Mannen bij de poort van een tempel in Shiba, Tokyo, Japan before 1903

Kusakabe Kimbei made this photograph, "Men at the gate of a temple in Shiba, Tokyo, Japan," sometime in the late 19th century. Look at that lone figure seated on the steps. I wonder what he's thinking? What is he looking at? Is he part of the group, or is he just resting before his climb? What about the men standing tall at the gate, their robes dark against the temple backdrop? It almost feels as though they're caught between two worlds. I imagine the photographer carefully composing this shot, trying to capture the depth and serenity of this place. The surface has a timeless quality, which has a tactile connection to the present day. It's like Kimbei is asking us to pause and reflect on our own journeys. Don’t you think?