TOKYO

The Porn Collective

2012-02-12T04:07:00.000-08:00

Just a smattering of porn around the streets.
I managed to photograph a woman taking a pic of the adult movie theatre (top). This is very close to the South East Exit.

Shinjuku streets

2012-02-12T04:03:00.000-08:00

If I remember correctly, there were taken around the Kabuki-cho area of Shinjuku getting close to Okubo.

Random street scenes

2012-02-12T03:59:00.000-08:00

Tomato vending machine in the middle pic.

Kudanshita

2012-01-19T03:43:00.000-08:00

A quick visual tour of a rundown building in Kudanshita, Tokyo.

The likes of which you won't see in your tour guide.

Sprawling Metropolis

2012-01-19T03:11:00.000-08:00

These pictures were taken in Suidobashi, Tokyo.

The top picture you can see the L'Aqua and Tokyo Dome areas to the bottom right.

Also of interest in the large centreless ferris wheel and roller coaster that runs through it.

The bottom picture looks slightly towards Ueno in the distance.

Suidobashi (and Korakuen)itself is famously home to such places as the Kodokan(mecca of Judo) and the Tokyo Domw, home of the baseball team, Tokyo Giants.

It's a busy place during the day and is a business hub as well as having some large high schools and universities around the area.

At night, it's quiet.

Shinjuku Art

2011-10-10T00:09:00.000-07:00

Situated close to the New South Exit of Shinjuku station.

Kabuki Cho, Shinjuku

2011-05-31T04:55:00.000-07:00

Always an interesting place for a wander around, day or night.
The signs are in your face. Trannies, hookers, male/female hosts are operating around the clock pulling in the punters.
Naturally, it becomes better (or worse, depending how you think) at night.

Ueno

2010-10-09T02:22:00.000-07:00

Ueno has been cleaned up over the years.
However, the streets are still grimy, the back streets are still seedy, the fish market is still smelly and the park still attracts the homeless.
I remember Ueno was quite a shit hole when I was first in Tokyo 8 years ago.
It's certainly a long way off being upmarket, and that's probably why I like it.
Still, the effort to make it more presentable is evident.

I find Ueno has a mix of Shinjuku's neon and crowded streets, coupled with the feel of Nakano's backstreets, and yet manages to keep it own uniqueness with a big open air market.

It's well-worth a visit for the market and just to wander.
Keep out of the zoo, though.
It's quite depressing and very small.
You'll feel very sorry for the inhabitants...

Ueno

2010-10-09T02:03:00.000-07:00

A few snaps from around the streets.
Note that the toy shop.
This is a great shop that specialises in replica ball bearing guns and "celebrity" masks.
Quite a mix.

Okubo Station

2010-09-25T00:43:00.000-07:00

Took this from the platform of Okubo Station.
Okubo is sometimes referred to as "Korean Town".
Next stop to Shinjuku.

MJ

2010-07-02T02:47:00.000-07:00

MJ tribute near Nakano Station.
There's two walls that are designated for graffiti artists along the train tracks from Nakano to Koenji.
From the North exit.
Turn left.
Cross the street.
Go up the hill and past the bike park.
Keep going.

Artist:
Google belx2

Kichijoji

2010-07-02T02:36:00.001-07:00

Asagaya Lanterns

2010-07-02T02:28:00.000-07:00

Garden Pop Machine

2010-06-14T04:24:00.000-07:00

I'm sure, just like me, that you've always dreamt of having a vending machine stuck on your front drive.
Behold and be jealous...
In the backstreets of Asagaya.

Around Shimokitazawa

2010-06-14T04:07:00.001-07:00

In a huge city like Tokyo, it's always nice to visit a district that keeps it real with independant traders.
Shimokitazawa is one such place.
Of course it's always going to be hard to wander around without Mcdonalds/Starbucks/KFC rammed in your face, but this place tries hard to honour the Liitle Man.
Similar to Koenji, with a younger Kichijoji/Shibuya crowd.

Shimokitazawa is planned for major reconstruction and demolition as a highway is built through it, much to the protest of residents and shoppers.

Tokyo Nobody

2010-04-03T20:12:00.000-07:00

I found an interesting book the other day entitled: Tokyo Nobody, by photographer Masataka Nakano.
The pics appear to from the '90s.
He had the unenviable task of documenting Tokyo's streets and cityscapes minus human beings.
Hence the title of the book.

No easy task when you consider the population of Tokyo is roughly 12million, only cover the 23-wards, with up to 39 million when you take into account the Greater Tokyo area.

Defeinitely some time and effort gone into this one.
Quite a challenge that I might embark on myself.
You can check out some pics from the book here:
http://www.artunlimited.co.jp/nakano/tn.html

Shinjuku New Building 3

2010-03-11T05:10:00.000-08:00

Located through the Kabukicho area of Shinjuku, Tokyo.
More into Okubo actually, stands this monument of futuristic, one-of-a-kind architecture.

