Fantasy castles, imaginary animals, giant ocean liners ... In Japan, rabuhos (Love Hotels) go to great lengths to arouse desire. Their architectural fantasy knows no bounds, in both form and color. A tradition in the Archipelago, these very special establishments that catch the eye of roadside motorists number in the tens of thousands and record over 500 million bookings a year. These love hotels, which some Asian and Latin American countries have happily copied, offer rooms for an hour or two, or even an entire night, to couples who wish to indulge in their lovemaking without fear of prying ears or eyes.

Rabuhos are the country's solution to the disadvantages of lack of privacy and urban density, which are conducive to intrusive reflexes, not to say spying. It was by a combination of circumstances that François Prost discovered and immortalized them. Invited to Tokyo in 2023 by the Agnès b. gallery, which was exhibiting "Gentlemen's Club," his series on the facades of strip clubs in the US, the Parisian photographer of Lyon origin was asked to carry out a new project there.

He chose the theme of Love Hotels to satisfy two passions: kitsch architecture and inventories of party venue storefronts. The latter subject led him to explore buildings housing night clubs in France between 2011 and 2021 ("After Party"), Spain ("Discoteca," 2020) and Côte d'Ivoire ("Club Ivoire," 2023), as well as disturbing replicas of Parisian buildings and monuments in China ("Paris Syndrome," 2017).

Fantasy buildings

You have 59.34% of this article left to read. The rest is for subscribers only.