On New Year’s Eve in 2025, I learned that “The Eye of Shinjuku”, a public artwork installed in the underground passageway beneath the former Shinjuku Subaru Building, would be specially illuminated. With a GR IV in hand, I went to photograph it. Created in 1969, the piece was originally designed to light up, with a rotating pupil at its center. For several decades, however, it had remained unlit. To be honest, I myself had not even known that “The Eye of Shinjuku” once emitted light.
A constant stream of people passes in front of the artwork. It no longer feels like something to be consciously viewed, but rather an object fully absorbed into everyday life. Although the Shinjuku Subaru Building was demolished as part of the West Exit redevelopment of Shinjuku Station, “The Eye of Shinjuku” was preserved and remains in its original location. This special illumination brought it back into the spotlight. There was no way I could let such a historic moment pass unnoticed.
When I arrived, many people were already gathered, cameras in hand. Some photographed it from a distance, others moved in close to capture the details. Each person faced the scene at their own distance. Blending into that flow, I too recorded “The Eye of Shinjuku”, glowing once again after decades of darkness.
For this shoot, I used the “Vivid” image control on the GR IV for the first time. It allowed me to capture the glow and colors of “The Eye of Shinjuku” as it emerged vividly within the underground space. ■
Tap to see Japanese
2025年の大みそか、新宿スバルビル跡地の地下通路に設置されているパブリックアート「新宿の目」が、特別点灯を行うと知り、GR IVを手に撮影へ向かった。1969年に制作されたこの作品は、かつては照明が点灯し、瞳の部分が回転する仕掛けを備えていたという。しかし、ここ数十年は長く消灯した状態が続いていた。正直に言えば、私自身、この「新宿の目」がかつて光っていたことすら知らなかった。
「新宿の目」の前を行き交う人の数は非常に多い。それはもはや鑑賞の対象というより、完全に日常の風景に溶け込んだ存在だ。新宿駅西口再開発に伴い、新宿スバルビルはすでに解体されたが、この作品は保存され、同じ場所でその姿をとどめている。そして今回、特別点灯というかたちで、再び注目を集めることになった。この歴史的な瞬間を、見逃すわけにはいかなかった。
現地に着くと、すでに多くの人々が「新宿の目」の前でカメラを構えていた。遠くから全体を捉える人、間近に寄って細部を記録する人。それぞれの距離感で、この光景と向き合っている。その流れに身を委ねるように、私もまた、何十年ぶりかに光る「新宿の目」を記録した。
今回の撮影では、GR IVで初めて「ビビッド」のイメージコントロールを選択した。地下空間に浮かび上がる「新宿の目」の発光と色彩を、より鮮明に切り取ることができた。（→noteで詳細を読む）■
More detailed stories are available on my note page (Japanese article).
「note」では今回の写真について、背景や物語を一枚ずつ丁寧に解説しています。
→ Read on note
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→ Shop on EtsyLocation: The Eye of Shinjuku, Tokyo
This map shows the approximate area where the photos were taken.
All photos in this article were taken with a RICOH GR IV and edited in Lightroom.
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