Harajuku - January 5th, 2022

Waiting for a friend at Harajuku Station, I found a space off to the side of a passageway to wait and watch out for their arrival.  One group of people after another disembarked from the arriving Yamanote Line trains below, climbed the stairs to the passageway leading to the exit and flowed by...  all moving smoothly together in the same direction.  I watched the people river flowing by and it was one of those moments when you're not looking for something profound, but there it is.  You look in front of you with a relaxed mind at what's there, and what you see can be quite profoundly beautiful.

Going to pray for the New Year at Meiji Jingu on the 5th, outside the traditional 1-3 peak, there are a lot of people, but no special crowd control measures are necessary and it's a smooth flow all the way, with no waiting.  It's a cold day with a warm sun and little wind.

After praying for the New Year, we visit a nearby garden that I have always found to be strangely (and beautifully) mostly without people.  I suspect most people are unaware of its existence.  On this visit, it's nice, but an alarming number of large trees appear to have died.  Likely yet another effect of the 1,400,000,000 fire breathing, poisonous gas emitting vehicles on the planet energetically destroying our world for our convenience.

2022 feels like an important year - a year when things come to a head and enough of us choose life and beauty over mindless destruction and we head in a constructive direction.

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

"December Illumination: Marunouchi, Ebisu, Shinjuku, Etc.; Ikebukuro, Harajuku, Shibuya, Etc."

The main theme of this batch of clips is "end-of-the-year" and "colorfully-illuminated-areas".  Through promotion, the Marunouchi area gets a lot of attention, but (this year included) it's never been my favorite.  Also well-known is Ebisu Garden Place, and I enjoyed it a lot this year, although I don't personally think the central illuminated chandelier is very interesting, but it provides a kind of focal point and reason to walk by the more interesting areas.  A surprise for me this year was just accidentally stumbling upon a rather nice display in the alley-like path that leads by shops and restaurants between the south and west exits of Shinjuku Station.  Mid-way through the complex was a sign that said "Shinjuku Terrace City - Illumination '12 - '13", so I guess that walkway is called "Shinjuku Terrace City".  I've been walking on it from time-to-time for 28 years now, but I never knew the name!  Let me verify the name... [Google...] According to Wikipedia: "Shinjuku Southern Terrace is the southern portion of Shinjuku Terrace City, a continuous piece of real estate property owned by Odakyu Group in and around Shinjuku Station."  Continuous?  I guess... except there's a four lane main road that runs between one part and the other!  That doesn't seem very "continuous" to me....

Another pleasant discovery this month was Tokyu Plaza Omotesando-Harajuku, which has a very nice roof that is kind of a park in the sky, with trees and a nice atmosphere.

And of course there are various views of trains, and views of the station areas near Otsuka, Ikebukuro, Harajuku, Shibuya, Ebisu, Tokyo, and Yurakucho.  With that initial introduction out of the way, here are the videos (with additional comments for some of them).

Shinjuku - South Exit to Odakyu Illumination Area 新宿光 (121227g)
http://youtu.be/T_4zEmmuSk4

I had a meeting on the west side of Shinjuku Station, so since I exited the station via the south exit, I walked through this passageway simply to get to the west side, and was very pleasantly surprised to come upon one of the best illuminations I've seen this year.  This is the type of thing that keeps Tokyo interesting.  You can never quite learn the whole city.  You get used to an area, and know it pretty well, and then you don't go there for a few months or a few years, and when you return - generally things have changed.  Of course, in this case, it's not exactly a change really, just a seasonal thing, but I had no idea they would use the area for that kind of illumination.

This video begins near the south exit of Shinjuku Station and then I walk through the narrow passage that has various small shops and whatnot towards the other end of the passage (which opens onto the west side station-front plaza).  (I think the first part is basically a kind of tunnel through a building and then the rest is a narrow passageway between buildings, with shops along one side.)  I had never noticed the name of this area before, but apparently it's Shinjuku Terrace City, and the "Shinjuku Southern Terrace" (which is located in Shibuya-ku actually!) is considered an extension of it - although the two parts are separated by a main road.  (The passageway part is along buildings owned by Odakyu and the Southern Terrace part is a large platform built over Odakyu Railway tracks.)

Shinjuku Twilight - Raining LED Illumination 新宿LEDライトアップ (121227)
http://youtu.be/AbAk7GnPcUs

Illuminated 1914 Tokyo Station Building and 360 View 東京駅冬光 (121227g)
http://youtu.be/zDQ4VCzWjE0

The "illuminated" part of the title above refers to standard illumination of the building, by the way, not the recent light show that was canceled after only a few performances due to its being overly popular!  For that, you might want to check out this video (from another YouTube poster, not from me BTW), which was recorded before things got crazy and the event was canceled:

Tokyo Michiterasu (東京 ミチテラス) 2012 HIKARI VISION (high contrast version)
http://youtu.be/OwWTpEmhJVc

After looking at the standard illumination of the 1914 Tokyo Station building, I went over to the Shin-Marunouchi Building and the Marunouchi Building to sample the bonenkai atmosphere and then had a look at the Marunouchi illumination exhibition.

Marunouchi - Tokyo Station at Night, Etc 丸の内夜の東京駅など (121227g)
http://youtu.be/YOfzMLSVANo

Marunouchi Night View (Tokyo) 丸の内夜風景 (Marunouchi Terrace) 121227g
http://youtu.be/LxNaCYIr5Jo

Bonenkai can be translated in different ways - a fairly direct translation is "forget-the-year party", but I think I prefer "end-of-year party", although it's not exactly a party, but more "going out for drinks at an izakaya", so... why not just use "bonen-kai" (party)!  Anyway...

Bonenkai Mode - Marunouchi 忘年会モード丸の内 (121227g)
http://youtu.be/mj7FK5TEtDw

I was initially unhappy to hear that the original Marunouchi Building had been torn down, but I've since (some ten years after the new one opened!) warmed up to the replacement with the same name.  In the case of the Shin-Marunouchi Building (where the video above was taken), I rather liked the new building from the first time I went inside, and I (unfortunately) never had an opportunity to go inside the original Shin-Marunouchi Building, so - not knowing what disappeared - there's nothing in my memory about it other than the outside shape.  With the original Marunouchi Building though, I went inside and thought the building had a lot of character.

