Recently in Japan Category

Robert Indiana's LOVE sculpture, at the I-Land Tower, Shinjuku, originally uploaded by blather.

Robert Indiana's LOVE sculpture, at the I-Land Tower, Shinjuku.



"Love
n. A temporary insanity curable by marriage or by removal of the patient from the influences under which he incurred the disorder. This disease, like caries and many other ailments, is prevalent only among civilized races living under artificial conditions; barbarous nations breathing pure air and eating simple food enjoy immunity from its ravages. It is sometimes fatal, but more frequently to the physician than to the patient."

- Ambrose Bierce, The Devil's Dictionary

Man with tortoise, Kamakura, originally uploaded by blather.

Man with tortoise, Kamakura, near Tokyo, Japan. This fellow appear to be out walking his tortoise - which, contrary to well known fables, was moving pretty quickly, trotting alongside him and doting over him like a dog. He had to restrain it at the pedestrian crossing to stop it from the road. When the light went green, he picked it up and carried it across!

Young and Old, Harajuku, Tokyo, Japan, originally uploaded by blather.

Older man and younger woman crossing a street in Harajuku, Tokyo, Japan. Harajuku is reknowned for its outrageous youth fashions and "bo beep" girls. Editorial Only

Life is passing me by, originally uploaded by blather.

A train moves by at high speed while a woman waits on the platform on the Tozei line, Takebashi station, Tokyo.

Waving for the camera - Busy Pedestrian Crossing at Shibuya, Tok, originally uploaded by blather.

A French tourist waves for the cameras at the scramble crossing at Hachiko Square Shibuya, reportedly the world's busiest pedestrian crossing. It's surrounded by video screens, giving a very Bladerunner feel. It's overlooked by one of the busiest Starbucks cafes in the world, from where this photograph was taken. The crossing also features in a scene from Lost in Translation with Bill Murray and Scarlet Johansson.

Yushin Whale meat shop, Asakusa, Tokyo, originally uploaded by blather.
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Yushin wale meat shop Asakusa, Tokyo. In the photograph you can see a toy whale perched a shelf containing tinned whale meat, selling for about US$4-6. In the background left is a potential customer and child. To the right is a member of staff.

Next door is a whale meat restaurant, also called Yushin. The meat for both premises comes from the factory vessel Nisshin Maru, which carries out controversial "scientific whaling research" in the Southern Ocean every year, killing hundreds of whales in the Southern Ocean Whale Sanctuary. After the whaling fleet arrive back in Japan, the whale meat is sold off to shops like Yushin. Critics, such as Greenpeace, say that the scientific research programme is really just commercial whaling in disguise.

Japanese government to investigate whale meat scandal »

Irei no Izumi, Soul Comforting Spring at Yasukuni Shrine, Tokyo, originally uploaded by blather.
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Irei no Izumi, Soul Comforting Spring is dedicated to those who died of thirst in battle situations. It's within the Yasukuni Shrine complex in Tokyo.

Yasukuni Shrine, originally named Tokyo Shokonsha was constructed in June 1869 by order of the Meiji Emperor to commemorate soldiers who had died in the Boshin War and had fought on the side of the Restoration. At that time it was one of several dozen such shrines built throughout Japan. In 1879, the shrine was renamed Yasukuni Jinja and became one of the principal shrines associated with State Shinto as well as the primary national shrine for commemorating Japan's war dead. The name Yasukuni, a quotation from Zuo Zhuan (a classical-era Chinese text), literally means "Pacifying the Nation" and was chosen by the Meiji Emperor.[8] The shrine has performed Shinto rites to house the kami (spirits) of all Japanese and former colonial subjects (Korean and Taiwanese) and civilians who died while participating in the nation's conflicts until the end of the US occupation of Japan in 1951.

Yushima Seido Confucian Temple, Tokyo, originally uploaded by blather.
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Yushima Seido located in the Yushima neighbourhood of Bunkyo, Tokyo, Japan, was constructed by Hayashi Razan as a Confucian temple in the Genroku era of the Edo period (end of the 17th century). It was closed in it was closed in 1871 after the Meiji Restoration.

Apparently it was used as a location in the TV series Monkey during the 1970s, and today is used as a place of prayer for students studying for exams.

Wikipedia »

Shinjuku Skyscrapers - Sompo Japan Head Office, originally uploaded by blather.

The 200-metre high Sompo Japan Head Office in Shinjuku's skyscraper district, with pedestrians crossing a bridge and two pigeons keeping watch. The building was completed in 1976 and designer by Uchida Shozo.

No Buñueling, please., originally uploaded by blather.

This reminds me of Luis Buñuel's Le Chien Andalou »


Warning sign on Tokyo Metro - Do your make up at home! From my experience of the crowds rush hour Tokyo, anyone who can do make up on the train deserves an award!

Pachinko Players, Shinjuku, Tokyo, originally uploaded by blather.

Pachinko Players, Shinjuku, Tokyo. The noise from theses places is incredible - I don't know how the people inside can deal with it. Seems like a bit of a national addiction!

There are several kinds of pachinko machines and parlor regulations, but most of them conform to a similar style of play. Players purchase metal balls which are then shot into the machine from a ball tray with the purpose of attempting to win more balls. The pachinko machine has a digital slot machine on a large screen in the center of its layout, and the objective is to ge three numbers or symbols in a row - striking the jackpot.

Shinjuku Skyline, Tokyo, originally uploaded by blather.

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Bladerunner »

Shinjuku Skyline, Tokyo's skyscraper district. I took this from a 12th floor apartment belonging to a friend. Shinjuku is Tokyo's ommercial and administrative center, housing the busiest train station in the world (Shinjuku Station), and the Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building, the administration center for the government of Tokyo.