The "Nakano" and "Koenji" in the title this time refers to a late-night visit I made to the two neighboring stations. Nakano I've visited several times over the past few years, and while I have visited Koenji at night with the camera running, I'm not sure I've ever recorded it this late at night before.
Somewhere I hadn't visited in quite a while is the Tokyo Monorail, which I've always thought of as the Haneda Monorail, since it goes to Haneda Airport, but paying a little more attention this time, I realized (after decades!) that the proper name is "Tokyo Monorail" (東京モノレール). I rode it to the first stop, Tennozu Isle Station (天王洲アイル駅), and after looking around a little there (only a little though) I returned to Hamamatsucho, recording the view out the windows as the train moved along its concrete path (it's a monorail-type train, but there is no rail, as it actually runs on a strip of concrete via rubber tires). Then at Hamamatsucho Station, I show the transfer from the monorail to the Yamanote Line.
Shinjuku Station (Platform to Lower Concourse) 新宿駅下の通路 (130226hdc)
http://youtu.be/rLq8eGzy7qM
A relaxed afternoon view of Shinjuku Station. The station always has a fair number of people walking about, changing trains, etc., but it's more intense during the morning and evening rush zones. (I'm not sure "zone" is the best term, but it sure isn't "hour"!)
Actually, the end of the video shows a rather crowded part of the station - probably a Keio Line or Odakyu Line train had just come in (or both) and those people were pouring through the direct transfer gates into the JR area... which brings up another point. It's not just the time of day, it's the timing of the ebb and flow of people throughout the day. When a ten-car train dead-ends at Shinjuku (and the Keio Line and Odakyu Line are both heavily used lines that dead-end in Shinjuku), with each train that arrives and unloads, you get a wave of people.
Shinjuku Station (Lower Concourse to Lower West Exit Passageway (130226hdc)
http://youtu.be/A-1m39kpjOk
Right on the heals of what began as a relaxed and not crowded Chuo Line platform. Like I mentioned above, I think this crowd of people must have poured off of either a Keio Line or Odakyu Line train. Anyway, after watching the flood of people for a little, I exit the JR area of the station and walk through the passageway that leads to Nishi-Shinjuku on the west side of the station.
Shinjuku Station (West Side Temporary Market) 130226
http://youtu.be/K44r62p3XmQ
They have various temporary things in this space - generally marketing of things from one area or another of the country. I bought some stuff from Okinawa here before. (I just walked through in a hurry this time, and didn't notice whether it was another regional market or not.)
Nishi-Shinjuku - Walking Towards Shinjuku Station (130226)
http://youtu.be/ACiPLTwYSFA
Shinjuku Evening Rush - South Exit to Chuo Line 新宿駅夕方ラッシュ (130226g)
http://youtu.be/mVUAstboTmw
The reason the Chuo Line platform in this video is so sparsely populated, is that it's the platform for the Inbound Chuo Line trains. At this time of the evening, the outbound Chuo Line platform has a lot more people.
Evening Kanda to Yurakucho Y and KT 夕方神田-有楽町 (山手京浜東北) 130226
http://youtu.be/3HVRqg06zNw
The "Y" of the title stands for the Yamanote Line and the "KT" for the Keihin-Tohoku Line. At Kanda, I get on a Keihin-Tohoku Line train and then walk across the platform at the next stop, Tokyo Station, and get on a Yamanote Line train. Since I was going to Yurakucho and either train would get me there, I just changed for the variety of it. Why ride one train somewhere when you can ride two - ho-ho! (When you're already standing on the train, it makes no difference effort-wise....)
Okuno Building and Y's Art (夜の奥野ビル) 130226
http://youtu.be/klE-SxpXMtE
Standing on the street in front of the 1932/1934 Okuno Building... looking around, including up at the city-light-illuminated clouds in the sky, and then into the round window of the Y's Art antique shop and art gallery.
Ginza Chuo-Dori Night Stroll 銀座中央通り夜散歩 (130226)
http://youtu.be/2gPMm0MYhdE
Chuo-Dori - I think this is about the widest long sidewalk in Japan. And to walk freely when it's crowded, you really do need about this width. On this street, the term "Ginbura" (銀ブラ) always comes to mind. The (rather old) term was made by putting together the first part of "Ginza" (銀座) and "bura-bura" (ブラブラ), with the "bura-bura" part meaning (among other things) to wander about. Now there are modern shopping areas just about everywhere in Tokyo, but Ginza was the first modern glitzy shopping street and for a long time (and still now somewhat) it's a place people like to wander around in. Aside from the high-end shops, there are galleries, etc., although the double punch of the bad economy and ever higher rents has been driving galleries out of the area - many over to neighboring Kyobashi.
Walking Towards Yurakucho - No More Toshiba Bldg (130226)
http://youtu.be/QpcjonNg2sQ
At around the 00:07 mark, there's a white construction wall across the street where the Toshiba Building (which was actually called the "Ginza TS-Building" apparently... although also referred to as the Ginza Toshiba Building - 銀座TSビル[銀座東芝ビル]) used to be. Sigh... another missed chance! About a year ago, I observed that the upper floors were dark, and only the first floor of shops appeared to be open. Seeing that, I was pretty sure they would be be tearing the building down in the not-too-distant future, but before I got around to walking through the first floor of retail shops... it's gone. Tokyo is like that. Again and again, there are things you get used to seeing and kind of expect to stay there, but one day you find them - one by one - demolished. The building didn't have any special meaning for me, but still I wish I'd walked through it at least once!
Looking on-line, I see this: "モザイク銀座阪急が核テナント。 かつては「銀座東芝ビル」と呼ばれ、東京電気（東芝）が本社を置いていたこともある。 2007年に東急不動産が1610億円でビルを購入。 新たな商業ビルへの建て替えを決定した。" Um... I don't have time to do a proper translation of that, but it says (among other things) that it was called (irrespective of the proper name) the "Ginza Toshiba Building", and it was the headquarters for the Toshiba Corporation at one time. In 2007, it was bought by Tokyu and they will be putting up a new building there.
Anther interesting thing is this: "竣工年：1934年・1966年増築", which appears to mean there was a 1934 building there, then a 1966 building (the one that's just been torn down) and so the next one will be the third building for that spot. There's a picture of each building at this site - I think the 1934 building looks nice, but it's clearly much smaller horizontally (although about the same height as the 1966 one):
http://trystero.exblog.jp/6214901
Nishi-Shinjuku - Late Night Crowds 西新宿居酒屋人々 (元淀橋) 130226
http://youtu.be/bQsX0amH4Pw
Walking through a crowd of people who had apparently just come out of an izakaya in the area - who were standing in the street talking before heading off for the trains. Logistically, it generally works like that. You meet up with workmates at an izakaya that is somewhere between the workplace and where the majority of the people attending live, and then there's a brief period after leaving the izakaya where everyone gets together in the street, and then they head off to trains headed off in different directions towards the various suburbs of Tokyo.
Shinjuku Southern Terrace - Trains and Clouds 新宿サザンテラス電車雲 (130226)
http://youtu.be/YsEvVXYO_0g
Looking around on the edge of Shinjuku Southern Terrace - near one end of the wide pedestrian bridge that crosses the railway tracks - leading towards the department stores on the other side.
Nakano Late Night Back Streets (from Station) 中野北側夜横道散策散歩 (130226g)
http://youtu.be/VPndiZSBrJ0
Starting on a platform of Nakano Station, and then walking downstairs from the elevated tracks to the station concourse and out the north exit. Once out of the station, I walk towards Sun Mall, turn right before entering it, and then dive down a dark alley on the left - walking past a small izakaya and into the maze of back streets that give Nakano its character. It was pretty late, so things were beginning to wind down for the night.
Late Night Nakano - Side Streets to Station 中野横道から中野駅まで (130226)
http://youtu.be/v9RMoUZTnRQ
Walking back to Nakano Station from the back street maze area.
Koenji Station to Izakaya Street 高円寺駅から居酒屋街まで (130226)
http://youtu.be/b2gChOc0pe8
The video above shows the walk from the elevated Chuo Line platform at Koenji Station to the beginning of the restaurant and izakaya area. Then the four videos below show various back street (and alley) scenes in Koenji, followed by heading back towards the station.
Koenji Izakaya Alley (Late at Night) 高円寺北の居酒屋路地 (夜遅く) 130226g
http://youtu.be/K85l4bF2rJg
I didn't notice it at the time, but in playing this one back, there's a lot of graffiti on the walls of the alley. I'm not sure exactly when that started, but there didn't used to be graffiti here - at least I never saw any.
Koenji-kita Izakaya Late Night Side Street Stroll 高円寺北横道散策散歩 (130226)
http://youtu.be/UX36sk4_JnU
Getting close to the last trains for the night, so this is nearing the "lonely streets" time zone between late night people and early morning people.
Koenji Izakaya Alley 高円寺居酒屋道 (130226hd)
http://youtu.be/TAHI3_4zgSc
Another walk through the izakaya alley - this time with a wider view and with stereo sound.
Koenji Station Bound - Late Night Streets 高円寺駅向き (夜遅く) 130226
http://youtu.be/WpoOswT25qY
Koenji Station - Express Zooms Through 高円寺駅特急を通る (130226g)
http://youtu.be/XOMCnWOJV6E
Anraku Eiko Exhibition (安楽瑛子個展-無無無展) at Gallery Shorin (130226)
http://youtu.be/REvgicWCjLI
At this exhibition, the artist explains (in Japanese) each of the paintings of her exhibition. I had intended to interpret each of her explanations, but while I understood (nearly) everything she was saying while she was talking, as soon as she stopped, I realized that I didn't remember all the details (and wasn't sure of the best way to translate some terms), so my English translations for the paintings at the beginning of the video are lacking (a lot of... most...) details. Towards the end, I already had the concept firmly in mind from discussing it with the artist (before I began taking the video), so I got that part right at least. It was an interesting exhibition, and hopefully you can understand Japanese so you'll get all of the artist's explanations!
Kawamura Satoru (河村悟展) Exhibition at Gallery Kazuki (画廊香月) 130228
http://youtu.be/XrRtrX94o5M
A quick look around in at an art exhibition in Ginza. This one runs from March 1st through to March 23rd, 2013.
Late Night Chuo Line Train Arrives and Departs from Kokubunji (130226hd)
http://youtu.be/ImaxjtmZx58
Watching a late-night Chuo Line train come and go.
Late Night Kokubunji Station 夜遅く国分寺駅 (130226hd)
http://youtu.be/Eyp3O16370k
Walking around a little in Kokubunji Station late at night - including trying out one of the elevators that lead form the platform to the upper in-station concourse area, as well as a quick look at the large concourse on the other side of the ticket gates.
Afternoon Tachikawa Station Platform 午後立川駅ホーム (130227hd)
http://youtu.be/gEktEKXQ0Rc
Midnight Inbound Chuo Line Interior 夜中の中央線内 (130301)
http://youtu.be/9F9v6x1CjZU
People Waiting for Late Night Train in Tachikawa 夜遅く立川駅人々 (130301)
http://youtu.be/dpwGmZKRB8k
Late Night Nearly Empty Tachikawa Station 夜遅く立川駅ホーム (130301)
http://youtu.be/36ivts3wQIw
Midnight Tachikawa Station Walkabout 夜中立川駅散歩 (130301)
http://youtu.be/X__J69016Ds
Last Inbound Chuo Line Train from Tachikawa 最終上り中央線立川から (130301)
http://youtu.be/rPIGMMIKWf4
Express Train Speeds Through Kokubunji Station 特急が国分寺駅を通る (130228)
http://youtu.be/PSA5u3J5xGQ
Watching this, I think this must be about the third video I've posted recently of one of these trains speeding past. I guess the next time one comes along I shouldn't bother to record it, or if I do, I shouldn't bother to post it!
