My arrival in France came along with “a bit” of confusion. Quite similar, to some extent, to what I experienced in Japan. As time passed by, there, I became accustomed  to modernism, primarily architectural. I began to feel at ease with the urban “forests” of skyscrapers and futuristic buildings. Also, the almost urban-like appearance of rural areas had become somehow natural.

The people crowded on the streets seemed different from those in France or Europe. My perception was that in Japan people in the street always had a sense of purpose , while in Europe, the crowd had a much more entropic dynamic. On the other hand, it seemed much more relaxed. (This was in the pre-pandemic times of 2020).

What I came to discover in France was completely different. Of course, when you talk about France you refer mainly to Paris. Especially, if you live, like me, close to the city. This is where modernity has different features compared to Japan. In short, I could describe it as a medieval- type modernity. There are modern and traditional aspects In Japan as well but, from my perspective, these blend perfectly. They do not “embarrass” each other, they seem to emphasize each other. In France, the modern vibe appears to be “suffocated” by the greatness of the past. The Past-Future symbiosis it’s not that perfect. The beauty of Paris has a historical vibe that does not leave much room for the future.

This is perceived as something that often bothers the viewer. It is quite interesting that, in France, the  “distance” between the old and the new seems to be smaller and yet, the integration of the two aspects is less than perfect. In Japan, the distance between the old and the new is greater but the symbiosis between them is much more natural.

These were my initial feelings when I discovered La Defense. This is a modern business district located on the outskirts of Paris. When I arrived there, I experienced the same vibes as in Osaka, Tokyo, Kyoto or Sendai. Finally, I was about to discover the “urban forest” I was waiting for.

However, surprisingly, it is not integrated in the “old town”, but it’s somewhere on the outskirts. In Kyoto, for example, the old transforms imperceptibly into modern and vice-versa.

Practically, in this neighbourhood area I started the photographic exploration of France. Finding a place where my feelings were in sync with what used to amaze me in Japan was a fantastic stimulus to begin the imagistic discovery of France. The presented images are some of those made in this district, which for me was the wormhole allowing a passage from Japanese to Gaul’s culture.

In fact, I believe that the development of La Defense District has deep inspiration roots in the Japanese “modern forests”. There is a structure in La Defense called the “Japanese Bridge” that is almost identical to what exists in the futuristic Kyoto train station.

I invite you to discover the following articles of the POW 2021 series to see how I discovered France through images, starting from the Parisian modern island, La Defense.