2014 Ginza, Tokyo Tower; 1992 Tamagawa Walkabout, Tokyo Bus Ride, Keio Branch Lines, Etc.

There's too much to summarize easily, but a few things stand out.  After not going up inside Tokyo Tower for about 20 years, I spent a few hours (on March 6th, 2014) spanning the sunset, and took views from both the lower (150-meter) main observatory and the upper (250-meter) observatory.

Going back to 1992, I spent a fair amount of time walking along the Tamagawa River on a couple of different occasions, and there are views of a couple of short branch lines, first the Seibu-Tamagawa Line, and then the Keio-Dobutsuen Line.

It would be ideal if I could now watch all of the videos again and comment in detail on each of them, but there just isn't time, so I'll just comment on a few of the videos - mainly based on the titles and my memory of them without watching them again.

JR to Hibiya Transfer at Ebisu JR線-日比谷線恵比寿駅乗り換え 131003
http://youtu.be/DQZIJVE_ybY

Hamamatsucho Sidewalk Stroll 浜松町道の様子 131205
http://youtu.be/TyNJg2aRWxc

雪の日 - 平成２５年２月８日午前中 140208
http://youtu.be/CrSVEiu3zhE

新宿駅隣の工事現場 Construction Site by Shinjuku Station 140221
http://youtu.be/FbmUMEQFyvA

Departing Shinjuku Station - Construction Site Etc 140221
http://youtu.be/oeibdbDjPNc

Chuo Line Side Window View - Nearing Tachikawa 中央線立川辺り 131125
http://youtu.be/-NH2_KoWA10

新橋駅-有楽町駅 京浜東北線 Shinbashi to Yurakucho 131205
http://youtu.be/xJW6tqaV6EU

Light Installation at Ginza Gallery-403 (131205n)
http://youtu.be/uENdUQOC3w8

有楽町駅-東京駅 京浜東北線 Yurakucho to Tokyo KT-Line 131205
http://youtu.be/xDw7Kk-AfrU

上り中央線窓風景 Inbound Chuo Line Side Window View 131205
http://youtu.be/blIxoc17jgg

恵比寿駅で日比谷線がやってくる Hibiya Line at Ebisu 131205
http://youtu.be/pECj4A91RmU

Keihin-Tohoku Line Departing Yurakucho 京浜東北線の出発 131205
http://youtu.be/42yykM02bos

新宿思い出横丁 Shinjuku Omoide-Yokocho 140221
http://youtu.be/OYhpXkYzDhY

Early Stage Construction in Hamamatsucho 140220
http://youtu.be/jUy_1cSL1IQ

Maruyama Norio 丸山則夫 Photo Exhibition at Art Space Rondo 140220
http://youtu.be/MAlD8qnCqIE

Yurakucho Crosswalk and Hybrid Bus 有楽町 140220
http://youtu.be/OhXXmzH5pEA

Ginza 4-Chome Quick Lookaround 140220
http://youtu.be/tkanKp3Ziuc

(Note: While this picture is from Ginza 4-chome, it's separate from the video, and this exact angle isn't in the video.)

Kyobashi Night Construction 京橋夜地下鉄工事 140220
http://youtu.be/0HNV29RN3x8

Innovative Barrier Near Tokyo Station 140221
http://youtu.be/zwkwK8Xb1VI

Up until now, the stairs leading down to underground spaces (shopping malls, subway systems, etc.) have usually been open at the top, with a single metal shutter towards the bottom of the stairs that is closed at night.  I guess they want to stop people using the stairwells as shelters in the middle of the night.

