"Ikebukuro Station Area - February 19th, 2010"

These videos are the non-music bits that fit in-between the music videos I posted to my art and music blog: "Tokyo Art & Music"
http://tokyoartmusic.blogspot.com/

All of them were taken on a Friday night in mid-February 2010.

"Ikebukuro Station, East Side, Friday Night" (100219-2017)

Walking along the wide, long sidewalk that runs in front of the east side of Ikebukuro Station... coming upon a couple of street musicians in the process.

池袋駅前東口  東京  (Recorded on Friday, February 19th, 2010, at 8:17 p.m.)

"Ikebukuro - Looking for the Next Band" (100219_2022)

Looking for the next street band - and homing in on jazz sounds coming from down the sidewalk (which is why I make a U-turn in the middle of the crosswalk).

池袋駅前東口の次のストリートバンドの探し  東京  (Recorded on Friday, February 19th, 2010, at 8:22 p.m.)

"Pedestrian Island - Jazz Music Background" (100219-2029)

As the traffic island band is about to get back in gear, the street-crossers migrate across the wide street to the sounds of the jazz band just down the street.

池袋駅東口前の横断歩道  東京  (Recorded on Friday, February 19th, 2010, at 8:29 p.m.)

"Ikebukuro Side Street" (100219-2031)

This street used to be more interesting - before it had dead zones with no shops, but it still retains a little of its old feel.  I'm beginning to worry about the future of Tokyo.  Modern high-rise buildings may be nice, but an entire city full of them would be really boring.  Tokyo seems to be on a small-building-eradication binge.  I hope some of the older buildings can survive - as having pockets of smaller & older buildings here and there has been one of the attractions of living in Tokyo.

池袋駅東口側の細い道  でっかいビルだらけは、つまらないので、古い小さい建物が少し残った方がいいと思います  東京  (Recorded on Friday, February 19th, 2010, at 8:31 p.m.)

"Homeward-Bound Workers - Ikebukuro" (100219-2033)

8:30 p.m. - and people stream towards Ikebukuro Station to begin their rail journey home.  Some straight from work, and some from restaurants and drinking places.  8:30 being relatively early though, most are likely coming straight from work.

池袋駅東口側  仕事が終わって、うちへ向かう人たち  東京  (Recorded on Friday, February 19th, 2010, at 8:33 p.m.)

Lyle (Hiroshi) Saxon
http://www5d.biglobe.ne.jp/~LLLtrs/
http://youtube.com/lylehsaxon
http://tokyoartmusic.blogspot.com/