In Japan, the address system is based on a concept opposite to that used in the Western world. The largest area is written first (country–prefecture–city), followed by names and numbers that zoom consecutively closer to the target destination (district–block–building). This system is based on a hierarchy of geographical divisions that prioritizes built-up areas. Empty spaces such as streets—defined as the voids between blocks or buildings—often remain unnamed, a fact that can cause great disorientation to foreigners.

The act of zooming in has become increasingly natural in recent decades, amplified by digital technology. But when both streets at a crossroads share the same name, which direction would you go?

The railway line, located five minutes from my apartment building, quickly became a source of support during my five-week stay in Fukui City. I began memorizing the locations of certain places, largely thanks to the proximity of nearby train stations. Buildings and structures that were often ordinary in nature (at least in local terms) attracted me visually and, at the same time, functioned as pillars in my mental map—an imaginary map of the city.

The city’s first railway, the Hokuriku Main Line, opened in 1896. The city became an important junction for both major trade routes and military movements near the Sea of Japan. The railway is considered one of the reasons for an attack by U.S. troops during World War II, in July 1945. The massive destruction of a large part of the infrastructure was followed by an earthquake only three years later.

The main urban reconstruction plan, which influenced the present character of the city, was realized after these major events. My images focus on the area along the Mikuni Awara Line. In them, I move through the central parts of Fukui City—now undergoing development brought about by the new Hokuriku Shinkansen railway, which opened in the spring of 2023—towards the much smaller coastal town of Mikuni.

These images function as visual markers through which viewers, or even visitors, might navigate an unfamiliar landscape, but they also showcase the impact of planned, large-scale infrastructure (or the lack of it) on urban areas.





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