Friday, March 30, 2012

"Yurakucho Plaza in the Rain" - (120323)

"Yurakucho Plaza in the Rain"
Copyright 2012 by Lyle H Saxon

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

"1990 Shibuya, 1991 Takayama, 2012 Ginza, Yurakucho, Tokyo Trains, Etc."

First, I should point out that my summary of this batch of video clips is not in any particular order, so keep that in mind if you go looking for one of the things I mention in this introduction.

More than usual, I have posted several video-time-machine views - this time from May 1990 (Shibuya, Asakusabashi, Shinjuku, Takadanobaba, subway views, Sendagaya, Akabane, etc.), as well as clips from an August 1991 trip to Takayama via a very cool mid-engine micro-car - a Honda Beat.  Unfortunately, since I was driving the car and it had a manual transmission, I couldn't take footage of a very fun fast drive along a mountain road that I took, and only recorded being stuck in a traffic jam and accelerating away from one traffic light.

After spending what felt like a lot of time in the video time machine, I came back to 2012 and took footage of (naturally) train views (Ginza, Chuo, Tozai, Yamanote, Keio, etc. lines), as well as views from Ginza (including a clip from an exhibition and two from exhibition opening parties), and Yurakucho, Shinjuku, etc.

There are three basic formats I uploaded this time - digitized versions of analog material recorded over 20 years ago, HD material, and re-processed material (due to a technical problem at YouTube that allowed uploading of some files with the picture, but only one second of sound).

1990 Harajuku and Shibuya Stations at Night - (900510)
http://youtu.be/BbefQCc9A9k

Takao Station at Night - (120312)
http://youtu.be/YzfhWUZJfYg

Takao to Takaosan-guchi - (120312)
http://youtu.be/V496oMprJgY

Keio Line Train Arriving at Takao Station - (120312)
http://youtu.be/ftXlY5od0Fs

Racing the Yamanote Line to Tokyo Station - (120315)
http://youtu.be/_eiMffUiPFY

1990 - Sobu and Yamanote Lines (Side Window Views) - (900511)
http://youtu.be/_aEWX4yxwqk

May 11th, 1990 - Looking out side windows of Sobu Line and Yamanote Line trains (as well as station platform views).  Towards the end is a view of Kanda Station just as they were beginning construction of the Shinkansen tracks towards Omiya.

1990 - Asakusabashi Area - (900511)
http://youtu.be/koYma0nizsw

May 11th, 1990 - Walking around in Asakusabashi and riding the Sobu Line.

1990 - Shibuya at Night - (900514)
http://youtu.be/uAOlfkoZdVA

May 14th, 1990 - Walking around in Shibuya at night.

1990 Nightwalk - Yoyogi to Shinjuku - (May 1990)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F9XFvwWMISg

Walking from Yoyogi to Shinjuku late at night in May 1990.

1990 Takadanobaba May Walkabout
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HJnl-ezusIs

Walking around in May 1990 in Takadanobaba - beginning with a view from the Yamanote Line platform and ending with a view inside a Tozai (subway) train as it departs Takadanobaba.  This shows the atmosphere of May 1990 Takadanobaba.

1990 - May Subway Views (A)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3DoYqoI6_ts

Views of a number of stations and trains on the Tokyo subway system - taken in May 1990.

1990 - Here and There in May (A)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rin1J2Vv7B0

Going about in May 1990 Tokyo.  Missing a train home, meetings friends at an izakaya, etc.

1990 Sendagaya Station Area in May (900522)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dWEz1IrHyIY

May 22nd, 1990 - Looking around the Sendagaya Station Area.

1990 Here and There in May (B) Akabane Station, Etc
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kvE42Fc2qrM

May 1990 - Various places, including Shinjuku Station and a several views of Akabane Station.

1991 - Honda Beat Drive - (910811)
http://youtu.be/2FlPMsR0V8c

August 11th, 1991 - Driving a Honda Beat in the mountains on the way to Takayama.

1991 Takayama Walkabout (910811)
http://youtu.be/xxklwRP8igc

August 11th, 1991 - Walking around in Takayama.

1991 - Takayama Matsuri - (910811)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U5ETl8StxyE

On the evening of August 11th, 1991, walking around during a festival in the mountain town of Takayama.

