Lost Tokyo

A Beautiful Reflection

2017-12-26T15:39:00.001-08:00

Family from Australia have been visiting and we took this opportunity for a big trip through Japan with our kids. First stop out of Tokyo was Hiroshima. On the first day, we visited the sites in the city and on the second day we took a ferry to Miyajima (宮島).

Before all the shops had opened, we toured Itsukushima Shinre (厳島神社). There were plenty of photo ops but it wasn't until after returning from a visit of Mt. Misen that the Great Torii Gate became especially photogenic. The tide went out while we were away and the gate that was previously floating above the water was now on dry land. Many people were now walking around taking photos and closely examining the base of the giant torii gate. I'm did get too close to the gate or the sea, but was able to capture an the gate and its reflection in a tidal pool.

Nikon D600 with Nikon 24mm f/2.0 Nikkor AI @ f8, ISO 200,1/200 sec.

Akira

2017-12-09T02:01:00.000-08:00

When I exited the Uniqlo in Shibuya this morning, there was this large wall surrounding several blocks under construction. Instead of the usual advertising and construction company propaganda,Katsuhiro Otomo’s Shōtarō Kaneda and his bike from the manga and anime Akira greeted me.

Nikon D600 with Nikon 24mm f/2.0 Nikkor AI @ f8, ISO 100, 1/500 sec.

Nikon D600 with Nikon 24mm f/2.0 Nikkor AI @ f8, ISO 100, 1/60sec.

Fall flowers are pretty too!

2017-11-01T04:49:00.000-07:00

I grew up in a the almost season-less sub-tropical climate of Southern Florida. It was hot, humid & wet in the summer and cool (almost never cold) and dry in the winter, which resulted in a practically endless growing season. There was very little variation in the flowers and plants that grew, and flowers for the most part would bloom year round.

This is not the situation in Tokyo and most of Japan. Seasons seem to be very distinct with certain flowers only appearing briefly during certain seasons. The Higanbana (red spider lily), white spider lily and toad lily appear in early fall. I'm still not sure what the purple and white bloom is.

Nikon D600 with Nikon 105mm f/2.8G ED-IF AF-S VR Micro-Nikkor Lens f4.0, ISO 400, 1/125 sec.

Nikon D600 with Nikon 105mm f/2.8G ED-IF AF-S VR Micro-Nikkor Lens f4.0, ISO 100, 1/200 sec.

Nikon D600 with Nikon 105mm f/2.8G ED-IF AF-S VR Micro-Nikkor Lens f4.0, ISO 100, 1/125 sec.

Nikon D600 with Nikon 105mm f/2.8G ED-IF AF-S VR Micro-Nikkor Lens f4.0, ISO 400, 1/50 sec.

What did you do over the summer?

2017-09-30T19:23:00.001-07:00

What did you do this past summer? If it's summer in the northern hemisphere, our family almost always heads south for several weeks down under for winter.

This year we went a little further south than usual, and had a great family road trip on the Great Ocean Road. We saw many amazing sites, the highlight of course was the Twelve Apostles near Port Campbell in Victoria.

Nikon D600 with Nikon 16-35mm f/4G ED VR II AF-S IF SWM @ 16 mm, f5.6, ISO 200, 1/250 sec.

Autumn Sumo Basho at Ryōgoku Kokugikanu

2017-09-16T23:33:00.002-07:00

Spent this past Saturday afternoon at the Autumn Sumo Basho (tournament) at Ryōgoku Kokugikanu. Of course I brought my camera and was lucky capture a few good shots of the action.

Nikon D600 with Nikon 80-200mm f/2.8D ED AF @ 200 mm, f4.0, ISO 1250, 1/200 sec.

How many cranes are at the construction site for the new Kokuritsu-Kyogijo (National Stadium)?

2017-09-04T14:03:00.000-07:00

Took my annual long Labor Day (US Holiday) walk through Tokyo yesterday. Decided to head from my place towards Shinjuku before heading over to my children's school.

