Who am I? Waking up in the morning looking out the tent door seeing the beauty and grace of a frigid wilderness morning listening to the song of birds, the rustle of squirrels, and the feel of a day just beginning. That moment of peace and reflection and stillness is who I am.
I sometimes wonder if my expectations of travel and experience get in the way of just being with the experience? As I reflect on my trip to Japan, I noticed a few things that have stayed with me.
First, throughout my days there I felt at ease by day 3. The drugged feeling I had coming from the U.S. faded and I was able to enjoy spending time doing nothing. When I look back, it was day 3 that I shifted expectations and started to go woith the flow of the moment rather than trying to build some kind of experience from my itinerary or prior decisions on where to go and what to do. Instead, I let things happen. Once I settled into the trip, I just wandered around.
INnmy wandering what I found was myself. I found out more about who I was than anythign else and, as someone has said in some book, poem, or text, I met myself in Tokyo. It was a beautiful kind of letting go.
The one thing that does stand out more than two weeks after my visit was the exhibtion at the Tokyo Museum of Western Art called Does the Future Sleep Here? That exhibition caught me completely by surprise and the artwork and artists statements brought me to a different place in my heart and mind. I found something new AND something in myself. Maybe THAT is the whole point of travel: to be transformed by the places and people we visit, and then carry that experience with us.
I was particulalry struck by Nakabayashi Tadayoshi and his etchings on display at the beginning of the exhibition. His work is fantastical and detailed. The etchings are remarkable in both their detail and depth. They feel three-dimensional and almost pop off of the cream toned paper that he uses.
Isimsiz
As the exhibit unfolded, it openly questioned the whole purpose of an art exhibition and offered the idea that a static display of art takes the art out of the context of the artist, making it isloated and missing a sense of humanity and connection.
I left with a wonderful sense of fulfillment and a slightly lighter step as I walked back into the light rain that permeated my days in Tokyo. I walked back toward Asakusa and followed some narrow roads and alleyways through the neighborhoods that fill this part of the city. As I walked, i was gaining a real sense of the expansiveness of the city and the distances between the various parts of Tokyo. I could feel the differences between the parts and something of the nature of life in various locations. Away from the bustle of a tourist attraction, families went back and forth to school, work, restaurants, and the tasks of daily life. The thing that always strikes me is the deep quiet of the city walking through these streets. One block away from a main street and things are much much slower.
Experientially, I learned more Japanese than I learned in my work at home and I still struggle to initiate conversations. I do know the language will come and I do know that as I gain confidence, that change will unlock more of what I’m looking for in Japan.
I’m waxing philosophical, so I’ll bring this all to a close with some photos of this recent visit. Looking forward to my next visit in June 2025. In the meantime,
When I decided to visit Tokyo, I planned for chilly weather AND I did not plan for multiple days of rain and clouds. The lack of unfiltered sunlight was not in my original plan. This weather pattern that covered much of the Kanto plain during my time in Japan made me alter most of my plans. For example, I had planned to hike a series of trails in Chiba and near Kamakura. When I traveled to the trailheads, the trails were very challenging to hike. Rain made some of these trails impassible. In one case, I walked upstairs to the beginning of a trail only to find the path of a slick, mud-filled trek. After a few minutes and soaking wet shoes, I turned around, gingerly descending to solid ground.
In the face of these altered weather conditions, I fought to desire to head indoors and, for the most part, traveled all over the city. I visited so many parts of the city I had never seen and spent time just seeing the built environment of Tokyo. While I took many photographs, none of them really captured anything new or unique. Many are just quick shots amid a light rain.
It’s easy to be disappointed in these circumstances and I worked through the challenges to find something in the city. These photographs capture some of what I saw. As always, I wish I had more time and had visited more places. AT the same time, I did what I could do with the time I had available.
In Akihabara, the ubiquitous trinket stores dedicated to anime and manga.
It’s easy to get lost in this sprawling city as you wander through neighborhoods and business districts. Still, I was determined to walk through this city with feet firmly fixed to the ground, looking around the small streets and wide boulevards seeking out what makes Tokyo, Tokyo.
