Video clips. From a street band and Kinokuniya Bookstore in Shinjuku, to a few Yamanote Line train clips, and Harajuku's Takeshita-dori. I've been running around off the beaten a path a bit, which I'd like to explain, but it's a bit complicated, so let's just have a look at the videos:
"Shinjuku Street Band - December 8th, 2009"
Two-man street band in Shinjuku - near the south exit/entrance to Shinjuku Station. It might be that I'm going by Shinjuku at the wrong times, but there seem to be far fewer street bands there than when I took a series of Shinjuku street band videos in October of 2008. Of course the weather is nicer in October than December, but I didn't see many this year in October either. Considering how I often saw the police going around last year shutting down performances, maybe it's become nearly impossible to perform there now....
"Foreign Language Section of Kinokuniya Bookstore" (091209-14:40)
Walking around on the foreign language floor of Kinokuniya Bookstore in Shinjuku. Well - actually, this bookstore near Shinjuku Station is sitting within the boundaries of Shibuya, but since there is (or was, I haven't been there in years) a Kinokuniya Bookstore in Shibuya which is not only within Shibuya, but is near Shibuya Station, it's less confusing to refer to this one as one of the Kinokuniya Bookstores in Shinjuku. (There's another Shinjuku Kinokuniya Bookstore near the east exit/entrance of Shinjuku Station that is within the boundaries of Shinjuku.)
Since the vast majority of Tokyo residents get around by train, most places are referred to the name of the nearest surface JR station, unless the area is particularly famous, like Ginza and/or is accessed by subway (which tends to have stations closer together.) In fact, the vast majority of people I've asked have no idea that this bookstore is - address-wise - within Shibuya, since it's right by Shinjuku Station, but once you cross the main road after coming out of the south exit, you're in Shibuya.
"Leaving Shinjuku Station via Yamanote Line" (091209-15:01)
Accelerating out of Shinjuku Station, watching the full length of the platform slide by. This video continues until just after crossing the first bridge out of Shinjuku Station on the way to Shin-Okubo Station.
"Trains Near Shin-Okubo Station" (091209-15:01)
Shin-Okubo Station. View of other trains running in parallel with the Yamanote Line tracks, and then the stop at Shin-Okubo, with the old style "The doors are about to close! Hurry!-Hurry!-Hurry!" bell, which was used all over when I came here in 1984, but has been mostly replaced by more melodic sounds, coded to specific stations. The new system is definitely better, but still, I feel some nostalgia for the old Rush!-Rush!-Rush! bell for some reason....
"Shin-Okubo to Takadanobaba via Yamanote Line" (091209-15:02)
The full run from Shin-Okubo Station to Takadanobaba Station, including all of the Japanese and English announcements about Takadanobaba, and some of the platform announcements in Takadanobaba. There are views of Seibu-Shinjuku Line trains running parallel with the Yamanote Line (from which this video was taken).
"Yamanote Line from Mejiro to Ikebukuro" (091209-15:06)
Leaving Mejiro, a Narita (Airport) Express train goes by in the other direction, followed by (on different tracks) a Yamanote Line train. Nearing Ikebukuro, the train passes under a Seibu-Ikebukuro Line bridge, and a Seibu-Ikebukuro Line train can be seen curving to the left and heading for Ikebukuro.
After arriving in Ikebukuro, I step off the train and have a listen to the station announcements.
"Yamanote Line from Ikebukuro to Otsuka" (091209-15:09)
The full length of the Yamanote Line platform at Ikebukuro Station, and part of the journey to Otsuka Station. View of the inside of the train included.
"Yamanote Line from Otsuka - Partway to Sugamo" (091209-15:12)
Nearly the full length of the platform at Otsuka Station, and part of the journey to Sugamo Station. Both Japanese and English announcements on the way.
"Yamanote Line from Sugamo to Komagome" (091209-15:14)
Accelerating past the platform at Sugamo Station, and rolling over to Komagome Station. Both Japanese and English announcement on the way. Announcements at Komagome Station, as well as Komagome's custom "The doors are about to close" melody and recorded bird sounds (used at many stations unfortunately).
"Yamanote Line from Komagome to Tabata" (091209-15:15)
Accelerating past the platform at Komagome Station, and the trip over to Tabata Station. Both Japanese and English announcement on the way. Announcements at Komagome Station, as well as Komagome's custom "The doors are about to close" melody and (again) recorded bird sounds.
Bird songs.... It's getting so that when I hear bird sounds, I think "Gee - that sounds like the Yamanote Line!". Naturally, the idea is to imagine a nice forest somewhere as you walk down the asphalt platform, but the effect may be to make someone who (eventually) finds themselves in a nice forest, to imagine the asphalt platform when they hear real birds....
"Harajuku Takeshita-dori, Southeast Stroll" (091218-14:57)
Walking away from Harajuku Station down Takeshita-dori in a southeast direction. This clip starts from just before entering the street and ends at the other end. Recorded on Friday, December 18th, 2009, at about 3:00 p.m. In spite of the cold, the women are basically dressed about the way you'd expect them to in summer.
Lyle (Hiroshi) Saxon
http://www5d.biglobe.ne.jp/~LLLtrs/
http://youtube.com/lylehsaxon
Sunday, December 20, 2009
Sunday, December 13, 2009
"Chuo Line Left Side Commuter Views"
There are many interesting stations on the Chuo Line, but the passenger density of the line doesn't make for the most relaxing commutes! On December 4th and 7th (Friday & Monday), I ended up near a door, so I could take pictures out the window. December 7th was interesting, as it was the first weekday that the new inbound section between Kokubunji and Mitaka was used. Of the four video clips listed below, the first two were taken from the new inbound elevated section, and the last two were taken further down the line, past Mitaka.
"Chuo Line - Inbound from Kokubunji-A" (091207-08:20)
Looking out the left side of a Chuo Line train running on the newly constructed elevated rails. They elevated the outbound rails first, and then (after constructing the elevated portion for the inbound tracks next to the elevated section for the outbound), the inbound went into use this month. Construction is still ongoing of rebuilt stations.
"Chuo Line - Inbound from Kokubunji-B" (091207-08:25)
Beginning with a diagonal view as the train passes by a newly opened inbound platform at a station still under construction (thus the white background). (As this was a Tokubetsu-tsukin-kaisoku [Special Commuter Rapid], there were no stops between Kokubunji and Shinjuku.) Along with elevating the rails between Mitaka and Kokubunji, they've rebuilt the stations in that section, with construction ongoing.
Also views of residential houses and apartment buildings that are fairly typical for areas within Tokyo, but away from the central area. (Actually, there's still some of this look to central Tokyo, but the central area is increasingly becoming a large high-rise zone.)
The end of the video is where the newly elevated section comes back to ground level just before Mitaka. Just after Mitaka, it is elevated again.
"Chuo Line - Inbound from Mitaka" (091207-08:29)
Diagonal view of built-up area along tracks after passing Mitaka. From here on in to Shinjuku, basically the area around each station in this stretch is build up, and the areas between stations are a mix of individual houses and apartment buildings.
Notice how quiet it is inside the train... people very rarely talk during the morning commute. Late Friday night outbound trains are a different story!
"Chuo Line - Diagonal View, Koenji to Nakano" (091207-08:41)
Between Mitaka and Shinjuku, the only place the main Chuo Line (not the Sobu Line, which is also known as the local version of the Chuo Line) trains can pass other Chuo Line trains is Nakano, so typically, morning rush period express trains creep along after Mitaka until nearing Nakano, where they can pick up speed, pass a train waiting at Nakano Station, and speed on in to Shinjuku Station. This video shows the view from just before Koenji Station (one station from Nakano Station), until just after Nakano Station. The train is still accelerating as the clip ends. (Nakano Station is where the buses are - the waiting train at Nakano Station is on the opposite side of the train from this view.)
Lyle (Hiroshi) Saxon
http://www5d.biglobe.ne.jp/~LLLtrs/
http://www.youtube.com/lylehsaxon
"Chuo Line - Inbound from Kokubunji-A" (091207-08:20)
Looking out the left side of a Chuo Line train running on the newly constructed elevated rails. They elevated the outbound rails first, and then (after constructing the elevated portion for the inbound tracks next to the elevated section for the outbound), the inbound went into use this month. Construction is still ongoing of rebuilt stations.
"Chuo Line - Inbound from Kokubunji-B" (091207-08:25)
Beginning with a diagonal view as the train passes by a newly opened inbound platform at a station still under construction (thus the white background). (As this was a Tokubetsu-tsukin-kaisoku [Special Commuter Rapid], there were no stops between Kokubunji and Shinjuku.) Along with elevating the rails between Mitaka and Kokubunji, they've rebuilt the stations in that section, with construction ongoing.
Also views of residential houses and apartment buildings that are fairly typical for areas within Tokyo, but away from the central area. (Actually, there's still some of this look to central Tokyo, but the central area is increasingly becoming a large high-rise zone.)
The end of the video is where the newly elevated section comes back to ground level just before Mitaka. Just after Mitaka, it is elevated again.
"Chuo Line - Inbound from Mitaka" (091207-08:29)
Diagonal view of built-up area along tracks after passing Mitaka. From here on in to Shinjuku, basically the area around each station in this stretch is build up, and the areas between stations are a mix of individual houses and apartment buildings.
Notice how quiet it is inside the train... people very rarely talk during the morning commute. Late Friday night outbound trains are a different story!
"Chuo Line - Diagonal View, Koenji to Nakano" (091207-08:41)
Between Mitaka and Shinjuku, the only place the main Chuo Line (not the Sobu Line, which is also known as the local version of the Chuo Line) trains can pass other Chuo Line trains is Nakano, so typically, morning rush period express trains creep along after Mitaka until nearing Nakano, where they can pick up speed, pass a train waiting at Nakano Station, and speed on in to Shinjuku Station. This video shows the view from just before Koenji Station (one station from Nakano Station), until just after Nakano Station. The train is still accelerating as the clip ends. (Nakano Station is where the buses are - the waiting train at Nakano Station is on the opposite side of the train from this view.)
Lyle (Hiroshi) Saxon
http://www5d.biglobe.ne.jp/~LLLtrs/
http://www.youtube.com/lylehsaxon
"Chuo Line Views, Morning Shinjuku Station, Ginza Demonstration, Etc."
More video clips. First of a demonstration I saw on the edge of Ginza, then a few Chuo Line views, a few views of Shinjuku Station during the morning rush, and a couple of Yamanote Line clips.
"Demonstration Near Ginza, December 4th, 2009"
On my way to Ginza I ran into a group of teachers demonstrating against requirements in public schools related to displaying the nation's flag and standing and singing the national anthem. Their stance, if I understand it correctly, is that it's one step towards nationalism, and they believe students and teachers shouldn't have patriotism forced upon them. But I don't know the exact details - for that, I suppose there's something on-line.