Chuo Line Trains Departing Kokubunji Station 国分寺駅中央線 (130228hdc)
http://youtu.be/-_PhdTil88I
Ochanomizu to Hamamatsucho 御茶ノ水駅から浜松町駅 (130228)
http://youtu.be/u9tixRtum2w
Flowering Plum Tree at Zojoji 増上寺の春梅木 (130228)
http://youtu.be/pXyVaOM1hY8
The cherry blossom trees are the most famous, but the flowering plum trees are the earliest to put out flowers in the (very early) spring.
Old Wooden Buildings in Central Tokyo (130228)
http://youtu.be/VZ56C4hXfwg
Looking Across a Main Road (Hamamatsucho) 浜松町大通り (130228hd)
http://youtu.be/eX1xnO59kpE
When I look at scenes like this, I ponder how much nicer cities would be if traffic was restricted and not so much of the city was buried under dead black asphalt....
Hamamatsucho Station - Lower Level to Platform to Upper Level (130228)
http://youtu.be/CvAJzJwBC6g
Entering Hamamatsucho Station through the lower concourse, walking up to the elevated platform, and then walking down the platform and going up (again) to the upper level concourse.
Hamamatsucho Tokyo Monorail - Ticket Machines to Train 東京モノレール (130228)
http://youtu.be/q40uf-gorMc
Since just about everyone uses the rechargeable IC cards for traveling around on the train system, the ticket machines are primarily used just to put more money into the card from time-to-time, but I thought it might be good to show where the ticket machines for the Tokyo Monorail are nonetheless.
Hamamatsucho to Tennozu Isle (Tokyo Monorail) 浜松町駅-天王洲アイル駅 (130228)
http://youtu.be/0Rf-bory_bk
Riding one stop on the Tokyo Monorail - to Tennozu Isle Station. At about the 00:32 mark, is a view of three outbound trains running in parallel - a Shinkansen train, and... I'm not sure, but I think a Tokaido Line train, and maybe... a Keihin-Tohoku Line train. From about the 01:36 mark, is a really large construction site... I haven't been on the Tokyo Monorail for a while, so I didn't know about this. That's how it is in Tokyo; if you don't go somewhere for a little while, when you return, brace yourself for radical change. The city is undergoing constant (never-ending) reconstruction.
The area shown in this video is all landfill, by the way. After what happened up north in the March 11th, 2011 Tohoku earthquake, I don't think I'd like to live in a landfill area next to the ocean myself....
Tennozu Isle - Water, Bridge, Sky, Evening Sun 天王洲の空水橋夕日など (130228hd)
http://youtu.be/QreovnwwiJI
Looking around on a rather lonely steel bridge near Tennozu Isle Station in the evening.
Tennozu Isle Station (Tokyo Monorail) 天王洲アイル駅 (東京モノレール) 130228
http://youtu.be/e2YPjL1q93Y
Beginning on escalators leading up to the smaller of the two entrances to the station, I go through the ticket gates, down the platform, up some stairs, and into the main station area - and then over the trains to the other platform in order to catch one of the monorails headed towards Hamamatsucho Station.
Tennozu Isle to Hamamatsucho (Tokyo Monorail) 天王洲アイル駅-浜松町駅 (130228)
http://youtu.be/kTgq5grukew
Watching an inbound monorail train come in, boarding it, and riding through the evening to Hamamatsucho while looking out the side windows at the neighboring highway, landfill islands with their high-rises and industrial buildings, water, Rainbow Bridge, etc. Incidentally, the automated announcements on the train are in Japanese, English and - I think - two forms of Chinese.
The nice thing about monorail trains is they tend to be up high, so they're good places to check out the surrounding scenery from. (I wanted to show more of the interior of the train, but there were too many nearby people facing the camera.) As the train goes over the many railway tracks just before arriving at Hamamatsucho Station, you get an idea of how much rail traffic there is between Yokohama and Tokyo. At the 05:33 mark, you can see the design of that cool old building near Hamamatsucho (name?) - possibly one of the few 1930's buildings still remaining in the city. And - near the end of the video, at the 05:48 mark, you see people lined up to catch the (soon-to-be) outgoing train.
Originally, the Tokyo Monorail was primarily used for Haneda Airport access and also access to the various industrial buildings on the landfill islands, but as they've begun putting up luxury vertical-gated-community high-rises (I noticed one with a convenience store up on the third floor - probably only used by the residents of the building) in the area, it's also used by people commuting to and from work now. From that background, and judging by the appearance of most of the people lined up on the platform, I'd say most of them were heading somewhere other than the airport.
Hamamatsucho Transfer from (Haneda) Tokyo Monorail to Yamanote Line (130228)
http://youtu.be/V7lMvKmQuVo
I was asked about the transfer from the Tokyo Monorail to the Yamanote Line by someone who will be visiting Japan for the first time and going to Ikebukuro, so I added some narration to this one explaining about the signs primarily. Ikebukuro is pretty easy to find from Hamamatsucho, as it's one of the station names listed on the Yamanote Line signs (which list just a few of the major stations). When transferring *from* a JR train to the monorail, it's pretty direct, but when going from the monorail to a JR train, you have to take a roundabout route - down, across, and back up. After I board a Yamanote Line train, I go to Shinbashi. (Incidentally, in the video, I mention two platforms in a way that I should have said two tracks. The problem is that in stations, in Japanese, what should be track numbers are called platform numbers [using the English term "platform"], with the edge of a platform called a platform, so what should be called "track number three" becomes "platform number three".)
Shinbashi to Yurakucho (Yamanote Line) 新橋駅から有楽町駅まで (山手線) 130228
http://youtu.be/yZEEOKBJk4I
Looking out a left-side window of a Yamanote Line train riding through the twilight of a late February evening.
Yurakucho Plaza (Evening) 夕暮れの有楽町プラザ (130228hd)
http://youtu.be/rLlIwes12XM
Looking around in Yurakucho Plaza in the twilight of the day. This is what a big city should look like. The areas along the major internal-combustion machine highways are hellish places of noise, noxious fumes, and truck vibrations. The internal combustion engine is the curse of humanity.
Twilight Shinkansen and Kei-Van 夕暮れ新幹線と軽自動車 (130228hd)
http://youtu.be/Et0DIbV0Gt0
Looking back at a passing Shinkansen and then walking towards Ginza from Yurakucho.
Lyle (Hiroshi) Saxon
http://www5d.biglobe.ne.jp/~LLLtrs/
http://youtube.com/lylehsaxon
http://lylehsaxon.blogspot.jp/
Showing posts with label Nakano. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Nakano. Show all posts
Sunday, March 03, 2013
Monday, February 18, 2013
"Hamamatsucho, Shinbashi Twilight, Nakano, Yoyogi-Uehara, Ginza, etc."
February - when thoughts begin turning to spring, and there have even been a couple of warm days, but today the temperatures dropped, and with a strong wind, it was the coldest I've felt this winter. I was thinking of going out to take pictures, but ended up staying home... it would have been really unpleasant walking around outside taking pictures on a day like this!
This batch of videos is primarily of Hamamatsucho, Shinbashi, Ginza, and with train scenes from the Chuo Line, the Odakyu Line, and the Yamanote Line.
Hamamatsucho to Shinbashi (Twilight View) 浜松町駅-新橋駅 (黄昏風景) 130214g
http://youtu.be/UePZwsAh9iY
Looking west out the left side of the train into the twilight, you can see Tokyo Tower off in the distance between the buildings (00:08, 00:15, 00:19, etc.). I didn't used to think about Tokyo Tower much, but after finding myself right beside it this year while in the Hamamatsucho area, I suddenly realized just how large it is. Of course, I've always known it was a large tower, but I've mainly seen it from a distance, so when I looked up and saw it - right there - when I was in the area for other reasons, it suddenly impressed me.
The video ends with a platform view of the Yamanote Line train I had been on, and then a Keihin-Tohoku Line train leaving Shinbashi Station.
Yurakucho Evening 夕方の有楽町 (130214)
http://youtu.be/jkFbf4Kh_eI
The old steel bridges are much appreciated (by me, and others too I hope) for their style, history, and wonderful noises as trains pass by overhead. In this video, it's pretty quiet, but even without the industrial music of the train-generated sounds, somehow it's comforting to have *something* from the past close at hand while walking through everything-old-must-be-destroyed Tokyo. (Slight exaggeration? I'm not so sure... that's pretty much how it is.)
At the 01:00 mark - something I didn't notice at the time but stands out to me in the video, is the sign that says "1F Loft", meaning that the Loft store is on the first floor. "Hmm... on the 1st floor? That doesn't sound like a 'loft'..." you might think.
Shinbashi to Yurakucho (Night Ride) 新橋駅-有楽町駅 (夜山手線) 130214
http://youtu.be/eCUMM0OQA8U
Starting in SL-Plaza in front of Shinbashi Station, after walking around on the plaza a little, I enter the station and take a Keihin-Tohoku Line train to Yurakucho.
At the 02:13 point in the video, you can see a man in all-yellow clothing. A few weeks back, I asked either that very man, or someone doing that same job, what they were doing, and they explained they were there to make sure no one fell into the gap between the platform and the train. Safety is always a good thing, but it's a little depressing sometimes how paranoid people are about not-very-likely-to-occur problems.
In the case of trains, there are very few accidents, but as soon as one, single, solitary person dies in some mishap on the railways, it's pumped into all the news outlets - generating this ridiculous image of the railways being dangerous. Meanwhile, the daily carnage on the bloody dead-black asphalt roads continues with almost no comment at all. It's insane. Looking on-line, I see the figure 4,914 dead for the year 2009:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_traffic-related_death_rate
So you have this ratio of thousands of road dead for every single death on the railways, and the media generates this image of the railways as being dangerous if any one individual has an accident on them. It's crazy. Ongoing carnage on the roads? No problem! An isolated incident on the railways? "Terrible! Something must be done! Put guards on the platforms! Put up platform walls! Lower the speed! There must be zero accidents!"
Looking on-line, I see this:
"Transport Ministry says 2011 worst on record for passengers falling onto train tracks
NATIONAL DEC. 10, 2011 - 04:15PM JST ( 48 )TOKYO ―
"The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport this week released figures indicating that 2011 has seen the highest ever number of deaths and injuries due to passengers falling onto train tracks in Japan.
"The ministry said that between April and September of 2011, 119 people were injured or killed after being hit by trains in such incidents, TBS reported. ................."
http://www.japantoday.com/category/national/view/transport-ministry-says-2011-worst-on-record-for-passengers-falling-onto-train-tracks
Hmm... I wasn't aware of that. But still, it's an unfair comparison with road carnage - since they only list deaths on the road, but also list injuries on the train system. What about all the people injured (but not killed) in traffic accidents on the roads? For the railways, instead of lumping dead and injured together, they should list the number of dead versus injured - there's a big difference between falling down and breaking an arm, and being dead. One could get the impression they're cheating by lumping injured in with the dead to inflate the figure and make it seem more serious. But still, even with the figure 119 for one year, that still means over 30-times as many deaths on the roads. I wouldn't bother to comment on this, except it's really depressing to see ever more people traveling about Japan via buses instead of trains; and depressing to see ever more dead-black asphalt burying the city. They talk of aiming for "zero accidents" on the railways, but much greater carnage on the roads isn't worth commenting on? If people are serious about wanting to reduce the number of accident-related deaths each year, they should be pushing to get people out of cars and buses and onto trains.
