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Check out these drowsy drivers catching 40 winks during a typical day in Japan’s busiest city.

Public sleeping is a phenomenon in Japan that takes many visitors by surprise when they first encounter it on a train or bus. However, studies show that these “power naps” are actually a great way to re-charge your batteries and keep you focused on daily tasks.

It’s not only passengers that you’ll see catching a few winks in public, too; in fact, many bus drivers have a sleeping compartment onboard their vehicles to catch a few Zs between trips, not to mention the large number of taxi drivers who just kick back their seat and get a little shut-eye when the mood hits.

It’s this last group that became the subject of a new series by photographer William Green, titled “Tokyo Taxi Drivers”. While shooting a project in Tokyo, Green was intrigued at how these private moments on display contrasted with the culture in his home country, the UK.

▼ Though is it still considered a private moment when all you and all your co-workers are sleeping on the job, too?

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Green’s work has since caught a lot of attention from social media both within Japan and abroad, for the first-hand look it provides at one just one of the many everyday sights that make-up the colorful city of Tokyo.

Naturally he made sure to ask permission before taking and posting these shots online, a wise thing to do if this series has inspired you to get a little snap-happy next time you’re in the area, along with checking out these other tips for taking pictures in Japan.

Source: William Green via Artist Database    
Feature/insert images: William Green