traffic in the background
Silhouetted figure stands by floor-to-ceiling windows in a high-rise building overlooking a sprawling cityscape bathed in golden sunrise light
Man in straw hat and suspenders driving a cream convertible car through Tokyo street traffic
Construction worker wearing orange hard hat viewed from behind, standing in front of a modern glass building with figures visible inside
Rear view of an older man in a checked shirt standing before horizontal striped building facade in Tokyo
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