Anyway - the Shin-Marunouchi Building - with its collection of restaurants and izakaya places (in the lower retail section of the building) is a very nice modern version of the old small izakaya places that Japan does so well.  The Marunouchi Building has a more settled, majestic atmosphere, and I've finally accepted it as an inevitable part of what Tokyo is - a constantly evolving city.

That said, I think (and I hear the same opinion from many of my Tokyo friends) that a little more effort should go into preserving what remains of historical Tokyo.  To highlight this concept, I think just about everyone would agree that if the 1914 Tokyo Station building had been demolished, and if the old Central Post Office building had been completely demolished (the rear part of the building was demolished, but the front part of it was preserved and incorporated into a new office tower), and... (there's one more building that they preserved the facade of that I don't know the name of), then the area would be much less attractive.  The combination of old and new is important - giving a sense of time and history.  When *everything* is new, it's mundane due to lack of contrast.

Marunouchi Building Night Walkabout 丸の内ビル散歩 (121227g)
http://youtu.be/hnF_XuSBbY8

Marunouchi Building Night Stroll 丸の内ビル夜散歩 (121227)
http://youtu.be/a5z2ujlA1A0

Marunouchi Mode-2012 丸の内モード2012年 (121227)
http://youtu.be/LzZOTgpxv44

Exiting Marunouchi Building-2012 丸の内ビルを出る2012年 (121227)
http://youtu.be/3ZbgrxI1RjY

I've mentioned this before, but here's the link again for my 1991 visit to the old Marunouchi Building.  At the end of this 1991 video, I walk out of the original Marunouchi Building in the same place that I come out of the new version of the building in 2012, so it's a way of seeing how radically the area has changed.

Marunouchi Building - March 1991
http://youtu.be/YS-18E0PN9Q

Marunouchi Starlight Walk-2012 丸の内スターライトウォーク (121227)
http://youtu.be/qSCC_0krRpI

After taking in the visually beautiful Marunouchi area, this was interesting, but seemed like... desert after the main course?  The main course being the 1914 Tokyo Station building, the facade of the Central Post Office, and the various new buildings in the area.

Kanda Lights and Reflections 内神田光と反射 (121227g)
http://youtu.be/NdIGYdnr_MQ

I was sitting on a Chuo Line train, and when I turned and looked out the window, I saw this view.  I'm not sure how this looks to other people, but it seemed quite beautiful to me at the time.  The clear winter air makes the lights look so clear and... sparkling maybe (for want of a better term)?  I don't know what term to use to describe it, but you can have a look at the video and see what it looked like for yourself.

Shinjuku Station - Chuo Platform to South Exit 新宿駅南口 (121225)
http://youtu.be/z8jIFTquih8

Under-Construction Shinjuku Bus Terminal (South Exit) 新宿駅 121225
http://youtu.be/blYBU6UikfY

It depresses me that so much effort is going into promoting travel by internal combustion engine machinery.  I really wish the same effort were going into promoting rail travel!  It's gotten to the point where the first method people think of when wanting to travel to another city in Japan is by an all-night bus, which is currently the cheapest way to get to other cities.  I used one myself (to get to Nagoya to take pictures of the 2005 Aichi World Expo) for the same reason everyone does - it was cheaper than rail - but I really hated it.  You're stuck in a narrow seat (some more expensive buses have individual seats, but not the cheapest ones) and they curtain off the entire seating area, even the front, so you can't see forward!  It gives me a feeling of claustrophobia and after that one trip to Nagoya, I will try my hardest to never ride on one of those things again!  "Never say never" they say, and if you *have* to be somewhere and the *only* thing you can afford is a horrible curtained-off narrow seat on a bloody bus, then you do what you have to do, but I think it's a horrible mistake to promote fossil-fuel-burning internal combustion engined buses over trains.

Shinjuku Shin-Minamiguchi (Under Construction) 新宿新南口 (121225)
http://youtu.be/XGstL9lLptw

Exiting Shinjuku Station via Shin-Minamiguchi 新宿新南口 (121225na)
http://youtu.be/lzRoUfLY_fc

Bridge to Southern Terrace 新宿サザンテラス橋 (121225)
http://youtu.be/ZtoAenwVYkY

Shin-Minamiguchi to Narita Express Platform (Shinjuku) 新宿新南口 (121225)
http://youtu.be/Wei1kV16XiY

Narita Express (NEX) to Shin-Minamiguchi and Southern Terrace 121225
http://youtu.be/mtBH-FaDU2c

This is basically an update to a video I posted in November 2009 showing the route to Hotel Sunroute Plaza Shinjuku (ホテルサンルートプラザ新宿) from Shinjuku Station (assuming that you go to Shinjuku via the Narita Express train and exit via the Southern Terrace Exit).  The basic route hasn't changed, but there is now a new exit called Shin-Minamiguchi Exit (新南口) [New-South Exit].  Even if you take it though, it still leads you (after turning to the right after going through the ticket gates) to the Southern Terrace Entrance/Exit (サザンテラス口) which is shown in this video.  So either way, you come out in the same place.  (For reference, I'm also including the 2009 video below):

Shinjuku Station to Hotel Sunroute Plaza Shinjuku (ホテルサンルートプラザ新宿) - (2009)
http://youtu.be/5NLqKjFNwyg

Also for reference, here's the hotel's address and website (click on "English" at the site for English):

Hotel Sunroute Plaza Shinjuku
ホテルサンルートプラザ新宿
2-3-1 Yoyogi, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo 151-0053
http://www.hotelsunrouteplazashinjuku.jp/

Ikebukuro - From Central Exit (JR) to Seibu-Ikebukuro Line JR池袋駅中央改札から西武池袋線まで (121225)
http://youtu.be/n9Nxg8Jji3o

Evening Stroll by Ikebukuro Station 池袋駅前夕方散歩 (121225)
http://youtu.be/6O5hhAbM5gc

Ikebukuro Station Walk-through 池袋駅12月内部 (121225)
http://youtu.be/Y_CCzTWr_Uw

Ikebukuro Station Connection Tunnel 池袋駅 (121225)
http://youtu.be/FJ00kXRlzkM

Ikebukuro is a large station, and has a couple of large east-west concourses - with north-south passages that connect the large concourses - this video shows one of the connecting passageways that I called "tunnel" for some reason....

