Order “Junya” print

By Isabella Fowden

Social Misfits: Portraits from Japan is a photo series and collection of interviews exploring what it means to stand outside the norms of Japanese society. Japan is often described as a country of harmony, order, and tradition — yet within that structure are individuals who choose a different path or choose to express themselves in ways that resist social norms.

We spoke to Junya about his experience living in Japan, and how he uses dance as a release. This story introduces Junya, who spoke to us about his life in Japan and how dance has become both a release and a form of resistance. For him, dance is a way to surrender, to heal, and to push back against the conformity around him. In his words, it is a practice of vulnerability and connection