Takizawa Tatsushi 滝沢達史展 Steps Gallery - (120323)
http://youtu.be/_mEabLRk-U0

Takizawa Tatsushi (滝沢達史) Exhibition/Installation at Steps Gallery - (120323)

Balcony View in Ginza 1-Chome - (120323)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xdSWqTsFRkw

Mysterious Hallways - (120323)
http://youtu.be/iyHLa5t-Y9o

Yurakucho Station - Waiting for Train - Ride to Tokyo - (120323)
http://youtu.be/sHBbjYSoh5g

Near Yurakucho Station - Rainy Night - (120323)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G8-Gi81aKDA

Yurakucho Plaza in the Rain - (120323)
http://youtu.be/VM_Nkb9FAoY

Yurakucho Evening Rain Walk - (120323)
http://youtu.be/hDykxFjfQy4

YSB Yurakucho Street View - (120315)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dU4KapmQBrU

Tozai Line Train Departing Nihonbashi Station - (120315)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nk-B2UAm2gE

Hamamatsucho to Shinbashi - Nighttime Yamanote Line - (120326)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5opts3EYWxw

Osaki to Gotanda - Nighttime Yamanote Line - (120326)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=izT6dcrRHjw

Shinagawa to Osaki - Nighttime Yamanote Line - (120326)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-mKXsXA6pqg

Tamachi to Shinagawa - Nighttime Yamanote Line - (120326)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pv9r9ZcoGQA

Shinbashi to Hamamatsucho - Yamanote Line - (120326)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B2SV-kue8h4

Yurakucho Station - Yurakucho to Shinbashi - (120326)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=giUrjqaskzo

Tokyo Station - Yamanote Line Departure - (120326)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6r1vWzqNo_U

Yurakucho to Tokyo - Nighttime Yamanote Line - (120326)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XyZ3BBb3xF0

Ginza Harumi-Dori - (120326)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kn81_SFQaxU

Ginza Chuo-Dori Stroll - (120326)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tYLYrNZedVA

Ginza Chuo-Dori - Long View - (120326)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7GJGf5ApDyU

Ginza 4-Chome and Harumi-Dori - (120326)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F4yD3ubjFkI

Ogawa to Kodaira - Construction Zone, Etc. - (120326)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BCZXemMX0D4

Gallery Exhibition Opening Party-A - (120326)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vqFRda_ckjk

Gallery Exhibition Opening Party-B - (120326)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rfvn-Nebxvo

Abe Chihiro Exhibition at Art Space Rashinban - (120326)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XgF04nMN228

Abe Chihiro (安倍千尋展) Exhibition at Art Space Rashinban (アートスペース羅針盤) - (120326)

Tachikawa Platform - Late at Night - (120326)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ioHRR8GCkug

Nihonbashi to Ginza - Ginza Line - (120326)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hrcrz6oLkOM

Late Night Chuo Line Interior - (120326)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HdtUGxkm3YU

Edge of Ginza - Evening Stroll - (120326)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HKYpRYYtRhY

Late Night Chuo Line - Departing Tokyo Station - (120326)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3YhY5mEagrw

Scenes of Tokyo and other areas in Japan by
Lyle (Hiroshi) Saxon
http://www5d.biglobe.ne.jp/~LLLtrs/
http://youtube.com/lylehsaxon
http://tokyoartmusic.blogspot.com/

Friday, March 16, 2012

"Outbound Chuo Line Ride" - (120229)

"Outbound Chuo Line Ride" - (120229)
Copyright 2012 by Lyle H Saxon

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

"Ginza, Mitaka, Kichijoji, Chuo-Line, Low-Resolution, HD, Etc."

Regarding the picture quality (resolution) of this batch of videos; it is either high in the HD clips (first five below and a few others), or else very low resolution in LD (Low Definition) clips that ended up in that state through YouTube no longer (for a week at least - I'll be doing more testing later) accepting video clips in the AVI format that one of my cameras generates.  I have no idea what the *reason* for this is, but the *result* is that all of the uploaded video clips in that format show up as 1-second videos, so I had to convert the file format before uploading to get YouTube to accept the files - which works, but with very poor picture quality.  Anyway - be forewarned that many of these clips have shockingly bad picture quality.

The first five (HD) videos are of Shinbashi, Ginza, Yurakucho, and Tokyo Station.  Moving into the LD videos, there are views of Tachikawa, Mitaka, the Chuo Line, Kichijoji, etc.