Hamamatsucho Side Streets to Station 浜松町黄昏道 (駅まで) 130214
http://youtu.be/xlapn_w5tEQ
Walking down a nondescript side street towards Hamamatsucho Station, and then crossing a main street.... Speaking of main streets, have a look at the one at 00:55. It looks neat enough. Orderly buildings lined up next to the asphalt, and with a sidewalk on each side for pedestrians. The thing is though, roads are good for internal combustion machinery, but horrible for the quality of life for pedestrians. They're ugly, noisy, polluted with exhaust fumes, and inconvenient. I hope oil runs out quickly so frivolous burning of it in personal automobiles is outlawed. Basing everything around personal automobiles is a huge mistake I think.
The old bicycle at 01:55 is of a very sturdy design, with rod linkage for the brakes (instead of more fragile cable). The penalty is extra weight, but these old bicycles last forever.
Further along the walk, on a side street with very little traffic, the city seems more people-friendly again. The big main roads are considered "modern" and "progress", but they ruin the quality of life in the city for anyone not inside a fire-breathing machine (which is the majority of people in Tokyo).
Looking down the road at 03:21, you can see one of the Haneda monorail trains approaching Hamamatsucho Station. The proper name for it is "Tokyo Monorail" (東京モノレール), but since it's not the only monorail in Tokyo, the name isn't really accurate any more. Typically I've heard people calling it "Haneda Monorail" which makes a lot more sense, as its main purpose is to provide access to Haneda Airport. The English version of the line's website is here:
http://www.tokyo-monorail.co.jp/english/
Getting closer to the station, I was happy to see that an old building I remember from 1990 is still there (from about 04:18). Generally old buildings become victims of the Godzilla construction industry, so finding an old one that has somehow managed to survive is always nice to see.
Hamamatsucho Station - Ticket Gates to Platform 黄昏の浜松町駅 (130214)
http://youtu.be/pcqW2etAOuE
This was during the early part of the evening rush zone (it's not "rush *hour*" - trust me), so the station was pretty busy.
Shinbashi Twilight Stroll 新橋黄昏散策散歩 (130214)
http://youtu.be/lfReGh58HBg
Exiting Shinbashi Station and walking through the area in front of the station on the Shiodome side.
Rush Hour Shinbashi Station 新橋駅の夕方ラッシュー (130214hd)
http://youtu.be/7Hn2KJhcDII
Starting by ticket machines, then going through the ticket gates, up to a platform, down the platform, and out the Hibiya Exit (which leads into SL-Plaza).
Shinbashi Evening SL-Plaza 新橋夕方SL広場 (130214hd)
http://youtu.be/df8aPRZml9c
Walking around in SL-Plaza in front of Shinbashi Station. Lights, noise, reflections, action, people walking everywhere....
Shinjuku Station Chuo Line Platform Walk 新宿駅中央線ホームの様子 (130212)
http://youtu.be/XErUy8IzFa4
Departing Shinjuku Station via Chuo Line (130212)
http://youtu.be/Zrle6K4OKHk
Nighttime window view on an outbound train.
Rattling Door Glass (130212)
http://youtu.be/PWxmctyQV9g
Just to record something that was common before, but is becoming very rare. The old way of installing glass in window panes was to have it sit within a wooden frame, without using any kind of putty. This facilitated easy replacement of broken glass panes, but led to rattling noises, since the glass was just sitting in the frame. Pushing on an old door as I do in this video illustrates what I'm talking about, but the noise I'd really like to capture is how it sounds when the window panes are being rattled by wind. It was a sound I heard for the first time after moving to Japan, and it has become a nostalgic sound for me, since I stayed in places with those types of windows; so hearing that sound now reminds me of a very specific time in my life. There is also a feeling of the sound being an echo from the past.
Chuo Line Side Window View (to Mitaka) 中央線三鷹まで (130212hdc)
http://youtu.be/dv3SllIL988
Looking out a side window at the winter landscape flowing by. I took a video of this same stretch a couple of days after the big snowstorm we had, but this is the more typical view. Tokyo is generally dry, cold, and windy in the winter.
Mitaka to Koenji (Chuo Line) 三鷹から高円寺まで (中央線) 130212hdc
http://youtu.be/ci4rhokZFls
Watching the unbroken flow of houses and apartment buildings, I think you can probably imagine why the Chuo Line is so crowded! A *lot* of people live along this line!
Nakano Station Walkabout 中野駅散歩 (130212hdc)
http://youtu.be/3JnJEYi0420
The left side view as the train comes into Nakano Station, and then platform scenes at (elevated) Nakano Station, including a walk through a platform transfer tunnel that isn't connected to an exit. The brick (tile-brick?, tile?) of the lower part of the tunnel is a nice design touch from the past. Seeing this design element in a lot of older buildings (what's left of them that is!), I suppose the idea was to have something durable (and easy to wash) that didn't need to be painted on the lower half of the wall.
At 04:43 - the old buildings just beyond the old railway sidings are the Nakano Ekimae Jutaku Apartments 中野駅前住宅that I have a look at after exiting Nakano Station (see next video below).
Nakano Ekimae Jutaku 中野駅前住宅 (130212)
http://youtu.be/vVGlrvabOAE
I'm still trying to find a good history of this set of seven apartment buildings, but one site I found says they were built in 1951 and 1952, which seems about right. That the buildings have had maintenance upgrades over the years is clear - from new steel edges on some of the stair steps, to new mailboxes, and probably (not visible) new plumbing. The concrete buildings are very clearly old, but they appear to be in sound condition and would probably be safe to continue using for decades to come, but apparently a decision has been made to tear them down, and they are not letting in any new tenants. On the other hand, they aren't (to the best of my knowledge) evicting tenants either, so they're waiting as the number of tenants dwindles year by year. It appears that they stopped letting in new tenants about... five years ago or so? I imagine the current tenants are happy to stay and in no hurry to leave (living within a three-minute walk of Nakano Station is one of the choicer places to live in Tokyo), so it may be some time before the Godzilla construction monster can destroy yet more of Tokyo's historical buildings.
One more detail - and I hope this one is not true. I was told by a someone who lived in Nakano as a child that they heard the plan is to tear down the apartments and make the area into a bus terminal. Bloody buses again! It seems that the primary form of what the Godzilla construction industry considers progress for Tokyo now is bus terminals! They're building huge new ones beside Shinjuku and Tokyo Stations, and there seem to be ever more buses. Great idea! Let's increase the number of internal combustion engined vehicles so we can destroy the planet that much faster!
Don't get me wrong, I understand that buses are great in many applications, but not when there are good existing train lines that could be used instead. I'm so sick of the attitude in the world of "Who cares if we burn down the future! Nothing is more important than Short-Term Profits!". It's crazy.
Back to these seven apartments - it appears to me that the main thing they need is a new coat of paint. I can't believe they want to tear down solidly built apartment buildings so they can make a bloody bus terminal... in Nakano! With the traffic around there being how it is, I'm sure that's just what everyone wants to do - sit in traffic jams inside buses. Meanwhile, they shut down the convenient bus stops on the other side of the station for no apparent reason. Political decision to *generate* a problem in order to create increased pressure to tear down the apartment buildings? I hope not.
Nakano Shotengai on Hill Near South Exit 中野丘上商店街 (130212hd)
http://youtu.be/AdiG6nlatVo
A brief look at a shop-lined street a short walk from the South Exit of Nakano Station.
Nakano Station (South Side View) 南側から中野駅の姿 (130212hd)
http://youtu.be/XUv3aojTc5s
Looking over Nakano Station from the south side.
Nakano - from Station to Sun Mall (130212hdc)
http://youtu.be/_jF-HSEl5sc
Nakano Sun Mall Stroll 中野サンモール散策散歩 (130212hdc)
http://youtu.be/XlmW9mhbO2Q
Walking the full length of Sun Mall in Nakano.
Nakano Side Street Stroll 中野横道散策散歩 (130212hdc)
http://youtu.be/Nzzpnaurxus
Walking down a narrow pedestrian back street with restaurants and izakaya places... and coming upon a gap where they've torn down whatever was there and bare dirt awaits the next construction project. The number of old small buildings on Nakano's back streets decreases continually. Tokyo - always renewing itself.
Nakano Backstreet Stroll 中野裏道散策散歩 (130212hdg)
http://youtu.be/5o2Zwndb0n0
More mysterious old buildings, restaurants, and izakaya places on Nakano's back streets.
Entering Nakano Station 中野駅に入る (130212hdc)
http://youtu.be/facOsdZkjuM
Nakano to Shinjuku (Chuo Line) 中野駅から新宿駅まで (中央線) 130212hdc
http://youtu.be/Hwb-yz_c6H4
Rushing up a flight of stairs to catch an inbound Chuo Line train and then riding to Shinjuku - looking out a right side window while some high school students talk up a storm behind me. As the train speeds along, the high-rise office towers of Shinjuku get closer and closer.
Shinjuku to Kanda (Chuo Line) 新宿から神田まで (中央線) 130212g
http://youtu.be/zXmzZr4Jgzs
Looking out a right side window on an inbound Chuo Line train as it runs from Shinjuku to Kanda.
Kanda to Ochanomizu (Chuo Line) 神田から御茶ノ水まで (中央線) 130212
http://youtu.be/f9DVW1EMdSA
Ochanomizu to Kanda (Chuo Line) 御茶ノ水から神田まで (中央線) 130212
http://youtu.be/W6xdtORJZKY
Some of the new construction for overhead Shinkansen tracks can be seen from 01:48, and around 02:00 the temporarily all-green Yamanote Line train goes by. (Is it just one, or are there a few?) Having ridden in the old ones myself, the new type Yamanote Line is quite different in details, but seeing the old solid color going by at speed really does bring back memories of the old type (to see a Saikyo Line version of that from 1990, see the next video). Transferring at Kanda Station, I walk through the construction zone that the station is now and over to one of the Yamanote Line platforms.
1990 - Old Saikyo Line Train (Non-Air-Conditioned Car) 900300
http://youtu.be/r4pcq8C1Wrs
Kanda to Tokyo (Yamanote Line) 神田駅から東京駅まで (山手線) 130212A
http://youtu.be/P6HjEh_nA1s
As the title says - and at around 01:04 I look out the rear cab as the train departs from Kanda Station. After pulling away from Kanda, I look out a left side window at the new Shinkansen track construction next to (and above) the Yamanote Line. Regarding the construction at 02:26, I'm not sure what that is, but I'm beginning to wonder if it's a passageway they're making to connect the newly reconstructed Tokyo Station Building with whatever it is that is rising on the Yaesu side.
Tokyo Station Yamanote Line Platform View-360 東京駅山手線ホーム (130212hdc)
http://youtu.be/spgjFYFLODc
A quick HD 306-degree look from the Yamanote Line platform. I like this particular platform, since it's the last one with part of the platform still covered by an old wooden roof.
Tokyo Station Concourse Stroll 東京駅通路散策散歩 (130212)
http://youtu.be/YIaxpTet7NQ
Starting on the Shinagawa-bound Yamanote Line platform, I go downstairs to one of the main concourses in Tokyo Station and head towards the Yaesu Exit.
Tokyo Station Yaesu Construction 東京駅八重洲側の工事 (130212)
http://youtu.be/b2Q-lfMDXLQ
After a long time spend on the foundation, a new structure is rising on the Yaesu side of Tokyo Station.
Kyobashi Stand-Bar 京橋スタンドバー (130212)
http://youtu.be/oylA30jyJo0
Just a quick look from the street, but this is one of the many "stand-bars" in the city. The prolonged bad economy has made them popular and I keep seeing new ones appearing where there were none before.
Night Chuo Line - Tokyo to Yotsuya 夜の中央線 (130212)
http://youtu.be/cbCiZcLG8E0
The night trains can be quite visually interesting when you're next to a window - looking outside and seeing a constant double image of the electrically illuminated world outside flowing by combined with bits and pieces of the inside of the train. This was such a ride - the world being one of electric illumination and double images. Regarding the upside-down images... I sometimes envision how people are all around the round planet we live on, and in that sense, who's to say we aren't upside-down?