Ikebukuro Station on Christmas Day (121225)
http://youtu.be/KHsbeSVjaZQ

Shinjuku - Yamanote Platform to South Exit Concourse Area 新宿駅 (121225)
http://youtu.be/BPIBixvHVbI

Shinjuku Yamanote Line Daytime Platform Walk 新宿山手線ホーム散歩 (121225)
http://youtu.be/yg3I0aM3394

Shinjuku Station - Borderline With Shibuya-ku 新宿駅 (121225)
http://youtu.be/ZUlyjGIQKb0

Areas in central Tokyo generally go by the name of the nearest train station and so the area around Shinjuku Station is referred to as "Shinjuku", but once you cross over the main road by the South Exit, you're in Shibuya!  In fact, the new Shinjuku Station exits that connect to the Southern Terrace are in Shibuya.  In this view, I start off standing in Shibuya (with the Southern Terrace behind me), looking across the street towards the South Entrance to Shinjuku Station, which is just inside Shinjuku-ku.  When the light finally changes, I walk over into Shinjuku.

Harajuku Station - Inside View (Main Exit) 原宿駅内部表参道口 (121225)
http://youtu.be/UnUAJP8IMXM

Walking to Entrance of Takeshita-Dori 原宿の竹下通り入り口 (121225)
http://youtu.be/_v9A_9pQ7cY

I had originally planned to walk down the full length of Takeshita-Dori, but after seeing how densely packed the street was (see below), I changed my mind and headed off in another direction.  Narrow shopping streets are more interesting with more people... up to a point, and beyond that, you can't do anything but shuffle along in the crowd.  You can't see what's in the stores, you can't see anything well enough to take pictures (other than pictures of the mass of people by holding a camera up high over your head), and you can't stop.  In the old days, when people did all their shopping from physical stores (as opposed to ordering things on-line), then the shops did good business when it was crowded, but these days, it seems to me (after a few experiences of crowd-diving into dense conditions like this) that most of the people are there to experience the *event* of the street being crowded and could care less about shopping.  The result is the shop owners are stuck in their shops looking at a dense river of people flowing by, but not doing much in the way of business....

Harajuku Takeshita-Dori Crowds (Long View) 原宿竹下通り望遠ビュー (121225na)
http://youtu.be/FZHLx9A35QM

Harajuku Jingumae Main Street Winter Stroll 原宿神宮前散歩 (121225)
http://youtu.be/h9khCa-5cOg

Approaching Jingumae Intersection 神宮前交差点に近づく (121225)
http://youtu.be/UJlfXjVf7cg

What was otherwise a nice day was marred somewhat by a religious group advertising their particular religion from very loud and very obnoxious speaker trucks.  This sort of public harassment via speaker trucks ought to be illegal.

Entrance to Tokyu Plaza (Omotesando Harajuku) Mirror City (121225na)
http://youtu.be/MrOOBi1EBRU

I'm not sure how to write the name of this place.  I've seen it as "Tokyu Plaza Omotesando Harajuku" and "Tokyu Plaza Omotesando / Harajuku"... but it could also be "Tokyu Plaza Omotesando-Harajuku" or "Tokyu Plaza (Omotesando Harajuku)" etc.  In any event, it's a Tokyu Plaza that is located near to both Omotesando Station (subway) and Harajuku (JR).  People tend to refer to much of the area as "Omotesando", but - looking at a map - the address appears to be "Jingumae".

Jingumae Intersection (River of People) 神宮前交差点人間川 (121225)
http://youtu.be/poEKD3BBFCs

Inside of Harajuku Retail Store - December 2012 (121225)
http://youtu.be/ZfkegSFJ_dw

People Waiting for Light Show in Rooftop Park in Harajuku (121225)
http://youtu.be/h90cYvfO19Y

Sidewalk in Front of Tokyu Plaza Omotesando Harajuku (121225)
http://youtu.be/tWZMK7vF_fo

Shibuya Station and Hachiko Plaza 渋谷駅と駅前ハチ子広場 (121225)
http://youtu.be/8r7TMJ0-Ovk

Shibuya Evening Stroll 渋谷夕方散歩 (121225)
http://youtu.be/XvBFiu1Zo4c

Shibuya - Crossing Over to Hachiko Plaza 渋谷ハチ子広場へ向かう (121225)
http://youtu.be/XzxSaqwjtKY

Ebisu Christmas Cake, Etc (Near Ebisu Station) 恵比寿駅クリスマスケーキ (121225)
http://youtu.be/zVen-bHZWdg

Ebisu Garden Place - People Photographing Chandelier Display (121225)
http://youtu.be/eZUtel9f7Xg

Ebisu Station - Upper Level Ticket Gates to Yamanote Line Platform 恵比寿駅 (121225)
http://youtu.be/-QAFAJ3iv7w

Bipedal Shadows in Jingumae 神宮前の影 (121225)
http://youtu.be/MEhFTP2E8ds

Shibuya Station Walk-through (West to East) 渋谷駅 (西側から東側へ) 121225g
http://youtu.be/AYgPqypp_QU

Shibuya Station and the area around Shibuya Station is always interesting to walk around in.

Entering Shinjuku Station via South Entrance 新宿駅を入る南口 (121225g)
http://youtu.be/C-L9eIvX8Mw

Crisscross Shadows in Shinjuku 新宿のマルチ影 (121225g)
http://youtu.be/318JtVD3Bc0

Shinjuku Illuminated Walkway - Winter Lights (121225)
http://youtu.be/mrqcUw2rD7A

Entering Shinjuku Station via Temporary New South Entrance (121225)
http://youtu.be/AagWFE0iRTo

Shinjuku to Yoyogi (Yamanote Line) 新宿から代々木まで (山手線) 121225
http://youtu.be/rd6WO1Wijew

Yoyogi to Harajuku (Yamanote Line) 代々木から原宿まで (山手線) 121225
http://youtu.be/1W7pnw_e-yc

Rooftop Winter Shadows (Harajuku Omotesando) 原宿 (121225)
http://youtu.be/w7rOV57kv_Q

Looking Into the Distance from Rooftop (Harajuku Omotesando) 原宿 (121225)
http://youtu.be/arbppy0GFZY

Harajuku Jingumae - Walking to Station 原宿神宮前 - 原宿駅へ向かう (121225)
http://youtu.be/GEdRa4k2JGQ

Harajuku to Shibuya (Yamanote Line) 原宿から渋谷まで (山手線) 121225
http://youtu.be/lq5uH0Dol-g

