To-kyo Massive Part 2 //3 days in the metropolis

[sabotai]

Here is the continuation of my Tokyo photos. Manila is coming soon!

Past Threads:

• NYC 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29
• Washington, DC 1 2
• Philadelphia 1 2
• Cold Spring, NY 1
• Providence 1 2
• Boston 1
• Austin 1 2 3
• New Orleans 1 2 3
• Galveston 1 2
• Dallas 1 2
• Houston 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9
• Seattle 1 2
• Miami Beach 1
• Portland 1
• Vancouver 1 2
• Montreal 1 2 3
• Berlin 1
• Stockholm 1
• London 1
• Geneva 1
• Tokyo 1
  

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[Shawn]

Sabotai, you outdo yourself with every post.

Now, I gotta ask: where the freak is that off-the-wall kabakura routine whose pics you spread throughout the rest? I've been to some crazy, almost Thailand/Bangkok-esque burlesques in Roppo and Kabukicho, but I have no idea where you found a theater that big, with that type of production value. Looks like a Daft Punk video and the trashiest of Yakuza-Light titty bars had kids. I am guessing Kabukicho purely because I don't really see any other gaijin.

One other question: did the gentleman pushing "hip hop" clothes on Takeshita Dori try to talk you up? One of my coworkers is a black guy from Boston, and we hang out a lot on the weekends. Whenever we wander down to Harajuku, these guys won't leave us alone. They never even look at me when I am not with him, and he says it doesn't matter who he's with: they always bother him.

[giallo]

I'm enjoying your trip immensely, Sabotai. It looks like we hit up a lot of the same high-streets while there. You definitely covered more ground by the looks of it (partying until the wee hours every night kind of screws up the next day unfortunately). I would have loved to make it to more districts, but it'll have to wait until next time.

Fantastic set, man. Will there be a part 3?

Shawn, what's up? We never did meet up. Why you no answer my PM?

[KevinFromTexas]

It seems like there's mostly young people. What is the age break down in Tokyo?

[ColDayMan]

Fvcking brilliant.

[Shawn]

Originally Posted by giallo

Shawn, what's up? We never did meet up. Why you no answer my PM?

Christ in a can, I just saw that message now...

Really sorry about that! But in my own defense, I was outside of Japan the whole week you were here, half on business and half for Japanese Thanksgiving with the wife in Bali.

Neither of you two would happen to have return plans made, now would you?

[Crawford]

Outside of the fantastic photos, the first thing that comes to mind here (and keep in mind I've never been to Tokyo) is that Tokyo is strangely reminiscent of Berlin (I city I'm very familiar with). Am I crazy in making such a comparison?

Both have that juxtaposition of super button-down and extremely weird, both have an ugly, but fascinating Cold War architectural typology, and both have that consistent, high, but not very high, density, centered around train hubs, which are usually connected by elevated structures snaking everywhere.

I realize there are a million differences too, but that's really the first thing that came to mind. I've got to get over to Japan before I'm old.

[Danny]

Sensational shots! Thanks for sharing, sabotai.

I´m really surprised about how many persons use masks. Is this because of pollution or because of allergies?

I´ve liked the shots of that brilliant parade. Tokyo is enormous. I hope to be able to visit it someday. I wish it.

Congrats and greetings from Madrid, Spain!

[photoLith]

Amazing photos man, really dig em. Tokyo may be the most urban city in the world but damn is its architecture ugly as hell.

[Lipani]

Hot Asian chicks dancing with giant robots? Sign me up. Eagerly awaiting part 3, man!

[sabotai]

Originally Posted by Shawn

Sabotai, you outdo yourself with every post.

Now, I gotta ask: where the freak is that off-the-wall kabakura routine whose pics you spread throughout the rest? I've been to some crazy, almost Thailand/Bangkok-esque burlesques in Roppo and Kabukicho, but I have no idea where you found a theater that big, with that type of production value. Looks like a Daft Punk video and the trashiest of Yakuza-Light titty bars had kids. I am guessing Kabukicho purely because I don't really see any other gaijin.

Yup, those were taken at Robot Restaurant in Kabukicho.

One other question: did the gentleman pushing "hip hop" clothes on Takeshita Dori try to talk you up? One of my coworkers is a black guy from Boston, and we hang out a lot on the weekends. Whenever we wander down to Harajuku, these guys won't leave us alone. They never even look at me when I am not with him, and he says it doesn't matter who he's with: they always bother him.

Well, when I was waking back down Takeshita Dori about an hour after taking that shot, one of the African touts threatened to "beat the shit out of" me in front of "all these people" with about 4 other guys quickly surrounding me. After apologizing for taking his photo, he bizarrely stomped on my foot as I was walking away. I was so shocked and confused by the whole thing. I knew none of them would do anything with so many people around, but also knew there must have been something shady going on in order to be so sensitive about the whole thing.

Originally Posted by giallo

I'm enjoying your trip immensely, Sabotai. It looks like we hit up a lot of the same high-streets while there. You definitely covered more ground by the looks of it (partying until the wee hours every night kind of screws up the next day unfortunately). I would have loved to make it to more districts, but it'll have to wait until next time.

Fantastic set, man. Will there be a part 3?

Shawn, what's up? We never did meet up. Why you no answer my PM?

Thanks Giallo. There probably won't be a part 3 unless it's just some extra bits and pieces.

Originally Posted by kevinfromtexas

It seems like there's mostly young people. What is the age break down in Tokyo?

I think that's probably mostly from the places I went and who I photographed. However, I wouldn't be surprised if Tokyo did skew younger than the rest of Japan as it's a huge draw for youth culture.

Originally Posted by Crawford

Outside of the fantastic photos, the first thing that comes to mind here (and keep in mind I've never been to Tokyo) is that Tokyo is strangely reminiscent of Berlin (I city I'm very familiar with). Am I crazy in making such a comparison?

Both have that juxtaposition of super button-down and extremely weird, both have an ugly, but fascinating Cold War architectural typology, and both have that consistent, high, but not very high, density, centered around train hubs, which are usually connected by elevated structures snaking everywhere.

I realize there are a million differences too, but that's really the first thing that came to mind. I've got to get over to Japan before I'm old.

I love Berlin and Tokyo, but I find them to be very different cities.

[félixlechat]

Nice pics
Just fine , now I have no other option than to check all of your topics !

[Kingofthehill]

Perfect, man. I love all the different, quirky subcultures and futuristic-looking post-war structures. It seems like one giant rush of humanity/pedestrian activity.

Crawford, living in Berlin, I definitely see the similarities with regards to unorthodox post-war architecture. Never been to Tokyo yet, though.

[LSyd]

awesome. so hot chicks and sexy mecha are a normal everyday thing? sign me up.

-

[Chef]

Amazing photos!

[mthq]

really great pics mengs

ありがとうございます！

[destroycreate]

Correct me if I'm wrong, but is this not Omotesando? It's been 11 years (and I was 15) since I was in Tokyo, but this looks very familiar to me.

[BrandonJXN]

This reminds me of Enter The Void. One of my favorite movies.

Anyway, AMAZING collection of pictures. Great job of capturing the energy of Tokyo.

[SignalHillHiker]

Great pics. Love the ones that confused my brain a bit, like 36.

[ChiTownCity]

Just plain amazing, there's no other way to put it. This is the part of Tokyo that I want to experience when ever I get a chance to visit; I have no idea what's going on but it looks like tons of fun:


SAB_8169 by sabotai, on Flickr

And this is just a really, really nice picture...


SAB_9352 by sabotai, on Flickr