Chuo Line - Arriving at Shinjuku via Outbound Train 中央線新宿駅 (130212)
http://youtu.be/nn2sxLBLDAg
Arriving at Shinjuku Station - reportedly the busiest station in all of Japan - "transfer city" you might say, although Tokyo Station has certainly gotten a lot more complicated over the past twenty years! In any case, Shinjuku is a busy place!
Street Musician by Shinjuku Station South Exit (130212)
http://youtu.be/hje2oCORyiA
A quick look at a street musician in Shinjuku (near the south entrance/exit).
Odakyu Shinjuku Station Platform 小田急線新宿駅ホーム (130212)
http://youtu.be/7lBqxlL15cc
Shinjuku to Yoyogi-Uehara (Odakyu Line) 新宿-代々木上原 (小田急線) 130212g
http://youtu.be/J6ZrJsRmocY
Another double-exposure effect while looking out the window of a nighttime train - this time an outbound Odakyu Line train. When I get off at Yoyogi-Uehara, I look around on the platform while the train I was on continues down the line.
Yoyogi-Uehara - Chiyoda Line Train Interior and Platform 代々木上原駅 (130212hd)
http://youtu.be/mg0yeMP4F4w
I needed to take an Odakyu Line train to Shinjuku, so when a Chiyoda Line train came in that then waited until the train I was waiting for arrived, I had time to walk through the (mostly empty) train a little before getting on my train. I think this may be the oldest type of Chiyoda subway train currently in use. This type of train car has (I think) been in use the whole time I've been in Japan, so it's getting a little old. Both trains were scheduled to depart at the same time (so people would have a chance to transfer from one to the other by walking across the platform).
Yoyogi-Uehara to Shinjuku 代々木上原-新宿 (夜の小田急線) 130212
http://youtu.be/byrRPozUST4
At the beginning of the video - the train beside and below the train I'm on is the Chiyoda Subway train that departed from Yoyogi-Uehara at the same time as my train. It's below my train as it's about to enter a tunnel and begin it's subterranean journey across town.
This was another of those rides on a nearly empty inbound train, so I walked around inside the train carriage a bit - exploring different camera angles. Then, when I got off the train in Shinjuku, I walked up one level and took a look at the express train platforms.
Late Night Inbound Chuo Line Interior 夜遅く中央線車内 (130215)
http://youtu.be/0qarStgRERs
A late night ride on an inbound Chuo Line train - watching the lights and reflections in the windows, as usual.
Ashimotoni Gochui Kudasai 足元にご注意下さい (Tachikawa 立川) 130215hd
http://youtu.be/oKfoTi3eJKg
Considering how obnoxious the endlessly repeating message to "Watch your step please!" is, presumably someone must have fallen down here once. There's this really weird thing where if one person gets hurt on the train system, there's a tremendous over-reaction regarding an isolated incident as though the survival of the nation depends on it, with talk of aiming for "zero accidents!". Meanwhile, the ongoing carnage on the highways continues killing scores of people all the time, but that's just considered normal it seems.
Midnight Chuo Line Train Going Out of Service for the Night (130215)
http://youtu.be/R6lKkQIDVgQ
The station guy thoughtfully helps a couple of people get on the last (for Nakano anyway) inbound train on one side of the platform while another train is going out of service on the other side of the platform.
Ginza One Tokyo-Ten February Exhibition (A) サロンど東京展2013年2月 (130212)
http://youtu.be/R5P3OmAKMAg
Ginza One Tokyo-Ten February Exhibition (B) サロンど東京展2013年2月 (130212)
http://youtu.be/Y2yPjrFgR_k
Ishii Kakuko Exhibition at Gallery Kobo 石井香久子作品展 (巷房) 130212
http://youtu.be/wpXx-467LfA
Group Exhibition - Art Gallery Ishi アートギャラリー石 (2013年2月展示会) 130214
http://youtu.be/zWIuHHJwqWE
Ginza Nighttime Chuo-Dori 銀座夜の中央通り (130214hd)
http://youtu.be/BavErfVkLeE
Above and below - the colorful lights of Ginza's Chuo-Dori.
Ginza Lights 銀座光 (130214hd)
http://youtu.be/ZPcVdPw-f9s
Chuo Line Mostly Empty Interior (130213hd)
http://youtu.be/VTSGAyN1fFc
Sometimes train rides are quite relaxing and enjoyable. This ride was like that.
Yotsuya to Kanda (Chuo Line) 四谷駅から神田駅まで (中央線) 130214
http://youtu.be/21FbSV9rvEA
Kanda to Hamamatsucho (Yamanote Line) 神田駅-浜松町駅 (山手線) 130214
http://youtu.be/JBJ9Xl0IP4U
I spend most of this ride looking out the right side of the train, which is a change from my (for some reason) usual habit of looking out the left side (on this stretch of rails). At 01:17 is the construction hole at the end of the Yamanote Line platform at Tokyo Station (on the left side of the train), and at 01:27 I look out the right side at another large construction hole - which is a continuation of the construction on the left side it seems. On the right side (at 01:36, but difficult to see in the video) I could see old red brick of the type the original Tokyo Station building was constructed of... I wish I could go down there for a closer look! In the background (under the elevated Chuo Line tracks up out of sight at the top of the frame) you can see the rear of the Tokyo Station building.
First Scent of Spring 春の匂い (130214)
http://youtu.be/awNTRi3JFJ4
It's since gotten quite cold again, but this day was fairly warm, and the flowering tree looked and smelled like spring (as a woman (out of frame) comments.
Tokyo Tower (130214hdc)
http://youtu.be/cDoV0dhsqMo
A short look at the tower from the ground - as light clouds drift by overhead.
Lyle (Hiroshi) Saxon
http://www5d.biglobe.ne.jp/~LLLtrs/
http://youtube.com/lylehsaxon
http://lylehsaxon.blogspot.jp/
This batch of videos is primarily of Hamamatsucho, Shinbashi, Ginza, and with train scenes from the Chuo Line, the Odakyu Line, and the Yamanote Line.
Hamamatsucho to Shinbashi (Twilight View) 浜松町駅-新橋駅 (黄昏風景) 130214g
http://youtu.be/UePZwsAh9iY
Looking west out the left side of the train into the twilight, you can see Tokyo Tower off in the distance between the buildings (00:08, 00:15, 00:19, etc.). I didn't used to think about Tokyo Tower much, but after finding myself right beside it this year while in the Hamamatsucho area, I suddenly realized just how large it is. Of course, I've always known it was a large tower, but I've mainly seen it from a distance, so when I looked up and saw it - right there - when I was in the area for other reasons, it suddenly impressed me.
The video ends with a platform view of the Yamanote Line train I had been on, and then a Keihin-Tohoku Line train leaving Shinbashi Station.
Yurakucho Evening 夕方の有楽町 (130214)
http://youtu.be/jkFbf4Kh_eI
The old steel bridges are much appreciated (by me, and others too I hope) for their style, history, and wonderful noises as trains pass by overhead. In this video, it's pretty quiet, but even without the industrial music of the train-generated sounds, somehow it's comforting to have *something* from the past close at hand while walking through everything-old-must-be-destroyed Tokyo. (Slight exaggeration? I'm not so sure... that's pretty much how it is.)
At the 01:00 mark - something I didn't notice at the time but stands out to me in the video, is the sign that says "1F Loft", meaning that the Loft store is on the first floor. "Hmm... on the 1st floor? That doesn't sound like a 'loft'..." you might think.
Shinbashi to Yurakucho (Night Ride) 新橋駅-有楽町駅 (夜山手線) 130214
http://youtu.be/eCUMM0OQA8U
Starting in SL-Plaza in front of Shinbashi Station, after walking around on the plaza a little, I enter the station and take a Keihin-Tohoku Line train to Yurakucho.
At the 02:13 point in the video, you can see a man in all-yellow clothing. A few weeks back, I asked either that very man, or someone doing that same job, what they were doing, and they explained they were there to make sure no one fell into the gap between the platform and the train. Safety is always a good thing, but it's a little depressing sometimes how paranoid people are about not-very-likely-to-occur problems.
In the case of trains, there are very few accidents, but as soon as one, single, solitary person dies in some mishap on the railways, it's pumped into all the news outlets - generating this ridiculous image of the railways being dangerous. Meanwhile, the daily carnage on the bloody dead-black asphalt roads continues with almost no comment at all. It's insane. Looking on-line, I see the figure 4,914 dead for the year 2009:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_traffic-related_death_rate
So you have this ratio of thousands of road dead for every single death on the railways, and the media generates this image of the railways as being dangerous if any one individual has an accident on them. It's crazy. Ongoing carnage on the roads? No problem! An isolated incident on the railways? "Terrible! Something must be done! Put guards on the platforms! Put up platform walls! Lower the speed! There must be zero accidents!"
Looking on-line, I see this:
"Transport Ministry says 2011 worst on record for passengers falling onto train tracks
NATIONAL DEC. 10, 2011 - 04:15PM JST ( 48 )TOKYO ―
"The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport this week released figures indicating that 2011 has seen the highest ever number of deaths and injuries due to passengers falling onto train tracks in Japan.
"The ministry said that between April and September of 2011, 119 people were injured or killed after being hit by trains in such incidents, TBS reported. ................."
http://www.japantoday.com/category/national/view/transport-ministry-says-2011-worst-on-record-for-passengers-falling-onto-train-tracks
Hmm... I wasn't aware of that. But still, it's an unfair comparison with road carnage - since they only list deaths on the road, but also list injuries on the train system. What about all the people injured (but not killed) in traffic accidents on the roads? For the railways, instead of lumping dead and injured together, they should list the number of dead versus injured - there's a big difference between falling down and breaking an arm, and being dead. One could get the impression they're cheating by lumping injured in with the dead to inflate the figure and make it seem more serious. But still, even with the figure 119 for one year, that still means over 30-times as many deaths on the roads. I wouldn't bother to comment on this, except it's really depressing to see ever more people traveling about Japan via buses instead of trains; and depressing to see ever more dead-black asphalt burying the city. They talk of aiming for "zero accidents" on the railways, but much greater carnage on the roads isn't worth commenting on? If people are serious about wanting to reduce the number of accident-related deaths each year, they should be pushing to get people out of cars and buses and onto trains.
Hamamatsucho Side Streets to Station 浜松町黄昏道 (駅まで) 130214
http://youtu.be/xlapn_w5tEQ
Walking down a nondescript side street towards Hamamatsucho Station, and then crossing a main street.... Speaking of main streets, have a look at the one at 00:55. It looks neat enough. Orderly buildings lined up next to the asphalt, and with a sidewalk on each side for pedestrians. The thing is though, roads are good for internal combustion machinery, but horrible for the quality of life for pedestrians. They're ugly, noisy, polluted with exhaust fumes, and inconvenient. I hope oil runs out quickly so frivolous burning of it in personal automobiles is outlawed. Basing everything around personal automobiles is a huge mistake I think.
The old bicycle at 01:55 is of a very sturdy design, with rod linkage for the brakes (instead of more fragile cable). The penalty is extra weight, but these old bicycles last forever.
Further along the walk, on a side street with very little traffic, the city seems more people-friendly again. The big main roads are considered "modern" and "progress", but they ruin the quality of life in the city for anyone not inside a fire-breathing machine (which is the majority of people in Tokyo).
