Frank Lloyd Wright and Tokyo

I grew up in Buffalo, New York and often rode my bike past what I called my most favorite house. When I was older I learned it was designed by the famous American architect Frank Lloyd Wright. As a child I thought it belonged to a Japanese family who had abandoned it to return to Japan and that explained why the property was falling into disrepair. The property, known as the DD Martin House, is now being restored.




The above photo of Frank Lloyd Wright's Prairie Style house is from an excellent website about the property. DD Martin House


This past fall I visited Tokyo and took photos in Okubo the Shinjuku neighborhood where I stayed. The photos are some of my favorites from my trip. I was puzzled that friends didn't seem to like photos as much as I did. Then I realized that their appeal to me was they reminded me of the Frank Lloyd Wright house I biked past many years ago. The photos mostly black and white and taken with a toy camera, a Holga, seem very nostalgic to me.


This house in Okubo reminded me most of Wright's DD Martin house.



Another view of the house.


The walls that surround many of the homes in this neighborhood add privacy in this very busy city.


A road with different styles of walls.


A color shot of the neighborhood.


A wall which encloses an apartment building.


Aluminium siding perhaps?