Motel Erotica: Abandoned Love Hotels by Ayumi Nabe

Discover the fading grandeur of Japan’s unique mid-century sex industry. Initially published in 2019 and out-of-print for four years, this highly sought-after photo zine by renowned subculture photographer Ayumi Nabe is finally back in a fully re-edited edition.

Motel Erotica takes readers on a hauntingly beautiful, visual journey inside abandoned Showa-era love hotels from the 1970s and 80s. Before the era of streamlined, modern room designs, these architectural gems featured over-the-top, wildly imaginative spaces—from rotating beds and mirrors to spaceship-themed suites and velvet-draped heart structures.

Captured beautifully in their decaying states, these well-preserved rooms offer an invaluable cultural and historical look into a distinct subculture of Japanese eroticism and interior design.