Looking down the road at 03:21, you can see one of the Haneda monorail trains approaching Hamamatsucho Station. The proper name for it is "Tokyo Monorail" (東京モノレール), but since it's not the only monorail in Tokyo, the name isn't really accurate any more. Typically I've heard people calling it "Haneda Monorail" which makes a lot more sense, as its main purpose is to provide access to Haneda Airport. The English version of the line's website is here:
http://www.tokyo-monorail.co.jp/english/
Getting closer to the station, I was happy to see that an old building I remember from 1990 is still there (from about 04:18). Generally old buildings become victims of the Godzilla construction industry, so finding an old one that has somehow managed to survive is always nice to see.
Hamamatsucho Station - Ticket Gates to Platform 黄昏の浜松町駅 (130214)
http://youtu.be/pcqW2etAOuE
This was during the early part of the evening rush zone (it's not "rush *hour*" - trust me), so the station was pretty busy.
Shinbashi Twilight Stroll 新橋黄昏散策散歩 (130214)
http://youtu.be/lfReGh58HBg
Exiting Shinbashi Station and walking through the area in front of the station on the Shiodome side.
Rush Hour Shinbashi Station 新橋駅の夕方ラッシュー (130214hd)
http://youtu.be/7Hn2KJhcDII
Starting by ticket machines, then going through the ticket gates, up to a platform, down the platform, and out the Hibiya Exit (which leads into SL-Plaza).
Shinbashi Evening SL-Plaza 新橋夕方SL広場 (130214hd)
http://youtu.be/df8aPRZml9c
Walking around in SL-Plaza in front of Shinbashi Station. Lights, noise, reflections, action, people walking everywhere....
Shinjuku Station Chuo Line Platform Walk 新宿駅中央線ホームの様子 (130212)
http://youtu.be/XErUy8IzFa4
Departing Shinjuku Station via Chuo Line (130212)
http://youtu.be/Zrle6K4OKHk
Nighttime window view on an outbound train.
Rattling Door Glass (130212)
http://youtu.be/PWxmctyQV9g
Just to record something that was common before, but is becoming very rare. The old way of installing glass in window panes was to have it sit within a wooden frame, without using any kind of putty. This facilitated easy replacement of broken glass panes, but led to rattling noises, since the glass was just sitting in the frame. Pushing on an old door as I do in this video illustrates what I'm talking about, but the noise I'd really like to capture is how it sounds when the window panes are being rattled by wind. It was a sound I heard for the first time after moving to Japan, and it has become a nostalgic sound for me, since I stayed in places with those types of windows; so hearing that sound now reminds me of a very specific time in my life. There is also a feeling of the sound being an echo from the past.
Chuo Line Side Window View (to Mitaka) 中央線三鷹まで (130212hdc)
http://youtu.be/dv3SllIL988
Looking out a side window at the winter landscape flowing by. I took a video of this same stretch a couple of days after the big snowstorm we had, but this is the more typical view. Tokyo is generally dry, cold, and windy in the winter.
Mitaka to Koenji (Chuo Line) 三鷹から高円寺まで (中央線) 130212hdc
http://youtu.be/ci4rhokZFls
Watching the unbroken flow of houses and apartment buildings, I think you can probably imagine why the Chuo Line is so crowded! A *lot* of people live along this line!
Nakano Station Walkabout 中野駅散歩 (130212hdc)
http://youtu.be/3JnJEYi0420
The left side view as the train comes into Nakano Station, and then platform scenes at (elevated) Nakano Station, including a walk through a platform transfer tunnel that isn't connected to an exit. The brick (tile-brick?, tile?) of the lower part of the tunnel is a nice design touch from the past. Seeing this design element in a lot of older buildings (what's left of them that is!), I suppose the idea was to have something durable (and easy to wash) that didn't need to be painted on the lower half of the wall.
At 04:43 - the old buildings just beyond the old railway sidings are the Nakano Ekimae Jutaku Apartments 中野駅前住宅that I have a look at after exiting Nakano Station (see next video below).
Nakano Ekimae Jutaku 中野駅前住宅 (130212)
http://youtu.be/vVGlrvabOAE
I'm still trying to find a good history of this set of seven apartment buildings, but one site I found says they were built in 1951 and 1952, which seems about right. That the buildings have had maintenance upgrades over the years is clear - from new steel edges on some of the stair steps, to new mailboxes, and probably (not visible) new plumbing. The concrete buildings are very clearly old, but they appear to be in sound condition and would probably be safe to continue using for decades to come, but apparently a decision has been made to tear them down, and they are not letting in any new tenants. On the other hand, they aren't (to the best of my knowledge) evicting tenants either, so they're waiting as the number of tenants dwindles year by year. It appears that they stopped letting in new tenants about... five years ago or so? I imagine the current tenants are happy to stay and in no hurry to leave (living within a three-minute walk of Nakano Station is one of the choicer places to live in Tokyo), so it may be some time before the Godzilla construction monster can destroy yet more of Tokyo's historical buildings.
One more detail - and I hope this one is not true. I was told by a someone who lived in Nakano as a child that they heard the plan is to tear down the apartments and make the area into a bus terminal. Bloody buses again! It seems that the primary form of what the Godzilla construction industry considers progress for Tokyo now is bus terminals! They're building huge new ones beside Shinjuku and Tokyo Stations, and there seem to be ever more buses. Great idea! Let's increase the number of internal combustion engined vehicles so we can destroy the planet that much faster!
Don't get me wrong, I understand that buses are great in many applications, but not when there are good existing train lines that could be used instead. I'm so sick of the attitude in the world of "Who cares if we burn down the future! Nothing is more important than Short-Term Profits!". It's crazy.
Back to these seven apartments - it appears to me that the main thing they need is a new coat of paint. I can't believe they want to tear down solidly built apartment buildings so they can make a bloody bus terminal... in Nakano! With the traffic around there being how it is, I'm sure that's just what everyone wants to do - sit in traffic jams inside buses. Meanwhile, they shut down the convenient bus stops on the other side of the station for no apparent reason. Political decision to *generate* a problem in order to create increased pressure to tear down the apartment buildings? I hope not.
Nakano Shotengai on Hill Near South Exit 中野丘上商店街 (130212hd)
http://youtu.be/AdiG6nlatVo
A brief look at a shop-lined street a short walk from the South Exit of Nakano Station.
Nakano Station (South Side View) 南側から中野駅の姿 (130212hd)
http://youtu.be/XUv3aojTc5s
Looking over Nakano Station from the south side.
Nakano - from Station to Sun Mall (130212hdc)
http://youtu.be/_jF-HSEl5sc
Nakano Sun Mall Stroll 中野サンモール散策散歩 (130212hdc)
http://youtu.be/XlmW9mhbO2Q
Walking the full length of Sun Mall in Nakano.
Nakano Side Street Stroll 中野横道散策散歩 (130212hdc)
http://youtu.be/Nzzpnaurxus
Walking down a narrow pedestrian back street with restaurants and izakaya places... and coming upon a gap where they've torn down whatever was there and bare dirt awaits the next construction project. The number of old small buildings on Nakano's back streets decreases continually. Tokyo - always renewing itself.
Nakano Backstreet Stroll 中野裏道散策散歩 (130212hdg)
http://youtu.be/5o2Zwndb0n0
More mysterious old buildings, restaurants, and izakaya places on Nakano's back streets.
Entering Nakano Station 中野駅に入る (130212hdc)
http://youtu.be/facOsdZkjuM
Nakano to Shinjuku (Chuo Line) 中野駅から新宿駅まで (中央線) 130212hdc
http://youtu.be/Hwb-yz_c6H4
Rushing up a flight of stairs to catch an inbound Chuo Line train and then riding to Shinjuku - looking out a right side window while some high school students talk up a storm behind me. As the train speeds along, the high-rise office towers of Shinjuku get closer and closer.
Shinjuku to Kanda (Chuo Line) 新宿から神田まで (中央線) 130212g
http://youtu.be/zXmzZr4Jgzs
Looking out a right side window on an inbound Chuo Line train as it runs from Shinjuku to Kanda.
Kanda to Ochanomizu (Chuo Line) 神田から御茶ノ水まで (中央線) 130212
http://youtu.be/f9DVW1EMdSA
Ochanomizu to Kanda (Chuo Line) 御茶ノ水から神田まで (中央線) 130212
http://youtu.be/W6xdtORJZKY
Some of the new construction for overhead Shinkansen tracks can be seen from 01:48, and around 02:00 the temporarily all-green Yamanote Line train goes by. (Is it just one, or are there a few?) Having ridden in the old ones myself, the new type Yamanote Line is quite different in details, but seeing the old solid color going by at speed really does bring back memories of the old type (to see a Saikyo Line version of that from 1990, see the next video). Transferring at Kanda Station, I walk through the construction zone that the station is now and over to one of the Yamanote Line platforms.
1990 - Old Saikyo Line Train (Non-Air-Conditioned Car) 900300
http://youtu.be/r4pcq8C1Wrs
Kanda to Tokyo (Yamanote Line) 神田駅から東京駅まで (山手線) 130212A
http://youtu.be/P6HjEh_nA1s
As the title says - and at around 01:04 I look out the rear cab as the train departs from Kanda Station. After pulling away from Kanda, I look out a left side window at the new Shinkansen track construction next to (and above) the Yamanote Line. Regarding the construction at 02:26, I'm not sure what that is, but I'm beginning to wonder if it's a passageway they're making to connect the newly reconstructed Tokyo Station Building with whatever it is that is rising on the Yaesu side.
Tokyo Station Yamanote Line Platform View-360 東京駅山手線ホーム (130212hdc)
http://youtu.be/spgjFYFLODc
A quick HD 306-degree look from the Yamanote Line platform. I like this particular platform, since it's the last one with part of the platform still covered by an old wooden roof.
Tokyo Station Concourse Stroll 東京駅通路散策散歩 (130212)
http://youtu.be/YIaxpTet7NQ
Starting on the Shinagawa-bound Yamanote Line platform, I go downstairs to one of the main concourses in Tokyo Station and head towards the Yaesu Exit.
Tokyo Station Yaesu Construction 東京駅八重洲側の工事 (130212)
http://youtu.be/b2Q-lfMDXLQ
After a long time spend on the foundation, a new structure is rising on the Yaesu side of Tokyo Station.
Kyobashi Stand-Bar 京橋スタンドバー (130212)
http://youtu.be/oylA30jyJo0
Just a quick look from the street, but this is one of the many "stand-bars" in the city. The prolonged bad economy has made them popular and I keep seeing new ones appearing where there were none before.
Night Chuo Line - Tokyo to Yotsuya 夜の中央線 (130212)
http://youtu.be/cbCiZcLG8E0
The night trains can be quite visually interesting when you're next to a window - looking outside and seeing a constant double image of the electrically illuminated world outside flowing by combined with bits and pieces of the inside of the train. This was such a ride - the world being one of electric illumination and double images. Regarding the upside-down images... I sometimes envision how people are all around the round planet we live on, and in that sense, who's to say we aren't upside-down?
Chuo Line - Arriving at Shinjuku via Outbound Train 中央線新宿駅 (130212)
http://youtu.be/nn2sxLBLDAg
Arriving at Shinjuku Station - reportedly the busiest station in all of Japan - "transfer city" you might say, although Tokyo Station has certainly gotten a lot more complicated over the past twenty years! In any case, Shinjuku is a busy place!
Street Musician by Shinjuku Station South Exit (130212)
http://youtu.be/hje2oCORyiA
A quick look at a street musician in Shinjuku (near the south entrance/exit).
Odakyu Shinjuku Station Platform 小田急線新宿駅ホーム (130212)
http://youtu.be/7lBqxlL15cc
Shinjuku to Yoyogi-Uehara (Odakyu Line) 新宿-代々木上原 (小田急線) 130212g
http://youtu.be/J6ZrJsRmocY
Another double-exposure effect while looking out the window of a nighttime train - this time an outbound Odakyu Line train. When I get off at Yoyogi-Uehara, I look around on the platform while the train I was on continues down the line.