This particular approach to travel is a bit unusual in the age of finding somekind of unique place and then publicizing it all over social media. My waanderings, instead, were meant to find anything per se. They were a way to be a part of the physical environment and along the way find images that captured my particular attention. On these days, I was drawn to the many alleys and small spaces that are everywhere in this city (and many others around the world). So many small places tell us something about the people who live in this metropolis.
Alien signs are everywhere.
Watch out…pretty much everywhere.
In most alleys in the city, you don’t find people. They are spaces that are representative of lived places without people actually present. I guess that’s not surprising; alleys are often places people pass by and occasionally go through.
Clean up in the alley, Shinjuku.
In most cases, as I walked past alleys, I found people doing some form of labor. Cleaning, hauling, tossing trash, or working on some aspect of dail life. These moments were sometimes fleeting, and I often missed the photo as a group of workers (almost always men) were moving through the place.
Access.
Some alleys offered access to businesses and homes, and, in mamy cases, both. Storage containers were often part of these locations and plastic “milk crates” or cans filled with all kinds of material sat along these tiny thoroughfares.
Still other alleys weren’t alleys at all, but tiny streets filled with people going from place to place. These small walkways were fascinating in the amount of people and shops that filled the spaces. In some ways, they were more populated than main streets all over Japan.
Small walkway into the interior of Enoshima Island.
In some places, an alley was the home to vehicles of all kinds. Cars, motorbikes, and bicycles. In small towns outside of Tokyo, I found vehicles in alleys most common.
A Kamakura alleyway.
Many alleys in Japan start with small trinkets or ceramic objects. Most common were small hedgehogs in a kind of human-form. These various objects were almost always at the entrance to an alley.
Frogs!
A multiuse alley in Ueno.
These street and alley scenes in Tokyo offered a glimpse at less obvious characteristics of this city. I found in these places a kind of authentic view of life in the city. In these places, I found something about Tokyo that I didn’t find in the historic sites and more tourist-centric places in the city. At the same time, I’m not valuing one part of the city obver another; I just found something equally interesting and scenic in this huge metropolis. I also found that even in a place that is so huge, small spaces dominate and make up the physical structure of the city. Maybe it’s in these alleys that Tokyo lives ad breathes.
Sung to the tune of Elvis Costello and the Attractions “I Don’t Want to Go to (Chelsea)”.
So, fellow humans, I’ve traveled to Enoshima so you don’t have to. Yes, Endoshima is an island linked to the mainland by a footbridge. Yes, many folks have traveled to the island and yes, there is a shrine to the poet Basho, on the far side of the island. Finally, you could climb up to the Enoshima “Candle” and look out over the ocean (and in good weather see Mt. Fuji). All of the above is true. The question I have: is it worth it. My humble response is no.
Walking bridge to Enoshima
While you will find many places in Japan filled with tourist shops and restaurants, Enoshima seems particularly prone to these kinds of places. Absolutely nothing wrong with folks plying their trade and the visit didn’t have the payoff in terms of historical and cultural significance. For example, compared to an island like Miyajima near HIroshima, you’ll find less there, there.
Headed through the tourist area to get to the stairs to the top of the island
Combine the above information with the fact you will climb, climb, climb to the top on a significant number of stairs…maybe not Fujimi Inari level stairs, but close, and your work doesn’t necessarily match the experience. You could purchase escalator tickets (!!) to make your journey a bit less challenging, and you wouldn’t get the payoff of walking up 42 flights of stairs for the KMs you’re walking. I’m not really complaining, just a little frustrated that in the few hours I have left in Japan, I really want to spend my time more wisely. If you’ve got lots of time in Japan then Enoshima might be worth the adventure.
The Basho shrine…his poem is carved into the stone…
Without doubt
Flowerlike sea spray is
Spring of the bay
Despite all of that, the real payoff for this day was my visit to Kamakura. First and foremost, I absolutely love this place. I’ve now been all over the town and have felt like so many possibilities for both contemplation and adventure are in this place. Combined with the wonderful people I met, I haven’t found many places that equal the wonder of this place.
