The Asakusa quarter of Tokyo has a shady past--it was the home of some of Japan's most notorious pleasure palaces. Today it embraces this history by remaining a steadfast holdout of independent culture, which encompasses traditional comedy theater and some of the most innovative burlesque in the world. Asakusa has long attracted bohemians who opt out of Japan's contemporary consumer society, yet it is also home to the famous Senso-ji temple, which attracts floods of tourists. Over the past two decades, Hiroh Kikai has created an extensive and unforgettable series of street portraits from the diverse mass of people who pass through the district. Posed against the stark walls of the temple, his portraits of Asakusa's iconoclasts radiate a sense of hard-won individuality. The photographs are accompanied by Kikai's own pithy commentary.

Kikai stands outside Sensō-ji (Asakusa, Tokyo) -- exactly where depending on the lighting -- with his Hasselblad and invites perfect strangers who look interesting to have their portraits taken, backs to the wall. He's been doing this for decades and some of the people come back again or again (whether they first recognize him or he first recognizes them isn't clear). There are no distractions; they're allowed to speak for themselves.

The fifth of Kikai's collections of portraits taken in Asakusa, this is by far the easiest to find outside Japan and with the possible exception of the second collection (whose reproduction quality is poor) it's the most comprehensive. A good buy. ( )