Lawrence Ripsher's Photo Journal

Visiting Tokyo - A Photographer's Guide

I put this together a while back for a group of photographers who were going to Tokyo. It was useful for them and also a nice way for me to reflect on some of the interesting / unique things I've done on my many trips to Tokyo. So I thought I'd put it in blog format and share online. This is my Tokyo Photo Guide.

For all my best Japan picks, visit http://www.thisisnippon.com

Sumo Beya / Asa Geiko

It was only on my 10^th trip to Tokyo that I discovered Asa Geiko (morning training) and Sumo Beya (sumo stables). Excellent experience that is now in my top 3 things to do in Tokyo. For this, you need to go to a station called Ryogoku which is in Tokyo. You need to get there early, around 8am. When you arrive at the station ask the ticket office for a map of the area… On this it will show all the sumo stables – which are close by (10 min walk). From there you basically just walk around visiting them. Once you find one where they are training you can go inside and sit and watch. No issue with foreigners coming in, or with photography. Main rules are to be quiet, no flash photography and don’t sit with your feet pointing towards the Sumo’s. I think no camcorders too (in case you’re a spy from another stable).

Only caveat is that if you go during the week when there are large championships, they might not be training / allowing visitors. You should be able to get your hotel to check this for you when you get to Tokyo. I asked Akuri to check and apparently there are no matches in June so might be OK (an actual Sumo match would be cool too but Asa Geiko is a quick way to experience it very up close and personal without having to sit through an entire day of it).

Tsukiji Fish Market

A must have visit. You need to get there at around 5:30am in order to be in time for the Tuna (maguro) auctions. There is a visitor area you can watch from – pretty cool experience. Photography is allowed but no flash.

To get there this time of the morning you really need to be staying in Tokyo. The trains run at this time. The auction area is right at the back of the market (which in itself is huge) so just keep walking till you find it.

There are small restaurants at the front where you can have VERY nice sushi breakfasts for like $10 usd.

Couple of my pics below:

Ometesando Walk

One of the things I really enjoyed doing was getting a tube to Ometesando which is a famous, up market shopping district and walking through there all the way to a shrine called Meiji Shingu. Then continuing the walk on to Shibuya (where the famous crossing is – see image below).

Ometesando houses all the usual big name brands like Channel, LV, etc. If you walk off the main street though there’s lots of side roads with really interesting shops selling Japanese fashion, etc. This is what Ometesando looks like on a busy weekend:

(yes all those little dots are people!)

I do actually recommend going on a weekend as if you continue walking down to the end towards Meiji Jingu, on Saturday morning, you’ll see all the Cosplay (“costume play”) girls standing at the Harajuku station. Westerners are usually pretty amused to see this – I think its interesting also – to see seemingly normal teenage girls dressed up like English tea maids, manga characters, etc. Examples of cosplay:

Once you get past the cosplay area, you are in Meiji Jingu which is a huge park in the middle of Tokyo. Beautiful inside and v peaceful to be in a place like that in the middle of such a crowded city.

From there you can walk to Shibuya also. I never found much to do there that you can't do elsewhere but its kinda cool to see the famous crossing.

Modern areas

Other modern areas which are popular to check out are Ginza and Roppongi. The former is the most expensive district (again, mostly shopping) whereas the latter is very popular for westerners to live (Adam Taylor stayed there during his time). Roppongi Hills – a huge residential tower – has a great view of Tokyo if the weather is clear. That’s Tokyo tower in the image below btw.

There is a place called Mid Town at Roppongi station which is popular for shopping / eating , etc. There’s also a Fuji Film / Fuji Xerox showroom there which is cool to check out as they usually have free exhibitions there (often showcasing competition winners, etc).

Akihabara is also worth a visit. This is the “Electronics town”. A huge series of streets full of electronics stores. The world is flatter now, so to speak, so as you know its not like you can find some amazing new PC that doesn’t exist back home, but you can see interesting things there. For electronics fans it’s definitely worth a visit.

Yasukuni

Yasukuni is the controversial shrine which originally housed war victims but gained international notoriety when Japan buried some Class A war criminals there. Now it’s a big deal when a prime minister visits (which Fukuda is currently abstaining from I believe). I went there out of curiosity and its surprising in a way how unremarkable it is in some ways.

Older Areas

Asakusa and Ueno are popular areas. There is a large shrine at Asakusa (pictured below)… Ueno has good food and a popular market.

