hkskyline's 2010 TOKYO Photo Collection #1

[hkskyline]

I return to Tokyo after 7 years. I have been focused on Europe and China quite a lot since my return to Asia, and with a free plane ticket, I wanted to maximize it and go to Japan for a short holiday.



Space-sharing is necessary in the crowded city.



Looks quite good from this angle. The scale appears disproportionate with a wide base.



Tokyo does have examples of mundane, glassy architecture.





Shinjuku's skyline looks quite good from this angle. Japan isn't famous for its skyscrapers, but the skyline does look nice.



Cherry blossom season is a great time to be Tokyo, and I was lucky enough to visit during full bloom week.



Unfortunately, I wasn't the only one out enjoying the flowers.





But there are good places to see blossoms without fighting the rest of humanity.



Reflect on tradition.









The rain did come now and then, and when it did, it was time to visit a museum. The Shitamachi Museum offers a glimpse in traditional life.







Traditional candies, anyone?



Do you know how to cook this?



The mass of humanity moves everywhere.



Now back to some serenity. This is the contrast of urban Tokyo. This was taken in the heart of the city.



Japan is the land of vending machines, and even vending machine games!



Good food comes at a great price. These ones are a bit more affordable, and seem fairly decent.



The scent from this machine drew me here.



Japan is a very tidy place. The fish market is traditionally wet and smelly, but I didn't get those feelings here.











Mannequin Pis times many.



So cute!



Make a wish.



Bells and whistles.







A mini-forest of manicured trees dot the Imperial Palace front yard.





Parts of the palace grounds are open to the public beyond these gardens. I was excited to see what the commoner was not able to do a century ago.







The beautiful sun and cool spring temperatures make April a great month to visit Japan.



Strolling along the alleys of Edo.







Tokyo Midtown splashed across headlines when it opened. The landscaping was quite nice, but the building itself wasn't anything special.









We progress to more recent times. The rice-cooker is an essential appliance in the modern home.





Let's keep walking.



Looking at some of the characters, it seems this is a lottery or some sort of gambling booth.



My Tokyo Gallery : http://www.globalphotos.org/tokyo.htm

[navyweaxguy]

Great pictures! I've only been to Tokyo once, but I love the city!

[Coldrsx]

Must get over to Edo

[MolsonExport]

Will be visiting in Sept 2010. Thanks for the intro.

[ColDayMan]

Love Tokyo!