Hoping off the train at Kamakura, you’re presented immediately with two choices: left off the train leads you to a street filled with more common tourist opportunities like a cafe where you can hold owls or the ubiquitous ramen shops. To the left, you’ll walk into the town that is dramatically more quiet with shops filled with locally crafted art, jewelry, and food. My favorite spot is The Ramen Shop, a family-owned business that serves some wonderful Sio ramen broth. Purchase your ticket, have a seat at the bar (about 10 seats), and enjoy the Japanese jazz music and the wonderful ramen.
The Ramen Shop
Instead of taking a bus or train close to the main attraction, the Daibatsu, I have chosen to walk from town to the sites. along the way, you’ll run into a variety of stores and restaurants. If you’re on the right side of the road, you’ll find Modernato Coffee Shop. Stop in and have some hand-crafted coffee (it takes a while) and a dessert. Sit at a window seat and just hang.
Modernato Espresso
The Daibatsu is the star of this show and even if it’s crowded, you’ll be inspired by the view. Constructed in the 13th century, the building that once surrounded it is now gone…as legend states, destroyed by a tsunami, the bronze sculpture and pedestal are the only remaining structures. Reconstruction of the building happened soon after and that too fell to a fire in a civil conflict in the area. Restoration began again in the late 18th century and then later in the 20th. regardless of the history, you’ll find a remarkable bronze Buddha. As many times as I’ve visited this spot, the reveal of the Buddha as you walk along the path is magical. If you’ve read this far and you’d like to visit, walk slowly….turn the corner, and allow the vista to unfold. It’s amazing.
The Daibatsu…I’m able to grab this shot despite the number of visitors….I’m a bit taller than most folks.
Not far from the Daibatsu is the Hasedera shrine and temple complex. The ancient caves are worth the crawl and the place holds a gold-gilt Kannon sculpture in the main shrine room. The dim light of the room combined with the presence of the statue was as peaceful a place as I’ve ever found, and I stayed in this moment for as long as I could, basking in the warm glow of the space.
So many monks!
Each of these moments today gave me something to consider…I went from joy to frustration on this day and then exhaustion as I had walked more than 15 miles, much of it uphill. After I made it back to my room, I relaxed with some soccer on TV and well-deserved sleep.
May you be happy, may you be well
At the top of Enoshima is this sitting area
If you are eating in public, crows and hawks will steal your food right out of your hand!
In the dark caves at Hasedera are these small shrines
Love this view of the Daibatsu
Along the streets of many towns are small Shinto shrines
OK, so, for full disclosure, I wasn’t trying to get caught. I thought I could walk into the hotel, casually walk to the elevator, punch floor number 8, and then ride up to see the terrace where the Godzilla head is located. I failed on all accounts. After my capture and return to the lobby and being politely asked to leave, I realized I was not, as I imagine, someone who can slip into and out of a building.
If you are interested, in Shinjuku on a terrace at the Hotel Gramercy is a sculpture of Godzilla. It’s very large. You can see the creature from street level and in the past, it was possible to walk into the hotel, head up to the 8th floor, purchase something from the cafe, and then see the Godzilla.
GODZILLA! Hotel Grammercy is the black-and-white lined building on the left.
At some point, I think the Hotel had had enough of random tourists going into this very nice hotel and disturbing their guests. So, they made it a bit more difficult to gain access. On this day, I did what many online recommended which was to walk like I had a purpose (as a guest of the hotel) and tap the elevator button to take the short ride to the 8th floor. My plan was to obviously buy something in the cafe ( that was a requirement ) and then see the Godzilla and take pictures.
So, I ignored the sign saying DON’T DO THIS and walked to the elevator. You have to pass the front desk on the way in and the elevator is within view of the desk. I simply walked up to the elevator and a very quick “sumimasen!” was spoken from over my right shoulder. I turned, slowly, and was asked to produce my room key. Oops. I explained I wanted to see the Godzilla and was told politely that I could not, it was closed, and something else I couldn’t understand. I was escorted to the front door with many kind phrases of apology.
NO GODZILLA FOR YOU!
As I walked out I grabbed a shot of the sign saying DON’T TRY THIS…ah well. Thwarted in my attempt to see Godzilla.