My travels brought me to Kokuritsu-Kyogijo (National Stadium) Station. However, currently there is no stadium since it is under construction for the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo. Anyway, I ran by this place about two weeks ago on a long weekend run with a friend. We counted over a dozen cranes from our position; however, looking at this photo it looks like there are over 20-cranes of all sizes on the site working feverishly. BTW - Although there were at least three more cranes to the left of this shot, there are already over 20-cranes in this photo alone.

Nikon D600 with Nikon 24mm f/2.0 Nikkor AI @ f8, ISO 100, 1/250 sec.

Been Away But Will Post More Frequently...

2017-08-16T04:35:00.001-07:00

I returned from my summer vacation in July, but have been using Instagram and Tumblr instead of Blogger. Although I have enjoyed the immediacy of posting on those apps, Blogger still has it's place, so don't go anywhere.

Anyway, in July the family made our annual summer pilgramage to enjoy a mild winter down under. This year, in addition to Australia's Gold Coast, we visited friends in rural Victoria, Melbourne and the Great Ocean Road. Anyway, the photos here are of the lifeguard stand 19 on Burleigh Beach and an amazing stripped sunrise that greeted us on a fabulous morning.

Nikon D600 with Nikon 16-35mm f/4G ED VR II AF-S IF SWM @ 27 mm, f8, ISO 110, 1/30 sec.

Kawaii Ema in Kyoto

2017-06-20T14:04:00.003-07:00

In June 2015 I had several long meetings scheduled for a difficult project, but I was fortunate that these meetings would be in Kyoto and Osaka. After several days locked-up in meeting rooms in Kyoto and Osaka, our discussions concluded late Friday morning and had a little time to spend as tourists in Kyoto before heading back to Tokyo. There were several choices of places near Kyoto Station to visit, but as a group we eventually chose the Golden Pavilion or Kinkaku-ji. It was very hot and I did get a few postcard perfect photos of the Kinkaku-ji, but I really like the photo I took of a cute ema or wooden prayer board hanging nearby.

Nikon D600 with Nikon 85mm f/1.4 AI-S @ f2.8, ISO 100, 1/400 sec.

More Autumn Colors in Yoyogi Park

2017-06-06T14:10:00.001-07:00

I have more photos from last fall and some from the winter and New Year that I have to share. Perhaps one day I'll catch up...

Here's shot from a autumn walk through Yoyogi Park. It's always refreshing to take a walk in the park!

Nikon D600 with Nikon 24mm f/2.0 Nikkor AI @ f8, ISO 200,1/200 sec.

Good Town Doughnuts

2017-06-05T05:22:00.003-07:00

Not sure if I'll ever find a better doughnut in Tokyo. Good Town Doughnuts in Harajuku near Cat Street make some of the best I've ever had, and there coffee is pretty good too. On the left is their delicious Van Houten Chocolate and on the right is their amazing Maple Bacon!

Nikon D600 with Nikon 85mm f/1.4 AI-S @ f1.4, ISO 500, 1/8 sec.

Golden Hour at La Forêt

2017-05-24T01:59:00.001-07:00

The famous La Forêt department store anchors one corner of the intersection of Meiji Dori and Omotesando in Harajuku. This department store is located at the center of Tokyo's cutting edge of fashion district. I was lucky enough to pass by and capture its marque and favorable light on a late afternoon in January.

Nikon D600 with Nikon 85mm f/1.4 AI-S @ f2.8, ISO 100, 1/100 sec.

Yoyogi Koen Onion Family

2017-05-21T14:10:00.002-07:00

One the way to the Okinawa Matsuri 2017 in Yoyogi Park, I spotted these unusual purple flowers and stopped to take a photo. Believe it or not, these flowers are in the onion family! Not sure if I got the exact type, but based on a quick google search they look like Allium 'Globus'.

Nikon D600 with Nikon 85mm f/1.4 AI-S @ f2.8, ISO 100, 1/500 sec.

Daikanyama Street Art

2017-04-23T03:25:00.001-07:00

Saturday morning on a random mostly-residential street under Kyu-Yamate Dori (旧山手通り), I ran past this street art. It really caught my attention and I had to go back and get a better photo. Not sure who the artist was. Probably should have looked a little closer for a signature.