Road in the Suburbs on a Snowy Day 140208
http://youtu.be/ObuBtIvokGc

Quiet Snowy Morning One February Day 140208
http://youtu.be/mcRkpHtvCo4

Snow Along Tamagawa-Josui Canal 多摩川浄水隣の雪 140208
http://youtu.be/VG6ovf8YCrs

Snow Along Chuo Line Near Tachikawa 立川駅近くの中央線雪 140210
http://youtu.be/570Vk4c5HFI

中央線の雪 日野駅辺り Snow Along Chuo Line Near Hino Station 140210
http://youtu.be/WM2i9u5idkY

日野駅-豊田駅 雪の中央線 Hino to Toyoda - Snow View 140210
http://youtu.be/uXQ1UsivIr4

豊田駅-八王子駅 雪の中央線 Toyoda to Hachioji - Snow View 140210
http://youtu.be/FvZYOKPrGzU

日本橋駅-京橋駅 銀座駅 Nihonbashi to Kyobashi Ginza Line 140207
http://youtu.be/UMpkjUqeIt4

Plum Tree Blossoms at Temple in Shinjuku 新宿区のあるお寺の梅の花 140218
http://youtu.be/-gmxU24LrLs

Spring is on the way - with the very early blooming plum trees promising warmer days to come....

Plum Tree Blossom Close-Up 梅の花 140218
http://youtu.be/TvmsgZbdr1s

穴八幡宮見回り 雪の様子 Anahachimangu Lookaround Snow View 140218
http://youtu.be/Q7fZZ_3B6GI

Boarding Tozai Line at Waseda 早稲田駅で東西線を乗る 140218
http://youtu.be/IQo8Z1yPcD0

大手町駅-日本橋駅 東西線 Otemachi to Nihonbashi Tozai Line 140218
http://youtu.be/DfmCDEyw-DE

Kyobashi Office Tower Construction 京橋のビル工事 140218
http://youtu.be/J9tkJIUrkKY

東京駅内のコンコース Tokyo Station Concourse 140218
http://youtu.be/xTBqwp6PP7Q

東京駅-神田駅 夜中央線 Tokyo to Kanda - Night Chuo Line 140218
http://youtu.be/t35dtrUcxXI

Saiwai-Jinja 幸稲荷神社 幸神社 140220
http://youtu.be/fjNixFUfdEk

1992 Distant Suburbs (920504)
http://youtu.be/pyzoSHmX1Qw

1992 Shibuya Hibiya-Koen Etc 渋谷 日比谷公園など 920503
http://youtu.be/rfDl9xIL14g

1992 大塚 巣鴨 駒込 田端 新宿など Otsuka Sugamo Tabata Etc 920510
http://youtu.be/zLXPc6-u-1g

1992 Bus Ride Etc 市内のバスなど 920511
http://youtu.be/OKzdKReMSmY

The buses in use 22 years ago were one level inside and usually (always maybe?) had wooden floors.  You had to climb up stairs coming in and then climb back down when getting off the bus.  The city buses now have adjustable-height suspensions and just one step to get into the bus.  That low height is at the front end of the bus and there are steps leading up at the back of the bus (to get up over the rear engine).

1992 ひばりヶ丘駅-玉川学園前駅 Hibarigaoka to Tamagawa-Gakuen-mae 920513
http://youtu.be/3sN9CJp3tNs

1992 玉川学園前駅辺り Tamagawa-Gakuen-mae Walkabout 920513
http://youtu.be/zxZVLPCtw3A

1992 玉川学園前駅-新百合ヶ丘駅 Tamagawa-Gakuen-mae to Shinyurigaoka 920513
http://youtu.be/TIsWmyhYUIA

1992 新百合ヶ丘駅辺り Shinyurigaoka Walkabout 920513
http://youtu.be/oyWJ7nU_dgc

1992 新百合ヶ丘駅-新宿駅 小田急線 Shinyurigaoka to Shinjuku 920513
http://youtu.be/4pqJf07T0jc

