What is my favorite building in Tokyo? Mode Gakuen Cocoon Tower gets my vote. It is not far from JR Shinjuku Station. Actually, it is across the road. You can find it nestled among the other skyscrapers. It is fantastic for architectural photography. In Shinjuku, it is very much one-of-a-kind. Mode Gakuen is a school. …
The Yasuyo Building is the proverbial needle in the haystack. It’s in Shinjuku, where outstanding architecture is hard to find. But if you do find it, photograph it while you can because, in Tokyo, nothing stands forever. The architect, Nobumichi Akashi, built the Yasuyo in 1969. In this city, that is old, I guess. But …
In early January 2020, I decided to go to Tokyo Station. I walked around and photographed whatever took random shots for a couple of hours. It turned out to be a fun night, me and my Fujifilm X-T2. My first stop was a short walk from the trains, the KITTE Building. Tripods and monopods aren’t …
Random night photographs from around Tokyo Station Read More »
The Edo-Tokyo Open Air Architectural Museum is an excellent place for lovers of the subject. Some buildings are from the Tokugawa period, and others recently had inhabitants. For architectural photographers, it is a must-see! Every house at this museum is real. None are replicas. People either lived or worked in them at some point in …
I wanted to photograph an art museum near Gaienmae station in 2020. But due to heavy traffic passing in front of the building, it was impossible. So I moved to another. Unbelievably, I couldn’t get pictures there either. It had the same problem! What was I to do? As I was very near Harajuku, I …
Tokyo Gate Bridge has a nickname. It is the Dinosaur Bridge. When you look at it from the side, it resembles two Tyrannosaurus Rexes facing each other. It’s a good place for photography. But, like most things in life, there are pros and cons. It’s very different from Rainbow Bridge in Odaiba. That one is …
The domed ceilings of Tokyo Station are quite famous. You can find them high above the north and south Marunouchi gates. They are the best of old-world style. Enter the concourse area and look straight up to see them. They ooze chic. Nothing in the city matches them. Well, I say old world, but in …
Tokyo is often said to be one of the most modern cities in the world. It has everything anyone could want. There is a super transit system, glittering skyscrapers, great food, and shopping. But, if you are like me, you might want to see some history that is real. One such place is near Ueno …
I love Tokyo, but I have one minor complaint. Many buildings, especially the skyscrapers, lack imagination. Whenever I think of fantastic architecture, places overseas come to mind—for example, London’s Shard. Spain’s Torre Glòries and Australia’s Adobe318 are also outstanding. We could make a huge list if we tried. What about candidates from Tokyo? That list …
In early 2020 I discovered the Maeda House. On that first visit, I thought it was one of Tokyo’s most impressive historical buildings. In the end, I believed photographing it in black and white was the best thing to do. But, I knew one day I would shoot in color. And that is what …