Shibuya Scramble Crosswalk and Hachiko Plaza 夕方渋谷ハチ子など (121225)
http://youtu.be/_IDsRCdJZPw

British Pub in Ebisu (121225)
http://youtu.be/nsZM--ryGAA

This British style pub in Ebisu is a good place to experience a completely different atmosphere than most pubs and izakaya places in Tokyo.  If I worked in the area, I'd probably come here more often.  They also often have live music.  Here's a view of the place in 2007:

Dancing Tokyo Man in Ebisu - (2007/04)
http://youtu.be/ajn31ujftF8RR

Back Onto the Streets of Ebisu (121225)
http://youtu.be/TwrmsDZahCQ

Walking Towards Ebisu Station 恵比寿駅へ向かう (121225)
http://youtu.be/GxP6gTbqAc8

Ebisu Garden Place (Lights at the Back) Christmas Day 2012 (121225)
http://youtu.be/gxh9D3LebQI

Moving Walkway Ride/Walk Back to Ebisu Station 恵比寿 (121225)
http://youtu.be/D6Dojj0NNLI

Evening Yamanote Line Side Window Night View (Shibuya) 渋谷山手線 (121225)
http://youtu.be/x_Yoab7BGoU

Otsuka Station - One Cold Evening 大塚駅 - ある寒い夜 (121225)
http://youtu.be/31UwfY3QG3g

Zebra Streetcar Passing in Otsuka 大塚市電 (121225)
http://youtu.be/mnt6qZtFFHs

New Building Construction in Otsuka 大塚駅あたりの工事 (121225)
http://youtu.be/SLD5AOaMqBM

Blue Light Tree in Otsuka 大塚青い光の木 (121225)
http://youtu.be/fx4Bt7VzORY

Entering Otsuka Station to Board Yamanote Line 大塚駅改札 (121225)
http://youtu.be/2vyUnvRqCuU

Exiting Yamanote Line at Shinjuku 新宿駅で山手線を降りる (121225)
http://youtu.be/fBgquVXPgMM

Boarding Yamanote Line at Ikebukuro 池袋駅で山手線を乗る (121225)
http://youtu.be/7zOYEFv_2tM

Shinjuku Out-of-Tune Singer - Southern Terrace Etc 新宿駅南口の音痴など (121225)
http://youtu.be/XvGwEjq9r0Q

Shibuya-Shinjuku Border Walk 渋谷から新宿へと西新宿 (121225)
http://youtu.be/e7wZ9Pt64VI

Walking down the border street between Shibuya and Shinjuku - on the Shibuya side, and then crossing over to Shinjuku, and then to Nishi-Shinjuku (formerly Yodobashi - 淀橋).

Shinjuku Southern Terrace End-of-Year Light-up (新宿) 121225
http://youtu.be/5zGrcLqziPI

I rather liked the light-up on the Southern Terrace this year.  I guess it pays to not have high expectations, since then you're easier to please!  I just had a vague picture in mind of lights on trees and wasn't initially very enthusiastic about going to see the illuminated areas, but when I did, I really enjoyed the experience and found the various types of illumination to be quite nice.

Illuminated Walkway - Shinjuku Southern Terrace 新宿の冬光 (121225)
http://youtu.be/dxPqD4eAO3Y

Lucky Pyramid - Winter Shinjuku Southern Terrace (新宿) 121225
http://youtu.be/FylAxb2pqaA

They gear many of these type of things towards young couples and this pyramid was set up so couples could go through, one couple at a time, holding hands.  In the middle, each person put one hand onto a plaque and made a wish as a "wish-being-granted" type of sound came from speakers somewhere and an electric light masqueraded as a shooting star....

Harajuku Station and Platform Walk 原宿駅とホーム散歩 (121225g)
http://youtu.be/luHNGBT2zOo

Shibuya Center Street (Evening) 渋谷センター街 (夕方) 121225g
http://youtu.be/9WMqjCn-2W0

This street kind of draws you in when you cross the big scramble intersection in Shibuya - and since the side streets lead off to wherever, it's as good a place to start as any if you want to explore Shibuya by walking around.

Shibuya to Ebisu (Yamanote Line) 渋谷から恵比寿まで_夕方山手線 (121225g)
http://youtu.be/5LMTkoX0gfU

Ebisu Shopping Mall - Dash to Ebisu Garden Place 恵比寿散歩 (121225g)
http://youtu.be/NsJKwXoWKF4

I began recording this one in the shopping mall that is level with the upper exit of Ebisu Station, and then hurried along the Yebisu Skywalk (恵比寿スカイウォーク) that leads to Ebisu Garden Place (恵比寿ガーデンプレイス).  (The video ends once I get over by the Christmas tree and the illuminated area.)

Ebisu Garden Place Christmas Tree and Lights 恵比寿ガーデンプレース (121225g)
http://youtu.be/PegJqAan8Iw

Ebisu Garden Place - Night Lights Walkabout on Christmas Day (121225g)
http://youtu.be/pV9s4zgAhqs

Cameras-Cameras at Ebisu Garden Place (Walking Up Hill on Christmas Day) 121225g
http://youtu.be/7UPnXGX1NYc

Just about everyone seemed to want to take pictures of the big chandelier - I'm not sure sure why really, but it did provide a focal point for the event as a whole.  "I have reached the chandelier!  Goal accomplished!" - or something!

Christmas Tree Lookaround - Ebisu Garden Place on Christmas Day (121225g)
http://youtu.be/_n_T6B2lLOo

Ikebukuro Station Area (East Side Sidewalk) 池袋駅東口の道 (121225g)
http://youtu.be/YcGiMIGwVP8

Shinjuku Station Quick Views (South Exit) 新宿駅南口急見回り (121225g)
http://youtu.be/AtyKNSQwHx4

My familiarity with Shinjuku lead me to try something a little different with the camera than my usual style.  Basically it's [scene]->whoosh!->[scene]->whoosh!->[scene], etc.  I like the way the first 25 seconds turned out.

Pedestrian Shadows in Shinjuku (121225g)
http://youtu.be/69pi0u1WkN4

Omotesando Multi-Mirror View 鏡鏡鏡 (121225g)
http://youtu.be/12LA1MD90j0

Mirrors are always fun!  And the arrangement of so many of them at this store is quite visually entertaining/interesting.

