Photos of abandoned Japanese ruins reveal an eerie, post-apocalyptic world

Shane Thoms is what's known as a "haikyoist." The word comes from the Japanese "haikyo," which literally means "ruins" but can also mean urban exploration.

Thoms, a photographer and author of the newly released book "Haikyo: The Modern Ruins of Japan," is as big a haikyoist as they come.

His book is collection of photos he took while traveling through Japan in recent years, hoping to capture the juxtaposition between Japanese aesthetic - typically minimalist and precisely organized - with the overgrown weeds, moss, and debris that characterized the ruins.

Thoms shared a collection of the images, many of which evoke an eerie, post-apocalyptic feel, with Business Insider. Here's what the haikyoist saw.