From the front, it's sandwiched between two other builings.
Standing head on, you can't really appreciate it in all its glory. It's only when you walk around the sides and back of the block on which it stands that you see its real beauty.

Apparently labelled as "Metabolism", this building was erected in the 70's.
Bolt-on capsule-like rooms were added and taken away when necessary. Apparently when someone moved in or out.

I was impressed by the sheer shape and size of the place.
With a friend, we ventured inside and up to the third floor. We were put off by the CCTV, and the fact that people were in the building, despite it no longer being a place of residence.
Besides, we tried the doors as we went up the staircase, only to find them all locked.
From the outside, we saw laundry hanging out to dry on one of the floors.
A postman actually delivered something to one of the floors as we stood in the lobby.
Who exactly is living there, or even running a business, is anyone's guess.
It is, quite literally, a squatters paradise.

And that's about it.
Impressive, neglected and mysterious.

Nakano Backstreets

2010-03-11T04:19:00.000-08:00

North side of JR Nakano station.
Just off to the side of Nakano Broadway shopping centre.
The back streets are old and dirty with lots of character.
Nice faded Godzilla poster lurks in the window of a rundown shop.
There's a bit of nightlife and seediness with the hostess bars doing trade at night.

Around Harajuku 8

2009-09-13T06:11:00.000-07:00

Around Harajuku 7

2009-09-13T06:09:00.000-07:00

Around Harajuku 6

2009-09-13T05:56:00.000-07:00

Around Harajuku 5

2009-09-13T05:52:00.000-07:00

Around Harajuku 4

2009-09-13T05:45:00.000-07:00

Around Harajuku 3

2009-09-13T05:37:00.000-07:00

Around Harajuku 2

2009-09-13T05:31:00.000-07:00

Around Harajuku 1

2009-09-13T05:14:00.000-07:00

Shimokitazawa Street Art 2

2009-08-12T06:50:00.000-07:00

Shimokitazawa Street Art 1

2009-08-12T06:45:00.000-07:00

Shinjuku and Beyond

2009-08-12T06:41:00.000-07:00

Taken from the Metropolitan Goverment Building in Shinjuku.

Shibuya Crossing

2009-08-12T06:34:00.000-07:00

Took this a few years ago.
Evident by the "2007" billboard.

Around Ebisu 5

2009-08-10T23:21:00.000-07:00

Around Ebisu 4

2009-08-10T23:00:00.000-07:00

Around Ebisu 3

2009-08-10T22:38:00.000-07:00

Around Ebisu 2

2009-08-10T22:09:00.000-07:00

Around Ebisu 1

2009-08-07T23:30:00.000-07:00

Ebisu is another place worth spending a few hours wandering the back streets.
There's some graffiti and a few rundown buildings and a couple of other places of interest.
The actual place really isn't exciting. The beer museum is there and Liquidroom is there, but other than that it's just a stones throw from Shibuya, Meguro and the like.
I've taken a lot of pics around there, and will make a series of them.

Ochanomizu

2009-08-07T23:14:00.000-07:00

Harajuku

2009-07-31T20:34:00.000-07:00

This was tagged a long time ago with a nickname of mine.

the job

2009-07-31T20:31:00.000-07:00

I heard that if a company employee performs badly, his so-called punishment is to trawl the streets with his company's advertising boards.
Here's and example in "action".

Phones

2009-07-31T20:19:00.000-07:00

Not sure if these phones serve a purpose other than to provide a place for street artists to show off their stuff.

This pic was tagged a long time ago with a nickname of mine.

Shinjuku

2009-07-27T06:42:00.000-07:00

A quick right out of the south exit of Shinjuku station will bring you to a small part of Shinjuku that's like a maze.
Streets cross each other, hard to keep track of where you are and where you've been.
It's a great part of Tokyo, not only for some of the shops and restaurants, and Map Camera.

The beauty of this part of Shinjuku is the street art and old buildings.

Voting Shack

2009-07-12T02:59:00.000-07:00

Whatever this little iron construction is, it seems a place for the ongoing election campaigners to put up posters of their candidates.

2 for the price of 1

2009-07-06T08:10:00.000-07:00

Colour original and black and white conversion with yellow filter.
Processed in Pentax K10D.

Walking back from Nakano to Koenji, besides the train tracks.

Koenji and beyond

2009-07-06T07:42:00.000-07:00

Dead end

2009-07-06T07:32:00.000-07:00

Nakano

2009-07-06T07:27:00.000-07:00

Taken on platform 8 from Nakano station.
North side.

River 2 - Bike 1

2009-07-06T07:18:00.000-07:00

River - Ogikubo.
Bike - Koenji.

Cables again...

2009-07-06T05:16:00.000-07:00

Imagine these outside of your window.