1992 新宿駅-ひばりヶ丘駅など Shinjuku to Hibarigaoka 920513
http://youtu.be/4wgLGmcXVA4

1992 Hibarigaoka Parco Under Construction 工事中のひばりが丘Parco 920513
http://youtu.be/ii0r_tQofSA

1992 東京彼方此方 Tokyo Here and There 920514
http://youtu.be/nFk3ECLWFrY

1992 Construction Near Railroad Crossing 踏切と工事 920514
http://youtu.be/O93_wae0Yyc

1992 東京彼方此方 Here and There in Tokyo 920517
http://youtu.be/pyOMkqBOAxw

1992 ひばりヶ丘駅辺り Hibarigaoka Walkabout 920524
http://youtu.be/Beq7iMwhQ1o

1992 ひばりヶ丘駅-登戸駅 Hibarigaoka to Noborito 920524
http://youtu.be/uhHXjQYmcuk

1992 Freight Train Passing Ikebukuro Station 池袋の貨物電車 920524
http://youtu.be/zWIo_Mkl1sw

1992 Trainspotting at Noborito Station 登戸駅の電車 920524
http://youtu.be/gbMBs_K2uQw

Before exiting Noborito Station and beginning a long walk (below), I stayed on the platform for a while and took pictures of several passing trains - including a couple of different types of Romance Car trains.

1992 登戸駅からの散策散歩 Noborito Walkabout 920524
http://youtu.be/bJgVPk2AB5Q

This 38-minute video covers a long walk I took from Noborito Station, much of it along the Tamagawa River.

1992 川の隣 日の黄昏 Riverside Evening 920524
http://youtu.be/_UiEOtJrtq4

1992 多摩川から二子多摩川園駅まで Tamagawa River to Station 920524
http://youtu.be/F4h6Hv08dw0

1992 二子多摩川園駅-ひばりヶ丘駅 Futako-Tamagawaen to Hibarigaoka 920524
http://youtu.be/NHBKO_3DI5M

The station name has since changed from Futako-Tamagawaen to Futako-Tamagawa (dropping the "en" at the end).

Huge Construction Zone Near Kokubunji Station 国分寺駅近くの工事現場 140225
http://youtu.be/MzsTmgcDOwE

This area of cleared land is remarkable for the amount of space they cleared to make it.  There were a lot of smaller buildings here that had to be removed to make this much space.  You don't often see so much space cleared in Tokyo.  Typically they shoehorn buildings into much smaller spaces than this.

Black Road Construction 140226
http://youtu.be/jBo-U9rPuuk

高尾駅の空中央線車両 Empty Chuo Line Carriage at Takao Station 140226
http://youtu.be/yfcgl7EqcRI

Y's Arts Exhibition in Room-508 140227
http://youtu.be/1gW4JmF39gY

Osaki Evening Elevated Walkway 夕暮れの大崎 140228
http://youtu.be/fxKw-ist8Bw

立川駅-八王子駅 中央線 Tachikawa to Hachioji - Chuo Line 140303
http://youtu.be/gRCKg2EokOw

Atrium Announcement Echo 140304
http://youtu.be/_5OSc8JVM-8

Wet Reflections on Stone 濡れた石の反射 140227
http://youtu.be/LLG0hJf0v24

Mostly Boarded-up Tunnel Exhaust Fan Sounds Etc 140227
http://youtu.be/pNsv-gy7sPQ

I took this video specifically to record the sound - as this is slated for demolition and I thought the sound characteristics peculiar to this tunnel should be recorded.

新宿駅工事と電車 Construction Area and Trains at Shinjuku 140228
http://youtu.be/XOFdf7PIqgg

湘南新宿ライン東海道線直通特別快速 新宿駅から大崎駅まで SSLTCTK 140228
http://youtu.be/5bjrNmumDjQ

丸山則夫 猫たち展示会-ア Maruyama Norio - Art Space Rondo Exhibition 140304
http://youtu.be/WVf5q_V-cjY

丸山則夫 猫たち展示会-イ Maruyama Norio - Art Space Rondo Exhibition 140304
http://youtu.be/8snQoVdhdog