Outside of the Hotel is a street filled with all kinds of clubs. They were of various types and styles, and in some of the alleys were more discreet love hotels. I think Japan is the only place I’ve come across that has these kinds of hotels clearly marked as somehow different or unique. They tend to stand out, as they say…like this one.
The non-conspicuous love hotel in Shinjuku
Pretty sure you need a code to get in…
As I walked these streets about a block from the main drag of Shinjuku, the area looked a little more unusual, the clubs a bit more edgy, so to speak. Down one alley were photographs of women in a variety of undress and on the sides of some buildings were murals with interesting images. I’ll let your imagination take over…it was interesting. A man was standing outside of one place and beckoned me in…I said no thank you and he just smiled.
My wandering around Tokyo had taken an interesting turn and I found myself kind of in awe of it all.
A quick shot as I was being hustled along the street.
I just don’t wanna know, you know?
My walks took me from Shinjuku to Shibuya and Ginza. Each part of Tokyo has its own style and vibe. In Ginza, it’s an area tuned to the rich and famous dial on your FM radio. On this Saturday, the road was closed and people walked freely down the street….
Ginza on a very cloudy day…
Lastly, I grabbed some video of the Shibuya crossing…it’s a fun place to see and experience…a video is the best way to get the feel of the place. It’s packed with people.
The clipped version you see here took off the tops of everyone’s heads…that’s not how I shot it and that is how WordPress published it.
It took a few days for the flow to start happening. The flow. The synergistic connection to the people and place that you’re in. A recognition of the moment as surely as you can see yourself in a mirror. You’re “in it” – you’re in that experience that joins you with the world around you.
Sometimes it really takes a while. You have to be quiet in your mind. Let the thoughts that are controlling your life settle. It’s hard. Really hard. So much of what is happening in our hearts and minds are based almost entirely on expectations and feelings that have nothing to do with the present moment and everything to do with some past event, idea, or feeling. We get stuck in some melancholy and we’re suddenly lost to ourselves. When I say we, I really mean me, and I cannot say that I’ve found some kind of answer to any of this stuff. What I do know is that after a few days, I’m in it.
Had to put this one in because Godzilla!
All day today I was frustrated by my own lack of vision – I couldn’t see the photographs I wanted to take and the street scenes, while lovely, were not meeting my expectations of what I wanted from this trip. I kept at it and tried to find the moment – the view that comes to you rather than you going to it.
This picture is the beginning of how it’s coming together…the ironic scene
It took literally all day of traveling miles around the city to finally get the feeling and see the photograph. From Ginza to Shinjuku to Shibuya, I went to various places to find my source. Once I found it, I played with it, messing around with the camera and then it hit. I realize I’m speaking abstractly and that it’s hard to explain in language what I’m feeling and communicating. It’s more about a moment arising and me being in a place of recognition. Once the moment happened it’s been playing out for the rest of the day. At dinner, I found my Japanese voice and could speak in complete sentences for the first time and be understood. I heard a question and knew how to respond. It was simple, laughably simple dialogue, and I was connecting. The flow was happening.
Almost there…
Got it…candid in the moment
I cannot tell you if this experience will continue or if it will be a fleeting incident on this trip. What I can say is that today was new, real, and finally I saw myself.
In a note I wrote earlier in the week, I said “I’m here to find myself.” This evening, I randomly heard a poem that spoke directly to that idea. It’s by Caribbean poet Derek Walcott called Love After Love. I’m sharing the poem below.
I’ve often relied on Apple Maps for my travels in Japan and generally speaking, the directions are accurate. However, the street directions for locations in the city sometimes leave something to be desired. This fact is particularly true if you rely on your watch to alert you to turns etc. The watch face will say “Turn in 200 feet” and then you’ll find a dead end at that turn. The problem has occurred more than once and one this day, I experienced a somewhat hilarious suggestion from the map.
My plan was to get to Hamarikyo Gardens and I plugged in the location into the phone/watch. The map dutifully stated I needed to exit at Akebanebashi station. I looked at the map on my phone and it sure as hell did NOT look like that was the station…the phone helpfully suggested a 10 minutes walk out of the station to the park. Hmmmm.
