Secret Garden

Shimonoseki is home to myriad abandoned buildings. It reminds me of depressed Southern cities, once alive and bustling, now shells of their former selves. But, of course, full of romantic possibility.

I had been eyeing one building, set on the water, for a couple of months. Lou and I decided to investigate, so in our typical hazy state, we set out at dusk. There were too many people out fishing and skateboarding for us to climb in from the pier side. We went around to the street side and I kicked in the locked, barbedwired gate. It was more magical than I could have imagined, empty and waiting for us.