I'm hoping to find a way to upload the files from that camera without losing (so much) picture quality.  I am confident there is some way of doing this, but with the tools I have at hand - I haven't been able to do it... yet!

(HD) Shinbashi Station - Watching Trains Come and Go - (120307)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e6EsduB9XFg

(HD) Ginza Suzuran-Dori - Construction Noises - (120307)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0ac5OxS-tlk

(HD) Suzuran-Dori - 4:00 PM - (120307)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=13mvOLX6VN0

(HD) Yurakucho to Shinbashi (Looking Back - Yamanote Line) - (120307)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-6orwqgzCR4

(HD) Tokyo Station - Boarding Yamanote Line - (120307)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TUJNdeL3bmk

Mitaka Shotengai (B) - (120307)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7y61e3zIoIw

Mitaka Shotengai (A) - (120307)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d-l6PbVEpeQ

Tachikawa Station (Inside Ticket Gates) - (120307)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J52fQ-4e3bM

Shinjuku Crosswalk - (120306)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rXQGq9G7adU

Tokyo to Yurakucho (Looking Back - Yamanote Line) - (120307)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e9WxlBDJXJc

Bus Side of Mitaka Station - (120307)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CZdDfN2_jxc

Chuo Line Side View - To Ogikubo - (120301)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HPLgOXnNY3M

Hayashi Nobuaki (林伸朗) Installation at Gallery Hinoki (ギャラリー檜) Close-Up - (120306)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0KcURZdyl64

Mitaka Shotengai Stroll - (120307)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OIrBgspNWJw

Mitaka Station Mall (and Walk to Platform) - (120307)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k0u8qIiDLic

Walking Through Mitaka Station - (120307)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WyvYeZLErf0

Night Side Window View - Chuo Line to Mitaka - (120301)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YMXbeRd4a2I

Ogawa to Hagiyama - Construction Area - (120306)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=muUYTVeW1CI

Yamanote Line - Departing Shinbashi Station - (120307)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E8j3jkUGZUo

In Front of Ogikubo Station-360 - (120301)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q0ZPwNjIj_U

Shinbashi Side Street Construction - (120307)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PDwAKPoJRO8

Musashisakai to Mitaka - Chuo Line Side Window View - (120301)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Bqvbz4kw-g

Kichijoji Side Streets (D) - (120301)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Z-ep7-6ksw

Kichijoji Side Streets (C) - (120301)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ibyqne-g_BU

Kichijoji Side Streets (B) - (120301)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gk9b3lulUec

Kichijoji Side Streets (A) - (120301)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DOkDW142fZA

Kichijoji Shotengai Stroll (C) - (120301)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=II40zu1qZ-0

Kichijoji Shotengai Stroll (B) - (120301)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z8vf6gvbb8g

Kichijoji Shotengai Stroll (A) - (120301)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hzQCaR7-oTc

Exiting Shinbashi Station - (120307)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cGpcDOYtfaY

Kichijoji Station Area - Construction, Etc. - (120301)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UCBz6th5O8Y

Kyobashi Side Street - Construction - (120306)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=APmnJl0W7EI

New-Old Tokyo Station (Under Construction) - (120307)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9KhtR2uAVZI

Kichijoji Evening Shotengai (C) - (120301)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xGF3je7_OQQ

Kichijoji Evening Shotengai (B) - (120301)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hv3WiSUqCF8

Kichijoji Evening Shotengai (A) - (120301)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bs9So1b0o0U

Nishi-Ogikubo to Kichijoji - Chuo Line, Etc. - (120301)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f0-PEh8U4Eg

Entering Kichijoji Station - (120301)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Avnspge56sQ

Kichijoji Narrow Passageways - Evening Old Shotengai - (120301)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ozt0qQEEAgY

Chuo Line Escalator at Tokyo Station - (120307)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NiZuasGYcq4

Chuo Line Arriving at Mitaka - (120307)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4lQbiOG1gsA

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

Friday, March 09, 2012

"78-Year-Old Staircase" (120214)

78-Year-Old Staircase (120214)
Copyright 2012 by Lyle H Saxon

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

"May 1990 Shinjuku and Shibuya, 120229 Snow, Tachikawa, Kichijoji, Mitaka, Ginza, Etc."