Front of Okuno Building at Night - March 2014 140304
http://youtu.be/nbX-rmH2QM0

1992 Saturday Nishi-Shinjuku Etc 土曜日の西新宿など 920314
http://youtu.be/PEgYmE8uNog

1992 葛西駅辺りと彼方此方 Kasai Kawasaki Here and There 920426
http://youtu.be/xTS-JT3vF8Q

Train Leaving Platform 電車のホームから出発 140225
http://youtu.be/fPHoeorTT3U

Temple View-360 in Central Tokyo 140227
http://youtu.be/tyIn7p_vLJQ

Nighttime Ginza 4-Chome in the Rain 夜の雨銀座四丁目 140227
http://youtu.be/nfvDIqmw8og

Boarding Train at Osaki 大崎駅で電車を乗る 140228
http://youtu.be/yFAdlQGIEoE

下落合の永川神社-ア Early Spring at a Shrine 140304
http://youtu.be/qmBIrW0eGHU

下落合の永川神社-ｲ Early Spring at a Shrine 140304
http://youtu.be/KZI86obB9hE

さかえ通り商店街 高田馬場駅へ向かう Takadanobaba Sakaedori 140304
http://youtu.be/NyxwtUQ5w1s

高田馬場駅東西線入り口 Takadanobaba Tozai Line Entrance Number One 140304
http://youtu.be/XxxDDGzKL9c

1992 Shinjuku - Trains and Buses Etc 新宿 電車やバスなど 920315
http://youtu.be/XNNaGL4-CSA

Basement Passage of Kokusai Forum 国際フォーラムの地下通路 140304
http://youtu.be/x9Hl9o5vMlA

If I had been in this passage before, I'd forgotten about it.  In any case, I was surprised how nice it was, as I generally don't like underground spaces very much.

Marunouchi Lights 丸の内夜の光風景 140304
http://youtu.be/MZDr5UNg1Ts

Marunouchi Night Scene - Cold March Wind 丸の内夜風景 140304
http://youtu.be/0Q6cd3kVGgc

Down to Train at Otemachi Station 大手町駅 降りて行くと電車を乗る 140304
http://youtu.be/DEM49g5YzFM

Over the years, I've used Otemachi Station a lot, but most of my time in the station has been spent in long connecting tunnels, going from one line to another, or desperately looking for an exit.  So I was surprised at how quickly I found myself on the platform when I took this video.

西武新宿線 高田馬場駅から出発 Seibu Line Departing Takadanobaba 140304
http://youtu.be/WQ02BDGp4lI

Train and Cell Phone 電車と携帯電話 140225
http://youtu.be/Ck9q9YjJXPU

No deep meaning exactly, but I like the way this one looks.  Big City life, and all that.

新宿駅の電車 中央線 山手線 総武線 Shinjuku Trains 140225g
http://youtu.be/TDPuQTjvNJY

Hilltop Park in Central Tokyo 中央東京にある丘上公園 140227g
http://youtu.be/qnDbQnRV91c

東京駅の夜ホーム 元中央郵便局の屋根からの風景 140304g
http://youtu.be/QAHxnWkctj0

Reserved Seat Express Train Passes Kokubunji Station 国分寺駅 140306
http://youtu.be/MY8RVmFPBVY

Waiting for a Train at Tokyo Station 東京駅で電車を待っている 140306
http://youtu.be/cjIrbe1SHzg

東京駅-品川駅 京浜東北線 Tokyo to Shinagawa Keihin-Tohoku Line 140306
http://youtu.be/ww0UNKf1OFM

品川駅-大井町駅 京浜東北線 Shinagawa to Oimachi Keihin-Tohoku Line 140306
http://youtu.be/qs7MIqfSN40

大井町駅-下神明駅 東急大井町線 Oimachi to Shimoshinmei - Tokyu-Oimachi Line 140306
http://youtu.be/1yNNay6CnkQ

Waiting for a Train at Shinagawa 品川駅で電車を待っている 140306
http://youtu.be/tprmumBx7y0

Tokyo Tower 16 Riding Main Elevator Down 東京タワー大展望台からの下りエレベーター 140306
http://youtu.be/6ReXXaSQFQM

