Another old post lurking in my drafts. This was in Tokyo in spring when the cherry blossoms were unbelievable. I thought I’d had enough of them until I happened upon Ueno Park where they’d made a path across the middle of a lake and lined it … Continue reading The Last Blossom
This is one of those famous Tokyo sights- the Shibuya crossing where thousands of people cross at a time. I was in a rush (as were most of the people here) and so just ended up with a bad set of quick grab photos. Still, … Continue reading Shibuya Crossing
Just to prove that it’s not all cherries in Japan here are some yellow green plant things. Summer is on the way!
You’ll see these a lot in Japanese shrines – wishing plaques. They’re little bits of wood you can buy with a picture and some words, and you can write a message on the back and hang it up. It’s interesting to see all the different … Continue reading Ema
Tokyo is remarkably clean for its size, but it’s not without a few rough edges. Here is an invader (see also here, here, and here), found on a street leading from Shibuya to Harajuka.
In a break from my usual terse posts I thought I’d tackle a big subject here in Japan: cherry blossom season. The Japanese are very serious about their cherry blossom. Blossom forecasts appear regularly on TV throughout the day (along with helpful tips about not … Continue reading The Big Big Japanese Cherry Blossom Post
Ever wanted to be silently judged by thousands of small white waving cats? Then Gotokuji Temple is the place for you! From what the internet tells me it’s maybe the home of maneki neko the cat, or maybe not. The temple itself told me lots … Continue reading Neko Neko Neko
These trains are amazing (in my best ‘I’ve made a blog post about a train’ voice). They slide into the station (Tokyo Station, in this instance) and an army of cleaners board, frantically clean, and then switch all the seats round. Some other people with … Continue reading Shinkansen
I have no explanation for the apparent magical event happening here. I do know it was in Yoyogi Park during a heavy burst of rain, but I can’t remember why this guy was rushing about with an umbrella attached to his head, or how it was attached. I’d … Continue reading Mr Umbrella Head
In a corner of the Imperial Palace is this perfect building next to the moat. They wouldn’t let me across the bridge to get closer so I’ll have to go back another day when the Emperor isn’t at home.
A Life In London 