Rooftop Park (Tokyu Plaza Omotesando Harajuku) 121225g-hd
http://youtu.be/-MUqKXOkgLg

Checking out a very nice rooftop of a new building in Harajuku - the Tokyu Plaza Omotesando-Harajuku building.  (4-30-3 Jingumae, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo 150-0001 http://omohara.tokyu-plaza.com/en/)

Chuo Line Arriving and Departing from Shinjuku Station 新宿駅中央線 (121227)
http://youtu.be/xrCLrjdXhHY

Southern Terrace Illuminated Tree Path in December 2012 新宿サザンテラス (121227)
http://youtu.be/LdROJHGvM-g

Closeup Look at Illuminated Trees - Shinjuku Southern Terrace 新宿サザンテラス (121227)
http://youtu.be/gQAFxeR1n58

Entering Shinjuku Station (South Side) 南口から新宿駅を入る (121227)
http://youtu.be/tjbFfUJ3zS4

Shinjuku South Entrance to Inbound Chuo Line Platform 新宿駅南口から中央線まで (121227)
http://youtu.be/Yq7fpW0G9SQ

Tokyo Station Evening Walkabout 東京駅夕方散歩 (121227)
http://youtu.be/ofIs19bqUBo

Tokyo Station - Right-Side Dome Space Lookaround 東京駅ドーム内部 (121227)
http://youtu.be/VFjnfZ6J2eo

Tokyo Station - 360 in Front of Station (Brief Look) 121227
http://youtu.be/jqAVEcOOst8

Entering Tokyo Station from Dome Area 東京駅ドーム改札口 (121227)
http://youtu.be/tvczDKJPyc4

Outbound and Inbound Chuo Line Trains Arriving at Kokubunji (121227)
http://youtu.be/le2nG4ynnkg

Nishi-Ogikubo to Shinjuku (Chuo Line) 西荻窪から新宿まで (中央線) 121227
http://youtu.be/x3B_jGuyaxg

Seibu-Tamako Line (Late at Night) 西武多摩湖線 (夜遅く) 121227
http://youtu.be/4ZxouZTU6b4

December 27th 2012 Hallways (121227)
http://youtu.be/EQMpiTbcs_M

December Illumination - Yurakucho Plaza 12月の有楽町駅前イルミネーション (121227)
http://youtu.be/lEj3pg5WoyM

Copyright 2012 by Lyle H Saxon

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

"1990 Takadanobaba, Waseda, etc; 1991 Mini-Steam Train, etc; 2012 Yoyogi, Harajuku, etc."

Several trips back to 1990 (Ichigaya, Waseda, Ikebukuro, Takadanobaba, Hibarigaoka Bonodori, etc.) a few back to 1991 (drives to places in the country, a ride on a mini-steam locomotive, etc.), and views from this month - August 2012.  I've written at some length under some of the videos regarding a few things, so scroll down for more text.  Mostly the titles sum up the theme of each video though.

Shibuya Shadows (120828g)
http://youtu.be/ed5G-GmRk-o

People casting long shadows as they come and go from Shibuya Station.

Harajuku to Shibuya (Yamanote Line) 120828g
http://youtu.be/IEShkUkXVxI

Exiting Ebisu Station 120824
http://youtu.be/10hysso_YgA

Shinjuku Platform Scene (Friday Night) 120825
http://youtu.be/tX_My2sEdV4

In this video, just as the Yamanote Line is about to depart from Shinjuku Station, the emergency buzzer goes off.  I don't know what the cause was - someone may have dropped a bag onto the tracks, or maybe it was a prank.  After three people died on Friday, January 26th, 2001 [article] at Shin-Okubo Station, JR installed emergency stop buttons at all the stations (I think *all* - it certainly seems that way) so anyone can stop the trains from the platform now.  For emergencies, this is great, but the problem is that people often press the platform emergency stop buttons for frivolous reasons.  I don't know exactly what happened on this evening, but they got the trains moving quickly enough that I suspect there wasn't an actual emergency.

Platform walls (with a pair of electric doors for each place there's a door on the train) are another thing they're installing for safety reasons, but while making the platforms safer is of course a great thing, I also see that they're not repainting bridges.  If they let the bridges rot to the point where they have to shut down train lines because they spent maintenance money on the very expensive doors, you have to wonder if people are looking properly at the total picture.  If it's doable, it should be done, but if they're sabotaging the long-term viability of the rail system through unbalanced spending....

I don't know.  But think of the energy cost for one thing.  On the trains, the doors are opened and closed pneumatically, so you don't need electricity beyond the power used for the air compressors.  Now imagine the situation for one ten-car train.  (Many trains are 15 cars, but let's use 10 for the sake of simplicity.)  Each train car has four doors per side, so that's 40 doors x2 (while there are a few trains that use a single large door, the vast majority use two halves that slide together and close in the middle).  So you have 80 doors per side.  For platform walls with matching doors, this is matched by 80 electric motor powered doors per track (generally on both sides of a platform).  For a simple station, with one train line stopping on both sides of the platform, you then need 160 electric motor powered doors.  Many stations have multiple platforms, so for a four-platform station (eight tracks), you would need 640 electric motor powered doors.  One article I read indicated that there is a push to install platform walls at approximately 2,800 stations.  Again, many have more than one platform, but even if there were only one platform (with two tracks) per station, that would be 448,000 electric motor powered doors.

Aside from the huge power requirements for that many motors, there's the cost of installing them and maintaining them.  There are some branch lines that are barely holding on already, since rural Japan has become very much a car culture.  Being forced to shoulder this much expense would probably lead to several lines just being shut down.  I like safety, but I also like rail transport.  If you shut down much of the rail system in the quest for "zero railway deaths" (of course shutting down a railway is one way to eliminate any deaths that could happen in a rare accident!), and people then take to the road because there are no trains in their area, there will be many more deaths due to traffic accidents.  So here's a question - is exchanging a rare railway death now and then for scores of people killed in the carnage that is the internal combustion engine free-for-all of the open road really a good idea?  Kill 2,000 people to save 15?  Why don't people look at the whole picture?

