In Japan, the phenomenon of jōhatsu—those who choose to vanish from their lives—quietly persists. Each year, thousands disappear without a trace, not through crime or accident, but as an intentional act of erasure. Overwhelmed by the weight of tradition, social pressure, and personal failure, they slip into anonymity as a form of silent resistance. This photographic series seeks to approach the emotional and cultural space of these disappearances. Through quiet compositions, absence, and subdued light, the work reflects on the fragile threshold between visibility and erasure. Jōhatsu is not just a vanishing act—it is a response, a rupture, and perhaps, a search for another kind of freedom. This project invites viewers to reflect on what it means to disappear, and what society demands we leave behind in order to belong.

© Kalel Koven - All rights reserved
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