Tokyo Tokyo
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Japanmuseum SieboldHuis presenteert de nieuwe tentoonstelling Tokyo Tokyo. Fotograaf Richard Koek richt zijn lens op de mens achter het bekende stadsbeeld van Tokyo.
Japanmuseum SieboldHuis presents Tokyo Tokyo , an exhibition by photographer Richard Koek. Fascinated by life in megacities, he focuses his lens on the people behind the familiar cityscape of Tokyo. By approaching the city as part of his own world, Koek discovers personal, authentic stories hidden behind the well-known clichés. He places cultural icons such as kimono, sakura, and sumo in their everyday context—not to confirm clichés, but to question them. Tokyo Tokyo invites us to pause and reflect on what feels familiar and how looking closely can deepen our understanding of a city. The result is a vivid portrait of Tokyo, in which personal stories, cultural traditions, and shared humanity come together.
The soul of Tokyo
They say that language …
Japanmuseum SieboldHuis presents Tokyo Tokyo , an exhibition by photographer Richard Koek. Fascinated by life in megacities, he focuses his lens on the people behind the familiar cityscape of Tokyo. By approaching the city as part of his own world, Koek discovers personal, authentic stories hidden behind the well-known clichés. He places cultural icons such as kimono, sakura, and sumo in their everyday context—not to confirm clichés, but to question them. Tokyo Tokyo invites us to pause and reflect on what feels familiar and how looking closely can deepen our understanding of a city. The result is a vivid portrait of Tokyo, in which personal stories, cultural traditions, and shared humanity come together.
The soul of Tokyo
They say that language is the soul of a country — but how do you discover the soul of Tokyo if you don't speak the language? For photographer Koek, photography became the means to bridge that distance and capture closeness and intimacy. During visits to sumo wrestlers, into people's homes, and at everyday rituals — such as a barber styling a young wrestler's bun after morning training — he captured small, human moments.
Koek compares traditional Japanese images—kimono, sakura, sumo, and the tea ceremony—with Western icons such as yellow taxis, the Statue of Liberty, and the neon lights of Times Square. What previously seemed like recognizable clichés became, for him, an invitation to look beyond. By showing the familiar from a tender perspective, he reveals the shared humanity behind urban life.
The result is an image of Tokyo as a city full of organized chaos, in which people go about their daily lives: from work and commuting to caring for family and loved ones. For Koek, the soul of the city lies not in exoticism, but in the connection he can make with its inhabitants.
Catalogue and activities
Accompanying this exhibition is the photo book Tokyo Tokyo , previously published by Terra Publishers, as well as an extensive program of activities. This diverse program for young and old offers further exploration of the exhibition. There is a free scavenger hunt for children aged 6 to 12.
Wanneer
- Elke dinsdag, woensdag, donderdag, vrijdag, zaterdag en zondag t/m 6 september 2026 10.00 - 17.00 uur