"Scrolling Buildings - Chuo Line, December 2009"
Buildings scrolling down through a slightly fogged lens (due to a large number of breathing bipeds on the train, cold temperatures outside, and the proximity of the train window's cold glass to my camera lens).
"Chuo Line - Dramatic Clouds, Autumn Colors" (Dec. 2009)
The view out a left side window of an inbound Chuo Line train during the morning rush - recorded at about 8:36 a.m., on December 4th, 2009. It had rained the day before, so the air was clearer than is often the case (although the air tends to be clear in the winter). The train was running slower than usual due to the large number of trains on the rails in the morning.
"Residences Beside Chuo Line, December 4th, 2009"
Slowly gliding past residences next to the elevated Chuo Line tracks in a morning rush commuter train. Recorded around 8:42 a.m. on December 4th, 2009.
"Picking Up Speed - Chuo Line, 8:47 a.m."
Accelerating in an inbound Tokubetsu Tsukin Kaisoku (Special Rapid Express) on December 4th, 2009. It's special because it makes very few stops, but it's not very rapid, due to there being too many trains on the rails, so it gets stuck behind slow-moving trains. Nearing central Tokyo, there are more large buildings than further out on the line, which has mostly residential housing next to the railway.
"Morning Chuo Line Platform at Shinjuku - 8:52 a.m."
Just after stepping off of a Chuo Line express train at Shinjuku Station - working my way towards the stairs in order to transfer to the Yamanote Line. Unless you're in front of everyone, there's no way to hurry really in these situations; you just have to plod forward with the other sardine bipeds. (Recorded on December 4th, 2009.)
"Morning Transfer to Yamanote Line" (Dec. 4th, 2009)
Transferring from the Chuo Line to the Yamanote Line via the over-the-tracks route (you can also transfer by going under the tracks). (Recorded on December 4th, 2009 at around 8:54 a.m.)
"Shinjuku Yamanote Line platform, Dec. 4th, 2009, 8:55 a.m."
Arriving on the platform for track-14 (Shibuya/Shinagawa-bound Yamanote Line), and Track-13, (Akihabara/Chiba-bound Sobu Line) at 8:55 a.m. During the peak morning rush, they run eleven-car trains on the Yamanote Line (ten cars for the Sobu Line) every two or three minutes, but there are a *lot* of people who use the Yamanote Line, so all of the trains are fairly full (in spite of the large number of them), and if one of them is a couple of minutes late, it ends up looking like the scenes in this video on the platform.
Incidentally, they basically number the edge of the platform next to the tracks here, so - locally - they call track-14 platform-14 and track-13 platform-13. Never mind that tracks 14 & 13 use the same platform.
"Yamanote Line View - 8:58 a.m., Dec. 4th, 2009"
Looking out the left side of a Shibuya/Shinagawa-bound Yamanote Line train at a Sobu Line train (headed for Shinjuku Station) curving to the right to pull parallel with the Yamanote Line (after coming from Akihabara, etc.), and a couple of Tohoku, Utsunomiya, or Shonan-Shinjuku Line trains (which run parallel to the Yamanote Line for several stations) passing by the Yamanote Line train I was on (one in each direction).
"Yamanote Line Zing View - 9:03 a.m., Dec. 4th, 2009"
Looking out a right side window of the Yamanote Line as it zings along between Shibuya and Ebisu - beginning at a mid-way point between Shibuya and Ebisu, and ending as the train pulls into Ebisu Station.
Lyle (Hiroshi) Saxon
http://www5d.biglobe.ne.jp/~LLLtrs/
http://uk.youtube.com/lylehsaxon
"Demonstration Near Ginza, December 4th, 2009"
On my way to Ginza I ran into a group of teachers demonstrating against requirements in public schools related to displaying the nation's flag and standing and singing the national anthem. Their stance, if I understand it correctly, is that it's one step towards nationalism, and they believe students and teachers shouldn't have patriotism forced upon them. But I don't know the exact details - for that, I suppose there's something on-line.
"Scrolling Buildings - Chuo Line, December 2009"
Buildings scrolling down through a slightly fogged lens (due to a large number of breathing bipeds on the train, cold temperatures outside, and the proximity of the train window's cold glass to my camera lens).
"Chuo Line - Dramatic Clouds, Autumn Colors" (Dec. 2009)
The view out a left side window of an inbound Chuo Line train during the morning rush - recorded at about 8:36 a.m., on December 4th, 2009. It had rained the day before, so the air was clearer than is often the case (although the air tends to be clear in the winter). The train was running slower than usual due to the large number of trains on the rails in the morning.
"Residences Beside Chuo Line, December 4th, 2009"
Slowly gliding past residences next to the elevated Chuo Line tracks in a morning rush commuter train. Recorded around 8:42 a.m. on December 4th, 2009.
"Picking Up Speed - Chuo Line, 8:47 a.m."
Accelerating in an inbound Tokubetsu Tsukin Kaisoku (Special Rapid Express) on December 4th, 2009. It's special because it makes very few stops, but it's not very rapid, due to there being too many trains on the rails, so it gets stuck behind slow-moving trains. Nearing central Tokyo, there are more large buildings than further out on the line, which has mostly residential housing next to the railway.
"Morning Chuo Line Platform at Shinjuku - 8:52 a.m."
Just after stepping off of a Chuo Line express train at Shinjuku Station - working my way towards the stairs in order to transfer to the Yamanote Line. Unless you're in front of everyone, there's no way to hurry really in these situations; you just have to plod forward with the other sardine bipeds. (Recorded on December 4th, 2009.)
"Morning Transfer to Yamanote Line" (Dec. 4th, 2009)
Transferring from the Chuo Line to the Yamanote Line via the over-the-tracks route (you can also transfer by going under the tracks). (Recorded on December 4th, 2009 at around 8:54 a.m.)
"Shinjuku Yamanote Line platform, Dec. 4th, 2009, 8:55 a.m."
Arriving on the platform for track-14 (Shibuya/Shinagawa-bound Yamanote Line), and Track-13, (Akihabara/Chiba-bound Sobu Line) at 8:55 a.m. During the peak morning rush, they run eleven-car trains on the Yamanote Line (ten cars for the Sobu Line) every two or three minutes, but there are a *lot* of people who use the Yamanote Line, so all of the trains are fairly full (in spite of the large number of them), and if one of them is a couple of minutes late, it ends up looking like the scenes in this video on the platform.
Incidentally, they basically number the edge of the platform next to the tracks here, so - locally - they call track-14 platform-14 and track-13 platform-13. Never mind that tracks 14 & 13 use the same platform.
"Yamanote Line View - 8:58 a.m., Dec. 4th, 2009"
Looking out the left side of a Shibuya/Shinagawa-bound Yamanote Line train at a Sobu Line train (headed for Shinjuku Station) curving to the right to pull parallel with the Yamanote Line (after coming from Akihabara, etc.), and a couple of Tohoku, Utsunomiya, or Shonan-Shinjuku Line trains (which run parallel to the Yamanote Line for several stations) passing by the Yamanote Line train I was on (one in each direction).
"Yamanote Line Zing View - 9:03 a.m., Dec. 4th, 2009"
Looking out a right side window of the Yamanote Line as it zings along between Shibuya and Ebisu - beginning at a mid-way point between Shibuya and Ebisu, and ending as the train pulls into Ebisu Station.
Lyle (Hiroshi) Saxon
http://www5d.biglobe.ne.jp/~LLLtrs/
http://uk.youtube.com/lylehsaxon
Friday, December 11, 2009
"Several Videos - Shinjuku, Shimokitazawa, Harajuku, Ginza, Omotesando, etc."
It's been quite a week, what with full scale war at the jungle warfare office, my freedom from that toxic atmosphere obtained, but my income lost, etc. etc. Too much stuff to explain in detail, so let's just have a look at some videos:
"Morning Toyoko Line - Suit City - November 2009"
A standing room only, but relaxed ride on the Toyoko Line during the morning commute. I ended up on the Toyoko Line due to a "jishin-jiko" (passenger action) on the Yamanote Line. Fortunately the Yamanote Line train I was on was stopped at Shibuya Station when it happened, so I had the option of doing an end run around the problem area via other train trains. This is one of the advantages of the increadible number of train lines in Tokyo - at hub stations, there are usually options to get where you're going via other lines if one of them is not running for some reason. (Recorded on November 16th, 2009.)
"Shinjuku Platform Jungle Walk - November 2009"
Looking out the window of an Ikebukuro-bound Yamanote Line train as it zooms into Shinjuku Station. After getting off the train, walking the full ten-car length of the platform (during rush hours, but after the main peak). (Recorded on November 24th, 2009 at about 7:30 p.m.)
"Evening Ikegami Line - Hatanodai to Ebaranakanobu"
Looking out the front of an Ikegami Line train from its departure in Hatanodai until its arrival in Ebaranakanobu. (Recorded on November 24th, 2009 at about 5:30 p.m.)
"Shimokitazawa Jungle Walk-A - December 1st, 2009"
Walking about in Shimokitazawa on December 1st, 2009. I noticed a number of closed shops - either because it was just after 6:00 or maybe because of the bad economy. I think at least partly due to the bad economy, but I could be wrong. Certainly the economy is bad for me personally, since the large corporation I was working for has begun axing its contract workers, me included....
"Shimokitazawa Jungle Walk-B - December 1st, 2009"
Continuing my walk-about in Shimokitazawa - walking down an old covered shopping street whose days are probably numbered. (Recorded on December 1st, 2009.)
"Shinbashi Train Cyclone - November 2009"
Walking in the opposite direction from my last Shinbashi Station walk video, with trains passing on both sides of the Shinbashi Station Tokaido Line platform, including a couple of 16-car Shinkansen super-express trains.
"Riding Inokashira Line into Shimokitazawa"
Listening to the internal announcement on an Inokashira Line train as it pulls into Shimokitazawa, and then getting off the train and heading for the exit stairs.
"Outside Cooking Display & Microvan in Shimokitazawa"
While jungle walking in Shimokitazawa, pausing to watch an outside cooking... show? display? in front of a... restaurant (I think). A microvan drives by, etc....
"Running for the Train - Ebisu Station" November 2009
Running down the platform at Ebisu Station to get to the front of a Shinjuku-bound Yamanote Line train. (I don't make a habit of doing this, and I don't recommend it, but this is what is looks like.)
"Vertical Running Reflections - Yamanote Line" November 2009
Watching the light show in the window of a Shinjuku-bound Yamanote Line Train.
"Vertical & Horizontal Yamanote Line Reflections" November 2009
Looking outside/inside a Yamanote Line train window at night, and looking over at a fellow passenger's book. Typical nighttime Tokyo train travel....
"Arriving at Harajuku Station (Announcement)" November 2009
Arriving at Harajuku Station. Notice the sound level change of the "Harajuku... Harajuku desu. Gojosha, arigato gozaimasu" announcement from inside the train before the door opens (the first "Harajuku..." part of the announcement) and after (the rest of the announcement/recording).
