Tokyo
Tokyo is undoubtedly one of my favourite cities to visit. It is clean, safe, has some great food, great transport and is easy to walk around for the most part, being a fairly flat city. For a street photographer, it is paradise. There are people everywhere and the opportunities for engaging images are virtually endless.
The architecture is another appealing aspect for me and I have included some images in this blog that hopefully illustrate that to a reasonable degree. It would be impossible for me to fully represent Tokyo in this blog, but I shall try to post some interesting images that at least give some flavour of this incredible city.
But what sparked my interest in travel? I can’t recall exactly, but was probably something like this, I imagine…
Each night as a child, as I slept in the garden shed and listened to my brother eating freshly baked cakes in the warmth of the living room, I would read by moonlight the stories in the newspapers that served as my blankets. There would be news articles from places around the world, exotic and exciting places that filled my dreams and hopes for the future. Comforted by those stories and the smell of old fish and chip grease from the papers, I would drift off to sleep, all the while promising myself that one day I would be free of that shed and travel to distant lands. Japan was one of those lands.
(Slight disclaimer: My mother and brother may dispute this series of events, but they are as thick as thieves)
Roll the clock forward more years than I care to count and there I was. A short, fat and bald wee fella from the Scottish Borders landing in Tokyo airport with a camera in hand and a new land to explore. A new and strange land. With strange customs, strange foods and a strange language - and all of it gloriously exciting. I have been to Tokyo a few times now and each visit holds new adventures - it is one of the great cities of the world, with no doubt. And a far cry from that damp and draughty shed of my childhood.
True story - the first time I arrived in Japan many years ago, I landed in Tokyo airport and could not find any signs in English anywhere. Two Mormons from Salt Lake City took pity on me, showed me how to buy train tickets, how to get the train and joined me on the journey into town - then made sure I got off at the right stop. The kindness of strangers can be a wonderful thing and I was especially grateful they didn’t try to convert me.
Before I travel to any location, new or familiar, I always have a read through my “go-to” Travel Photography book - highly recommend for anyone, regardless of photographic ability - Lonely Planet's Guide to Travel Photography
Having spent this past weekend going through my Tokyo photos from over the years, I have found it very difficult to condense them to a dozen or so but, as mentioned earlier, hopefully this selection gives at least a Taste of Tokyo.
For sushi lovers, I do apologise - can’t stand it, won’t eat it and I’ve no photos of it. Sorry, but I have an uncultured palate.
OK, let’s get on with the show - photos, facts and fiction here we come…
Cherry Blossom, or Sakura, season in Japan is a thing of beauty and captures the imagination of both locals and tourists. I am lucky enough to have caught it a couple of times. You need that bit of luck given the blossom timing is weather dependant and can vary from forecasts - if you are out by even a couple of days you can miss the whole thing. There are festivals, holidays, parks become full of picnickers and it is not an exaggeration to say that blossom season dominates life for a few days each spring across Japan.
This was a bucket list item for me and for once reality met expectation. I hope to experience it again someday.
My images could never do full justice to the beauty of gardens and parks in Japan, but I hope that this snap from the Shinjuku Gyoen National Garden gives some idea of how lovely and well kept they can be. This particular park is within a gentle 30-minute walk from where I was staying in Tokyo. My overnight flight landed in the early morning and I arrived at the hotel around 7 am - checked in, dumped my bags, grabbed my camera gear and off I went - I arrived at the gardens for opening time and managed to have a good stroll around before they got too busy.
I’m always a fan of getting up early and beating the crowds at locations like this, I think you reap the rewards photographically most of the time.
Painters are a common site in Tokyo’s gardens and I am always impressed by their ability to capture the scenes before them. To me, this is true talent. Anyone can take a decent photo these days, even with a smartphone - technology is a great leveller and I make no secret of the fact that I have been a beneficiary. However, painting like this - talent.
Before I move onto my next image, I just want to share some excitement regarding a recent project. I do sell images and products from time to time and I have just moved into the jigsaw market.
You can see a number of my images on the Travelling Fatman Jigsaw Shop
Most are from Scotland or Singapore, but a few others thrown in as well. If there was a particular image of mine you’d like to see on there, please let me know. Maybe if a location held a personal significance or some special memory, it would make a nice gift for yourself or a loved one.
OK, shameless plug over, back to Tokyo.
One of the first things people think about when Tokyo is mentioned is “crowds”. Swarming, heaving masses of people going about their daily lives. Yes, it’s true, crowds are a part of Tokyo life and here is one example - Sunday afternoon in Takeshita Street, Harajuku.
