Lost in Japan

View of Hibiya Park near JR Yurakucho Station.

Night view of Tokyo Tower near JR Hammamatsucho Station.

View of Hayao Miyazaki’s Nittele clock at the Nihon Terebi Headquarters in Shimbashi Itchome. This clock is the largest animated clock in the world.

We held an official goodbye party for two of my dear friends on June 7th, 2008 at their apartment near JR Nippori Station. They will be missed.

View of Shiodome City Center from the Yurikamome Shinbashi Station. The Caretta Shiodome Building containing the Wicked Gekidanshiki Theatre is also visible in the distance. Shiodome City Center is a modern building which houses many corporate offices and restaurants. The view from the top-floor “sky” restaurants is exceptional.

The Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building in Shinjuku functions as Tokyo City Hall and also houses two free observatories for tourists. North and South observation decks are located on top two floors and provide a good free way to see much of the city while shopping for souvenirs at the observatories’ gift shops.

The interior of the Ueno TGI Friday’s in the Nagafuji Building near Ameyokocho and the edge of Ueno Park.

Lighted trees decorate the entrance to the Nomura Building on the West side of Shinjuku Station. The Nomura Building is adjacent to the I-Land Shinjuku Building which houses the first of the new Burger King restaurants. Also pictured is the new Mode Gakuen Cocoon Tower.

The Symphony Tokyo Bay Cruise is a dining cruise around Tokyo Harbor. Guests have their choice of French, Italian or buffet lunch, sunset or dinner courses. There is also a bar lounge course with appetizers and wine as well as a tea time course of cake or just coffee.

This last Korean temple was in downtown Seoul. If you can identify its name, please comment or send me a message.

Interior of a Korean temple close to Namdaemun Market.

This Korean temple was close to Namdaemun Market, but I couldn’t read the characters on the temple or around it to tell what it was called.

Geunjeong-jeon or Keunjeong-jeon is the Imperial Throne Hall of Gyeongbok Palace in Seoul. Built in 1394, it is Korea’s largest surviving wooden structure. Kings used the hall for state affairs, official functions and for receiving foreign envoys.

Dora observatory is located in South Korea on the edge of the DMZ. From the observatory, tourists can view the Demilitarized Zone and North Korea through binoculars. Those who want to take photography are required to do so behind a yellow “Photo Line.”

Dorasan Train Station, just south of the border between North and South Korea, will someday reunite the two halves of the country if and when passenger trains begin running between them. In December 2007, freight trains began running from Dorasan Station into North Korea. The trains transport materials to Kaesong and return with finished goods.

Dorasan Train Station, just south of the border between North and South Korea, will someday reunite the two halves of the country if and when passenger trains begin running between them. In December 2007, freight trains began running from Dorasan Station into North Korea. The trains transport materials to Kaesong and return with finished goods.

Namdaemun is a large, 600-year-old open-air market in Seoul, South Korea. It was named Namdaemun after the nearby “Great South Gate” and is Korea’s largest traditional market. Almost anything – textiles, food, accessories, cosmetics, etc. – can be purchased at the market. Namdaemun is open 24 hours every day except Sunday with the best discounts after midnight. Namchang-dong (Jung-gu, downtown, Hoehyon Station Line 4), Seoul. Phone 2128-7800.

This is a Tokyo Harbor panorama taken from Odaiba the rainy day before Valentine’s Day. The Statue of Liberty wasn’t red as in previous years, but Tokyo Tower was pink.

Old Shinbashi Station, or Shimbashi station, opened on October 10, 1872 and was closed in 1939 when two train lines were merged forming the Tokyo Metro Ginza line. Part of the original building and platform was reconstruted in 2003 behind City Center near the Yurikamome Shiodome Station.

The main building of the Tokyo International Forum, located a few steps away from Yurakucho Station, is a breathtaking structure. The forum is used for concerts, exhibitions and conferences. Several shops, restaurants as well as a public courtyard are contained within the complex.

A new kaiten zushi or rolling sushi bar opened up on the East side of my station a few months ago. They have great 10-piece lunch packs for only 500 yen, and lots of other cheap, fresh sushi.

Today I attended a private karaoke / dinner party on board a Nakakin Tokyo Bay Cruise. Cruises include drinks and lots of great Japanese food like nabe, sashimi, tempura, etc. There are also awesome views of Tokyo Harbor both inside and outside the boat.

Tokyo’s electronic district is one of my favorite places in Japan. For several blocks down the main street, it’s a sea of anime and electronic megastores. Unfortunately, all businesses shut down around 7pm, but I still think it’s lovely walking the streets of Akihabara at night.

Each year in the spring, opening ceremonies like the one depicted are held at jr. high schools all across Japan. The ceremony is to welcome new students and teachers to the school, and first year student parents and the other students in grades two and three participate depending on the size of the auditorium. This [...]

New trains on the Yurakucho line start at Shiki Station in Saitama every day. I hopped in a car that no one was in yet and took this panorama. These pictures were taken handheld = many parallax errors, so I hope to take them again when I have a more portable tripod and pano head [...]

This church was very beautiful, so I couldn’t help taking a panorama. Unfortunately, since I wasn’t *supposed* to take a picture, I had to take all shots quickly and handheld. I hope to have it up this week when I can manage a better stitch! Edit: The panorama is now online! Click for Flash, Here [...]

I live in a small 3DK apartment near Tokyo. Despite its size, it has a great view of Shinjuku and contains just about everything I need. To create more space, I decided to take down the doors for an open floorplan. I actually like how the living, dining and sleeping spaces overlap so that I [...]

The Marriott Grand Chateau is a hotel / timeshare on Harmon Avenue directly behind the Harley Cafe and in front of the up and coming City Center in Las Vegas.

Please click picture to view a QuickTime Panorama of the Master Bedroom. 5 QuickTime Panoramas (the Master Bedroom, Master Bath, Kitchen & Living Area, Rooftop Pool, Rooftop Jacuzzi, and the Owner’s Lounge) are also in this post.