Hamarikyo Gardens in the midst of the city
When I exited, I was smack dab at the Tokyo Tower a good 2 miles away from my location! Dude. Seriously? I took the side trip and the message to head to the Tower and maybe even head up the elevator! Sadly, the wait was 2 hours and after some photos, I headed back to the train and decided to navigate my own way to the gardens. Sure enough, I made it to Shidome and the location. I entered the physical address and the phone took me the wrong way…I stopped, looked around, and saw the park about 100 yards behind me…I turned and walked into this beautiful spot very close to Tsukiji Fish Market (the new one). The silliness was worth it and I photographed the very first sakura blossom in the park. The Yoshino cherry trees in the gardens are some of the oldest in the city and I grabbed the shot, looking in wonder at the expression of joy this flower gave to me in the moment.
As for photography, the bright sun and cloudless sky blew out the colors and photography was a challenge. I played with the shadows in the trees and tried to find some interesting spots. The ancient duck blinds, installed in the 18th century for sport, were still in place, and workers with repairing one of the older reconstructions. The Park was originally the home to the 8th Shogun of Edo and the grounds are remarkably intact.
The ONE thing to keep in mind in Japan is the amount of walking that is required of anyone wanting to go anywhere. Too, stairs are all over the place and it’s not uncommon to walk miles and climb floors of stairs. For example, yesterday I walked 10 miles and climbed 70 flights of stairs….a relatively average day.
Hie Jinja Inari…and stairs.
Each of the places I visited were first-time experiences and I felt lucky to make it to each location. I sat at Hamarikyu Gardens and sat on one of the many small sitting areas…this one in the trees at the north end of the park. I wrote in my journal and admired the setting and my good fortune.
Hamarikyo Gardens…notice the bride in the distance
By about 5:00PM I was spent and ended my day at Ichiran Ramen, a very popular spot, quiet this early in the evening. I quietly ate my ramen, made a stop for an umbrella (I left mine at home), and dropped by 7-11 for some snacks. Once at the room, I watched the Sumo Grand Championship on TV and fell into a fitful sleep.
Ichiran Ramen in all its glory…I’m sitting in one of the private booths
Today promises to be equally adventurous as I head into Harajuku, Shibuya, and Shinjuku to capture the elusive Godzilla. Will I finally make my way to the building where it lives?
OK, so I’m just going to say it: I’m getting old. In past years, I’ve felt like I can arrive in Asia and hit the ground running, so to speak. Today has been different. I woke a few times in the night, the first at 1:30AM Japan time wide awake. Then again at 5:00AM I woke and decided let’s start the day! Shower in the tiny bathroom and then a little work before I head out into the gale force winds in Tokyo.
The day dawned bright and clear with a cloudless sky beckoning me to enjoy these moments. I’m dressed for the wind and we’ll see how I handle the weather. My plan is to slowly make my way by foot to Ueno Park and stop for photographs along the way…see, that’s my thing on this trip: photography. Finding places that want to be photographed…or something like that. I’ve been reading The Tao of Photography as a way to open my mind to ways to see the world around me and my connection to it. Here’s to hoping these images offer something in the way of perspective.
From Rakuten STAY in Asakusa
…more to come over the course of the day…stay frosty my friends!
Walking through Asakusa to Ueno Park
To say the weather was chilly this moring might be an understatement. The temperature on a sign near the Sumida river showed 2 degrees Celsius. The wind was so strong between the buildings walking toward the bridge that crosses the river that it blew me sideways as I reached for a light post at the street corner. The group of people crossing the street with me to start walking over the bridge all gasped as one as we all reached for something…then a set of laughter broke out among the group and I suddenly felt so connected to these folks. We smiled at each other and quickly went on our way. At the crest of the bridge, the wind calmed and I stopped for a quick snap shot as I continued into Asakusa.
I woke so early and left the room around 7:00AM to find the city quiet. Businesses were restocking shelves or preparing for the day. Few people were on the streets and my early AM destination, Senso-ji, was practically empty. I was able to walk unhindered picking and choosing places to shoot. The wind was brutal at times and my hands were cold.