Shinjuku Yamanote Line Arrival 120825
http://youtu.be/1jXRhxZNueg

Yurakucho Plaza Escalator 120824
http://youtu.be/vZ9XRXmMgNI

Yurakucho to Shinbashi (Yamanote Line) 120824
http://youtu.be/g2znTkUN2Wk

Evening Shinagawa to Ebisu (Yamanote Line) 120824
http://youtu.be/EqZ8BG5Y72E

Yurakucho Afternoon Shadows 120824
http://youtu.be/reszjnZWRo0

Yurakucho Evening Trains 120824
http://youtu.be/BNQqn0YFR2o

Twilight Shinbashi to Shinagawa (Yamanote Line) 120824g
http://youtu.be/jIrK6XoF4cY

1990 Ichigaya to Waseda Walk (900824) 市ヶ谷から早稲田まで散歩
http://youtu.be/KHepCbfii7w

This is a fairly long walk I took across one of those parts of central Tokyo that you usually don't think about and seldom see.  Starting with two points on a map and simply aiming towards one from the other, I found myself in a residential neighborhood that you might expect to be on the edge of the city somewhere, but it's right in central Tokyo, within the Yamanote loop line.  I took this back in 1990, back when I was wandering around discovering the different areas of Tokyo, but I don't think I would go there now.  There's nothing amazing about the content, but it is a view of a part of central Tokyo you may well not have imagined.

1990 Ikebukuro Station (900824) 池袋駅
http://youtu.be/zcrCDZlNFYs

1990 Nighttime Hibarigaoka Station (900824) 夜のひばりヶ丘駅
http://youtu.be/twxrqTmkSCc

1990 Takadanobaba JR Station (900824) 高田馬場JR駅
http://youtu.be/pzlkEK-gikM

1990 Takadanobaba Tozai (900824) 高田馬場駅東西線
http://youtu.be/dIxe6bcwO0w

1990 Tozai Evening Rush (Waseda to Takadanobaba) 900824 東西線夕方ラッシュ
http://youtu.be/OqNLuw6tmZY

It's hard to pin down exactly what has changed, but when I watch this clip, I remember the feeling of the trains back then and the urgency of the daily commute.  Superficially, nothing much (except hair styles and clothes) has changed, and yet the old intensity seems dulled now.  The stress of commuting during peak hours is just the same, but there seems to be a less intense focus on getting to somewhere in the fastest possible time, and so it ends up feeling a little different.  Another component of this is that the train that roars into the station in this clip is manually controlled, whereas nearly all trains are at least partially computer controlled now.  With the manually controlled trains, you get a feeling of human beings at work, with a very real connection between the operator and the machine, but with the computer controlled trains, it feels something like an elevator.  Someone pushes a button, but other than that, the machine runs itself.

1990 Hibarigaoka Bonodori (900824) ひばりが丘盆踊り
http://youtu.be/_DlNTtEqxqw

View from Mt Takao (120827)
http://youtu.be/9baVT-MWNjA

Mt Takao Cable Car (Ascending) 120827
http://youtu.be/MOM5gDfnqY4

Mt Takao - View From Top (120728)
http://youtu.be/k2pHL8OWQhE

In the beginning of this clip I'm just looking at the foreground, but towards the middle I focus on the sky and background - which is much more interesting than the first part of the clip.

Dancing to Live Music in Nakano (120828)
http://youtu.be/yI1g5bj4-tg

Musical Fun in Nakano (120828g)
http://youtu.be/EY3eFjnDDq8

Small Park in Ebisu 120828
http://youtu.be/XHRlA-5A4S0

I began this clip in a small park in Ebisu by looking through a fence at the street the park is next to - and then panning to the right to take in a view of the park itself.

Shibuya Nighttime Stroll (A) 120828
http://youtu.be/tC1QcGKlOnI

Shibuya Nighttime Stroll (B) Streets to Station 120828
http://youtu.be/OhW3KwYfnFI

Shinjuku to Nakano (Night Window View) 120828
http://youtu.be/vKLHzAb0mCE

Waiting for a Train in Nakano 120828
http://youtu.be/GWskOIQZ4I8

Chuo Line Midnight Interior 120829
http://youtu.be/JSAlJMwxh74

Kokubunji Platform Look-around 120828
http://youtu.be/WKosHVNAY3g

Chuo Line Departing Shinjuku 120828
http://youtu.be/3MNKAhjDuno

Shinjuku Platform-5 Look-around (120828)
http://youtu.be/7NWc0FrXp-U

Temporary Passageways in Shinjuku Station 120828
http://youtu.be/Y4n5Gb5cpMs

This area near the Southern Terrace has been under construction for years now.  Eventually it will look radically different from the temporary white walled temporary corridors that are there now.

Entering Shinjuku Station via Southern Terrace Entrance 120828
http://youtu.be/q1AkjBYvRkY

Walk to Platform (Shinjuku Yamanote Line) 120828
http://youtu.be/vN36OSDE7mQ

Shinjuku Platform Walk (Yamanote Line) 120828
http://youtu.be/7DyVdMfpSOQ

Shinjuku to Yoyogi (Yamanote Line) 120828
http://youtu.be/B5ljT8Gpcwo

Shibuya to Ebisu (Ebisu Platform Walk) 120828
http://youtu.be/XCA10wnkXQI

Shibuya Vertical Shadows 120828
http://youtu.be/JbEEXfoqGHs

A time of year and a time of day when people were casting very long shadows as they walked to and from Shibuya Station in the evening one hot summer day.

Shibuya Stroll (C) Crossing and Station 120828
http://youtu.be/Vj2Vc6Mw6p8

Shibuya Stroll (B) 120828
http://youtu.be/KFknBri_ynw

Shibuya Stroll (A) Crossing Etc 120828
http://youtu.be/uwU7BDHBrmk

Platform to Ticket Gates (Shibuya) 120828
http://youtu.be/JlxOvtC9hPg

Entering Takeshita-Dori (Harajuku) 120828
http://youtu.be/1URwZN_dAeo

Takeshita-Dori Stroll (Harajuku) 120828
http://youtu.be/XunIV5wrvS0

It's been a while since I've walked down Takeshita-dori in Harajuku.  It seemed about the same as I remember, although back when I first went down the street in the eighties, it wasn't a specific tourist destination.  Now the street has always got a lot of tourists there to see the street itself rather than to go to its shops.  Over the years, I've noticed more and more of this.  The Ameyokocho area in Ueno at New Years is pretty close to full-out insane!  A couple of years back (or was it three?) I went there and it seemed like easily 90% of the people there were there just to experience the event of being on the crowded street.