"Shinjuku Station Jungle Walk - November 2009"
Walking through Shinjuku Station from near the South Exit to the South-East Exit around 7:45 p.m.
"Shinjuku Southern Terrace Blue Lights - November 24th, 2009"
Part of the year-end light displays put up all around the Southern Terrace ("Shinjuku '09-'10 Southern Lights"). Apparently this year, this sort of illumination is done with LED lights, with blue being the color of choice (along with white).
"Ginza Jungle Walk - November 2009"
Walking down a nighttime side street in fashionable Ginza, recorded on November 27th, 2009. The main streets of Ginza are full of "brand" company shops with insanely expensive and often ugly mass-marketed... stuff. Fortunately there are still some interesting galleries and small shops on back and side streets.
"Yurakucho Sax Player - November 27th, 2009"
Listening to a sax player under the tracks between the plaza on the Ginza side of Yurakucho Station and the entrance to the station (off to the side). Trains go by above, people walk by - some stop and listen. Typical Tokyo scene.
"Autumn Colors in a Tokyo Park - November 2009"
Trying to unwind from the stresses of office jungle warfare. Maybe if people spent more time contemplating natural things, they would be less bloodthirsty in the office?
"Harajuku Takeshita Dori (Other Direction) - November 2009
Recorded on a different date from a recent post covering the same street, and walking in the other direction this time - away from Harajuku Station.
"Tree Lights Quest (Omotesando) December 2009"
A decade ago, they stopped putting lights on the trees in Omotesando due to complaints of people living in the area who were inconvenienced by the large crowds that came to see the lights. The story goes that the neighborhood assoication then reversed their ealier decision and decided to put them up again this year to add some cheer to counter the gloomy economic news, etc.
"Old Double Decker Bus Cruising Omotesando Light-up"
I'm not sure, but I suspect this bus was conducting a tour of the lights. The upper deck would be a great place to observe the lights from. (Recorded on December 2nd, 2009 at around 6:30 p.m.)
"Omotesando Jungle Walk - December 2nd, 2009"
Walking with the crowd - with many likely there half to have a look at the trees, and half to know they haven't missed out on the event. (Truth be told, I wanted to get some pictures for those same reasons, basically.)
"Shinjuku Rush Hours Platform, 18:44 December 2009"
Rush hours (it's certainly not over in one single hour!) in Shinjuku see a lot of people moving about. Unless some other station has surpassed it, Shinjuku has the largest number of people passing through it each day - calculated (I think) by the number who set foot off of trains there (both for transfers or when actually going somewhere in Shinjuku).
Lyle (Hiroshi) Saxon
http://www5d.biglobe.ne.jp/~LLLtrs/
http://uk.youtube.com/lylehsaxon
"Morning Toyoko Line - Suit City - November 2009"
A standing room only, but relaxed ride on the Toyoko Line during the morning commute. I ended up on the Toyoko Line due to a "jishin-jiko" (passenger action) on the Yamanote Line. Fortunately the Yamanote Line train I was on was stopped at Shibuya Station when it happened, so I had the option of doing an end run around the problem area via other train trains. This is one of the advantages of the increadible number of train lines in Tokyo - at hub stations, there are usually options to get where you're going via other lines if one of them is not running for some reason. (Recorded on November 16th, 2009.)
"Shinjuku Platform Jungle Walk - November 2009"
Looking out the window of an Ikebukuro-bound Yamanote Line train as it zooms into Shinjuku Station. After getting off the train, walking the full ten-car length of the platform (during rush hours, but after the main peak). (Recorded on November 24th, 2009 at about 7:30 p.m.)
"Evening Ikegami Line - Hatanodai to Ebaranakanobu"
Looking out the front of an Ikegami Line train from its departure in Hatanodai until its arrival in Ebaranakanobu. (Recorded on November 24th, 2009 at about 5:30 p.m.)
"Shimokitazawa Jungle Walk-A - December 1st, 2009"
Walking about in Shimokitazawa on December 1st, 2009. I noticed a number of closed shops - either because it was just after 6:00 or maybe because of the bad economy. I think at least partly due to the bad economy, but I could be wrong. Certainly the economy is bad for me personally, since the large corporation I was working for has begun axing its contract workers, me included....
"Shimokitazawa Jungle Walk-B - December 1st, 2009"
Continuing my walk-about in Shimokitazawa - walking down an old covered shopping street whose days are probably numbered. (Recorded on December 1st, 2009.)
"Shinbashi Train Cyclone - November 2009"
Walking in the opposite direction from my last Shinbashi Station walk video, with trains passing on both sides of the Shinbashi Station Tokaido Line platform, including a couple of 16-car Shinkansen super-express trains.
"Riding Inokashira Line into Shimokitazawa"
Listening to the internal announcement on an Inokashira Line train as it pulls into Shimokitazawa, and then getting off the train and heading for the exit stairs.
"Outside Cooking Display & Microvan in Shimokitazawa"
While jungle walking in Shimokitazawa, pausing to watch an outside cooking... show? display? in front of a... restaurant (I think). A microvan drives by, etc....
"Running for the Train - Ebisu Station" November 2009
Running down the platform at Ebisu Station to get to the front of a Shinjuku-bound Yamanote Line train. (I don't make a habit of doing this, and I don't recommend it, but this is what is looks like.)
"Vertical Running Reflections - Yamanote Line" November 2009
Watching the light show in the window of a Shinjuku-bound Yamanote Line Train.
"Vertical & Horizontal Yamanote Line Reflections" November 2009
Looking outside/inside a Yamanote Line train window at night, and looking over at a fellow passenger's book. Typical nighttime Tokyo train travel....
"Arriving at Harajuku Station (Announcement)" November 2009
Arriving at Harajuku Station. Notice the sound level change of the "Harajuku... Harajuku desu. Gojosha, arigato gozaimasu" announcement from inside the train before the door opens (the first "Harajuku..." part of the announcement) and after (the rest of the announcement/recording).
"Shinjuku Station Jungle Walk - November 2009"
Walking through Shinjuku Station from near the South Exit to the South-East Exit around 7:45 p.m.
"Shinjuku Southern Terrace Blue Lights - November 24th, 2009"
Part of the year-end light displays put up all around the Southern Terrace ("Shinjuku '09-'10 Southern Lights"). Apparently this year, this sort of illumination is done with LED lights, with blue being the color of choice (along with white).
"Ginza Jungle Walk - November 2009"
Walking down a nighttime side street in fashionable Ginza, recorded on November 27th, 2009. The main streets of Ginza are full of "brand" company shops with insanely expensive and often ugly mass-marketed... stuff. Fortunately there are still some interesting galleries and small shops on back and side streets.
"Yurakucho Sax Player - November 27th, 2009"
Listening to a sax player under the tracks between the plaza on the Ginza side of Yurakucho Station and the entrance to the station (off to the side). Trains go by above, people walk by - some stop and listen. Typical Tokyo scene.
"Autumn Colors in a Tokyo Park - November 2009"
Trying to unwind from the stresses of office jungle warfare. Maybe if people spent more time contemplating natural things, they would be less bloodthirsty in the office?
"Harajuku Takeshita Dori (Other Direction) - November 2009
Recorded on a different date from a recent post covering the same street, and walking in the other direction this time - away from Harajuku Station.
"Tree Lights Quest (Omotesando) December 2009"
A decade ago, they stopped putting lights on the trees in Omotesando due to complaints of people living in the area who were inconvenienced by the large crowds that came to see the lights. The story goes that the neighborhood assoication then reversed their ealier decision and decided to put them up again this year to add some cheer to counter the gloomy economic news, etc.
"Old Double Decker Bus Cruising Omotesando Light-up"
I'm not sure, but I suspect this bus was conducting a tour of the lights. The upper deck would be a great place to observe the lights from. (Recorded on December 2nd, 2009 at around 6:30 p.m.)
"Omotesando Jungle Walk - December 2nd, 2009"
Walking with the crowd - with many likely there half to have a look at the trees, and half to know they haven't missed out on the event. (Truth be told, I wanted to get some pictures for those same reasons, basically.)
"Shinjuku Rush Hours Platform, 18:44 December 2009"
Rush hours (it's certainly not over in one single hour!) in Shinjuku see a lot of people moving about. Unless some other station has surpassed it, Shinjuku has the largest number of people passing through it each day - calculated (I think) by the number who set foot off of trains there (both for transfers or when actually going somewhere in Shinjuku).
Lyle (Hiroshi) Saxon
http://www5d.biglobe.ne.jp/~LLLtrs/
http://uk.youtube.com/lylehsaxon
Wednesday, December 09, 2009
"Dirty Jungle Warfare Politics at Office of Efficient Manufacturer"
From a job security standpoint, and as a human being, white color offices tend to be some of the vilest, dirtiest workplaces on the planet. I had thought that the office of a manufacturer which runs efficient factories and manufactures (usually) quality equipment would get some of that quality into its offices, but it turned out to be the dirtiest, sloppiest, most wasteful, meanest, nastiest office I've ever worked in. Go figure. If that same company ran its factories the way it runs its offices, it would go bankrupt within a year and its manufactured machines would be worthless sloppily bolted together piles of garbage.
Compounding its offices' inane rottenness, the "seishain" (direct translation "correct/proper employee" - the full-fledged workers protected by labor laws) and "hakken" (contract workers generally working full time, but often on rotating three-month contracts that help the company escape the labor laws) system is just sick. On one hand, you have grotesquely incompetent seishain workers who are never fired, typically going around wreaking havoc on quality, and on the other hand, you have underpaid (no bonuses, low benefits, no job security, very little protection under the labor laws) hakken workers doing most of the total work and nearly all of the quality work. When a seishain piece of deadwood makes a serious mistake, a sacrificial hakken worker is chosen to be a scapegoat for the worthless, but untouchable seishain worker's sins, and another disposable hakken worker is brought in to fill the axed one's position.
It's a really sick system and it seems to be getting worse. Do I sound upset? I am. I just lost my job to the lies of a pack of dysfunctional evil seishain deadwood that I had the cheek to point out were sabotaging the quality of the section's output. There's not the slightest concern by middle management scum about actual quality - just they are upset that I refused to dive to my hands and knees and kiss the ground their (and their worse than worthless underlings) foul feet walk on.
Lyle (Hiroshi) Saxon
http://www5d.biglobe.ne.jp/~LLLtrs/
http://uk.youtube.com/lylehsaxon
Compounding its offices' inane rottenness, the "seishain" (direct translation "correct/proper employee" - the full-fledged workers protected by labor laws) and "hakken" (contract workers generally working full time, but often on rotating three-month contracts that help the company escape the labor laws) system is just sick. On one hand, you have grotesquely incompetent seishain workers who are never fired, typically going around wreaking havoc on quality, and on the other hand, you have underpaid (no bonuses, low benefits, no job security, very little protection under the labor laws) hakken workers doing most of the total work and nearly all of the quality work. When a seishain piece of deadwood makes a serious mistake, a sacrificial hakken worker is chosen to be a scapegoat for the worthless, but untouchable seishain worker's sins, and another disposable hakken worker is brought in to fill the axed one's position.