Yoyogi-Uehara - Chiyoda Line Train Interior and Platform 代々木上原駅 (130212hd)
http://youtu.be/mg0yeMP4F4w
I needed to take an Odakyu Line train to Shinjuku, so when a Chiyoda Line train came in that then waited until the train I was waiting for arrived, I had time to walk through the (mostly empty) train a little before getting on my train. I think this may be the oldest type of Chiyoda subway train currently in use. This type of train car has (I think) been in use the whole time I've been in Japan, so it's getting a little old. Both trains were scheduled to depart at the same time (so people would have a chance to transfer from one to the other by walking across the platform).
Yoyogi-Uehara to Shinjuku 代々木上原-新宿 (夜の小田急線) 130212
http://youtu.be/byrRPozUST4
At the beginning of the video - the train beside and below the train I'm on is the Chiyoda Subway train that departed from Yoyogi-Uehara at the same time as my train. It's below my train as it's about to enter a tunnel and begin it's subterranean journey across town.
This was another of those rides on a nearly empty inbound train, so I walked around inside the train carriage a bit - exploring different camera angles. Then, when I got off the train in Shinjuku, I walked up one level and took a look at the express train platforms.
Late Night Inbound Chuo Line Interior 夜遅く中央線車内 (130215)
http://youtu.be/0qarStgRERs
A late night ride on an inbound Chuo Line train - watching the lights and reflections in the windows, as usual.
Ashimotoni Gochui Kudasai 足元にご注意下さい (Tachikawa 立川) 130215hd
http://youtu.be/oKfoTi3eJKg
Considering how obnoxious the endlessly repeating message to "Watch your step please!" is, presumably someone must have fallen down here once. There's this really weird thing where if one person gets hurt on the train system, there's a tremendous over-reaction regarding an isolated incident as though the survival of the nation depends on it, with talk of aiming for "zero accidents!". Meanwhile, the ongoing carnage on the highways continues killing scores of people all the time, but that's just considered normal it seems.
Midnight Chuo Line Train Going Out of Service for the Night (130215)
http://youtu.be/R6lKkQIDVgQ
The station guy thoughtfully helps a couple of people get on the last (for Nakano anyway) inbound train on one side of the platform while another train is going out of service on the other side of the platform.
Ginza One Tokyo-Ten February Exhibition (A) サロンど東京展2013年2月 (130212)
http://youtu.be/R5P3OmAKMAg
Ginza One Tokyo-Ten February Exhibition (B) サロンど東京展2013年2月 (130212)
http://youtu.be/Y2yPjrFgR_k
Ishii Kakuko Exhibition at Gallery Kobo 石井香久子作品展 (巷房) 130212
http://youtu.be/wpXx-467LfA
Group Exhibition - Art Gallery Ishi アートギャラリー石 (2013年2月展示会) 130214
http://youtu.be/zWIuHHJwqWE
Ginza Nighttime Chuo-Dori 銀座夜の中央通り (130214hd)
http://youtu.be/BavErfVkLeE
Above and below - the colorful lights of Ginza's Chuo-Dori.
Ginza Lights 銀座光 (130214hd)
http://youtu.be/ZPcVdPw-f9s
Chuo Line Mostly Empty Interior (130213hd)
http://youtu.be/VTSGAyN1fFc
Sometimes train rides are quite relaxing and enjoyable. This ride was like that.
Yotsuya to Kanda (Chuo Line) 四谷駅から神田駅まで (中央線) 130214
http://youtu.be/21FbSV9rvEA
Kanda to Hamamatsucho (Yamanote Line) 神田駅-浜松町駅 (山手線) 130214
http://youtu.be/JBJ9Xl0IP4U
I spend most of this ride looking out the right side of the train, which is a change from my (for some reason) usual habit of looking out the left side (on this stretch of rails). At 01:17 is the construction hole at the end of the Yamanote Line platform at Tokyo Station (on the left side of the train), and at 01:27 I look out the right side at another large construction hole - which is a continuation of the construction on the left side it seems. On the right side (at 01:36, but difficult to see in the video) I could see old red brick of the type the original Tokyo Station building was constructed of... I wish I could go down there for a closer look! In the background (under the elevated Chuo Line tracks up out of sight at the top of the frame) you can see the rear of the Tokyo Station building.
First Scent of Spring 春の匂い (130214)
http://youtu.be/awNTRi3JFJ4
It's since gotten quite cold again, but this day was fairly warm, and the flowering tree looked and smelled like spring (as a woman (out of frame) comments.
Tokyo Tower (130214hdc)
http://youtu.be/cDoV0dhsqMo
A short look at the tower from the ground - as light clouds drift by overhead.
Lyle (Hiroshi) Saxon
http://www5d.biglobe.ne.jp/~LLLtrs/
http://youtube.com/lylehsaxon
http://lylehsaxon.blogspot.jp/
Sunday, November 11, 2012
"Yurakucho Trains, Hamamatsucho, Nakano, Nishi-Ogikubo, Kawagoe (HD), Etc."
This batch of clips gets started with a look at a train typhoon in Yurakucho - with the trains running in close frequency mode, but before the evening rush really got going, so they're not very crowded. There are also views of Hamamatsucho, Kokubunji, Nakano, Nishi-Ogikubo, Ginza, Shinjuku, etc.
Yurakucho (Pre-Rush Train Typhoon) ラッシュ前の電車台風 (121108)
http://youtu.be/Vg25N3KjytY
Yurakucho Station Platform Walk 有楽町駅散歩 (121108)
http://youtu.be/i4bWKNRuKqg
Hamamatsucho Station (121108)
http://youtu.be/wCamIljKIcE
Hamamatsucho to Yurakucho (Twilight Skyline) 浜松町から有楽町まで (121108)
http://youtu.be/j8Cx8a1a4hI
Yurakucho (Under Bridge Sights and Sounds) 121108
http://youtu.be/Hb7rPZtKmZg
Old all-steel bridges like the one in this video make a kind of symphony of industrial noises that bring to mind decades of industry and the history of technology and infrastructure.
Entering Kawagoe-shi Station 川越市駅 (121107) Tobu-Tojo Line
http://youtu.be/UyR4DoW59mQ
Tobu Tojo Line (Side Window View in Saitama) 121107
http://youtu.be/JE_AyIjQmbA
Quick Saitama Countryside View (121107)
http://youtu.be/pbBq1TKbwwI
Birds Singing in Saitama Woods (121107)
http://youtu.be/L2Y8XQhIb5A
This is more about the soundtrack than the visual images - but it shows a radical contrast with the typical Tokyo city scenes I record.
Kokubunji (Short Night Stroll) 国分寺夜の散歩 (121107)
http://youtu.be/0DG2Hs7pulU
Walking on Concourse in Tokyo Station (Short Stroll) 東京駅 (121106)
http://youtu.be/dgtEc-SZAc0
Nakano Izakaya Back Streets (121106)
http://youtu.be/Us0BQgy9hIM
Nakano Station 中野駅 Ticket Gates to Platform (121106)
http://youtu.be/XER07htArcI
Exiting Shinjuku Station South Exit (121106)
http://youtu.be/mCuWeZtTE7Q
Misty Night (Shinjuku South Exit Bus Terminal Construction) 121106
http://youtu.be/lwuY_KPA6Yk
Shinjuku Late Night Platform Walk (Chuo Line) 夜の新宿駅 (121106)
http://youtu.be/2BBwPksFaoU
Nishi-Ogikubo Station 西荻窪駅 Night View (121106)
http://youtu.be/U53oMCiv4wg
Nishi-Ogikubo Izakaya Alley 西荻窪居酒屋道 (121106)
http://youtu.be/QKOcYJNlkOs
One of the increasingly rare time-slip izakaya zones in Tokyo.
Kanda to Yurakucho 神田から有楽町まで (121106)
http://youtu.be/2__GkDIBUes
Nighttime Ginza Chuo-Dori (In and Out of Focus) 121108
http://youtu.be/onW14ge9T0k
Nighttime Ginza 4-Chome (In and Out of Focus) 121108
http://youtu.be/vAI-o1KZPM8
Entering Yurakucho Station (In and Out of Focus) 121108
http://youtu.be/C6R6hzz62YY
Asphalt Without the Cars (Festival) 121020
http://youtu.be/GCCbaiAy62Q
With the fire-breathing engined machines blocked for a festival, you get a sense of a vast amount of land buried under asphalt as you look off towards the horizon and the asphalt goes on and on and on....
Kawagoe Matsuri (Street Full of People) 121020
http://youtu.be/7_pWd6FC65A
Kawagoe Matsuri by Hon-Kawagoe Station (121020)
http://youtu.be/ig65uIrxmnA
Kawagoe Matsuri Food Stalls (Early in the Day) 121020
http://youtu.be/E8GYZ3wDKlU
Kawagoe Matsuri (Afternoon Crowds) 121020
http://youtu.be/JaKDdX8sNWo
Kawagoe Matsuri (Old Section of Town) 121020
http://youtu.be/f5_i21vYdek
Tokyo Tower Children's Play Area (121108)
http://youtu.be/QDiR1pvWfZA
Yurakucho-SB - Autumn 2012 - (121108)
http://youtu.be/kDV-5lhzkw0
Yurakucho-SB - November 8th, 2012 - (121108)
http://youtu.be/WeKtLHr81ug
Ginza Stroll (Fire Drill Maybe) 銀座 (121108)
http://youtu.be/R8ISoa8K6Tg
I'm not sure what was going on, but I presume it was some kind of drill.
Lyle (Hiroshi) Saxon
http://www5d.biglobe.ne.jp/~LLLtrs/
http://youtube.com/lylehsaxon
http://tokyoartmusic.blogspot.com/
Yurakucho (Pre-Rush Train Typhoon) ラッシュ前の電車台風 (121108)
http://youtu.be/Vg25N3KjytY
Yurakucho Station Platform Walk 有楽町駅散歩 (121108)
http://youtu.be/i4bWKNRuKqg
Hamamatsucho Station (121108)
http://youtu.be/wCamIljKIcE
Hamamatsucho to Yurakucho (Twilight Skyline) 浜松町から有楽町まで (121108)
http://youtu.be/j8Cx8a1a4hI
Yurakucho (Under Bridge Sights and Sounds) 121108
http://youtu.be/Hb7rPZtKmZg
Old all-steel bridges like the one in this video make a kind of symphony of industrial noises that bring to mind decades of industry and the history of technology and infrastructure.
Entering Kawagoe-shi Station 川越市駅 (121107) Tobu-Tojo Line
http://youtu.be/UyR4DoW59mQ
Tobu Tojo Line (Side Window View in Saitama) 121107
http://youtu.be/JE_AyIjQmbA
Quick Saitama Countryside View (121107)
http://youtu.be/pbBq1TKbwwI
Birds Singing in Saitama Woods (121107)
http://youtu.be/L2Y8XQhIb5A
This is more about the soundtrack than the visual images - but it shows a radical contrast with the typical Tokyo city scenes I record.
Kokubunji (Short Night Stroll) 国分寺夜の散歩 (121107)
http://youtu.be/0DG2Hs7pulU
Walking on Concourse in Tokyo Station (Short Stroll) 東京駅 (121106)
http://youtu.be/dgtEc-SZAc0
Nakano Izakaya Back Streets (121106)
http://youtu.be/Us0BQgy9hIM
Nakano Station 中野駅 Ticket Gates to Platform (121106)
http://youtu.be/XER07htArcI
Exiting Shinjuku Station South Exit (121106)
http://youtu.be/mCuWeZtTE7Q
Misty Night (Shinjuku South Exit Bus Terminal Construction) 121106
http://youtu.be/lwuY_KPA6Yk
Shinjuku Late Night Platform Walk (Chuo Line) 夜の新宿駅 (121106)
http://youtu.be/2BBwPksFaoU
Nishi-Ogikubo Station 西荻窪駅 Night View (121106)
http://youtu.be/U53oMCiv4wg
Nishi-Ogikubo Izakaya Alley 西荻窪居酒屋道 (121106)
http://youtu.be/QKOcYJNlkOs
One of the increasingly rare time-slip izakaya zones in Tokyo.