About This Blog

2009-07-06T01:25:00.000-07:00

Like the header states, the real beauty of Tokyo is the concrete mass and surrounding eyesores.
There's something about it...
Concrete monstrosities.
Flashing neon signs that splutter and crackle as you walk by.
Cockroach-infested backstreet noodle restaurants.
Graffiti and sticker art is also an interest of mine, but on the photography side of things.
It all gives Tokyo character.

My interest in these kind of pics was way before I found out about Koji Onaka.
His book Tokyo Candy Box is a source of inspiration for me.

Here's a link:
http://photo.onaka.mods.jp/

And some of his pics above.

Nothing has quite summed up Tokyo City like he did on his old Pentax.

Just in case you might have a passing interest, I am using:
Pentax K10D
Casio Exilim zx1000
Ricoh GX200

I shoot in JPEG.
Try to replicate what I see as best as I can without enhancing the images.

That's it.
Enjoy the pics.

dustybunter[at}googlemail.com

Vending Machine Group

2009-07-04T20:51:00.000-07:00

In Tokyo, one of the things you can't help but notice is the amount of vending machines placed in the streets.
They're everywhere, from main roads, next to office buildings, outside peoples front doors, in small back alleyways, up mountain trails...everywhere.

You can buy soft drinks, cigarettes, beer, toys, snacks and sweets, porn mags and DVDs, and the rumoured schoolgirl panties, which I've never actually came across, for want of better words.
The fag and beer machines have recently been fitted with an ID card system which you touch onto the machines sensor before making your purchase.

Even more surprising is the the fact that none of these, at least I've never seen or heard of it, have been broken into.
Vandalised, yes. Broken into, no.

Back street

2009-06-30T09:19:00.001-07:00

Cable theme

2009-06-30T08:55:00.000-07:00

Cables of Koenji, Tokyo.
What keeps the place going.

Ogikubo

2009-06-29T06:43:00.000-07:00

Near to the South exit of JR Ogikubo station. track side.

Azuma Dori

2009-06-24T04:06:00.001-07:00

This street in Koenji is called Azuma Dori.

The boxes on the right are from a record shop called "European Papa".
You can see more in my Koenji blog:
http://koenji-live.blogspot.com

Alley

2009-06-24T04:01:00.000-07:00

Small alleyway off Nakano Broadway.

Neon

2009-06-24T03:46:00.001-07:00

Karaoke

2009-06-24T03:39:00.001-07:00

Back home in England, we have karaoke events in bars.
Here in Japan, you have events in Karaoke bars.

Vending machines

2009-06-24T03:34:00.001-07:00

Somewhere near Tama River.

Windows

2009-06-24T03:30:00.000-07:00

And wires.
Cowboy job for sure.

Surviving the test of time

2009-06-24T03:24:00.000-07:00

This old building is in Koenji.
Boarded up with corrugated iron, it fights to survive the harshest of winters.

It does have satellite TV, though.

The pics are of how it is in winter(top and middle) and spring.

VDub x Cola collaboration

2009-06-24T03:18:00.000-07:00

A classic VW in your parking space and a Coca Cola vending machine on your front doorstep.
Life doesn't get much better than that...I'm easily pleased.

Apartments

2009-06-24T03:08:00.000-07:00

I'm curious to see the inside of this place.
It's in Koenji, so that explains quite a lot about the design.
It's, erm...very grey.

"Who lives in a place like this?" that Lloyd Grossman might ask.
Who indeed?

I like it. Could do with a door, though.

Track Side

2009-06-24T03:02:00.000-07:00

A stroll from Koenji to Nakano.
Only about 15-minutes from station to station on foot.
Tozai Line train to the left.
Sobu and Chou Line also runs past here.
This walk by the train tracks has some good rundown places and lots of tagging and graffiti.

20-foot cartoons

2009-06-24T02:56:00.000-07:00

Where else but in Akihabara or "Akiba" can you see 2o-foot tall cartoon schoolgirls on the side of a building?

Bike Park

2009-06-24T02:43:00.000-07:00

Before I came to Tokyo, I didn't realise how many people used bikes in Japan.
With over 12million people living here(central Tokyo, only 23 wards), at least half have bikes. Most of them need bikes to get to work, or the train station.
Leave your bike unattended on the streets, and the chances are that the nice, old men who work for the goverment will take it away and impound it. You pay the hefty fine to get it back.
Some places, like here in Nakano, have a bike park. This one is 3-floors and costs 100-yen to leave your bike for the day.
Needless to say, they are making a killing on this.
I took these pics late at night when it was quite empty.
Go mid afternoon and you'll be struggling to find space to put your bike.

Nakano Train Station

2009-06-24T02:36:00.000-07:00

From the North side of Nakano station.

Brown

2009-06-24T02:21:00.000-07:00

Forget where exactly, but I was walking to Musashi-Koganei area.
Lovely shades of brown.

Koenji

2009-06-07T06:44:00.000-07:00