This is a pedestrian shopping street lined with fashion boutiques, cafes and restaurants - most of them independent and quirky. For a street photographer, this area offers boundless opportunities. You just need to battle the crowds - walking against the flow down this narrow street can be challenging!
A fairly typical scene in and around Takeshita Street. No idea what was going on, but kinda liked it!
One of the great things for me when travelling is to experience something new, something vastly different from the life I am used to.
I don’t mean eating weird food - you’d never see me munching on a sheep’s eyeball or slavering over raw fish - but witnessing new cultures, new behaviours, new landscapes, whatever it may be. Tokyo provides that in abundance. I love it.
All sorts of shops selling sweet treats can be found in Takeshita Street, but one of the most popular is the Totti Candy Factory, known for its Rainbow Candy Floss. This stuff is wonderful. Sweet, sticky, multi-flavoured and a million miles removed from the bright pink clouds we are more familiar with in the UK.
Remember wet wipes though. Handling your camera after working your way through one of these beauties can be a sticky experience.
Staying in Harajuku but moving more towards architecture and reflections. This is taken from the top of some escalators leading into Tokyu Plaza Mall and is a natural magnet for photographers - there are so many angles that can be found here. Great fun, but can be busy.
Bright colours seem to be a theme so often in Japanese cosplay culture and the Kawaii Monster Cafe takes that to a whole new level. Your senses get assaulted from every direction - the sights, sounds and tastes make this an experience not to be missed. To be fair, the cake wasn’t bad at all but I couldn’t finish it. I need to take my brother there sometime, huge, sweet cakes like this may remind him of his childhood.
Let’s move back to reflective architecture. Not sure of that is a recognised genre but if not, I think it should be. This is taken in the Tokyo International Forum and I find this building to be an absolute joy. The architecture, reflections and plays of light in this space make this location a “must visit” for me. Here, my camera if rested flush against the glass surface in an attempt to maximise the available reflection.
There are many buildings in Tokyo where this effect can be achieved - might even do a blog specific to images of this type. Let’s see.
Possibly my favourite genre of images to take is street photography. Photos of people going about their everyday lives. No set ups and no poses - just everyday people going about their everyday lives. This can be controversial at times and the ethics of individual photographers come into play, we must each make our own decisions on what is fair to post or not. I would also add that I believe most of us enjoy looking at these images, either from current day or from history. There is almost and element of documentary about these shots.
At a basic level, if you are in a public space, you may get your image taken. Photographer’s are allowed to do so. Then personal ethics come into play - I would try to avoid posting images that centre around embarrassment, for example. Anyway, too long and complex a topic for this blog.
For anyone interested in street photography, I would recommend the following:
The Street Photographer's Manual
OK, now for a couple of my own Tokyo street images
I love taking images like this - black and white, high contrast and a little bit of a human element to give some extra interest. This shot was taken at Shiodome in Tokyo - a modern complex of offices, hotels and malls, very close to Hamarikyu Gardens.
Taken in Harajuku
Shinjuku
Tokyo Metro
Rush hour…
Well, that almost finishes my Tokyo blog, but I think I shall do one or two more focusing on a particular theme. Some ideas floating around are black and white, people and architecture with reflections thrown in somewhere.
For this blog, I think I shall finish with two more images adding a splash of colour! Just to finish on a cheerful note and hopefully, raise a wee smile. a cheerful note.
The following info is taken from the “Japan Guide” website.
“There are over one hundred cherry tree varieties in Japan. A few of them are wild varieties native to Japan's forests, such as the Yamazakura, but the large majority of them have been cultivated by humans over the centuries for decorative use in gardens and parks. By far the most popular cherry tree variety today is the particularly pretty, cultivated Somei Yoshino.
There are several characteristics differentiating the many cherry tree varieties.
Most varieties produce light pink to white blossoms, but there are also cherry trees with dark pink, yellow or green blossoms. Furthermore, the colour of some varieties' cherry blossoms may change while they are in bloom. For example, a blossom may open as a white flower and change colour to pink over the course of a few days.”
Let’s head back to the Monster Cafe and go out with a bang. It is hard for me to find the words to accurately describe this place - it is off-the-charts madness and makes no sense at all. An explosion of noise and colour that would be hard to find anywhere else(with the exception of my brother at weekends, I have never witnessed anyone dressed quite like this).
But here in Tokyo, this can pass as normality. And it is utterly great fun. And I think we all need that at times - especially now.
Well, that does indeed finish this particular blog. But I shall post more from Tokyo over the coming days.
In the meantime I hope you are all keeping safe and being sensible - look after yourselves and others!
Stay strong, stay safe, be kind
Fatman xxx