It's a really sick system and it seems to be getting worse. Do I sound upset? I am. I just lost my job to the lies of a pack of dysfunctional evil seishain deadwood that I had the cheek to point out were sabotaging the quality of the section's output. There's not the slightest concern by middle management scum about actual quality - just they are upset that I refused to dive to my hands and knees and kiss the ground their (and their worse than worthless underlings) foul feet walk on.
Lyle (Hiroshi) Saxon
http://www5d.biglobe.ne.jp/~LLLtrs/
http://uk.youtube.com/lylehsaxon
Sunday, November 29, 2009
"Nakano, Harajuku, Kodaira, Shinbashi & Koenji"
More video clips. All new stuff from November 2009, except the first one, which is of snow in Nakano and Hibarigaoka in December 1991.
"Rain to Snow - Nakano & Hibarigaoka - Chuo & Seibu Lines - 1991"
Starting on the Chuo Line platform in Shinjuku, taking a Chuo Line train to Nakano, walking around on some of Nakano's main & back streets, and then views of snowy Nakano streets. Walking through the snow to Nakano Station, taking a Chuo Line train to Shinjuku, and then jumping forward to a snowy Seibu-Ikebukuro Line train in Ikebukuro that I take to Hibarigaoka. The video finishes with views of the narrow streets of Hibarigaoka.
Of some historical worth, note the sounds on the Chuo Line train between Nakano and Shinjuku. The old Chuo Line trains produced quite different sounds from the newer type. Last week I saw on older type still being used, but they are very rare now and will soon be completely off the Chuo Line rails (whether they're being scrapped or sent to some other line I don't know).
"Harajuku Back Street Fashion Shops - November 2009"
A walk on a back street in Harajuku. Taken on a weekday evening, there are not many people on the street or in the shops, but on weekends this would look much busier. This area is roughly between Shibuya and Harujuku stations. Recorded on November 18th, 2009.
"Harajuku Takeshita-dori - November 2009"
A walk along the full length of Takeshita-dori. This street has a couple of sections walled off where they've torn down a section of buildings, so eventually, they'll raze everything and build something new (this is the way of Tokyo, city of "Nothing old allowed!"), but for now, much the same crowd of (ever changing & not changing) middle-school and high-school girls (and some boys) like to stroll and shop here. Leading directly to one of the entrance/exits of Harajuku Station, it's a good location for this type of shop. (Recorded on November 18th, 2009.)
"Where is Everybody? - Harajuku, November 18th, 2009"
Mostly empty Harajuku back streets. Depending on the human density of the city you live in, this might look busy, but for Tokyo, it looks downright desolate. Relaxing to walk along the street when it's like this, but looking in the mostly empty shops, you can't help but think that the economy really isn't doing very well (which it isn't), and worry about the future. Maybe it's best to not think anything, and just enjoy the space? Naw... you have to think. (Recorded on November 18th, 2009)
"Autumn Day in Chuo Park in Kodaira" November 23rd, 2009
Riding out along the Tamagawa Canal starting around Kichijoji, I came upon a nice park in Kodaira - Chuo Koen (Central Park), with playgrounds, a soccer field, food stalls, trees with their leaves turning, and an outdoor concert. Quite nice overall for a cool autumn day. About as good of an autumn day as any I've seen. (This video was taken just before 3:00 p.m., even though it looks more like it's nearly 5:00. Tokyo is in the wrong time zone, so at this time of year, it gets dark shockingly early.)
"Bossa Nova Concert in Kodaira Chuo Park" November 23rd, 2009
The outdoor concert mentioned above (in Kodaira's Chuo Park) was bossa nova music. This video shows the appreciative crowd under the colorful leaves of the park's trees - which were just beginning to change in Tokyo's autumn.
"Tamagawa-josui Canal Cycling (1/2) - November 23rd, 2009"
Built in 1653 to supply Edo (current Tokyo) with water, it is still used (I think) to supply Mitaka with some of its water needs, but to the people living along its path, it's more important as a long green beltway (trees on both sides help stabilize the banks of the canal) used for strolls, jogging, and cycling. Some stretches are more convenient than others, and you have to switch sides from time to time and navigate past paths full of fire-breathing machinery.
"Tamagawa-josui Canal Cycling (2/2) - November 23rd, 2009"
Another part of my Monday, November 23rd, 2009 bicycle ride along the canal.
"Concert in the Park - November 23rd, 2009"
Another view of the bossa nova concert in Kodaira's Chuo Park.
"Shinbashi Station - Platform Jungle Walk-A" (November 2009)
Taking a Tokaido Line train up to Shinbashi from Shinagawa, I started at the Tokyo end of the platform and walked all the way to the Shinagawa end. I'm not sure I had ever walked the full length of a 15-car train/platform before, so I was curious how long it would take. It seems to take between four and five minutes, depending on your walking speed and how many obstacles you have to maneuver around as you make your way down the platform.
Also in the video (to the right and left of the Tokaido Line platform), passing Keihin-Tohoku Line trains, passing Yamanote Line trains, and passing Shinkansen super express trains.
"Koenji Jungle Walk - November 2009"
Walking around on the streets of Koenji on Wednesday, November 25th, 2009. Areas like this are nice to walk around in - particularly in the evening, when people are out shopping. This is one of the things I like about living in Tokyo - you can start from a station somewhere in the city, and just by walking in a random direction, tumble on ares like in this video.
This is only possible however in areas where most people don't have cars, and use their feet and trains to travel. The car culture destroys this kind of thing, because then the streets are made for fire-breathing machinery instead of air-breathing people....
"Koenji Side Streets - November 2009"
More walking down side streets in Koenji on Wednesday, November 25th, 2009.
Lyle (Hiroshi) Saxon
http://www5d.biglobe.ne.jp/~LLLtrs/
http://uk.youtube.com/lylehsaxon
"Rain to Snow - Nakano & Hibarigaoka - Chuo & Seibu Lines - 1991"
Starting on the Chuo Line platform in Shinjuku, taking a Chuo Line train to Nakano, walking around on some of Nakano's main & back streets, and then views of snowy Nakano streets. Walking through the snow to Nakano Station, taking a Chuo Line train to Shinjuku, and then jumping forward to a snowy Seibu-Ikebukuro Line train in Ikebukuro that I take to Hibarigaoka. The video finishes with views of the narrow streets of Hibarigaoka.
Of some historical worth, note the sounds on the Chuo Line train between Nakano and Shinjuku. The old Chuo Line trains produced quite different sounds from the newer type. Last week I saw on older type still being used, but they are very rare now and will soon be completely off the Chuo Line rails (whether they're being scrapped or sent to some other line I don't know).
"Harajuku Back Street Fashion Shops - November 2009"
A walk on a back street in Harajuku. Taken on a weekday evening, there are not many people on the street or in the shops, but on weekends this would look much busier. This area is roughly between Shibuya and Harujuku stations. Recorded on November 18th, 2009.
"Harajuku Takeshita-dori - November 2009"
A walk along the full length of Takeshita-dori. This street has a couple of sections walled off where they've torn down a section of buildings, so eventually, they'll raze everything and build something new (this is the way of Tokyo, city of "Nothing old allowed!"), but for now, much the same crowd of (ever changing & not changing) middle-school and high-school girls (and some boys) like to stroll and shop here. Leading directly to one of the entrance/exits of Harajuku Station, it's a good location for this type of shop. (Recorded on November 18th, 2009.)
"Where is Everybody? - Harajuku, November 18th, 2009"
Mostly empty Harajuku back streets. Depending on the human density of the city you live in, this might look busy, but for Tokyo, it looks downright desolate. Relaxing to walk along the street when it's like this, but looking in the mostly empty shops, you can't help but think that the economy really isn't doing very well (which it isn't), and worry about the future. Maybe it's best to not think anything, and just enjoy the space? Naw... you have to think. (Recorded on November 18th, 2009)
"Autumn Day in Chuo Park in Kodaira" November 23rd, 2009
Riding out along the Tamagawa Canal starting around Kichijoji, I came upon a nice park in Kodaira - Chuo Koen (Central Park), with playgrounds, a soccer field, food stalls, trees with their leaves turning, and an outdoor concert. Quite nice overall for a cool autumn day. About as good of an autumn day as any I've seen. (This video was taken just before 3:00 p.m., even though it looks more like it's nearly 5:00. Tokyo is in the wrong time zone, so at this time of year, it gets dark shockingly early.)
"Bossa Nova Concert in Kodaira Chuo Park" November 23rd, 2009
The outdoor concert mentioned above (in Kodaira's Chuo Park) was bossa nova music. This video shows the appreciative crowd under the colorful leaves of the park's trees - which were just beginning to change in Tokyo's autumn.
"Tamagawa-josui Canal Cycling (1/2) - November 23rd, 2009"
Built in 1653 to supply Edo (current Tokyo) with water, it is still used (I think) to supply Mitaka with some of its water needs, but to the people living along its path, it's more important as a long green beltway (trees on both sides help stabilize the banks of the canal) used for strolls, jogging, and cycling. Some stretches are more convenient than others, and you have to switch sides from time to time and navigate past paths full of fire-breathing machinery.
"Tamagawa-josui Canal Cycling (2/2) - November 23rd, 2009"
Another part of my Monday, November 23rd, 2009 bicycle ride along the canal.
"Concert in the Park - November 23rd, 2009"
Another view of the bossa nova concert in Kodaira's Chuo Park.
"Shinbashi Station - Platform Jungle Walk-A" (November 2009)
Taking a Tokaido Line train up to Shinbashi from Shinagawa, I started at the Tokyo end of the platform and walked all the way to the Shinagawa end. I'm not sure I had ever walked the full length of a 15-car train/platform before, so I was curious how long it would take. It seems to take between four and five minutes, depending on your walking speed and how many obstacles you have to maneuver around as you make your way down the platform.
Also in the video (to the right and left of the Tokaido Line platform), passing Keihin-Tohoku Line trains, passing Yamanote Line trains, and passing Shinkansen super express trains.
"Koenji Jungle Walk - November 2009"
Walking around on the streets of Koenji on Wednesday, November 25th, 2009. Areas like this are nice to walk around in - particularly in the evening, when people are out shopping. This is one of the things I like about living in Tokyo - you can start from a station somewhere in the city, and just by walking in a random direction, tumble on ares like in this video.
This is only possible however in areas where most people don't have cars, and use their feet and trains to travel. The car culture destroys this kind of thing, because then the streets are made for fire-breathing machinery instead of air-breathing people....