Nikon D600 with Nikon 16-35mm f/4G ED VR II AF-S IF SWM @ 26 mm, f8, ISO 100, 1/20 sec.

Fading Sakura Along the Meguro River

2017-04-15T14:49:00.001-07:00

Not much time to write, but on Friday morning, took some time out to snap the fading cherry blossoms along the Meguro River. Seems that either the weather or my work schedule has been conspiring against getting the perfect shot... Oh well, I need to try again next year.

Nikon D600 with Nikon 105mm f/2.8G ED-IF AF-S VR Micro-Nikkor Lens f5.6, ISO 200, 1/400 sec.

Morning Sakura along the Meguro River

2017-04-11T07:00:00.000-07:00

Monday morning on the way to the office, I took a quick detour to enjoy the sakura blooming along the Meguro River. Here's the first of probably many posts from cherry blossom season 2017.

Nikon D600 with Nikon 16-35mm f/4G ED VR II AF-S IF SWM @ 35 mm, f5.6, ISO 100, 1/80 sec.

Walking home from Yoyogi-Koen Eki

2017-04-09T07:06:00.003-07:00

Visited the Nikka Blender's Bar just south and east of the busy heart of Omotesando. I'm not a whiskey drinker but the bar had a great old world whiskey oasis vibe. They had a little "shrine" of memorabilia dedicated to their founder Masataka Taketsuru and his wife Rita Cowan, the founders of Japan's whisky industry.

We tried the aged sampler that included 6-different 12-year old whiskeys with the intention of blending to taste. It was a unique first time experience for me, and definitely an interesting and slightly inebriating experience. Seems like a great place to go if you need to impress a whisky aficionado.

Anway, the photo this evening was taken on the way home from Yoyogi Station. The street was eerily lit by a glowing orange sky over the DoCoMo Tower with yellow, green and purple street level lights.

Nikon D600 with Nikon 24mm f/2.0 Nikkor AI @ f2.8, ISO 800, 1/40 sec.

Kimono & Kilt! or Happy St. Patrick's Day!

2017-03-16T15:34:00.002-07:00

Going way back (Ack!! 15-years) into my photo archives today... This is a quick snap after the March 2002, St. Patrick's Day Parade in Harajuku, Tokyo. They had great smiles and wore kimono and kilt well!

Shot with my ancient long deceased Canon Powershot S100.

Autumn Cocoon

2017-03-09T02:40:00.001-08:00

I have a special fondness for the Cocoon Tower in Shinjuku. It just pushes the right visual buttons and is one of the many iconic buildings in Tokyo designed by Tange Associates, founded by Kenzo Tange.

Nikon D600 with Nikon 85mm f/1.4 AI-S @ f4,.0 ISO 100, 1/800 sec.

Nikon D600 with Nikon 85mm f/1.4 AI-S @ f4,.0 ISO 100, 1/320 sec.

Nikon D600 with Nikon 85mm f/1.4 AI-S @ f4,.0 ISO 100, 1/60 sec.

Autumn colors comes to Yoyogi National Gymnasium and Yoyogi Koen

2017-03-08T03:12:00.002-08:00

Still posting photos from my backlog while I've been laid up with my broken ankle. Tonight, I've made it to my photos from November.

Autumn colors came to Yoyogi National Gymnasium and Yoyogi Koen in early November. There will be more autumn colors from 2016 coming in future posts...

Nikon D600 with Nikon 85mm f/1.4 AI-S @ f8.0, ISO 100, 1/320 sec.

Back at the Miraikan in Odaiba

2017-03-04T22:17:00.000-08:00

It's been over five years since since I first posted photos of the National Museum of Emerging Science and Innovation (Miraikan) in Odaiba. The main hall with its giant globe is visually stunning and always fascinating. I'm quite sure that the pictures I've taken don't capture the scale and it's unique qualities.

Nikon D600 with Nikon 16-35mm f/4G ED VR II AF-S IF SWM @ 21 mm, f5.6, ISO 100, 1/40 sec.

