Free Hugs in Harajuku
I didn’t see any one taking these guys up on their generous offer. Perhaps that’s because if you want a “free hug” in Japan you simply need to get on a crowded train.
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Tokyo bikes at night
When I got my TZ10 back in May I went out one evening with Ellie to do some test shots using the night settings. This was one of the results. I don’t remember what Ellie was doing (maybe jumping rope?), but this 6-second exposure is kind of neat for how the bikes came out, even in very low light.
Suicidal Samurai Helmet
Today’s photo is from the Tokyo National Museum in Ueno Park.
I have two theories about this helmet. The first is that it wasn’t meant for battle. It must have merely been decorative. My other theory is that the guy who designed it secretly wanted the person who wore it to be killed rather quickly. Perhaps the designer thought the recipient had an ego as great as his stupidity (or death wish) and would wear such a thing in battle.
View from Ebisu
You may remember this view from an earlier post. This shot, from Ebisu Garden Place Tower, was taken as the sun set to the west (left side of photo). You are looking north up the Yamanote Line to Shibuya and then Shinjuku in the distance.
Note that this looks much better if you have a big screen and click on the above image.
Ichiro
I knew that Ichiro was big in Japan, but I didn’t realize just how big. His fame in his home country far exceeds that enjoyed by any American athlete in the USA. Not only do you see ads, like today’s photo, all over the place, but every hit, K, or ground out is broadcast on the video screens in the trains. The Mariners’ games are all televised in Japan and each at bat of Ichiro is broken down, reviewed, replayed, and analyzed. You don’t see as much detail for MVPs in the World Series on TV in the states.
Congratulations to Ichiro last week for breaking his own record and collecting 200 hits for the 10th consecutive season. Next year he can break Pete Rose’s record of most 200 hit seasons.
Mode Gakuen Cocoon Tower
Mode Gakuen Cocoon Tower (モード学園コクーンタワー) is Shinjuku‘s most distinctive skyscraper. Unlike Shinjuku’s other skyscrapers, it isn’t a hotel, business, or government office. It is the home of several education centers.