Kanda to Yurakucho 神田から有楽町まで (121106)
http://youtu.be/2__GkDIBUes
Nighttime Ginza Chuo-Dori (In and Out of Focus) 121108
http://youtu.be/onW14ge9T0k
Nighttime Ginza 4-Chome (In and Out of Focus) 121108
http://youtu.be/vAI-o1KZPM8
Entering Yurakucho Station (In and Out of Focus) 121108
http://youtu.be/C6R6hzz62YY
Asphalt Without the Cars (Festival) 121020
http://youtu.be/GCCbaiAy62Q
With the fire-breathing engined machines blocked for a festival, you get a sense of a vast amount of land buried under asphalt as you look off towards the horizon and the asphalt goes on and on and on....
Kawagoe Matsuri (Street Full of People) 121020
http://youtu.be/7_pWd6FC65A
Kawagoe Matsuri by Hon-Kawagoe Station (121020)
http://youtu.be/ig65uIrxmnA
Kawagoe Matsuri Food Stalls (Early in the Day) 121020
http://youtu.be/E8GYZ3wDKlU
Kawagoe Matsuri (Afternoon Crowds) 121020
http://youtu.be/JaKDdX8sNWo
Kawagoe Matsuri (Old Section of Town) 121020
http://youtu.be/f5_i21vYdek
Tokyo Tower Children's Play Area (121108)
http://youtu.be/QDiR1pvWfZA
Yurakucho-SB - Autumn 2012 - (121108)
http://youtu.be/kDV-5lhzkw0
Yurakucho-SB - November 8th, 2012 - (121108)
http://youtu.be/WeKtLHr81ug
Ginza Stroll (Fire Drill Maybe) 銀座 (121108)
http://youtu.be/R8ISoa8K6Tg
I'm not sure what was going on, but I presume it was some kind of drill.
Lyle (Hiroshi) Saxon
http://www5d.biglobe.ne.jp/~LLLtrs/
http://youtube.com/lylehsaxon
http://tokyoartmusic.blogspot.com/
Saturday, September 15, 2012
"Nakano, Koenji, Sugamo, Hamamatsucho, Tamachi, Shinbashi, Ginza, Etc. (12/09/10)"
This batch of around 80 clips were all taken on September 10th, 2012 - starting with early morning train scenes, and then the morning rush of people walking to work from Shinjuku Station. After that, I visited Nakano, Koenji, Sugamo, Ginza, Hamamatsucho, Tamachi, Shinbashi, and Ginza again. (I had work to do in Ginza in the afternoon and by getting up very early was able to go around to several places.) Incidentally, the first part of the batch below was taken in full-size HD.
Shinjuku - Looking West Down Koshu-kaido 新宿の甲州街道ビュー (120910)
http://youtu.be/bZbmEf92RdI
Shinjuku Army of People Marching to Work (120910)
http://youtu.be/g2Wr7tTshdk
White Collar Army Marches to Work (Shinjuku) 120910
http://youtu.be/VGsMnTH16CU
Morning Nakano Sun Mall (120910)
http://youtu.be/vyEkW2eZw4s
Yurakucho Platform View (120910)
http://youtu.be/3iPP9M806gE
Ginza 3-Chome 銀座三丁目 (120910)
http://youtu.be/BqrkZeTcuPs
Ginza Chuo-Dori 銀座中央通 (120910)
http://youtu.be/ApCcfgF4_54
Hamamatsucho-360 浜松町見回る (120910)
http://youtu.be/0UYXaVm-wno
Hamamatsucho Evening Long View 浜松町夕方帰る人々 (120910)
http://youtu.be/Tsw3-_j22l4
Homeward Bound Hamamatsucho People 浜松町夕方帰る時間 (120910)
http://youtu.be/xZhrfy7mcPQ
Hamamatsucho (Heading for Home) 120910
http://youtu.be/sD34zQ6syCM
Tamachi-360 田町見回る (120910)
http://youtu.be/oCBWnAFn5gU
Trains Passing Hamamatsucho 浜松町電車 (120910)
http://youtu.be/G351MLJ8jk4
Early Morning Outbound Chuo Line (120910)
http://youtu.be/L_auzzjgxXQ
Arriving in Shinjuku via Morning Chuo Line (120910)
http://youtu.be/16W_kKutawQ
Shinjuku Morning South Exit (120910)
http://youtu.be/nX1FmwYSulQ
Morning Shinjuku (A) South Side (120910)
http://youtu.be/qPNCkhw0Cs4
Marching to Work (Morning Shinjuku) 120910
http://youtu.be/7nleoOJzGVE
Morning Shinjuku (B) Walking Against the Flow (120910)
http://youtu.be/FFzY8zf3Ga0
Morning Shinjuku (C) Bridge Shadows (120910)
http://youtu.be/fmbO2BAO2Kg
South Exit to Platform 3-4 (Shinjuku Morning) 120910
http://youtu.be/MLGae4V6RIA
Platform 3-4 to South Exit (Shinjuku Morning) 120910
http://youtu.be/QcbHaVwlhd4
Arriving at Nakano Station via Chuo Line (120910)
http://youtu.be/RcQMibr7FhE
Koenji Narrow Walkways (120910)
http://youtu.be/z2A4hcaovJQ
Ticket Gate Error - Retry at Different Gate OK (120910)
http://youtu.be/Z4EBr_cn970
Nearly everyone is using IC type cards to ride the train system, so there are fewer and fewer of the ticket gates that take magnetic tickets. I was using a magnetic ticket this day, so I had to use the older type machines. For some reason, the first machine I tired didn't like my ticket, but when I tried again with another machine, it worked okay.
Walking Under Rail Bridge in Nakano (120910)
http://youtu.be/nWrFWRguXzg
Man on Crutches Boards Bus in Nakano (120910)
http://youtu.be/ESoKDdSy-DM
Ah... this one. I got a comment complaining about the theme and I realized the title could be read as one of those (unfortunately) popular videos that poke fun of someone attempting to do something. Actually I began taking the video just to show the bus, and then a man on crutches came up and - with just the first low step - got on board, so I thought "Ah! Here we go! This is the whole point of the low-rider buses - that they are easy to board for people who would have had trouble with the steps!". So - to avoid confusion, I changed the name at YouTube to: "Low-Rider Bus Easy to Board with Crutches (120910)".
Speaking of this type of bus - which is low to the ground and doesn't have any steps in the front section - is the same type design being used for buses in other countries as well?
Mysterious Old Building (120910)
http://youtu.be/nf1yMKumYz0
Tree Shadows on Sidewalk (120910)
http://youtu.be/XcoE0npbJ8U
Morning Side Street in Nakano (120910)
http://youtu.be/VZzzWn4muy0
Walking Towards Nakano Station (120910)
http://youtu.be/uPnP4WYkVzg
Nakano to Koenji (Chuo Line) 120910
http://youtu.be/RMKc3kivyYY
Koenji Morning Walkabout (A) 120910
http://youtu.be/FgVwgaPCe0M
Koenji Morning Walkabout (B) 120910
http://youtu.be/loWlSvPdgHg
Koenji Morning Walkabout (C) 120910
http://youtu.be/7yzkRzsn45s
Koenji Temple Area (120910)
http://youtu.be/TRwb4gONXOk
Koenji Temple 高円寺 (120910)
http://youtu.be/wi8LxmhY4SE
Sun Through Green Branches (Koenji) 120910
http://youtu.be/d0M-5by2ze8
Hot Summer Street (Koenji) 120910
http://youtu.be/FJaSpApjhPg
Lonely Streets (Koenji) 120910
http://youtu.be/Kv535zLrbMM
Koenji Station 高円寺駅 (120910)
http://youtu.be/15Cd4z6-Flo
Shinjuku Yamanote Line Platform (120910)
http://youtu.be/i1jVgo7HKow
Shinjuku to Sugamo (Yamanote Line Left Side) 120910g
http://youtu.be/MJUXQoZoIfY
Kaneko Nao 金子奈緒展 Exhibition at Gallery Ginza Forest (120910)
http://youtu.be/ZirY4wgwX4E
LHS Sketch at G-403 (120910)
http://youtu.be/ITRO3mlSRl8
Tamachi Back Street (A) 田町 120910
http://youtu.be/UOHYILpQ8X0
Tamachi Back Street (B) 田町 120910
http://youtu.be/FzrPMLlzEuY
Ginza Evening Side Streets (120910)
http://youtu.be/nLzZmQxtTaQ
Beams Group Exhibition-V4 at Key Gallery (120910)
http://youtu.be/BAioHQP8TVE
Looking around during the opening party for this exhibition.
Looking Through Old Glass (120910)
http://youtu.be/WMUgphJvXUs
Looking through old glass towards an exhibition room.
Exiting Old Building (Looking Down) 120910
http://youtu.be/8J8YdcyEXPA
While walking down the stairs from an exhibition, it occurred to me that the old steps looked kind of cool, so I recorded the lower part of the staircase while walking down.
Entering Nighttime Yurakucho Plaza (120910)
http://youtu.be/Y6S-vho0wR8
Singer Playing in the Distance (120910)
http://youtu.be/8dGAqVUTTUY
Hamamatsucho to Tamachi (120910)
http://youtu.be/ZvnZ6GWcxk8
Exiting Tamachi Station (120910)
http://youtu.be/MGSfU81hGb8
Tamachi Station (Both Sides) 田町駅 (120910)
http://youtu.be/1BNoEZoSzeM
Entering Tamachi Station 田町駅 (120910)
http://youtu.be/FrZXnWorT3Q
Tamachi to Shinbashi - Keihin-Tohoku Line (120910)
http://youtu.be/i3StMLg4AzQ
Shinbashi SL-Plaza (120910)
http://youtu.be/k1EcK8siW-Y
Shinbashi SL-Plaza Smokers Area, Etc. (120910)
http://youtu.be/ucJoTRoJbnQ
Shinbashi Izakaya Basement (120910)
http://youtu.be/aLzOFVnUmsM
New-Shinbashi-Building 1F (ニュー新橋ビル １F) 120910
http://youtu.be/46Oqba4gkqE
Yurakucho Station Platform Walk (120910)
http://youtu.be/A1n5dyeFdbI
Yurakucho to Tokyo (120910)
http://youtu.be/x7zbEc2be7E
Tokyo to Kanda (Chuo Line) 120910
http://youtu.be/xWxH6WtIp1w
Sugamo Station 巣鴨駅 - Exiting into the Summer Heat (120910)
http://youtu.be/KsW7mKiCQSw
Sugamo Main Shotengai Street 巣鴨 (120910)
http://youtu.be/1u6rBGbooWo
Shops in Sugamo (120910)
http://youtu.be/WApKGMH3yus
Near Sugamo Station 巣鴨駅の近く (120910)
http://youtu.be/tDnumOjaEvw
Sugamo Station 巣鴨駅 (120910)
http://youtu.be/cHMiuzZERDc
Yurakucho Plaza 360 - Helicopter Day (120910)
http://youtu.be/EI-MOeC5RlM
They were publicizing the helicopter (medical) rescue service and they actually brought a helicopter to the plaza for the event. I asked a guard at the site later that night if they had actually flown it there, and he told me no, it had been brought there by truck.
