-
Under Marunouchi Plaza
Nov 14, 2021
There is a huge amount of pedestrian space underneath Tokyo, and often it can be pretty sparsely populated. This is from under Marunouchi Plaza near Tokyo Station taken early evening just before Christmas. These places provide access without consideration of traffic, and I think much of their reason for being were the number of pedestrian accidents. They also protect you from the elements whether that is rain, cold or heat, and are always well lit and very, very clean.…
-
Post Office Reflections
Oct 28, 2021
Some may think concrete, steel and glass buildings a bit soulless. But they have different and often appealing moods depending on the season and time of day. Here, the Marunouchi Post Office building shows interesting reflections of the nearby buildings and lovely clear blue December afternoon sky.
-
dondonudon
Aug 28, 2021
A wonderful little udon restaurant hidden away under the Hakozaki junction in Chuo City. There are so many of these small establishments and each has its own atmosphere.
-
Kebab Shop
Jul 21, 2021
There is so much of Tokyo in this tiny scene. The utility poles, the narrow roads, the even narrower buildings, a temple, vending machines, a combini, bicycles and a bright, but this time sadly closed, a bright shop selling hot food to take away. Perfection.
-
Takeaway Yakitori
Jul 12, 2021
I am always awed and pleased to see such establishments as this happily opening up and selling their wares each day. This place must take some setting up and taking down each day. I love the colourful flowers and New Year ornaments put out.
-
Hina Matsuri Dolls
May 23, 2021
I’m afraid I have forgotton exactly where I came across this display of Hina Matsuri dolls, other than that it was in a small temple somewhere in the North East of Tokyo. I have since read that these are displayed by families on Girls Day on the 3rd March each year to pray for the healthy growth of young girls. I believe that sometimes Temples take old, discarded dolls and display them for a while as a kind of memorial service for them before storing them away, or, in some cases burning them to release their spirits.…
-
Towers of Glass
May 23, 2020
Tokyo has many stunning towers of glass, and this one, the newish Kitte building on the south side of Marunouchi Plaza, is one of my favourites. Here looking especially beautiful against a clear blue winter sky. The viewing platform from where this photograph was taken is the perfect location for looking out over the plaza and Tokyo Station too.
-
Marunouchi Plaza
Apr 29, 2020
Marunouchi Plaza is one of my favourite public spaces in Tokyo. There is an endless variety of contrasting architectures to look at and explore, not to mention some very fine vantage points for viewing the surrounding area. From the new post office building (where this photograph was taken from) to the wonderful Tokyo Station and even looking down Gyoko-dori towards the Imperial Palace there is so much to see and explore from this space.…
-
Roof Tiles and Rain Chains
Apr 29, 2020
I love Japanese roof tiles. Their texture, shape, glaze and colours are a major contributor to the appeal of temples and other traditional Japanese buildings. Another fascinating element of such buildings are the rain chains, or kusari-doi, that so much more elegantly deal with off-roof water flow than the usual drainpipe. This photograph is of part of the Jyokan-ji temple near Minowa Station. It lies right on the boundary of the Arakawa and Tatio wards which is a fascinating area to explore
-
Abandoned Bookshop
Apr 13, 2020
You do not have to travel far from the polished city centre before you start to see shops and stores that have been shuttered for the last time. Whilst it can be sad to see, and often fills my mind with the ghosts of happier days, the slow ageing of the materials is beautiful in its own right.