"Koenji Side Streets - November 2009"
More walking down side streets in Koenji on Wednesday, November 25th, 2009.
Lyle (Hiroshi) Saxon
http://www5d.biglobe.ne.jp/~LLLtrs/
http://uk.youtube.com/lylehsaxon
Monday, November 23, 2009
"Former Black Market, Jungle Walking, etc."
1990 Ueno, the Chuo Line, Shinjuku jungle walking, Hatanodai Station, etc, are themes of recently posted videos:
"1990 Ueno Street Market (Former Black Market)"
The semi-outdoor market near Ueno Station, running along the elevated railway was a black market right after WW-II. The market is still there, and is (naturally) not a black market now, but still sells things somewhat in the spirit of what the area was before. The area has gone through stages - from black market to legitimate market of things sold more cheaply than at major stores, to... I'm not sure what to call it now. There are now discount stores all over the city, so there's less incentive to go there than there used to be, but it's still crowded at weekends and just before the New Year's holiday. In 1990, when this video was taken, it was a little more popular than it is now I think, and it had a bit different of an atmosphere than it does now.
"Shinjuku Kabukicho to East Side - Jungle Walk - November 2009"
Walking from the edge of Kabukicho, to near the east side entrance to Shinjuku Station. Typical walking scenes for Tokyo.
"Boarding Chuo Line in Shinjuku - November 2009"
Watching a Chuo Line train as it pulls in to Shinjuku Station; watching people get off, and then finally boarding the train myself. After decades of riding the trains here, these sights are as familiar as the sun in the sky.
"Shinjuku Higashi-guchi Jungle Walk - November 2009"
Starting from the ground level door that leads out of Shinjuku Station from the East Exit, and walking to the main street on the edge of Kabukicho - at night of course. (I should record some images in the daytime sometime, but I'm working in a large box then, so I usually have to wait until evening, when the sun has gone down.)
"Shinjuku Higashi-guchi Rain Jungle Walk - November 2009"
Walking in Shinjuku on the Higashi-guchi (east) side. Recorded November 17th, 2009. Christmas decorations are already appearing in department stores....
"Nighttime Yamanote Line - Ebisu to Shibuya (November 2009)"
Looking out the front of the Yamanote Line as it goes from Ebisu Station to Shibuya Station. The man you can see in the cab of the train is not the driver - the driver is to the left of that person. The reason there were two people in the cab appeared to be due to the driver being new and undergoing training. On that train, both the conductor at the back and the driver were women.
"Umbrella River - Shinjuku (November 2009)"
Walking through a river of umbrellas on the way to the east entrance to Shinjuku Station on November 17th, 2009.
"Express & Local Trains at Hatanodai Station"
Watching an express train arrive and leave at Hatanodai Station, and then getting on a local train going in the same direction. Hatanodai Station was fairly recently rebuilt and is of a modern style.
"Harajuku Fashion Hunt (A) - November 2009"
Walking around in Harajuku in the evening, looking at the many small shops selling fashion-related stuff. Recorded in November 2009.
"Nighttime Yamanote Line - Yoyogi to Shinjuku - November 18th, 2009"
Looking out the front of the Yamanote Line as it goes from Yoyogi to Shinjuku at about 6:18 p.m., on November 18th, 2009.
Lyle (Hiroshi) Saxon
http://www5d.biglobe.ne.jp/~LLLtrs/
http://uk.youtube.com/lylehsaxon
"1990 Ueno Street Market (Former Black Market)"
The semi-outdoor market near Ueno Station, running along the elevated railway was a black market right after WW-II. The market is still there, and is (naturally) not a black market now, but still sells things somewhat in the spirit of what the area was before. The area has gone through stages - from black market to legitimate market of things sold more cheaply than at major stores, to... I'm not sure what to call it now. There are now discount stores all over the city, so there's less incentive to go there than there used to be, but it's still crowded at weekends and just before the New Year's holiday. In 1990, when this video was taken, it was a little more popular than it is now I think, and it had a bit different of an atmosphere than it does now.
"Shinjuku Kabukicho to East Side - Jungle Walk - November 2009"
Walking from the edge of Kabukicho, to near the east side entrance to Shinjuku Station. Typical walking scenes for Tokyo.
"Boarding Chuo Line in Shinjuku - November 2009"
Watching a Chuo Line train as it pulls in to Shinjuku Station; watching people get off, and then finally boarding the train myself. After decades of riding the trains here, these sights are as familiar as the sun in the sky.
"Shinjuku Higashi-guchi Jungle Walk - November 2009"
Starting from the ground level door that leads out of Shinjuku Station from the East Exit, and walking to the main street on the edge of Kabukicho - at night of course. (I should record some images in the daytime sometime, but I'm working in a large box then, so I usually have to wait until evening, when the sun has gone down.)
"Shinjuku Higashi-guchi Rain Jungle Walk - November 2009"
Walking in Shinjuku on the Higashi-guchi (east) side. Recorded November 17th, 2009. Christmas decorations are already appearing in department stores....
"Nighttime Yamanote Line - Ebisu to Shibuya (November 2009)"
Looking out the front of the Yamanote Line as it goes from Ebisu Station to Shibuya Station. The man you can see in the cab of the train is not the driver - the driver is to the left of that person. The reason there were two people in the cab appeared to be due to the driver being new and undergoing training. On that train, both the conductor at the back and the driver were women.
"Umbrella River - Shinjuku (November 2009)"
Walking through a river of umbrellas on the way to the east entrance to Shinjuku Station on November 17th, 2009.
"Express & Local Trains at Hatanodai Station"
Watching an express train arrive and leave at Hatanodai Station, and then getting on a local train going in the same direction. Hatanodai Station was fairly recently rebuilt and is of a modern style.
"Harajuku Fashion Hunt (A) - November 2009"
Walking around in Harajuku in the evening, looking at the many small shops selling fashion-related stuff. Recorded in November 2009.
"Nighttime Yamanote Line - Yoyogi to Shinjuku - November 18th, 2009"
Looking out the front of the Yamanote Line as it goes from Yoyogi to Shinjuku at about 6:18 p.m., on November 18th, 2009.
Lyle (Hiroshi) Saxon
http://www5d.biglobe.ne.jp/~LLLtrs/
http://uk.youtube.com/lylehsaxon
Thursday, November 12, 2009
"Orange Prompts Suicide via Rails & Blue Prompts Life?"
Suicide is not uncommon in Japan, and has historically been considered an honorable exit when no other paths appear to be forthcoming. And in modern times, people who commit suicide not uncommonly will do so by jumping in front of a train, typically at the head of the platform as the train comes in at speed. Some train lines are more popular for doing this than others - the Chuo Line is famous in Tokyo for having a large number of suicides. Naturally, since the people who successfully commit suicide cannot be consulted as to why they did it, or why they chose a particular place, it's left for the living to ponder.
Why the Chuo Line?
The Chuo Line was - for decades - a deep orange color, what some semi-color-blind people refer to as red, but everyone (except some flat-out color-blind people) agree is a warm color. One fine day, I was talking with someone and (naturally), the topic of the Chuo Line's high suicide rate came up. I looked on as though watching a science fiction movie as I was told there's a theory that the reason a lot of people choose to die by jumping in front of the Chuo Line is because it's a shade of red!
I blinked a couple of times, looked into unblinking eyes, and asked if they were serious. They were. Then, to test the idea, I asked several other people over a couple of years and was disappointed/distressed to find a majority of people submitting to this theory, saying they had heard (and apparently believed) that it was an aggressive color that prompted people to jump in front of the train! So I tried acting out the scenario in front of a few believers of this theory by saying (with words, facial expressions, and gestures): "Hum-dee-dum... Ah! Here comes the train.... Look at that color! Such aggression! ...... All right! That's it! Time to die!".
I mean... come on! Does that make sense to you? It does? I still don't get it....
Anyway! They have replaced the deep-orange trains with white/silver/orange trains that are (from the front) just silver and white... and still people are committing suicide by jumping in front of the Chuo Line. Suddenly you don't hear about the warm color theory as to why people are choosing the ultimate exit via the Chuo Line.
But wait! The theory lives! JR Railways has installed squares of blue light (beaming down from overhead) at the end of all the platforms on the central Yamanote loop line. Why? Because blue is a calming color and they think it may make people thinking of committing suicide calm down and change their minds....
Now, back to the Chuo Line. Let's look at a couple of other possibilities. The Chuo Line has, on an average basis over the course of a full day, the most crowded trains in all of Japan. So - if there are a given percentage of train riders on any given line that eventually commit suicide by jumping in front of a train, gee, you might actually have more suicides on the most crowded line! Rocket Science! And if the conditions on the most crowded line in the country are the most unpleasant, then, gee, maybe some people get seriously depressed about becoming canned sardines for two or three hours every day and decide they can't take it any more, so they take the jump.
Just why is it that no logical reasons are discussed, and everyone latches onto the nonsense about the color of the train being the reason? From the railway's perspective this is convenient, because if the reason people are committing suicide is because of overcrowding on the line, then they could face potential legal responsibility for creating a cause of the death by not (somehow) providing more trains and alleviating the crowding somewhat. Mind you, I'm not suggesting negligence on the part of the train system here, either the Chuo Line specifically or the whole rail system in general. It's an excellent system and it's amazing it functions as well as it does with the 30,000,000 people living in Tokyo.
But here's the thing. I used to work at a PR agency and I've seen a little how something is put into the media, broadcast, and then accepted by people because they saw it on television. PR agencies identify "Opinion Leaders" and other sources of public thinking and try to influence them. Who knows, it might even be some scientific thing about deep orange that actually does lead to suicide, but either way, from the railway's standpoint, it's vastly better if people are discussing the issue as though it were a natural phenomenon rather than a human-made cause. If it's just a natural phenomenon, then people will not ask them to do something (and anyway, it looks as though they have done something now by changing the color of the trains), but if it's based on conditions (far more likely!), then people will begin clamoring for them to do something.
Anyway - it'll be interesting to see what becomes of the blue lights on the Yamanote Line. The platforms are so brightly lit with white florescent tubes that the blue is only in that one small spot right at the end of the platform, but maybe some people bent on self-destruction will actually change their minds as they enter the blue light....
Lyle (Hiroshi) Saxon
http://www5d.biglobe.ne.jp/~LLLtrs/
http://uk.youtube.com/lylehsaxon
Why the Chuo Line?
The Chuo Line was - for decades - a deep orange color, what some semi-color-blind people refer to as red, but everyone (except some flat-out color-blind people) agree is a warm color. One fine day, I was talking with someone and (naturally), the topic of the Chuo Line's high suicide rate came up. I looked on as though watching a science fiction movie as I was told there's a theory that the reason a lot of people choose to die by jumping in front of the Chuo Line is because it's a shade of red!