A large chunk of the videos in this batch were affected by some kind of issue with AVI format files not uploading properly to YouTube, so I converted many of them to FLV files, which uploaded easily, but have degraded picture quality.  If the next batch of AVI files I attempt to upload doesn't work, then I'll try to (if I understand the process well enough) convert them into MP4 files (rather than FLV).  That technical bit out of the way....

On the last day of February - the 29th this year - there was a pretty big snowfall in Tokyo (big for Tokyo anyway) and I took several clips of the unusual appearance of the city under all that white snow.  Most of the snow scenes are of Tachikawa, but there are some other angles thrown in, including train window views.

I went to both Kichijoji and Mitaka recently and took a few clips of the shotengai areas in each place.  Back in central Tokyo, while checking out art galleries, I took some video of Ginza - including a couple of exhibitions/installations that were interesting and very colorful - "No doubt the artist is thinking of spring" thought I.  And of course there are the usual train views from various lines - primarily the Chuo, Ginza, Tozai, Yamanote, and Keihin-Tohoku lines.

May 1990 - Shinjuku Omoide-Yokocho
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WZQRKlKBPug

May 1990 - Shibuya Station Platform
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5tRh_iIdznI

Tachikawa - Elevated Walkway - (120229)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w-Krw6snHAg

Snow - Takao Station - (120229)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6v4Um4NKwt0

(x2) Walking from Kyobashi to Ginza - (120228)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ds4N4eTgpt4

Video recorded at 15fps and then played back at 30fps for double-time video with no sound.

(x2) Elevator Up - Stairs Down - (120228)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=258HtR1_B7M

Video recorded at 15fps and then played back at 30fps for double-time video with no sound.

Kichijoji Mall (Short) - (120301)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ULhq9zB6P7s

Snow - Tachikawa Station Platform - (120229)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pbsG73tE5Fk

Ginza Chuo Dori - Looking Both Ways - (120228)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fthks6Rak2s

Snow - Nishi-Kokubunji to Tachikawa - (120229)
http://youtu.be/JI5LaPa8ZWw

Looking at a rare snowfall from a side window of a Chuo Line train while going from Nishi-Kokubunji to Tachikawa.

Path to Tachikawa Shopping Arcade - (120229)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S5SXkVS3n8Q

Kono Satomi (河野里美) Exhibition at Y's Arts-508 - (120307)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6zZu-m44cIE

A beautiful and colorful exhibition.  Someday I hope to have internally illuminated pictures like these on my walls!  For now at least, the artist told me that the pictures are for the exhibition only and are not for sale.

Ginza Chuo-Dori - February 28th, 2012 - (120228)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Chkmt4LlAr8

Yurakucho-SB (A) - (120307)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o6K21r6-0W8

Yurakucho-SB (B) - (120307)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xwL2sNBDdqU

Yurakucho to Tokyo - (120307)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PowAikBr67o

KT-Line at Yurakucho Station - (120307)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sXq9PPEe4zM

Watching a Keihin-Tohoku Line train at Yurakucho Station.

Nihonbashi to Ginza (Ginza Line) - (120306)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e4fkuxBTOo0

Snow - Tachikawa Station (Both Sides) - (120229)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hNWSpg-CrU8

Snow - Tachikawa Station Area - (120229)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cyk2VliBuuk

Snow - Tachikawa Station Area and Streets - (120229)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pzZqGH2yxbg

Snow - Tachikawa Station Area Stroll - (120229)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L9CmJjdhQFM

Snow - Tachikawa Streets - (120229)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VKMWKbTwoVM

Snow - Tachikawa to Hachioji - Chuo Line - (120229)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_clU0_4RrEA

Snow in Tokyo Suburban Park - (120229)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aeBvko98ElY

Ginza Line - Nihonbashi to Ginza - (120228)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Jo7x6P8fpA

Tachikawa - Reserved Seat Train Arrival and Departure - (120229)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sWhGsNcx9iM

Tachikawa Station Shops - (120229)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sVHoBdKnV9A

Tachikawa Platform - Old Type Train, Etc
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4CHQamvuH4U

Tachikawa Evening Rush - February 29th, 2012 - (120229)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1CeTHFkU05c

Tachikawa Station Shopping Arcade - (120229)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GlFJZ-WTm5I

Tachikawa Elevated Walkways (With Snow) - (120229)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_ILKc12vwyg

Tachikawa Platform on Rare Snow Day in Tokyo - (120229)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w3h2BuC5MPs

Tachikawa Side Streets - Evening Slush - (120229)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=89tR9nLzkFk