Shinkansen Passing Helicopter - Yurakucho Plaza (120910)
http://youtu.be/ntCnyEmOoRI
Helicopter in Yurakucho Plaza (120910g)
http://youtu.be/DGqBvfgzHOs
Trains Passing by Yurakucho Station (120910g)
http://youtu.be/xE_mhCL7J5w
Ginza Lunchtime Side Street (120910)
http://youtu.be/_0CFE5TS_nQ
Front Exterior of Okuno Building (120910)
http://youtu.be/kbdgvYbi0Oc
Ginza Shadows - Side Street View (120910)
http://youtu.be/4fxM1jq5KyU
Walking into Yurakucho from Ginza (120910)
http://youtu.be/XDBMsa7oo1k
Yurakucho to Hamamatsucho (Yamanote Line) 120910
http://youtu.be/9Tjd0zLmLYs
Hamamatsucho Station 浜松町駅 (and Restaurants Etc) 120910
http://youtu.be/7ofMiqXJ60Y
Beside Hamamatsucho Station 浜松町 (120910)
http://youtu.be/u5toyTb62kA
Hamamatsucho Station Walkabout 浜松町駅 (120910)
http://youtu.be/iaWLA8OxTgs
Trains, Etc. Near Hamamatsucho Station (120910)
http://youtu.be/r9Wif_dLfnM
Entering Hamamatsucho Station (120910)
http://youtu.be/ttPxbKVeXNI
Lyle (Hiroshi) Saxon
http://www5d.biglobe.ne.jp/~LLLtrs/
http://youtube.com/lylehsaxon
http://tokyoartmusic.blogspot.com/
Shinjuku - Looking West Down Koshu-kaido 新宿の甲州街道ビュー (120910)
http://youtu.be/bZbmEf92RdI
Shinjuku Army of People Marching to Work (120910)
http://youtu.be/g2Wr7tTshdk
White Collar Army Marches to Work (Shinjuku) 120910
http://youtu.be/VGsMnTH16CU
Morning Nakano Sun Mall (120910)
http://youtu.be/vyEkW2eZw4s
Yurakucho Platform View (120910)
http://youtu.be/3iPP9M806gE
Ginza 3-Chome 銀座三丁目 (120910)
http://youtu.be/BqrkZeTcuPs
Ginza Chuo-Dori 銀座中央通 (120910)
http://youtu.be/ApCcfgF4_54
Hamamatsucho-360 浜松町見回る (120910)
http://youtu.be/0UYXaVm-wno
Hamamatsucho Evening Long View 浜松町夕方帰る人々 (120910)
http://youtu.be/Tsw3-_j22l4
Homeward Bound Hamamatsucho People 浜松町夕方帰る時間 (120910)
http://youtu.be/xZhrfy7mcPQ
Hamamatsucho (Heading for Home) 120910
http://youtu.be/sD34zQ6syCM
Tamachi-360 田町見回る (120910)
http://youtu.be/oCBWnAFn5gU
Trains Passing Hamamatsucho 浜松町電車 (120910)
http://youtu.be/G351MLJ8jk4
Early Morning Outbound Chuo Line (120910)
http://youtu.be/L_auzzjgxXQ
Arriving in Shinjuku via Morning Chuo Line (120910)
http://youtu.be/16W_kKutawQ
Shinjuku Morning South Exit (120910)
http://youtu.be/nX1FmwYSulQ
Morning Shinjuku (A) South Side (120910)
http://youtu.be/qPNCkhw0Cs4
Marching to Work (Morning Shinjuku) 120910
http://youtu.be/7nleoOJzGVE
Morning Shinjuku (B) Walking Against the Flow (120910)
http://youtu.be/FFzY8zf3Ga0
Morning Shinjuku (C) Bridge Shadows (120910)
http://youtu.be/fmbO2BAO2Kg
South Exit to Platform 3-4 (Shinjuku Morning) 120910
http://youtu.be/MLGae4V6RIA
Platform 3-4 to South Exit (Shinjuku Morning) 120910
http://youtu.be/QcbHaVwlhd4
Arriving at Nakano Station via Chuo Line (120910)
http://youtu.be/RcQMibr7FhE
Koenji Narrow Walkways (120910)
http://youtu.be/z2A4hcaovJQ
Ticket Gate Error - Retry at Different Gate OK (120910)
http://youtu.be/Z4EBr_cn970
Nearly everyone is using IC type cards to ride the train system, so there are fewer and fewer of the ticket gates that take magnetic tickets. I was using a magnetic ticket this day, so I had to use the older type machines. For some reason, the first machine I tired didn't like my ticket, but when I tried again with another machine, it worked okay.
Walking Under Rail Bridge in Nakano (120910)
http://youtu.be/nWrFWRguXzg
Man on Crutches Boards Bus in Nakano (120910)
http://youtu.be/ESoKDdSy-DM
Ah... this one. I got a comment complaining about the theme and I realized the title could be read as one of those (unfortunately) popular videos that poke fun of someone attempting to do something. Actually I began taking the video just to show the bus, and then a man on crutches came up and - with just the first low step - got on board, so I thought "Ah! Here we go! This is the whole point of the low-rider buses - that they are easy to board for people who would have had trouble with the steps!". So - to avoid confusion, I changed the name at YouTube to: "Low-Rider Bus Easy to Board with Crutches (120910)".
Speaking of this type of bus - which is low to the ground and doesn't have any steps in the front section - is the same type design being used for buses in other countries as well?
Mysterious Old Building (120910)
http://youtu.be/nf1yMKumYz0
Tree Shadows on Sidewalk (120910)
http://youtu.be/XcoE0npbJ8U
Morning Side Street in Nakano (120910)
http://youtu.be/VZzzWn4muy0
Walking Towards Nakano Station (120910)
http://youtu.be/uPnP4WYkVzg
Nakano to Koenji (Chuo Line) 120910
http://youtu.be/RMKc3kivyYY
Koenji Morning Walkabout (A) 120910
http://youtu.be/FgVwgaPCe0M
Koenji Morning Walkabout (B) 120910
http://youtu.be/loWlSvPdgHg
Koenji Morning Walkabout (C) 120910
http://youtu.be/7yzkRzsn45s
Koenji Temple Area (120910)
http://youtu.be/TRwb4gONXOk
Koenji Temple 高円寺 (120910)
http://youtu.be/wi8LxmhY4SE
Sun Through Green Branches (Koenji) 120910
http://youtu.be/d0M-5by2ze8
Hot Summer Street (Koenji) 120910
http://youtu.be/FJaSpApjhPg
Lonely Streets (Koenji) 120910
http://youtu.be/Kv535zLrbMM
Koenji Station 高円寺駅 (120910)
http://youtu.be/15Cd4z6-Flo
Shinjuku Yamanote Line Platform (120910)
http://youtu.be/i1jVgo7HKow
Shinjuku to Sugamo (Yamanote Line Left Side) 120910g
http://youtu.be/MJUXQoZoIfY
Kaneko Nao 金子奈緒展 Exhibition at Gallery Ginza Forest (120910)
http://youtu.be/ZirY4wgwX4E
LHS Sketch at G-403 (120910)
http://youtu.be/ITRO3mlSRl8
Tamachi Back Street (A) 田町 120910
http://youtu.be/UOHYILpQ8X0
Tamachi Back Street (B) 田町 120910
http://youtu.be/FzrPMLlzEuY
Ginza Evening Side Streets (120910)
http://youtu.be/nLzZmQxtTaQ
Beams Group Exhibition-V4 at Key Gallery (120910)
http://youtu.be/BAioHQP8TVE
Looking around during the opening party for this exhibition.
Looking Through Old Glass (120910)
http://youtu.be/WMUgphJvXUs
Looking through old glass towards an exhibition room.
Exiting Old Building (Looking Down) 120910
http://youtu.be/8J8YdcyEXPA
While walking down the stairs from an exhibition, it occurred to me that the old steps looked kind of cool, so I recorded the lower part of the staircase while walking down.
Entering Nighttime Yurakucho Plaza (120910)
http://youtu.be/Y6S-vho0wR8
Singer Playing in the Distance (120910)
http://youtu.be/8dGAqVUTTUY
Hamamatsucho to Tamachi (120910)
http://youtu.be/ZvnZ6GWcxk8
Exiting Tamachi Station (120910)
http://youtu.be/MGSfU81hGb8
Tamachi Station (Both Sides) 田町駅 (120910)
http://youtu.be/1BNoEZoSzeM
Entering Tamachi Station 田町駅 (120910)
http://youtu.be/FrZXnWorT3Q
Tamachi to Shinbashi - Keihin-Tohoku Line (120910)
http://youtu.be/i3StMLg4AzQ
Shinbashi SL-Plaza (120910)
http://youtu.be/k1EcK8siW-Y
Shinbashi SL-Plaza Smokers Area, Etc. (120910)
http://youtu.be/ucJoTRoJbnQ
Shinbashi Izakaya Basement (120910)
http://youtu.be/aLzOFVnUmsM
New-Shinbashi-Building 1F (ニュー新橋ビル １F) 120910
http://youtu.be/46Oqba4gkqE
Yurakucho Station Platform Walk (120910)
http://youtu.be/A1n5dyeFdbI
Yurakucho to Tokyo (120910)
http://youtu.be/x7zbEc2be7E
Tokyo to Kanda (Chuo Line) 120910
http://youtu.be/xWxH6WtIp1w
Sugamo Station 巣鴨駅 - Exiting into the Summer Heat (120910)
http://youtu.be/KsW7mKiCQSw
Sugamo Main Shotengai Street 巣鴨 (120910)
http://youtu.be/1u6rBGbooWo
Shops in Sugamo (120910)
http://youtu.be/WApKGMH3yus
Near Sugamo Station 巣鴨駅の近く (120910)
http://youtu.be/tDnumOjaEvw
Sugamo Station 巣鴨駅 (120910)
http://youtu.be/cHMiuzZERDc
Yurakucho Plaza 360 - Helicopter Day (120910)
http://youtu.be/EI-MOeC5RlM
They were publicizing the helicopter (medical) rescue service and they actually brought a helicopter to the plaza for the event. I asked a guard at the site later that night if they had actually flown it there, and he told me no, it had been brought there by truck.
Shinkansen Passing Helicopter - Yurakucho Plaza (120910)
http://youtu.be/ntCnyEmOoRI
Helicopter in Yurakucho Plaza (120910g)
http://youtu.be/DGqBvfgzHOs
Trains Passing by Yurakucho Station (120910g)
http://youtu.be/xE_mhCL7J5w
Ginza Lunchtime Side Street (120910)
http://youtu.be/_0CFE5TS_nQ
Front Exterior of Okuno Building (120910)
http://youtu.be/kbdgvYbi0Oc
Ginza Shadows - Side Street View (120910)
http://youtu.be/4fxM1jq5KyU
Walking into Yurakucho from Ginza (120910)
http://youtu.be/XDBMsa7oo1k
Yurakucho to Hamamatsucho (Yamanote Line) 120910
http://youtu.be/9Tjd0zLmLYs
Hamamatsucho Station 浜松町駅 (and Restaurants Etc) 120910
http://youtu.be/7ofMiqXJ60Y
Beside Hamamatsucho Station 浜松町 (120910)
http://youtu.be/u5toyTb62kA
Hamamatsucho Station Walkabout 浜松町駅 (120910)
http://youtu.be/iaWLA8OxTgs
Trains, Etc. Near Hamamatsucho Station (120910)
http://youtu.be/r9Wif_dLfnM
Entering Hamamatsucho Station (120910)
http://youtu.be/ttPxbKVeXNI
Lyle (Hiroshi) Saxon
http://www5d.biglobe.ne.jp/~LLLtrs/
http://youtube.com/lylehsaxon
http://tokyoartmusic.blogspot.com/
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