Night Movers
‘Night Movers’ by Gui Moraes, 16 Photographs
With the combination of a rigid work culture and the absence of emotional support networks, experiencing personal setbacks can carry profound feelings of shame within Japanese society. Thus, every year, thousands of individuals in Japan voluntarily disappear.
Know as Jōhatsu, these people are often driven by intense societal pressures such as job losses, personal failures, or broken relationships and choose to abandon their lives, leaving everything behind. These operations are called “night moving”, as it’s mostly a nocturnal move.
This photographic series evokes the elusive narrative of the vanished: empty streets, solitary silhouettes, and moments of isolated contemplation captured deep in the night. Portraying the haunting stillness behind human disappearances, the images invite viewers to question the invisible stories and hidden anguish that linger in the shadows of urban life.