Tachikawa Station - Ticket Gates to Platform - (120229)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lEEvB-t92b4

Tachikawa - Shopping Mall to Chuo Line Platform - (120229)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xtjEJrH7-ZM

Tachikawa - Walking Towards Station (Some Snow) - (120229)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DiSj2dEkGf0

Tachikawa Outside Escalator (Snow Day) - (120229)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ltMEne_sBOc

Tozai Window Reflections - Takadanobaba to Waseda - (120228)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UDTa0B7mt8U

Yamada Keiko (山田恵子) Exhibition at Steps Gallery - (120307)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tAGJJJY3oh0

Ginza Harumi-Dori (晴海通り) - (120307)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zi4oXeIn0sM

Ginza Chuo-Dori (A) - (120306)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mgYyCYTCf_A

Ginza Chuo-Dori (B) - (120306)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=teyvOhHUjCY

Hayashi Nobuaki (林伸朗) Installation at Gallery Hinoki (ギャラリー檜) - (120306)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x3bIRQpLMns

A very colorful and fun installation/exhibition!

Yamanote and Shibuya (May 1990-A)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fMfqFs-olLc

Views of the Yamanote Line (mainly inside) and Shibuya at night - taken in May 1990.

Train Watching - Shinbashi Station - (120307)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DKFT517BiKo

At Shinbashi Station - looking down the tracks towards Kanagawa.  The many tracks and trains are quite an impressive sight - although I wonder why the railway is letting the overhead steel structure that supports the power cables rust.  I suppose there's been a decision to replace them with something else, and so to just let them rust until the point where they need to be replaced....

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

Saturday, March 03, 2012

"Tozai Line - Takadanobaba Station" - (120214)

"Tozai Line - Takadanobaba Station"
Copyright 2012 by Lyle H Saxon

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

"Takadanobaba, Ginza, Tokyo, Shinjuku, Yurakucho, Etc."

General winter scenes in Tokyo - with walking scenes in Takadanobaba, Ginza, near Tokyo Station (which is under renovation/reconstruction), in Shinjuku, Yurakucho, Kyobashi, etc.  And at this point a roadblock to further video uploads struck in the form of YouTube's avi reformatter breaking, preventing me from uploading anything else.  I did (in the middle of about 80 failed uploads), somehow luck out and get one short video posted showing a single street during Tokyo's February 29th, 2012 big snowfall, but if the broken avi-reformatter issue isn't solved (I suspect the real issue is that YouTube has reached (surpassed actually?) the breaking point with the vast number of - ever-increasing in intensity - uploads it's been taking in non-stop for all this time...) - if a way to again upload avi files doesn't present itself, this could be the end of most of my video uploading.  I tested a couple of alternative sites - Vimeo and MetaCafe - but in both cases the video plays strangely, and in one case with no sound - so there doesn't appear to be any (practical) alternative to YouTube... although I hear other file formats may be okay, so I need to find a way to convert my avi files into something else (MP4 is best apparently).

Takadanobaba Side Streets - (120221)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ar7cR6kWqfs

Takadanobaba Station Area - (120221)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q1jKMqb4MBI

Ginza Chuo Dori - Afternoon Stroll - (120221)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I6Ts5WfQdMA

Winter Shadows Near Tokyo Station - (120221)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DtNLL-9lpn8

Tokyo Station Area - Under Renovation - (120221)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uoPK1vHsOXA

Shinjuku Station Evening Stroll - (120221)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zT17ZcJ4MXY

Boarding Seibu Train at Ogawa - (120221)
http://youtu.be/Qf1Trhdt_8o

Kokubunji Station Area - (120220)
http://youtu.be/Dm6AsCCa8xU

Late Night Shinjuku Chuo Line Platform - (120221)
http://youtu.be/yWo5kGW8YXw

Beside Tokyo Station - (120221)
http://youtu.be/cvrPp5i_Y3U

Edge of Ginza 1-Chome - (120221)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KyR5UZy9GA8

Yurakucho Izakaya Path - (120221)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dpynXSesDN4

Yurakucho Evening Stroll - (120221)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H6d7vnlYf3Y

Ginza Evening Stroll - 6:00PM - (120221)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d1hgxRn8jyY

Kyobashi Sky - (120221)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JvGe-4kjOvU

Undertracks Izakaya in Yurakucho - (120221)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lBvwPnoJ2Cs

Yurakucho Electronics Store Stroll - (120221)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VPygviGHf7g

Snow In Tokyo Suburb - (120229)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NPqenpNpNyc

Kokubunji Trains - Snow - (120229)  [via Vimeo]
http://vimeo.com/37778347

Looking around at trains at Kokubunji Station on a snowy February 29th, 2012.  (Note: In testing this one, it didn't play back very well on my computer, so I'm not sure how it will look for others....)

