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!

Posted by Dave at 1:29 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

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

Posted by Dave at 9:31 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

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.

Posted by Dave at 1:46 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

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.

Posted by Dave at 8:07 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Yushin Whale meat shop, Asakusa, Tokyo, originally uploaded by blather.
Click for high resolution »

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 »

Continue reading "Yushin Whale meat shop, Asakusa, Tokyo" »

Posted by Dave at 11:39 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Irei no Izumi, Soul Comforting Spring at Yasukuni Shrine, Tokyo, originally uploaded by blather.
Click for high resolution »

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.

Posted by Dave at 9:40 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Yushima Seido Confucian Temple, Tokyo, originally uploaded by blather.
Get high resolution version »

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 »

Posted by Dave at 9:37 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

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.

Posted by Dave at 8:47 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)