I blinked a couple of times, looked into unblinking eyes, and asked if they were serious. They were. Then, to test the idea, I asked several other people over a couple of years and was disappointed/distressed to find a majority of people submitting to this theory, saying they had heard (and apparently believed) that it was an aggressive color that prompted people to jump in front of the train! So I tried acting out the scenario in front of a few believers of this theory by saying (with words, facial expressions, and gestures): "Hum-dee-dum... Ah! Here comes the train.... Look at that color! Such aggression! ...... All right! That's it! Time to die!".
I mean... come on! Does that make sense to you? It does? I still don't get it....
Anyway! They have replaced the deep-orange trains with white/silver/orange trains that are (from the front) just silver and white... and still people are committing suicide by jumping in front of the Chuo Line. Suddenly you don't hear about the warm color theory as to why people are choosing the ultimate exit via the Chuo Line.
But wait! The theory lives! JR Railways has installed squares of blue light (beaming down from overhead) at the end of all the platforms on the central Yamanote loop line. Why? Because blue is a calming color and they think it may make people thinking of committing suicide calm down and change their minds....
Now, back to the Chuo Line. Let's look at a couple of other possibilities. The Chuo Line has, on an average basis over the course of a full day, the most crowded trains in all of Japan. So - if there are a given percentage of train riders on any given line that eventually commit suicide by jumping in front of a train, gee, you might actually have more suicides on the most crowded line! Rocket Science! And if the conditions on the most crowded line in the country are the most unpleasant, then, gee, maybe some people get seriously depressed about becoming canned sardines for two or three hours every day and decide they can't take it any more, so they take the jump.
Just why is it that no logical reasons are discussed, and everyone latches onto the nonsense about the color of the train being the reason? From the railway's perspective this is convenient, because if the reason people are committing suicide is because of overcrowding on the line, then they could face potential legal responsibility for creating a cause of the death by not (somehow) providing more trains and alleviating the crowding somewhat. Mind you, I'm not suggesting negligence on the part of the train system here, either the Chuo Line specifically or the whole rail system in general. It's an excellent system and it's amazing it functions as well as it does with the 30,000,000 people living in Tokyo.
But here's the thing. I used to work at a PR agency and I've seen a little how something is put into the media, broadcast, and then accepted by people because they saw it on television. PR agencies identify "Opinion Leaders" and other sources of public thinking and try to influence them. Who knows, it might even be some scientific thing about deep orange that actually does lead to suicide, but either way, from the railway's standpoint, it's vastly better if people are discussing the issue as though it were a natural phenomenon rather than a human-made cause. If it's just a natural phenomenon, then people will not ask them to do something (and anyway, it looks as though they have done something now by changing the color of the trains), but if it's based on conditions (far more likely!), then people will begin clamoring for them to do something.
Anyway - it'll be interesting to see what becomes of the blue lights on the Yamanote Line. The platforms are so brightly lit with white florescent tubes that the blue is only in that one small spot right at the end of the platform, but maybe some people bent on self-destruction will actually change their minds as they enter the blue light....
Lyle (Hiroshi) Saxon
http://www5d.biglobe.ne.jp/~LLLtrs/
http://uk.youtube.com/lylehsaxon
Tuesday, November 10, 2009
"Track Walking?"
There seem to be an increased number of train delays while they "clear the tracks" of someone wandering around on them. Keep in mind that these are always fenced off from public roads and pedestrian walkways, and most are elevated rails, so - in most cases - nobody is on the rails unless they really want to be there. Yesterday two of my trains were delayed for this reason - one ten minutes and another thirty-five minutes.
And... that's the story. The questions are:
1) Who is doing this?
2) Why?
I'm in a calmer frame of mind today after getting a decent night's sleep, but yesterday I was thinking "Speed up the trains! Knock those swine off the rails!" Very long commutes in sardine conditions do not make for the most magnanimous frame of mind....
Lyle (Hiroshi) Saxon
http://www5d.biglobe.ne.jp/~LLLtrs/
http://uk.youtube.com/lylehsaxon
And... that's the story. The questions are:
1) Who is doing this?
2) Why?
I'm in a calmer frame of mind today after getting a decent night's sleep, but yesterday I was thinking "Speed up the trains! Knock those swine off the rails!" Very long commutes in sardine conditions do not make for the most magnanimous frame of mind....
Lyle (Hiroshi) Saxon
http://www5d.biglobe.ne.jp/~LLLtrs/
http://uk.youtube.com/lylehsaxon
"Tokyo Motor Show 2009"
The first Tokyo Motor Show was held in Hibiya Park in 1954. People who know the current Hibiya Park are usually surprised to hear this and beam over a quick "Are you serious?!" look to the person who tells them, but the park was different then, and the first show was on a smaller scale than modern versions of the show, with 254 exhibitors displaying 267 items, with only 17 of the 267 being passenger cars. Most of the exhibits were construction equipment, trucks, buses, three-wheel vehicles (something to do with tax laws I think), and motorcycles. The first four shows were held in Hibiya Park (1954-57), the 1958 show was held at the Korakuen Bicycle Racing Track, and from 1959 until 1987, it was held at Harumi. It was a yearly show from 1954 until 1973, and - coinciding with the 1970's "oil shock" period, became (mainly) a once-every-two-years event from 1975. With Japan's economic boom of the eighties, it was moved to the new (at the time) Makuhari Messe site in Chiba (basically a suburb of Tokyo) from the 1989 show.
My first two experiences of going to the Tokyo Motor Show were the 1985 and 1987 shows at Harumi. In 1985, I rode a ferry over to the site from Hamamatsucho, and in 1987 I hiked in from a not-very-convenient subway station on the other side. Harumi was interesting is that there were several different types of buildings that the exhibits were displayed in, and since you had to go outside to get from one building to another, the venue had a sort of park-like atmosphere. And with each building came a different atmosphere, since some of the buildings were completely different in style from the others. I'm not explaining it very well, but there was something very fundamentally different about Harumi, which became apparent once the show moved to Makuhari Messe.
The first year at Makuhari Messe, 1989, coincided with Japan's boom economy (which seemed to be unaffected by the Wall Street woes of a couple of years before), and was the first year of the Heisei Era. Visiting the 1989 show at the new site, I remember the feeling in the air of "New!-New!-New!", "Exciting!-Exciting!-Exciting!", "Better!-Better!-Better!". A couple of years later, Japan's "bubble economy" burst, and that intoxicated feeling in the air turned into a hangover in some ways, but it was the threshold of a new era for Japan, and when I think back to 1984-86, I realize how very different that era was from now, and see the late eighties as the line between the two eras. Most fundamentally change-inducing for the culture of this country has been the strong yen. It was 245 to the dollar when I came, and it soared to around 100 yen to the dollar around the time of the beginning of the Heisei Era. With the strong yen has come cheap overseas travel and cheap imports, both strongly changing contemporary Japanese culture.
So much background.... I hadn't meant to spend this much time on this subject, but to explain the feelings I had when visiting the 41st Motor Show this year, I needed to explain how it felt at Harumi, and then the more modern Makuhari Messe, and it was only one step (disregarding the one show at Korakuen) further back to explain the very first show in Hibiya Park. It's hard to put the experience of the show this year into words, but one word I keep coming back to while searching for a better one, is "lonely". Aside from an interest in cars or any intent to buy one, the show has always been a big event that people tend to be interested in seeing, and then conveying to friends later. This year though, major foreign manufacturers didn't participate, the total area of the show was greatly reduced, there were fewer show people on the stages, and attendance appeared to be way down. Of course, people don't really need to go to a show any more to see what's new - they can just access whatever information they want from their computer, so the main reason to have the show may have evaporated. Combine that with the bad economy, and you find yourself wondering if there will even be a show in two years. Could it be that 2009 was the last Tokyo Motor Show? Probably not, but I almost didn't go myself, and I've found that people aren't interested in even hearing about the event this year, and one person I talked to afterwards wasn't even aware of its existence.
Anyway. All that to introduce a few short video clips... beginning with a view from the front of the Keiyo Line train I took to the convention center:
"Keiyo Line on way to 2009 TMS" - November 4th, 2009
Looking out the front, at the driver, to the side, inside, and then back to the front view again of a Keiyo Line train on the way to Makuhari Messe to see the 41st Tokyo Motor Show.
"Tokyo Motor Show 2009 (Mazda A)"
Views of the Mazda exhibition at the 2009 Tokyo Motor Show, taken on November 4th, 2009.
"Tokyo Motor Show 2009 (Subaru A)"
Views of the Subaru exhibition.
"Tokyo Motor Show 2009 (Mazda B)"
More views of the Mazda exhibition.
"Tokyo Motor Show 2009 (Honda A)"
Views of the Honda exhibition.
"Tokyo Motor Show 2009 (Honda B)"
View of the motorcycle stage presentation at the Honda exhibition.
"Tokyo Motor Show 2009 (Honda C)"
Another view of the motorcycle stage presentation at the Honda exhibition.
"Tokyo Motor Show 2009 (Camera Madness)"
Three beautiful stage women draw a swarm of camera-equipped males. They don't call this event the "Tokyo Motor & Model Show" for nothing! (Just joking of course! It's official name is "Tokyo Motor Show".)
"Tokyo Motor Show 2009 (Suzuki A)"
Views of the Suzuki car exhibition.
And then back in a train for the return trip to central Tokyo:
"Keiyo Line, Tokyo Bound (Evening Sky)" - November 4th, 2009
Looking out the window of a Keiyo Line train on the way back to Tokyo after seeing the 2009 Tokyo Motor Show.
For a history of the various Tokyo Motor Shows, see this page:
http://www.tokyo-motorshow.com/eng/show/history/
Someone mentioned that they would be staying at the Hotel Sunroute Plaza near Shinjuku Station, so I took this video to make it easier to find from Shinjuku Station:
"Shinjuku Station to Hotel Sunroute Plaza" - November 2nd, 2009
The last half of this should stay accurate for some time, but the first half may well change fairly soon. The south exit area of Shinjuku Station (actually in Shibuya by address) is in the middle of a long-term construction project. Also note that the Narita Express train (that is just arriving in the video) is on its way *to* Narita, so the trains coming *from* Narita should be arriving on the other side of the platform.
A jump back in time to 1990, when I visited the open-air (but with roofs) market in Ueno:
"Ueno Ameyokocho - September 1990A"
From Ueno Station to Ameyokocho, which was a black-market area following WW-II. For about a decade now, there are inexpensive discount stores everywhere, so not as many people go to Ueno in search of bargain prices as they did before. In this 1990 video, you can see how it looked before the number of customers started falling.