Senso-ji has been written about by many folks and I’ll leave that background for another person to write. My experience today was much more immersive in that I could easily walk up the steps of the temple proper and see the entire space. It was almost quiet in the structure and the chill bit hard in this place as the sun had not reached into the halls this early in the morning. Workers were using hoses to wash off the grounds.
A man using a very old-style broom swept bird droppings from the grounds as well as the rocks that accompanied the sculptures. These men made quick work of the grounds in a matter of the hours or so I stayed to wander. By the time they finished, it all looked clean.
Without an easy escape from the whirlwind, I kept going with my goal Ueno Park about 5 KM in the distance. I picked a side street and pointed in the direction of the Park, stopping for shots that came to me. I realized pretty quickly that I was finding my photographic voice when, suddenly, a message shouted out of my phone warning of an earthquake. The message read, “Emergency Alert / Earthquake Early Warning: Strong shaking is expected soon. Stay calm and seek shelter nearby.” That message shook me out of my revere and I stopped, as a few people did around me, waiting for something to happen.
At that moment, workers on the street in front of me just kept digging; a woman on a bike with a child kept riding. an elderly man looked my way, smiled, and then waited for the crossing signal to beep. I stayed put in front of a temple, waiting for any sign of shaking. An NHK TV message popped up on my phone a few minutes later. A 5.0 quake was detected nearby. Hmmm.
As you can imagine, I was a bit concerned and walked toward the Park as people went about their daily routines. I followed along. After a few minutes, I fell back into my rhythm, finding my way now on Asakusa-dori.
I hoped that the cherry blossoms would show some signs of opening…a couple of trees had started to bloom but clearly, the cold weather and rain had slowed the process. It looked like another week or so before they really started to bloom. So, I walked around among many locals hoping to see what I came to see. Many were disappointed as well AND the sight of elementary school kids heading to the museums roused me and I chuckled at their silliness. One group all had on pink hats; another group all held onto a knotted rope; still another was singing “It’s A Small World” in unison. I avoided photographing the kids as there is a strict no-photo policy for children. It was a fun sight to see and was a signal to make my way to another location.
As is sometimes the case, my travels have coordinated with other families I have met and today was one of those days. I connected with a former student and her mothers as we grabbed food at Kura Sushi, a fun conveyor belt sushi restaurant. The place serves all kinds of food, actually, and it was a blast to watch the food be rapidly sent your way on a conveyor belt above the table. I mean it was FAST! We enjoyed some lunch and our time was too brief. On the elevator down to the ground floor, I shared it with Yula from Russia. She was in Japan for twenty days and spending much of her time between Tokyo and Kyoto. We chatted for a couple of minutes and she showed me photos of a petting shop with dogs. I know little Russian and she very little English AND we definitely had fun laughing over petting dogs in a store.
Man with a hat.
Back on the streets of Asakusa, it was afternoon and the place was packed with humanity. Lines of people formed at various restaurants and in one case, a huge group was qued to grab some kind of meat on a hoagie roll. I counted something like 50 people. Wow! I was shooting with my film camera at the time and grabbed a quick phone shot.
The line ends here.
It’s now 2:00PM here I’m back in the room for a little rest before I head back out for a nighttime photo shoot in Asakusa. After today, I’ll be going back to some places to grab more scenes that stood out to me. I’ve gotten a bit more bold in my street shooting and will play around with that technique in the coming days. The ONE thing I keep in mind for my film camera is Zone Focusing; set the focus for, like 10 feet and then try to shoot at F22ish to get most things in focus. I used that technique years ago and am bringing it back for this trip with a 35mm lens. I cannot wait to see the results.
I’ll leave you with this sign. It seems appropriate.
It’s an early Albuquerque morning as the alarm sounds at 4:45AM. I’m lucky to be traveling and the cool morning offers a promising start to the day. I recognize my privilege in these moments and the chance to travel on my own terms. So many of us are struggling for basic survival and I’m on a trip to Japan during a break from work. The juxtaposition of my life right now with those who are just trying to live is stark and dramatic. As I embark on this journey, I offer my practice to those in need.
