Last year, French photographer François Prost undertook a unique project documenting Japan’s vibrant “love hotels” through an extensive 3,000-kilometer (1,864-mile) road trip. Prost meticulously scouted these establishments via Google Maps, planning a journey across Japan to capture these intriguing hotels, known for their short-stay options and privacy. However, the actual experience was much more striking: Japan’s love hotels proved to be impossible to miss, thanks to their flamboyant and playful architecture.
During his journey, Prost encountered hotels with facades resembling spaceships, boats, and even castles. Some were adorned with heart and lip motifs or quirky names like Hotel Passion, Hotel Joy, and Hotel BabyKiss. “You can see spaceships, boats, and also a big whale, which is very childish somehow,” Prost remarked in a recent Zoom interview. With around 200 hotels documented, Prost’s series captures the whimsical spirit of these establishments across Japan’s Honshu and Shikoku islands.
Japan’s love hotels first flourished after a 1958 law criminalized prostitution, which pushed the industry into more discreet accommodations. Today, they mainly cater to young couples seeking privacy in a country where shared family homes are common. “It’s primarily young people and couples going there to find privacy,” Prost explained. Though love hotels are still occasionally associated with sex work, they have evolved to serve a wider audience, with facilities now including karaoke and nightclub options for entertainment.
As Prost’s photographs reveal, Japan’s love hotels are about more than just anonymity; they are icons of creative architecture and cultural history, blending intimacy with a touch of leisure.
Source: Swifteradio.com