Lyle (Hiroshi) Saxon
http://www5d.biglobe.ne.jp/~LLLtrs/
http://uk.youtube.com/lylehsaxon
My first two experiences of going to the Tokyo Motor Show were the 1985 and 1987 shows at Harumi. In 1985, I rode a ferry over to the site from Hamamatsucho, and in 1987 I hiked in from a not-very-convenient subway station on the other side. Harumi was interesting is that there were several different types of buildings that the exhibits were displayed in, and since you had to go outside to get from one building to another, the venue had a sort of park-like atmosphere. And with each building came a different atmosphere, since some of the buildings were completely different in style from the others. I'm not explaining it very well, but there was something very fundamentally different about Harumi, which became apparent once the show moved to Makuhari Messe.
The first year at Makuhari Messe, 1989, coincided with Japan's boom economy (which seemed to be unaffected by the Wall Street woes of a couple of years before), and was the first year of the Heisei Era. Visiting the 1989 show at the new site, I remember the feeling in the air of "New!-New!-New!", "Exciting!-Exciting!-Exciting!", "Better!-Better!-Better!". A couple of years later, Japan's "bubble economy" burst, and that intoxicated feeling in the air turned into a hangover in some ways, but it was the threshold of a new era for Japan, and when I think back to 1984-86, I realize how very different that era was from now, and see the late eighties as the line between the two eras. Most fundamentally change-inducing for the culture of this country has been the strong yen. It was 245 to the dollar when I came, and it soared to around 100 yen to the dollar around the time of the beginning of the Heisei Era. With the strong yen has come cheap overseas travel and cheap imports, both strongly changing contemporary Japanese culture.
So much background.... I hadn't meant to spend this much time on this subject, but to explain the feelings I had when visiting the 41st Motor Show this year, I needed to explain how it felt at Harumi, and then the more modern Makuhari Messe, and it was only one step (disregarding the one show at Korakuen) further back to explain the very first show in Hibiya Park. It's hard to put the experience of the show this year into words, but one word I keep coming back to while searching for a better one, is "lonely". Aside from an interest in cars or any intent to buy one, the show has always been a big event that people tend to be interested in seeing, and then conveying to friends later. This year though, major foreign manufacturers didn't participate, the total area of the show was greatly reduced, there were fewer show people on the stages, and attendance appeared to be way down. Of course, people don't really need to go to a show any more to see what's new - they can just access whatever information they want from their computer, so the main reason to have the show may have evaporated. Combine that with the bad economy, and you find yourself wondering if there will even be a show in two years. Could it be that 2009 was the last Tokyo Motor Show? Probably not, but I almost didn't go myself, and I've found that people aren't interested in even hearing about the event this year, and one person I talked to afterwards wasn't even aware of its existence.
Anyway. All that to introduce a few short video clips... beginning with a view from the front of the Keiyo Line train I took to the convention center:
"Keiyo Line on way to 2009 TMS" - November 4th, 2009
Looking out the front, at the driver, to the side, inside, and then back to the front view again of a Keiyo Line train on the way to Makuhari Messe to see the 41st Tokyo Motor Show.
"Tokyo Motor Show 2009 (Mazda A)"
Views of the Mazda exhibition at the 2009 Tokyo Motor Show, taken on November 4th, 2009.
"Tokyo Motor Show 2009 (Subaru A)"
Views of the Subaru exhibition.
"Tokyo Motor Show 2009 (Mazda B)"
More views of the Mazda exhibition.
"Tokyo Motor Show 2009 (Honda A)"
Views of the Honda exhibition.
"Tokyo Motor Show 2009 (Honda B)"
View of the motorcycle stage presentation at the Honda exhibition.
"Tokyo Motor Show 2009 (Honda C)"
Another view of the motorcycle stage presentation at the Honda exhibition.
"Tokyo Motor Show 2009 (Camera Madness)"
Three beautiful stage women draw a swarm of camera-equipped males. They don't call this event the "Tokyo Motor & Model Show" for nothing! (Just joking of course! It's official name is "Tokyo Motor Show".)
"Tokyo Motor Show 2009 (Suzuki A)"
Views of the Suzuki car exhibition.
And then back in a train for the return trip to central Tokyo:
"Keiyo Line, Tokyo Bound (Evening Sky)" - November 4th, 2009
Looking out the window of a Keiyo Line train on the way back to Tokyo after seeing the 2009 Tokyo Motor Show.
For a history of the various Tokyo Motor Shows, see this page:
http://www.tokyo-motorshow.com/eng/show/history/
Someone mentioned that they would be staying at the Hotel Sunroute Plaza near Shinjuku Station, so I took this video to make it easier to find from Shinjuku Station:
"Shinjuku Station to Hotel Sunroute Plaza" - November 2nd, 2009
The last half of this should stay accurate for some time, but the first half may well change fairly soon. The south exit area of Shinjuku Station (actually in Shibuya by address) is in the middle of a long-term construction project. Also note that the Narita Express train (that is just arriving in the video) is on its way *to* Narita, so the trains coming *from* Narita should be arriving on the other side of the platform.
A jump back in time to 1990, when I visited the open-air (but with roofs) market in Ueno:
"Ueno Ameyokocho - September 1990A"
From Ueno Station to Ameyokocho, which was a black-market area following WW-II. For about a decade now, there are inexpensive discount stores everywhere, so not as many people go to Ueno in search of bargain prices as they did before. In this 1990 video, you can see how it looked before the number of customers started falling.
Lyle (Hiroshi) Saxon
http://www5d.biglobe.ne.jp/~LLLtrs/
http://uk.youtube.com/lylehsaxon
Sunday, November 01, 2009
"Walk-About Videos"
Time - as in there's never enough to do all the things you want to do, such as detailed editing of large amounts of video images. So... facing the decision to post nothing for a couple of weeks or to post some raw footage, I went with posting raw footage. This doesn't mean I've given up on editing - it just means that I thought the raw stuff might make for (barely) tolerable watching. With that... disclaimer? - on to the videos:
"Shibuya Shop Walk (Inside) - October 2009"
Walking through the indoor shopping & restaurant strip that leads from Dogenzaka down to Shibuya Station. No edited out bits - just one steady walk - ending up on the Yamanote Line platform for Shinjuku-bound trains.
"Ginza Sanpo-E - October 28th, 2009-A"
Strolling around in Ginza, visiting art galleries, etc. The weather on Wednesday, October 28th, 2009 (when this was taken), was perfect for walking. Cool enough that a light jacket was appreciated, but not cold yet and the trees mostly still have green leaves.
"Ginza Night - October 28th, 2009-B"
More walking around in Ginza as the weather hints at the coming winter. I walk past a fashionable woman wearing a kimono while crossing a street, etc.
"Shibuya Jungle Walk-A - October 29th, 2009"
Riding into town (Shibuya, Shinjuku, etc. are considered "towns" within Tokyo) on the Yamanote Line, I jump off the train and dive into the jungle of evening Shibuya. Taken at around 5:15 p.m., there are a lot of students there who have come by after getting out of high school for the day and before going home for the night. There are some university students and whatnot as well, but I get the impression (not necessarily accurate) that the area is more popular with high school students than university students, but university students don't wear uniforms, so it's hard to say by appearance.
There is also a view (inside & out) of the train car (used as a waiting area) in Hachiko Plaza and the Hachiko dog statue. Incidentally, the street I went jungle walking on used to be a river (stream?), that they put underground in order to make that street.
"Shinjuku Bound Yamanote Line Train at Shibuya"
All 11 cars of a Shinjuku/Takadanobaba/Ikebukuro-bound Yamanote Line train zoom past at Shibuya Station. (Taken on October 30th, 2009.)
"Shibuya Jungle Walk-A - October 30th, 2009"
Walking around in Shibuya in the evening (first of three). The streets chosen for this walk are different from the ones I recorded for the "Shop Walk" video.
"Shibuya Jungle Walk-B - October 30th, 2009"
Continuing my Friday evening walkabout in Shibuya.
"Shibuya Jungle Walk-C - October 30th, 2009"
Last of three walkabout videos taken on Friday evening, October 30th, 2009, in Shibuya.
"GDU University Aki-Matsuri (1) - November 1st, 2009"
A fall festival at GDU University. The students are running booths selling different types of food & drink. These are fun to go to, but I generally end up spending more money than I would prefer!
"Gakugei Daigaku (University) Jazz Band - Nov. 1st, 2009"
A cool jazz band at the Aki Matsuri (Fall Festival) at Gakugei Daigaku (Gakugei University) on October 31st and November 1st, 2009. Jazz appears to be much more popular in Japan than in its birthplace, the US.
Lyle (Hiroshi) Saxon
http://www5d.biglobe.ne.jp/~LLLtrs/
http://uk.youtube.com/lylehsaxon
"Shibuya Shop Walk (Inside) - October 2009"
Walking through the indoor shopping & restaurant strip that leads from Dogenzaka down to Shibuya Station. No edited out bits - just one steady walk - ending up on the Yamanote Line platform for Shinjuku-bound trains.
"Ginza Sanpo-E - October 28th, 2009-A"
Strolling around in Ginza, visiting art galleries, etc. The weather on Wednesday, October 28th, 2009 (when this was taken), was perfect for walking. Cool enough that a light jacket was appreciated, but not cold yet and the trees mostly still have green leaves.
"Ginza Night - October 28th, 2009-B"
More walking around in Ginza as the weather hints at the coming winter. I walk past a fashionable woman wearing a kimono while crossing a street, etc.
"Shibuya Jungle Walk-A - October 29th, 2009"
Riding into town (Shibuya, Shinjuku, etc. are considered "towns" within Tokyo) on the Yamanote Line, I jump off the train and dive into the jungle of evening Shibuya. Taken at around 5:15 p.m., there are a lot of students there who have come by after getting out of high school for the day and before going home for the night. There are some university students and whatnot as well, but I get the impression (not necessarily accurate) that the area is more popular with high school students than university students, but university students don't wear uniforms, so it's hard to say by appearance.
There is also a view (inside & out) of the train car (used as a waiting area) in Hachiko Plaza and the Hachiko dog statue. Incidentally, the street I went jungle walking on used to be a river (stream?), that they put underground in order to make that street.
"Shinjuku Bound Yamanote Line Train at Shibuya"
All 11 cars of a Shinjuku/Takadanobaba/Ikebukuro-bound Yamanote Line train zoom past at Shibuya Station. (Taken on October 30th, 2009.)
"Shibuya Jungle Walk-A - October 30th, 2009"
Walking around in Shibuya in the evening (first of three). The streets chosen for this walk are different from the ones I recorded for the "Shop Walk" video.
"Shibuya Jungle Walk-B - October 30th, 2009"
Continuing my Friday evening walkabout in Shibuya.
"Shibuya Jungle Walk-C - October 30th, 2009"
Last of three walkabout videos taken on Friday evening, October 30th, 2009, in Shibuya.
"GDU University Aki-Matsuri (1) - November 1st, 2009"
A fall festival at GDU University. The students are running booths selling different types of food & drink. These are fun to go to, but I generally end up spending more money than I would prefer!