If you don’t know about Albuquerque, know that living in this place provides many of us with remarkable gifts. As a teacher and father, I’m filled with the wonder of this place. One of the small benefits to living in Albuquerque is easy access to airline travel. The city boasts one of the easiest airports to fly into and out of. For example from my home to the airport took 15 minutes. Security? 10 minutes. Wow. Small wonders.
My trip today takes me to LAX and on to Tokyo. I depart at 6:30AM and arrive in Tokyo tomorrow at 4:30PM. The 11 + hour flight across the Pacific is a long one and it’s worth the effort.
For the coming days I’ll be documenting my trip with photos, some video, and words.
On this day, I’m thinking about how our days are filled with little (and big) questions that present themselves to us. Right now, it’s this interesting moment:
What? Me worry?
A layover in Las Vegas…can’t escape the slots even out here at the gate! The sun just created the mountains to the east of the city. The has officially begun.
Should he, or shouldn’t he?
In LA, the gate most United Tokyo flights leave from are gates 70-76 (at least that’s been true for a while). The area is crowded with travelers as we all are waiting to find out seat on the plane.
Departure area, LAX Terminal 7
We’re all in various stages of preparation; some folks are munching on their various food items, others listening to headphones, still others deep in conversation as we all wait…and then wait some more.
The flight to Haneda is 11:50 hr and is a bit longer due to some powerful headwinds along the California coast. Once we turn southwest, the winds switch to tailwinds as we make our way into Tokyo.
As we board the plane, everyone moves in an orderly fashion, moving slowly to their seats. For the first time in my life, I didn’t show passport or ticket; the airline uses biometric recognition. Takes about 5 seconds and the system either recognizes you (or not) and then you board.
Right now, it’s 4:15 AM in Tokyo and we arrive at 4:30PM. I’ll experience the tight subway travel to Honjo- Azumabashi (about a 50 minute ride).
That’s the end of this post for the day. More news and silliness in 12 hours!
If you haven’t traveled solo or experienced a trip without family, I’m here to guide you through this daunting and thrilling moment. On these pages, I’ll be recording the journey as I attempt a trip that is not about tourism and is more about being IN a place.
I’ll start this journey in Asakusa and will stay in one location for the entire trip. I’ll provide updates on my experiences. My plan is to photograph street scenes in Tokyo, and, as Photographer Ruth Bernhard said, to “let the photograph find you.” To open my eyes to the places and people.I will see and try and capture a slice of life in the city.
As you can imagine, I’ve had a bit of trepidation knowing that I’m in a place that I am both very familiar with and completely unfamiliar with; I’ll not be leading a group of people through the city and instead leading myself around. More importantly, aside from the photography, I’m not planning on visiting tourist sites in the city…I want to just see what I see as I walk a series of paths through Tokyo.
My first day will follow city streets and neighborhood alleys from Asakusa to Ueno. My path meanders and we’ll see what comes up. In the subsequent days, I’ll refine my steps to seek out spots that are both interesting from an architectural perspective and a human one. Again, finding a way for the photograph to come to me.
I realize this approach is an unusual one and I’m hoping to capture images that reflect what I see using the tools and skills I am accustomed to.
So, what will I be using to photograph in Tokyo? First, I’ll use the camera I got in high school: a Nikon FE. I’ve used this camera consistently since 1979 when I purchased it. Since I’m trying to travel lightly, I’ll only have the unusual 36-72MM Nikkor lens as my companion. This E Series lens is not great AND it works well in the F8-11 range for sharp photos. For the film, I’m bringing HP5 and a couple of rolls of Wolfen 100. I’ll also head over to Champ Camera in Yokohama to grab some other more unusual films on my adventure.
In addition, I’ll be taking my used Hasselblad X1D II with a 40mm lens. I’ve experimented with this slow autofocus camera and am pleased with my work so far. While the autofocus is contrast only, I love the way the images pop off the printed page and am really excited to see what I can capture!
I’ll post images and videos here on this site and link to http://www.youtube.com for a channel on these adventures. Stay tuned f you’re interested in watching some random guy fumble his way around Tokyo.
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