Nowadays, I don’t often get the chance to visit Shinjuku, but I sometimes wander aimlessly around Kabukicho between errands. As I watch people passing by, I sometimes stop and look at people or situations that catch my eye. But I don’t photograph them anymore. The area is busy and crowded, but the nights when I felt excited just by being there seem long gone. Now I even feel relieved at the distance between Shinjuku and me. But no matter how much the people, the city and myself have changed, I cannot help but feel that one day I will be strongly drawn to the power of human survival that will probably emanate from somewhere in this area. The editing of "Shinjuku 1999–2008" was done by Michitaka Ota from Sokyusha.