"Gakugei Daigaku (University) Jazz Band - Nov. 1st, 2009"
A cool jazz band at the Aki Matsuri (Fall Festival) at Gakugei Daigaku (Gakugei University) on October 31st and November 1st, 2009. Jazz appears to be much more popular in Japan than in its birthplace, the US.
Lyle (Hiroshi) Saxon
http://www5d.biglobe.ne.jp/~LLLtrs/
http://uk.youtube.com/lylehsaxon
Monday, October 26, 2009
"Video Usage & Comment Moderating"
More train video... stuff?, news?, comments?, ..... something. There seems to be some misunderstanding by some people regarding why I would request that an illegal copy of my train video be taken down. First off - I'm not hiding the video, it's freely available for anyone to see. Here:
And while I would prefer that it not be floating around the Internet as an e-mail attachment, someone made an illegal copy of it and has done that. Many of the recipients of that file then posted it on YouTube and elsewhere. And while I would prefer that it not be posted by anyone other than myself, what especially prompted me to ask for some postings to be taken down was rudeness, lies, and inaccuracy in the titles and comment sections. Some examples:
"crazy" - No. No one in the video is crazy. The platform people (including full time workers, part time workers, and the drivers of the two trains (a junkyu and a kyuko) are each just doing their job - which is to get the trains loaded and back in motion according to schedule.
"fail" - There is no "fail" in the video. The people want on the train, and railway employees help them to get on the train. In spite of very difficult conditions, the train departs only about ten seconds late - essentially on time. The overcrowding is not an optimal situation (I rode this line for sixteen years, so I know very well what I'm talking about!), but it's not a "fail" (if anything, it's a "success" in functionality), and the system has been improved since 1991, when the video was taken.
"police" - No. Those are not police or security people helping the passengers get on the train - they are regular railway employees, including the drivers of the two trains at that platform.
"high birthrate" - No. Japan has one of the lowest birth rates in the world. Tokyo has around 30,000,000 people (if you include the suburbs of Kanagawa, Saitama, & Chiba), but the population of the country as a whole is not growing right now.
"more trains" - Close to a good suggestion, and in fact they've added more trains since this video was taken. Still, the rails were pretty full of trains even back in 1991, as the bigger problem was no (or very little) flex-time, so everyone crowded onto the system at the same time. There are a lot of people in Tokyo.
"longer trains" - The trains in this video are ten-cars long, and some other lines have fifteen cars. Ten cars fill up the platforms on this line (the Seibu-Ikebukuro Line), so if the trains were to be longer than ten cars, they would have to extend all the platforms. In any case, ten large cars (carriages) is not exactly short for a commuter train.
Etc. etc. etc. Since the comment sections were unmoderated; racist and inappropriate toxic text piled up....
Anyway, if you are interested in that video, here's a longer version, showing people going through the ticket gates, etc:
Now - on to some recent video clips:
"Shibuya 'Scramble' Crosswalk - October 20th, 2009"
Looking around near Shibuya Station, and walking across the "scramble" crosswalk. This crosswalk is a bit odd in how it seems intense when you're there, but it's hard to convey the feeling of crossing the street in a sea of people accurately in a video, including this one, but still - this might give you at least a rough idea of how it feels.
"Harajuku Northbound Trains + Bridge" - October 2009
Looking towards Harajuku Station at night, as a Shinjuku-bound Yamanote Line train pulls into the platform and another northbound train passes to the right of that. Then, pulling back and swinging 90 degrees to the right, a view of the people on the bridge.
Why is the beginning of the video on its side? This scene was begging for vertical composition, so I complied. The problem now is getting it to play back as a vertical image. I'm confident that this will be commonplace viewing functionality someday.
"Kichijoji Evening Shopping - October 22nd, 2009"
Taken around 6:00 p.m. in Kichijoji, as people shop for food on the way home. Naturally, Kichijoji is full of people doing something or other all the time, but at 6:00 p.m. on a weekday (Thursday, October 22nd, 2009, in this case), shops selling prepared food especially do their best business as people go from work to home. The shops used to do better business, but now that people not only have refrigerators, but fairly large refrigerators, they buy more frozen stuff and do same-day shopping (shopping for the coming evening's meal) less often. Also, people who would have bought some pretty great food for the evening at central markets before, often now buy some junk at a nearby convenience store.
"Exploring Narrow Kichijoji Pathways - Oct. 2009"
Walking around on some of the narrowest streets in Kichijoji. Tokyo used to have a lot of streets like this, which have loads of character, but (understandably) newer development replaces these areas with wider roads (fire-fighting equipment access, etc.), and modern buildings.
"Koiwa Yakitori Street - October 23rd, 2009"
A walk into the narrow street near Koiwa Station with several yakitori drinking places. Near this street, there are several shotengai (shopping streets), but they seemed to have hardly any customers when I went by at around 6:00 p.m. on Friday, October 23rd, 2009. Also several places had closed shutters - indicating either that those shops are simply closed, or maybe not in business any longer.
Probably the shotengai shops are busiest on weekends, but still, the trend away from traditional shotengai seems to be continuing, with people more often shopping at larger discount stores, or having things delivered directly to their homes, etc. (If I lived a little nearer to Koiwa, I'd go by there today (Saturday) and have a look, but it's a bit of a journey from where I live....)
"Asakusabashi to Akihabara at Night - October 2009"
Looking out a right side (open) window on a train between Asakusabashi and Akihabara. Lots of buildings, some reflections of the train in windows as it passes, etc.
"Accelerating Down Platform" - October 2009
Accelerating down the platform of a station somewhere between Koiwa and Akihabara. With the glass out of the way, it's a clear view, and there are a couple of trains in the background as well. The trains would be so much more enjoyable if the windows were all open when the weather is not too cold....
Lyle (Hiroshi) Saxon
http://www5d.biglobe.ne.jp/~LLLtrs/
http://uk.youtube.com/lylehsaxon
And while I would prefer that it not be floating around the Internet as an e-mail attachment, someone made an illegal copy of it and has done that. Many of the recipients of that file then posted it on YouTube and elsewhere. And while I would prefer that it not be posted by anyone other than myself, what especially prompted me to ask for some postings to be taken down was rudeness, lies, and inaccuracy in the titles and comment sections. Some examples:
"crazy" - No. No one in the video is crazy. The platform people (including full time workers, part time workers, and the drivers of the two trains (a junkyu and a kyuko) are each just doing their job - which is to get the trains loaded and back in motion according to schedule.
"fail" - There is no "fail" in the video. The people want on the train, and railway employees help them to get on the train. In spite of very difficult conditions, the train departs only about ten seconds late - essentially on time. The overcrowding is not an optimal situation (I rode this line for sixteen years, so I know very well what I'm talking about!), but it's not a "fail" (if anything, it's a "success" in functionality), and the system has been improved since 1991, when the video was taken.
"police" - No. Those are not police or security people helping the passengers get on the train - they are regular railway employees, including the drivers of the two trains at that platform.
"high birthrate" - No. Japan has one of the lowest birth rates in the world. Tokyo has around 30,000,000 people (if you include the suburbs of Kanagawa, Saitama, & Chiba), but the population of the country as a whole is not growing right now.
"more trains" - Close to a good suggestion, and in fact they've added more trains since this video was taken. Still, the rails were pretty full of trains even back in 1991, as the bigger problem was no (or very little) flex-time, so everyone crowded onto the system at the same time. There are a lot of people in Tokyo.
"longer trains" - The trains in this video are ten-cars long, and some other lines have fifteen cars. Ten cars fill up the platforms on this line (the Seibu-Ikebukuro Line), so if the trains were to be longer than ten cars, they would have to extend all the platforms. In any case, ten large cars (carriages) is not exactly short for a commuter train.
Etc. etc. etc. Since the comment sections were unmoderated; racist and inappropriate toxic text piled up....
Anyway, if you are interested in that video, here's a longer version, showing people going through the ticket gates, etc:
Now - on to some recent video clips:
"Shibuya 'Scramble' Crosswalk - October 20th, 2009"
Looking around near Shibuya Station, and walking across the "scramble" crosswalk. This crosswalk is a bit odd in how it seems intense when you're there, but it's hard to convey the feeling of crossing the street in a sea of people accurately in a video, including this one, but still - this might give you at least a rough idea of how it feels.
"Harajuku Northbound Trains + Bridge" - October 2009
Looking towards Harajuku Station at night, as a Shinjuku-bound Yamanote Line train pulls into the platform and another northbound train passes to the right of that. Then, pulling back and swinging 90 degrees to the right, a view of the people on the bridge.
Why is the beginning of the video on its side? This scene was begging for vertical composition, so I complied. The problem now is getting it to play back as a vertical image. I'm confident that this will be commonplace viewing functionality someday.
"Kichijoji Evening Shopping - October 22nd, 2009"
Taken around 6:00 p.m. in Kichijoji, as people shop for food on the way home. Naturally, Kichijoji is full of people doing something or other all the time, but at 6:00 p.m. on a weekday (Thursday, October 22nd, 2009, in this case), shops selling prepared food especially do their best business as people go from work to home. The shops used to do better business, but now that people not only have refrigerators, but fairly large refrigerators, they buy more frozen stuff and do same-day shopping (shopping for the coming evening's meal) less often. Also, people who would have bought some pretty great food for the evening at central markets before, often now buy some junk at a nearby convenience store.
"Exploring Narrow Kichijoji Pathways - Oct. 2009"
Walking around on some of the narrowest streets in Kichijoji. Tokyo used to have a lot of streets like this, which have loads of character, but (understandably) newer development replaces these areas with wider roads (fire-fighting equipment access, etc.), and modern buildings.
"Koiwa Yakitori Street - October 23rd, 2009"
A walk into the narrow street near Koiwa Station with several yakitori drinking places. Near this street, there are several shotengai (shopping streets), but they seemed to have hardly any customers when I went by at around 6:00 p.m. on Friday, October 23rd, 2009. Also several places had closed shutters - indicating either that those shops are simply closed, or maybe not in business any longer.
Probably the shotengai shops are busiest on weekends, but still, the trend away from traditional shotengai seems to be continuing, with people more often shopping at larger discount stores, or having things delivered directly to their homes, etc. (If I lived a little nearer to Koiwa, I'd go by there today (Saturday) and have a look, but it's a bit of a journey from where I live....)
"Asakusabashi to Akihabara at Night - October 2009"
Looking out a right side (open) window on a train between Asakusabashi and Akihabara. Lots of buildings, some reflections of the train in windows as it passes, etc.
"Accelerating Down Platform" - October 2009
Accelerating down the platform of a station somewhere between Koiwa and Akihabara. With the glass out of the way, it's a clear view, and there are a couple of trains in the background as well. The trains would be so much more enjoyable if the windows were all open when the weather is not too cold....
Lyle (Hiroshi) Saxon
http://www5d.biglobe.ne.jp/~LLLtrs/
http://uk.youtube.com/lylehsaxon
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