Let me recollect the FIRST word in Japanese language that I have learnt in my life…. Well, I clearly remember that I was around 10-12 years old and the Doordarshan channel was playing the 1966 hit, bollywood movie LOVE IN TOKYO. The song SAYONARA SAYONARA introduced the first word for me, “Sayonara” which is the Japanese word
Snowfall in Tokyo is rare, although in the past few years, when it does snow it creates a white blanket lasting weel for a couple of days to clear. The white blanket of snow in the metropolis makes for pretty pictures, but grinds the traffic to a halt even with 5 cm of pileup. Unique
Tokyo Skytree illumination has transformed the Oshiage area in these past four years. Every year they come up with beautiful illuminations, with a projection mapping show which has started last year. A wonderful new illumination spot addition to the shitamachi (downtown) area of Tokyo.Christmas lights are set all around the Skytree with the fourth floor decks of the Solamachi Mall
Its that time of the year. The city glows with lights all around and my favourite is the the Marunouchi area around the Tokyo Station. The Tokyo Station since its renovation in 2013 gets a Christmas illumination makeover for 4 days 24-27 December. The weekends get a lot crowded so I visited yesterday on a
Mathematics class meant depression for me in school and I think am not alone in saying this. A class full of students vying for the teachers attention and the brightest in the class always miles ahead, I sank into my own space, building a gradual dislike for the subject due to peer pressure. Mathematics even today nauseates me when
Fireworks in cold winter season? Firework events in Japan are usually held in the summer season but there are a few events held in the past couple of years which advertise winter fireworks. One is the big festival in Saitama Chichibu area and the other is the Rainbow Bridge Fireworks. The Tokyo Rinkai Holdings company
Tokyo is full of big and small surprises and we were caught by one such surprise at the JR Hamamtsucho Station a few days back. If you sit in the first compartment of the Yamanote Line going towards Shibuya, you can spot the Peeing Boy Statue on the Hamamtsucho Station Platform (Platform number 3). Named 小便小僧 Shoumben Koushou a detailed
Mount Fuji is frequently is part of the wood block prints or Ukiyoe. It is common to see towering depictions of the Mount Fuji which was easily visible from most of the locations in Tokyo, then called the City of Edo. With Towering mansions, office buildings and overall development including clean air, being able to see
Visitors to Tokyo spend good money to visit observation decks like the Tokyo City Vie win Roppongi Hills, the Tokyo Skytree or Tokyo Tower. There are many free access observatories in Tokyo and quite popular too. A relatively less well known is the Carrot Tower in Sangenjaya. I discovered it in 2004 when I had visited a
When I first visited London, I developed a liking for the red brick constructions illuminated at the the twilight time. The reddish brown and yellow tinge contrasted with a blue sky at sunset looked superb in Piccadilly Circus there and thereafter I have been a huge fan of brick architecture. I tried such photography in
Last year, in December, my daughter had her Japanese Language Proficiency Test examination center at the Komaba campus @ University of Tokyo. Located in Komaba Meguro district, Tokyo, this area was called Komaba Meadows and served as a hunting ground for the Tokugawa family!!! When I took my daughter there for the examination, I was
Hachiko, the popular attraction at the Shibuya Station is wrapped with a red ribbon for the past one week. It’s the World AIDS Day on December 1 and he is promoting awareness of the same. Its a perfect sunny day of Autumn here today in Tokyo and life is bright with autumn colors all around. However, if
Londonist had published an article some time back comparing the London Tube and the Tokyo Metro. I have stayed in Tokyo for over 16 years and for business reasons I regularly travel to London and board the Tube/Underground. I personally feel the blog Londonist made a shallow attempt to “compare” these services and declare London a winner.
The Meiji Jingu Gaien Park outside the Aoyama Itchome Station on Ginza Line is one of the most beautiful place in Tokyo for autumn foliage. Ginkgo Biloba trees lined on both sides of the street turn into stunning yellow colors (I went a bit early this year) as below. The street with the Meiji Memorial
Autumn sky in Japan implies CLEAR and BLUE skies. They are called as Aki-bare, 秋晴れ. Mornings start with early sunrise and sunset by 05:00 p.m. It is one of the best seasons to capture HDR shots with thin cloud layers in early morning of blue hour photography in early evenings. The autumn colors add the