I suppose YouTube and the Internet have a lot to do with this kind of progression.  In the old days, you would get information about tourist things to check out in a city by reading guide books, magazines, and whatnot, or having a friend show you around.  A friend would know some non-touristy things/places to show you and a back streets place could maintain its status as an area for locals, visited only rarely by foreign tourists.  Now everyone is falling over themselves to find (and publish stories about) interesting places "off the beaten track" and - lo-and-behold - once they post text, photos, and videos on-line, the places become the beaten track in a remarkably short time.

Of course, Takeshita-dori was never an unknown off-the-beaten-track place, but it didn't used to be a "must see!" tourist destination.  As for changes, I saw a fairly large section that's been torn down and appears to be in the foundation stages of some new construction.  Probably another steel and glass box with a sealed air system.  (I wonder how long it will be before people rediscover how to properly ventilate buildings?)

Harajuku Stroll 120828
http://youtu.be/lVLBfsJGLAU

Harajuku Summer Light and Shadows 120828
http://youtu.be/4BR_ou1IgmE

Noisy Crow in Harajuku 120828
http://youtu.be/OeIBgfka8rw

That Tokyo crows are noisy is just a given, but what was strange about this one, is how it was down low at people-level, with people all around.  I cautiously walked up to it and recorded this video.  It seemed to be about as nervous of me as I was of it, and after continuing to to make its racket for me and my camera while eying me suspiciously from time-to-time, it flew off a few feet - I followed - and it flew off a few more feet, at which point I decided to leave it alone.  I'm still pondering what it was doing down so low like that.  Hoping someone would give it food?  At least one young woman was frightened by it and ran off.

Crows are famous for being clever birds, and they have tended to appear clever to me from a distance, so I was mildly surprised to notice how the bird looked primitive and not very cleaver when observed at close range.  Maybe it was just a stupid (or crazy?) crow, and others look different?  Still, the "primitive beast" appearance of it was grotesquely fascinating to observe at close range.

Harajuku August Sidewalk Near Station 120828
http://youtu.be/Uln1WxMeXz8

[From] Harajuku Ticket Gates to Platform 120828
http://youtu.be/o9RNTSSj66Q

Ebisu Mall Stroll and Escalator 120828
http://youtu.be/c48lWeSJJLw

1991: Driving Through Medium-Sized Town (910818)
http://youtu.be/ygJAgpCuGwA

1991 Mini-Steam Train Ride ミニSLを乗る1991年 - (910818)
http://youtu.be/b9_2K0MEVFc

This miniature steam powered train was surprisingly fun to ride!  I'm not sure what the exact reason for it is, but there's something fun and fascinating about steam engines - maybe it's the basic simplicity of the technology.  You can imagine the whole process pretty well, unlike with a computer-controlled electrically powered machine.  Or maybe there's something about the basic elements of water, fire, and steam.  In any case, it was a lot of fun and the steam whistle sure sounded good!

1991 Mountain Lakeside Rest Area (910812)
http://youtu.be/b26mtWSPYjU

1991 Mountain Town [Narai 奈良井] (910812)  [Part Two]
http://youtu.be/qvcuM6y3K0g

This is actually a continuation (on a different tape) of a video I posted in June of a festival I stumbled upon while driving around in the countryside in 1991 in a 1991 Honda Beat.  Here is the first part of the video (with the same explanatory text I posted before):

1991 Kisokaido Narai-juku Natsu-Matsuri (910812)  [Part One]
http://youtu.be/uA_1hhm9gpw

A look at Narai 奈良井 (or Naraijuku 奈良井宿) on August 12th, 1991.  Narai is a traditional town on the old Kisokaido 木曽街道 (or Nakasendo 中山道) road.  This is the 34th (or 35th, there seems to be some dispute about this) stage of the 69 Stages of the Nakasendo series of woodblock prints (中山道六十九次).

1991 Train Ride in Saitama Countryside (910818)
http://youtu.be/NSheUQIbBpA

Yoyogi Station Walkabout (JR) 120828
http://youtu.be/U8f7M-671fw

Yoyogi Station Walk-through (JR) 120828
http://youtu.be/RMqixDApHh8

Yoyogi Afternoon Stroll 120828
http://youtu.be/d4Asz5JqZxQ

Yoyogi Railway Bridge and RR Crossing 120828
http://youtu.be/JKmDTkVxReE

Yoyogi to Harajuku 120828
http://youtu.be/sO2hSRukXZU

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

"Tama-Monorail, Kichijoji, Ginza, Hibiya Line, Shibuya-Scramble, Shinjuku, Etc."

This batch of videos includes several clips showing the scenery on the Tama-Monorail as it goes from station to station.  They were taken a year ago, but the season is the same, so the scenery should be mostly the same now.  And then there are views taken in Ginza, Yurakucho, etc.  In Shibuya, I make a few runs through the famous Shibuya Scramble Crosswalk; in Harajuku I take some views near the station, and there are a number of scenes taken in Shinjuku.

Tama-Monorail - Manganji to Takahatafudo (100201-1059)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oY9HVaez32U

Riding the Tama-Monorail from Manganji Station to Takahatafudo Station.

Tama-Monorail - Takahatafudo to Hodokubo (100201-1102)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-6i5G_g5ox0

Riding the Tama-Monorail from Takahatafudo Station to Hodokubo Station.

Tama-Monorail - Hodokubo to Tama-Dobutsu-Koen (100201-1104)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uaHJPfWFrhQ

Riding the Tama-Monorail from Hodokubo Station to Tama-Dobutsu-Koen Station.

Tama-Monorail - Tama-Dobutsuen to Chuo-Daigaku - Meisei Daigaku (100201-1107)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZH1bS_2I6Po

Riding the Tama-Monorail from Tama-Dobutsuen Station to Chuo-Daigaku - Meisei Daigaku Station.

Tama-Monorail - Chuo-Daigaku / Meisei Daigaku to Otsuka-Teikyo-Daigaku - (100201-1109)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E0u8SWGZVjc

Riding the Tama-Monorail from Chuo-Daigaku / Meisei Daigaku Station to Otsuka-Teikyo-Daigaku Station.

Kichijoji in the Rain (100201-1901)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vlu0NbwA9Mo

A quick look at Kichijoji in the rain.

Ginza Rain - (091014-2008)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_6CX-NfwDzE

Standing in a doorway in Ginza waiting for the rain to ease up a little.

