Even as night falls over the snowy landscapes of northern Japan, vending machines, lined along roads, standing before houses, or seemingly alone in nature, glow in the dark, offering warm and cold drinks along with a peculiar sense of companionship.
In “Roadside Lights 2020–2025,” Japanese photographer Eiji Ohashi turns his lens to winter nights in his native Hokkaido, sharpening the focus of his long-running “landscapes with vending machines” series. His compositions portray these ubiquitous machines, which have become symbols of Japan’s safety and convenience, as tireless, vigilant workers, continuing their quiet labor regardless of the circumstances. This latest book adds another compelling chapter to a series that continues to captivate audiences both in Japan and abroad.

“Photographing as the snow falls and piles up around me brings back distant memories. I remember playing outside until my boots were filled with snow, and how difficult it was to take them off once I went back inside, or digging into snowbanks to create secret hideouts for myself. While my childhood memories of the snow are rather sweet, life in winter in the northernmost part of Japan where I grew up was harsh. Sometimes the blizzards were so strong it was impossible to put one foot in front of the other, almost as if the full force of nature were blowing against you. Winter was always a reminder of how small and feeble human existence really is. But I also remember the nightly scenes, when the snow reflected the light off the streetlamps, as beautiful and bright. For me, the sight of a vending machine on a snowy night embodies these memories.”
― from Eiji Ohashi’s afterword