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Photographer Bob Thissen beautifully captures one of Japan's abandoned love hotels

If you don't yet know what a "love hotel" is, it's the kind of establishment that rents rooms by the hour... you know, so you can enjoy some "private time" with your other half. They're all the rage in Japan, and often discreetly tucked away.

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All images courtesy of the photographer

All images courtesy of the photographer

For photographer Bob Thissen, he finds them something of a fascination – particularly those that have become unused and abandoned, like this "Love Motel" on the outskirts of Tokyo.

Of course, Bob happens to be quite passionate about researching and exploring abandoned buildings around the world. He's been to uncountable locations to capture what he calls "the beauty of decay". The Love Motel is one of his recent discoveries. And when you browse through the eery images, you can see glimpses of what might have happened behind closed doors.

More of Bob's "abandoned" photography can be found at www.bobthissen.co. Or follow him on Instagram.

Dilapidated interior of an abandoned love hotel near Tokyo, showing deteriorating furniture, a red lamp, vintage television and worn bedding
Abandoned love hotel interior with a vanity table, mirror and display cases lit by pink and purple lighting, with a silhouette of a geisha on the burgundy wall
Shabby interior of an abandoned Japanese love hotel with tatami matting, wood-panelled walls, old appliances and a bed with pink bedding
Deteriorating interior of an abandoned love hotel showing a vintage television set in a decorative frame, wooden beams, hanging lamp and green-patterned wallpaper
Narrow bedroom in an abandoned Japanese love hotel with a rumpled bed, wooden panelling, framed landscape painting and tatami mat flooring showing signs of decay
Abandoned love hotel bedroom with ornate car-shaped bed, red velvet ceiling, crystal chandelier, arched doorways and decaying blue statue in corner
Ornate abandoned love hotel bedroom with a car-shaped bed, red velvet curtains, patterned wallpaper and decorative ceiling on the outskirts of Tokyo
Interior of an abandoned love hotel room with red walls, ornate ceiling with chandelier, decorative panels, a bed with red patterned bedding, and white sculptural figures on the right side
Abandoned love hotel interior with deteriorating ceiling, stained purple carpet, wooden chairs and bar seating area showing signs of decay and neglect
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