Japan 3.0 日本

東京, 京都, 大阪

The camera to document the journey of my return to Japan for the Cherry Blossoms.

First day back and my first moments back in Tokyo: Shibuya March 11th 2023. After a 18 hours of flying and traveling I made it. 3 years, 11 month and 18 days in the making.

So many people, more then usual with the cherry blossom seasoning happening and finally being open.

I left in 17degree weather to this.

The city can be overwheloming with everything to take in, if you don’t look up you will miss so much.

Day one was spent exploring Shibuya

This is what the streets look like at 8:00am, its crazy how barren the streets can be at times.

Music on CDs and Tapes is still a big thing so are music and book stores along with wire headphones.

The is the first time I saw graffiti in the city, a unique and stange experiences. Especially to see Japanese style.

Crazy to think just how many buildings, shops and businesses there are in every direction. I do love how there is overpasses for people to cross the street.

Everywhere you looked big things were happening

This building has an amazing observation deck Shibuya Sky. I tried to go and see it but got told that it was sold out when I attempted to buy tickets at the last minuet. Next time.

When looking for your store, you have to look carefully as stores are stacked on stores.

At the famous crossing getting ready to get coffee and watch the crowds pass by.

This provides an amazing view although it become quite warm when the sun comes beating down. People will wait for ever and covert your spot at the window when you have it.

It’s super rare to see this few people. The people with the white hand bags are in line and then you go upstairs to sit. The cafe isn’t really that big at all. In fact it’s only wide enough to file though to order and then there are only two rows of seats, one at the window and small tables behind it. There is actually a book store, music store, game store and much more in this building.

The view is a fun one to watch. When it isn’t as busy you will often see people staging pictures. I think to myself if the Beatles did Abby Road in Tokyo this is where it would be. The picture would be taken of them corssing where the red rectangle is in the front ground.

This is one of the occasions of parents attempting the perfect candid picture at such a famous place.

This picture is interesting in the fact that although smoking is still huge in Japan, you have to do so in designated areas.

A close up of the Smoking Area.

Back on the street again getting ready to see the famous Hacaikō Statue.

Of course there was a line even early in the morning.

Just a day in the life for the people that live in Tokyo.

My picture. The pink shoes were a big hit.

The journey continues.

So many turns, twists, ally ways and streets.

The fact that many of the cars and vehicles are smaller I find could be a solution to American problems.

I would love to own one of theses.

The most amazing thing about Japan and parking is that there isn’t a separate entrance and exit there is only one, and to solve the problem they use turn tables.

Even streets have themes some more famous than others.

This story is the most amazing sotre you can imagine, with discount prices and limited edition items you can’t go wrong here. Well you can when you buy a suitcase full of candy.

The mascot is also super cute.

Another one of those cool cars. With streets as small as they are they are super efficient;

This was another line waiting to get into a women’s department store of several stories.

There is just something about watching life happen, everyone having a place to go, something to do and a place to be.

I love how you can see the metro go by in the background.

The one thing about how people dress in tokyo is that people either great looking shoes or completely ugly ones.

So S.Ride is like Uber but only nicer. One thing you notice when you get a taxi or S.Ride is that when you hail one you don’t open the door, because it opens up by it’s self.

Staying in the heart of a city of the heart of the prefecture was truly amazing.

There are some very interesting and amazing cars to be found and seen other then my tiny trucks.

Phone booths are still a thing, but have become rarer and fewer in recent times.

Seeing the Tokyo Go Cart is something like right out of Wacky Racers.

I love the day in a life happening around every corner and on every street. There is something to be said about going from a city from 50,000 to a city of 41,000,000.

At some point I started to see how many high end name brand department stores I could find.

There are many places, buildings and happenings that leave me wondering. If only there were more time to go down every avenue, and experience every happening.

This is one of those ugly shoes I was talking about. The shoe looks like it has a blister on it. I mean what do you do when a flat occurs.

We call these mucks in America.

Love taking pictures of Starbucks in Japan.

One thing I find interesting about marketing is that anime plays a huge role in the culture. Anime offers something for everyone. You will often find people reading manga or a book on the train.

I thought this picture was cool because of the Mario Box.

Often you take pictures because what you experience is so vastly different then what your used to experiencing.

Each street holds it’s own magic and it’s own unique happening.

This was really cool to see the Japanese Flag and the Irish flag for St. Patties day.

This is a unique entrance into a shopping mall and a must for many visitors to have their picture taken.

One thing you will find with my posts is that music especially J-Pop is huge and with it so is the fan base. I was blown away by how many people would stand in line just to get their picture taken with a poster.

Art and fashion are everywhere and around every turn.

I love coming to this street and experiencing the massive experience of fashion, street food, and people expressing themselves in their own way. Not to mention there is so many cute cafes to stop by and play with various different animals.

Fashion, takes on many different forms and caters to everyone.

Even Kyoto Fox made a debut.

Yes, I too got caught up in the happening of wanting to have my picture taken in front of some boy band poster.

I finally took the chance of having lunch here at the restrunt at the book store that was inside the building at Shimbyu crossing. There was a two hour limit and you had to order online via a qr code.

I had a nice tuna salad tea and beer.

I couldn’t believe how well dressed everyone was. I was not use to seeing designer clothes just to go out on the town for shopping.

I love the time when certain streets are closed and you are free to wonder around and catch some amazing shots of the city and of the sort of flash mob.

Japan, a place where it has it all.

The home and epic center of Anime. No matter how many times I visit the magic is still there, only with different billboards.

This was an incredibly unique experience and chance to see a titan in game play. When I first started playing Warhammer 40k talk of titans was only legendary, although we know that only the rich kids had them. When we played Warhammer 40k Epic the titans only stood a few inches high but here they stood nearly over a foot plus. The game store I grew up with would have easily fit inside this store along with the coffee shop and probably several other stores.

To truly own all the action figures and to have them on display would require a budget of a small country measured in GDP and a measure with various wings.

This was a bitter sweet moment. I remember the white building to the right as being a unique place that anyone who remembers knows. Now it and the white building to the left is to become one of the biggest anime stores in all of Tokyo

If I had over $700 I would have been going home with this action figure. next time.

I love wondering around at my own pace and going where the universe tells me as it affords me some of the most amazing and unique pictures. This one is taken on my way to the Starbucks Reserve.

I was frustrated at the fact that I arrived too soon to not see this place in full bloom but I was thankful for the fact that I got to see it at all.

Back having some amazing and wonderful dinner at Starbucks.

Just on the other side of of the street that leads to Starbucks reserves that runs parallel to the river is seemingly a major artery that is that runs side by side with the city.

This is the other side of the street. It’s amazing how busy it is and how happening. Almost like worlds away.

This is where I went to breakfast every morning.