Tokyo can be many things. Overwhelming, haunting, surreal, beautiful, busy. Those are among the many adjectives one could use to describe the sprawling metropolis with many different faces, but one general consensus seems to be that Tokyo becomes a whole new beast at night. Whether it's a massive crosswalk that flows like the ocean or the seedy but colorful back alleys of the red light district, Tokyo at night has a dark and gorgeous charm that is reflected in these beautiful night-time photographs by Liam Wong.

The bright lights of Kabukicho

From Scotland, Liam Wong is a Graphic Design Director at Ubisoft and even worked on Far Cry 4, so it should come as no surprise that he has a knack for the arts. On a recent trip to Japan, however, Wong found himself fascinated with the lit up city during its twilight hours, and willingly getting lost in the city he just fell in love with. The dark photos are brightened by the city's colorful lights, characters, and overall personality. Many visitors to Tokyo often remark how traveling through the city does not give one a distinct feeling for geographical location or progression, so perhaps the best way to describe it is not by traveling point to point, but memory to memory. These photos capture the essence of that surreal sense of travel in haunting beauty.

Sea of umbrellas in Shibuya

The famous Shibuya crossing

The bright lights of Kabukicho

Shinjuku, with soaplands and robot restaurants

The back alleys of Nakano

An izakaya in Asakusa that looks all too inviting

A taxi-driver in Shinjuku waiting for customers to exit a love hotel

A maid beckoning customers in Akihabara

Yakitori in Roppongi

Shinuku stroll

The right alleyway in Shibuya can lead to anything

A cop patrolling the happening streets of Shinjuku

Oden and Boss Coffee in Ginza

Alleyway in Nakano

A rooftop view over Shinjuku

Shimbashi's back streets

A retro arcade in Kanagawa

We may have splurged a bit too much on sharing Wong's Tokyo Nights series, but if you head over to his Instagram you can see more of his beautiful efforts to capture the how Tokyo after dark fleshes out the cyberpunk world of Blade Runner, and the surreal highs of Enter the Void. Whether you're a first-timer or a repeat traveler, next time you're in Tokyo, make sure to stick around after the sun goes down. Wong's Facebook page offers high-resolution versions of his stunning photography.