Boarding Tozai Line at Takadanobaba - (120228)  [via MetaCafe]
http://www.metacafe.com/w/8172968

Watching a Tozai Line come in to Takadanobaba Station and then boarding it.  (Note: This clip also didn't play very well when I tested it, so I'm not sure how it'll do.)

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

Friday, March 02, 2012

"Heading Towards Tokyo Station" - (120214)

"Heading Towards Tokyo Station"
Copyright 2012 by Lyle H Saxon

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

"Roads, Trucks and Cars, Etc. 1959 and 2012"

Continuing to read "All the Best in Japan" by Sydney Clark (published by Sidgwick and Jackson Limited  in 1959), I notice the road and vehicle traffic situation has radically changed, while rail travel has basically the same reputation (with some changes).  Looking at the section entitled: "But There Are Things to Cope with Too":

"In the interest of balanced reporting I have to state that motor touring in Japan, while perfectly practicable almost everywhere - I have enjoyed a lot of it - leaves much to be desired.  From the tourist's angle poor roads are Japan's most noticeable fault and the fact that a vigorous ten-year reconstruction plan has just got under way does not lend much comfort to those who plan to come now or soon.  Great stretches of the roads you'll want to use are narrow and bumpy and many portions are thick with dust in dry weather, gooey with mud in wet.  ......"

Well, ten years from 1959 was 1969, and here we are in 2012, from which I can report that it's exceedingly rare to find any road that isn't covered with smooth asphalt now.  So much so, that when I find myself standing on dirt (an exceedingly rare occurrence), I look down and marvel, "Wow!  Real dirt!  Just think, this dirt may actually have never been buried under asphalt before!  Amazing!", which is unfortunately not even sarcasm (not much anyway).  It really does seem like some kind of wonderful thing to be standing on actual dirt [comment from 1996].

"Statistics before me reveal that of Japan's vehicles officially tallied in a recent year, buses totaled a surprising 10 per cent.  The figure for trucks (but the majority of these are in and near the big cities, not on the open highways) is a whopping 60 per cent, while that for passenger cars is only 25 per cent, the remaining 5 per cent being scored as 'Special'."

There are still a lot of buses and trucks, but certainly trucks are not 60 percent of the vehicles on the road now.  I do remember being struck with the large number of trucks on the road when I first came here though (in the eighties).  In fact, I think there are probably many more trucks on the open highways now than in 1959 (with a lower percentage - but certainly not absolute number - in the cities).  They have cut rail freight use way down (the Shiodome office tower area near Shinbashi Station used to be a freight rail yard, for example), and have been feverishly burying ever more of the country under asphalt over the past 50 years, so it's gotten to the point where I wish for the opposite of what Mr. Clark wished for back then.  It would be an altogether happier situation if they were now making new plans to *reduce* the number of roads in the country and stop doing everything for the sake of petrol-burning internal-combustion machinery.

"..... If highway travel is bad, railway travel is quite wonderful, for Japan is perhaps the most railway-minded great country in the world.  Rail service is excellent in quality and the punctuality of trains, all trains, is nothing less than spectacular.  I think Japan comes the nearest of any country in the world to keeping its trains so precisely on time that 'you can set you watch by them'."

This is still true, although they have been building large new bus terminals beside major rail stations (Tokyo and Shinjuku immediately come to mind) and more and more people are traveling from Tokyo to other areas of Japan via night buses, which is a horrible development in my view (horrible to be using bloody buses when they could be running trains).  Meanwhile, rail travel on many train lines away from the mega-cities is way down.  Making Japan a car culture is one of the more horrible mistakes of the 20th century I think, and - although young people are less interested in owning cars than their age group used to be, the Godzilla construction industry continues to work hard in the 21st century at burying ever more of the country under asphalt for the sake of bloody internal combustion engines.  I hope oil runs out in the world in a hurry - to put a stop to this suicidal madness.

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