Boarding Yamanote Line at Hamamatsucho 山手線を乗る 浜松町駅 140306
http://youtu.be/GcHr5S4bWqQ

Tokyo Tower 01 Riding 1st Elevator Up 東京タワー 140306
http://youtu.be/iJu619-tBxM

Tokyo Tower 02 Waiting for Elevator to Special Observatory 東京タワー 140306
http://youtu.be/Mp4FEgvhYvc

Tokyo Tower 03 Riding 2nd Elevator Up 東京タワー特別展望台行きエレベーター 140306
http://youtu.be/mZ9vFxVVxMk

Tokyo Tower 04 2nd Stage Daytime 360-Look 東京タワー特別展望台の見回り 140306
http://youtu.be/BVgxnvlFI4Y

Tokyo Tower 06 2nd Elevator Exit Area in the Daytime 東京タワー特別展望台エレベーター出口 140306
http://youtu.be/bz7UHDsClTQ

Tokyo Tower 07 Daytime Main Observatory Both Levels 東京タワーの昼大展望台 両方 140306
http://youtu.be/F-G78xqnlh4

Tokyo Tower 08 Twilight  Main Observatory 東京タワー夕暮れの大展望台見回り 140306
http://youtu.be/Dy3FTqc94PY

Tokyo Tower 09 2nd Stage - Nighttime 360 Look 東京タワー特別展望台見回り 140306
http://youtu.be/2hU5IBlKG7w

Tokyo Tower 10 Special Observatory - Nighttime-360 東京タワー特別展望台見回り 140306
http://youtu.be/cZ7hjJ9VzA4

Tokyo Tower 11 2nd Stage Waiting for Elevator 東京タワー特別展望台 140306
http://youtu.be/wFiqJ2vwk0Q

Tokyo Tower 14 Riding 2nd Elevator Down 夜の東京タワー 特別展望台下りエレベーター 140306
http://youtu.be/n84GCk6MAlk

Tokyo Tower 15 Main Observatory - Both Levels 東京タワーの夜大展望台見回り 両方 140306n
http://youtu.be/8FhKeRBnne4

浜松町駅-新橋駅 夜の山手線 Hamamatsucho to Shinbashi - Yamanote Line 140306
http://youtu.be/28TaoPCZrD4

1992 Nakano and Shinjuku Etc 中野と新宿など 920429
http://youtu.be/_pHoVB6_xmc

1992 A Few Brief Random Scenes 920429
http://youtu.be/APOpXE_TcVE

1992 中央線 埼京線 西武池袋線など Trains, Etc, 920501
http://youtu.be/fAB8MOzOaWg

1992 Nakano 中野など Etc 920709
http://youtu.be/Rbjdfo6upHs

1992 Hibarigaoka and Nakano Etc ひばりが丘と中野など 920710
http://youtu.be/IWO2p6Z12S8

1992 西武多摩川線 武蔵境駅-是政駅 Seibu-Tamagawa Line 920711
http://youtu.be/UV3xfAb66lw

1992 多摩川散策散歩 Tamagawa River Walkabout 920711
http://youtu.be/6_bU-UZPT_8

1992 京王動物園線 高幡不動駅-多摩動物公園駅 Keio-Dobutsuen Line 920711
http://youtu.be/9Jg6LdmA-HI

1992 京王線 上り電車の窓風景 Keio Line Evening Window View 920711
http://youtu.be/2WfDpoBGp1w

After making a transfer from a branch line, I got on an express, and there's a fairly long stretch of looking out of a window on the express train as it sped towards Shinjuku in the evening.

Lyle (Hiroshi) Saxon
http://www5d.biglobe.ne.jp/~LLLtrs/
http://youtube.com/lylehsaxon
http://lylehsaxon.blogspot.jp/
http://lookback1997.blogspot.jp/
http://tokyoht.blogspot.jp/