One more time in Tokyo
This is my third blog on Tokyo, and probably my last until I can once again safely visit this fantastic city.
For anyone who has not seen the previous blogs, please do have a look at the original Tokyo Blog and the follow-up, Tokyo in black and white.
For this blog, I shall include a fairly random set of images, including some taken on an iPhone. Either because I was too embarrassed or too lazy to whip out one of the proper cameras. Again, I shall repeat that I’m not a “proper photographer”, I just like taking photos and sometimes I’m lucky enough to get some decent or interesting ones. This blog may lean more towards the “interesting”, and I shall try to add some facts and fiction to carry you along the journey.
I shall start with two or three facts.
The pedestrian crossing in Shibuya is reportedly the busiest intersection in the world. At peak times, over 1000 people cross at the same time, coming from all directions. I shall post an image from the crossing down below
Tokyo has a population of over 125 million people and is the largest metropolitan area in the world (845 square miles)
Tokyo was once a small fishing village.
In terms of travel photography, I did write an earlier blog on what I try to achieve when I go on a photography trip. Just my thoughts and if you are interested, please do have a read. I think it applies to any sort of holiday, really (at least for me).
Travel Photography - What is it?
OK, on with the photos!
Here we have a collection of saki barrels. Each one can hold up to 72 litres of saki. They are generally decorated with the names and symbols of the original distillers. This image was taken near the Meiji Shrine, close to Yoyogi Park. I got heavily drunk on saki once. Lost total control of my legs.
The Shibuya crossing - not taken at peak time, so you don’t get the full impact of the place - please do check google for better pics or even search out some videos on YouTube.
Taken in Ueno market, more properly known as Ameya-Yokocho market. I’ll stick with Ueno, it’s easier. No idea what kind of fish these are, I just liked the photo.
I have mentioned in my other blogs that I like reflections and that Tokyo was a good location for this type of image. You don’t always need glass or water for such reflections, as seen here.
Painters are a common sight in the parks and gardens, especially during cherry blossom season.
Steak at a teppanyaki restaurant…apologies to any vegetarians!
Apologies again to any vegetarians, but this was the best steak I’ve ever eaten. And I’ve eaten a lot, in steakhouses around the world. This was easily the best; I would travel to Tokyo just to eat this again. This is A5 Wagyu cooked over cherry wood, and I am in tears of joy just thinking about it. I do have images of the steak sliced to show the cooking(medium-rare), but in the interests of sensitivity, I won’t post them.
OK, food fact here. Sometimes people get confused between Kobe beef and Wagyu beef. Kobe is effectively a subset of Wagyu. So all Kobe beef is Wagyu beef. But not all Wagyu beef is Kobe. Wagyu essentially means “Japanese Cattle” and refers to purebred stock. In the U.S., though, he USDA defines Wagyu as being at least 46.875% pure Japanese blood. So most U.S. Wagyu is half-blood.
The steak world can be complicated, that’s for sure. So let’s move on.
Reflection in a glass building in Ginza. Ginza is one of the more upmarket and trendy parts of Tokyo. How I got in, I shall never know.
The Monster Cafe in Harajuku. I mentioned this in a previous blog - a total assault on the senses in terms of sights, sounds and tastes. When you think of Japanese youth culture and how it can be really “out there”, this is it - but in a harmless fun kind of way. The sort of place you go to and try not to overthink - just take it all in. 30-45 minutes would be my lot in here; my brain would explode otherwise.
I would dearly love to take my brother to this place. Being an unworldly type, his reactions would be priceless. Think “Idiot Abroad”, but dumbed down. I expect it would be very difficult to get him to leave.
Tokyo rightly has a reputation as an ultra-modern metropolis, but there are still fragments of “Old Tokyo” dotted around. This image was taken in one of several alleys where you can find tiny izakaya restaurants, generally serving yakitori style food (fried things on sticks) or other small snacks. Think along the lines of a Japanese equivalent of a tapas bar, and you’re not far off.
Let’s go back to b/w reflection style. Not really much else to say here, so I won’t.
The Japanese metro or subway system - the busiest mass transit system in the world, serving nearly 9 million people each day..
Taken near Shinjuku station
Nothing special about this shot, just an image that was taken during Cherry Blossom season showing some of the crowds that can gather. Visitors here are queuing up to get close to a tree in blossom.
I started this series of blogs with an image of cherry blossoms, so it seems fitting to finish up with one as well.
Well, I think this does finish up my series of blogs from Tokyo. I do hope that maybe in 2021 I can head back there again. There are steaks with my name on them, as well as random people in the street or on trains who need to be photographed.
If anyone likes any of my snaps, you will find a few on Travelling Fatman’s Jigsaw Emporium
Various items can also be found on my RedBubble Store.
Apologies for that, but times are tough, bills need to be paid and holidays need to be saved for. Never mind camera equipment. Oh my word, that stuff costs. Oh ya, and the A5 wagyu - we’re not talking McDs prices for that one, I can tell you.
I do find that embarrassing, by the way - plugging tat like that. So, with that out of the way, I hope that you are all keeping safe and well and are following appropriate guidelines. Life under lockdown is not always easy, boredom kicks in, we get worried for ourselves and our family and friends. We are living in uncertain times and it all takes a toll.
I hope that in some way these images and ramblings provide at least a temporary distraction.
Now that this blog is done and the Tokyo series is finished, I shall resume my trawl through the Fatman Archives in search for ideas on what to write about next.
Until then, stay strong, stay safe - and be kind!
Fatman xxx