Today, to close the show for this month, a panorama photo of the endless concrete jungles of Tokyo as seen from the famous Tokyo Tower. The skyscrapers of Shinjuku, a major business and entertainment center, can be seen in the far distance on the far left. Note the green spaces here and there between the concrete, steel and glass: those are the parks where Tokyoites can escape from the crowded city. At the bottom in … Continue reading
Once in a while you discover a song that becomes a favorite and stays stuck in your head. It must have been some years ago when I by chance encountered a song called ‘Sukiyaki’, a song entirely in Japanese. At the time, I did not understand one word of what the singer sang, as I did not speak or understand any Japanese. Upon closer inspection I found out that the song was from the sixties, … Continue reading
There is not much to say really about this third part in a series of panorama photos of Japan. Similar to the previous one, it was taken in Tokyo in early 2012. To be more precise: on the beach of the man-made island of Odaiba. The bay of Tokyo (with a party boat on it) and the Tokyo skyline are visible in the center of the photo, flanked by Odaiba on the left and the … Continue reading
The second part in a series of panorama photos of Japan shows the man-made island of Odaiba at sunset. Situated in the bay of Tokyo across the Rainbow Bridge, Odaiba was first created in the 1850s for defensive purposes to protect Edo (Tokyo) against attacks from sea. In the twentieth century, Odaiba was expanded into a seaport district, until it was further developed in the early 1990s at the height of Japan’s bubble economy. Only … Continue reading
Anyone staying in Tokyo for an extended period of time will, sooner or later, want to temporarily escape the endless, neon lit concrete jungles and its endless masses of people. Although there are many options to spend a day in the vicinity of Tokyo in relative calmness – such as Mount Takao to the west or the famous tourist place of Nikko two hours north – another nice place to consider for a day trip … Continue reading
Last year I posted a photo series called ‘A trip through memory lane: Japan 1977 & Japan 2010‘, consisting of twelve posts with photos taken in Japan in 1977 by my father and in 2010 by myself (to see these series, click here). As a follow up and to show you the beauty of Japan this year another series: panorama photos taken in Japan during my several stays there. Today the first part: a panorama … Continue reading
Tokyo. Capital of Japan, the largest metropolitan area of the country with almost nine million inhabitants divided among 23 special wards. Part of a conglomeration home to more than 35 million people. One of the biggest cities in the world. Moreover, home to millions of signs and neon lights, drawing attention and reaching out to (potential) customers day and night in a city that never sleeps. The most striking signs are those translated from Japanese … Continue reading
The twelfth and last episode of A trip through memory lane: Japan 1977 & Japan 2010 once again takes us to Nikko, the famous tourist attraction about two hours north of Tokyo. Nikko and its surroundings are home to an impressive amount of cultural heritage and tourist attractions such as Lake Chuzenji and the nearby Kegon waterfall. The main attractions however are temples, such as Futarasan Shrine and Rinno-ji, and the mausoleums of the founder … Continue reading