In Japan, the simple act of smoking is guided by unspoken rules of etiquette. Lighting a cigarette on a public street is not only discouraged—it quietly clashes with the rhythm of the city. Instead, designated smoking areas appear like small, contained worlds tucked into the city of Tokyo.
For this photo series, I turned my lens to these often overlooked urban spaces. Shot in heavy rain, the scenes make the umbrellas and the raindrops dance on the windows.

The title, the japanese word “gōu” (豪雨) translates to “heavy rain” or “torrential rain” in English.
Tokyo/Japan, March 2025