Nikon D600 with Nikon 16-35mm f/4G ED VR II AF-S IF SWM @ 22 mm, f5.6, ISO 100, 1/50 sec.

Shibuya Evening Lights... One More from October 2016

2017-03-01T13:17:00.000-08:00

Here's one more from my walk through Shibuya of the famous crossing or scramble. As I've said before, I really don't like Shibuya, but it's easy to take a pretty picture there.

Nikon D600 with Nikon 85mm f/1.4 AI-S @ f2.8, ISO 800, 1/320 sec.

Shibuya Evening Lights

2017-02-28T03:25:00.000-08:00

Although I am not one that enjoys Shibuya at least, not in the normal sense... I dislike the chaotic energy and the crowds that bring that energy. (Although Japan hosts the most civil and Disney version of large crowds.) I do enjoy the lights and people watching, and those reasons, and the close proximity to my residence bring me back to Shibuya fairly often.

Nikon D600 with Nikon 85mm f/1.4 AI-S @ f2.8, ISO 400, 1/25 sec.

Nikon D600 with Nikon 85mm f/1.4 AI-S @ f4.0, ISO 400, 1/125 sec.

Nikon D600 with Nikon 85mm f/1.4 AI-S @ f4.0, ISO 400, 1/80 sec.

Nikon D600 with Nikon 85mm f/1.4 AI-S @ f4.0, ISO 400, 1/60 sec.

Two More Autumn Higanbana, Photography Insecurities about White Balance

2017-02-25T18:00:00.000-08:00

Here are two more higanbana that were blooming along a residential back alley in my Yoyogi neighborhood. Although in Japan these flowers may be associated with death and the dead, I've always enjoyed these flowers and look forward to their autumn arrival.

On a separate note, I have many insecurities about my photography, and am always looking to improve my in-camera and post-processing technique and workflow. Looking at my higanbana posts, white (and color balance) varies a little more than usual although some of these shots were taken at approximately the same time (this post). The slightly different angle of light result in a slightly different "color" balance due to the clouds, shade and nearby reflective surfaces. The camera and post-processing software may try to auto-balance but usually fail without human assistance and result in unnaturally warm or cool colors, and sometimes unusual color casts (perhaps due to a nearby green wall or ceiling). Although I generally like neutral to slightly warm images, I try to limit my post-processing and strive to reproduce a natural color palette that that reflects the actual conditions.

Nikon D600 with Nikon 105mm f/2.8G ED-IF AF-S VR Micro-Nikkor Lens f8.0, ISO 100, 1/80 sec.

Nikon D600 with Nikon 105mm f/2.8G ED-IF AF-S VR Micro-Nikkor Lens f5.6, ISO 100, 1/60 sec.

Last Autumn's Higanbana

2017-02-24T21:09:00.000-08:00

As summer fades, green stems break the soil and by late-September, Red Spider Lilies or Higanbana are blooming in my quiet Yoyogi neighborhood.

Back in the present, there's beautiful light and a sunny winter day waiting outside in Tokyo; however, I'm still hobbled for another 3-weeks due to my fractured ankle. Perhaps, I'll make my way outside later on crutches even for a short hop, but until then I'll spend some time editing and re-processing my backlog and posting. Just don't get used to it. My bloggin productivity will probably taper off again once I'm on my feet and the sakura are in bloom.

Nikon D600 with Nikon 85mm f/1.4 AI-S @ f2.8, ISO 100, 1/160 sec.

Nikon D600 with Nikon 85mm f/1.4 AI-S @ f4.0, ISO 100, 1/320 sec.

Harajuku Omotesando Genki Matsuri Super Yosakoi 2016

2017-02-24T02:05:00.001-08:00

Last August while walking through Yoyogi Koen and Harajuku, I inadvertently wandered into the Harajuku Omotesando Genki Matsuri Super Yosakoi. Although I was unable to linger for the dancing I was able to snap a few photos of costumed performers.

Nikon D600 with Nikon 24mm f/2.0 Nikkor AI @ f8, ISO 200,1/200 sec.