Ginza Wendy's - Rain Window View (091014-2024)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BhQdgVu_zmY

Taken from inside the Ginza Wendy's not long before Wendy's ceased to exist in Japan.

Passing Umbrellas in Ginza Rain (091014-2025)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5WQL1dGf_3o

Watching umbrellas pass by in the rain from the Ginza Wendy's (before it closed).

Yurakucho-SB (091014-2109)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DL_AnsW-99Y

An evening view of Yurakucho SB.

Tama-Monorail - Otsuka Teikyo Daigaku to Matsugaya - (100201-1111)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Up3a3Bkqw6s

Riding the Tama-Monorail from Otsuka Teikyo Daigaku Station to Matsugaya Station.

Tama-Monorail - Matsugaya to Tama Center (100201-1113)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sSsAwQIzebc

Riding the Tama-Monorail from Matsugaya Station to Tama Center Station.

Tama-Monorail - Tama Center to Matsugaya (100201-1118)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uP5oPLJeTz4

Riding the Tama-Monorail from Tama Center Station to Matsugaya Station.

Boarding Hibiya Line (091015)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=80DvkIk5gHw

Boarding a Hibiya subway train on the way to Roppongi.

Hibiya Line Window View (091015-1859)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hiZ_3Ga_qJ0

Looking out/into a window on the Hibiya Line.

Disembarking From Hibiya Line at Roppongi Station (091015-1900)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s3Zs0Kq6A2U

Getting off a Hibiya Line train at Roppongi Station to attend a stupid PR event that was a complete waste of time.

Circular WC Door on Train (091015-2123)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zMOVeMYfg8I

Having a quick look at a push-button operated WC door on a long-distance train just before getting off in Shinjuku.

Yamanote Line - Arriving at Shibuya - (091020-0850)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iyLUxrO91VU

Arriving at Shibuya via the Yamanote Line.

Shibuya Station Stairs (091020-1755)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kk2ObpfwmTo

Walking down the stairs from a platform at Shibuya Station.

Shibuya Scramble Crosswalk-A -  (091020-1756)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FmjLjdapKBc

Cruising Shibuya's  scramble crosswalk.  (A)

Shibuya Scramble Crosswalk-B - (091020-1758)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JTV_0K9RG0g

Cruising Shibuya's  scramble crosswalk.  (B)

Shibuya Scramble Crosswalk-C - (091020-1759)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lVYlRBuYPeM

Cruising Shibuya's  scramble crosswalk.  (C)

Shibuya Scramble Crosswalk-D - (091020-1800)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NINy3-bCDaI

Cruising Shibuya's  scramble crosswalk.  (D)

Shibuya Scramble Crosswalk and Hachiko (091020-1802)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5M1-kj6VyFM

Shibuya scramble crosswalk and Hachiko plaza area.

Hachiko Plaza and Shibuya Scramble Crosswalk (091020-1807)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=__RUg8bvBZs

Hachiko Plaza area and Shibuya scramble crosswalk scene.

Shibuya Evening Crowds - (091020-1808)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q79-azbGUXQ

A typically busy evening in Shibuya.

Shibuya Vertical Scramble - (091020-1811)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j1yALIGNcDg

A vertical look at Shibuya's scramble crosswalk.

Harajuku Station - Waiting for a Train -  (091020-1824)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7G07RWjgqrg

Waiting for a train at Harajuku Station.

Bridge Near Harajuku Station - (091020-1830)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ifjJvP6aS2A

Looking around on a bridge near Harajuku Station.

Vertical Train Leaving Harajuku Station - (091020-1831)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Ai96b6eyEU

Vertical view of train leaving Harajuku Station.

Ogawa to Hagiyama - Multi-Angle View (110222-1438)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=69I81r5nGJY

Riding the Seibu Line from Ogawa to Hagiyama - looking around along the way.

Disney-Ear Hand-Grips in Train (110222-1510)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oxM4DeLn6cA

Taking a quick look at Disney-ear hand-grips in a Seibu Line train.

Near Seibu-Shinjuku Station (110222-1516)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6LoMKOds-C4

Area near Seibu-Shinjuku Station in Shinjuku.

Heading for Nishi-Shinjuku (110222-1517)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HmBnLLbSFP0

Walking towards Nishi-Shinjuku area.

Entering Early Afternoon Omoide-Yokocho (110222-1518)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V71EcSX9v_I

Crossing street and then entering early-afternoon Omoide-Yokocho.

Early Afternoon Omoide-Yokocho (110222-1531)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SkvjQDRkdzk

Entering Omoide-Yokocho from the side in the early afternoon.

Nishi-Shinjuku Sidewalk Shadows (110222-1536)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DWlmEHBz6V0

Watching Nishi-Shinjuku sidewalk shadows flowing by....

Nishi-Shinjuku Afternoon Sidewalk Stroll (110222-1537)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T28YoAJzTo0

Strolling along on a sidewalk in Nishi-Shinjuku in front of Shinjuku Station in the afternoon.

Nishi-Shinjuku Streets (110222-1547)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cpbRPavwJJs

Walking along - checking out streets in Nishi-Shinjuku.

Keio Plaza Hotel Stroll (110222-1632)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IiLvcZOWUfQ

Walking through part of Keio Plaza Hotel in Shinjuku.

Keio Plaza Hotel Escalator (110222-1633)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wuo_uAsrVek

Riding on one of the escalators in Keio Plaza Hotel in Shinjuku.

Entering the NS Building in Shinjuku (110222-1638)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EBSYQ81x1DY

Walking into the NS Building in Shinjuku in February 2011.

NS-Building Atrium at Night (110222-1831)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tcbEaEcPy9E

Looking up at the NS-Building atrium at night.

Nishi-Shinjuku Evening Streets-A (110222-1920)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VObqx9ccI5M

Walking around on the evening streets of Nishi-Shinjuku.  (A)

Nishi-Shinjuku Evening Streets-B (110222-1947)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6q6f6BZpbLI

Walking around on the evening streets of Nishi-Shinjuku.  (B)

Entering Omoide Yokocho in the Evening (110222-2151)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bb14DOrR1CA

Entering the izakaya street Omoide Yokocho in the evening.

Shinjuku Rail Bridge (110222-2153)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cU7uH_uDa58

Walking near and under a rail bridge in Shinjuku.

Shinjuku Jazz Street Band (110222-2154)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d53JDLn0pOQ

Watching/listening to a (jazz) street band in Shinjuku.

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