Mount Fuji

Haven’t visited but would love to! This is as close as I've got:

Kabuki

I have been to Kabuki once, which is basically Japanese theatre. There is a famous theatre in Tokyo and you can read more about it here - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kabuki. Would I recommend it? Tough to say- it’s definitely an interesting cultural experience but even with earphone translation it can be tough to watch.

Tokyo Metropolitan Museum of Photography

They often have v interesting exhibitions on at this musem and worth checking out if you see something you like. You can check on the web page below. The area where this museum is located is v nice too (Ebisu – the Westin is there).

http://www.syabi.com/index_eng.shtml

Kamakura / Enoshima

Kamakura is a city about an hour outside of Tokyo and can be reached by train. It’s one of my favourite places to visit. There’s some nice back streets there, good food, has a nice atmosphere, etc. A popular destination there is the famous Daibatsu (giant Buddha). http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e3100.html.

The real reason for going however I think is to visit Enoshima which is a small coastal town about a 15 minute ride away on the local train from Kamakura. You have to first go to Kamakura and then get the train to Enoshima.

Once there, there is a tourist area where you basically walk up about 500 – 1000 steps (I have no idea but it feels like that many) all the way over the top of the hill. From there you get nice views, can stop for refreshments, etc.

and as you reach the other side you hit the sea. It’s a tiring day but I think worth it as it contrasts nicely with Tokyo.

The Streets

In my opinion, Tokyo is one of the best cities in the world for street photography. Many of my favourite images were taken there - just simple scenes that caught my eye and I enjoy recalling. A few examples follow:

Onsen / Ryokan

If you get a chance to stay in a Japanese Ryokan, I recommend it. Is an interesting experience - - with the best part being the Onsen or Hot Spring bath. At the good places, their baths are heated by volcanic water. Some contain sulphur which has a very distinctive smell. The experience itself is definitely worth it.

Etiquette is basically:

- The onsen are usually public so you share with other people

- Normally there are not mixed sex Onsen, so men / women have their separate areas

- Shower before getting in, clothes (e.g. swimsuits) not permitted inside the water

- Tattoos usually not allowed (or rather people with tattoos)

If you go to a nice Ryokan, you can also hire a private onsen too.

It’s not for everyone but if you can try and enjoy, you become a fan very quickly.

Capsule Hotels

At the opposite end of the spectrum to Onsen's are capsule hotels. These are only in Japan, not for everyone but if you don't mind roughing-it a bit and want a uniquely Japanese night's stay, then it's quite an experience.

Kyoto and the rest

I have been to Kyoto a couple of times. I basically did all the regular tourist / guide book stuff there. The main stuff to see is the archway at Fushimi Inari Shrine, The Golden Pavilion (which I never made it to), and the Kiyomizu-dera. I recommend a trip to the last one twice if you have time – once in the daytime and once in the evening (if it’s open this time of year) where everything gets spectacularly lit up. Some pictures of Kyoto and surroundings areas:

I have a friend who just got back from Kyoto too who got some great shots: http://suwaneephotography.typepad.com/words/2008/0/kyoto.html

Somewhere where I’d love to visit but don’t know how to do it (as it’s not publicly accessible / open to the public) is here - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gunkanjima. Not exactly the family day out but if anyone can get access to this place PLEASE LET ME KNOW :)

Gnite Tokyo

The last shot I’ll be uploading from my Japan trip… What a great 10 days that was and I’m so pleased with the images I got. The trip turned out to be the perfect way to reignite my photography after a good layoff. No clients, no restrictions, no barriers… just an amazing reminder of why I love this thing-we-call-a-hobby. You can see the whole set of pictures from my Japan vacation in the travel section on this blog.

Japan Trip - Architecture

For fans of architecture, Tokyo must be close to a photographic heaven. I didn't shoot much of the surrounding buildings but a couple of images stood out for me. These are below.

The controversial Yasukuni shrine

Building in Tokyo - shot with my Hasselblad 500 C/M

Garden in Shibamata (no processing)

Japan Trip - Tsukji Fish Market

Without question, one of the highlights of my trip was the visit to Tsukiji Fish Market. According to Wikipedia, Tsukiji is the biggest wholesale fish and seafood market in the world and also one of the largest wholesale food markets of any kind. After two hours there, I believe it too. The place is vast. And chaotic. To experience it properly, you need to arrive before 5:30am to see the famous Tuna auctions. For me, that meant staying overnight in Tokyo in a capsule hotel.

It was worth it. Tsukiji is now on my top 3 recommendations for things to do in Tokyo. Also, while I knew Tuna were impressive animals, nothing prepared me for actually seeing them in the flesh. I eat fish (although not much meat and even that is rapidly dwindling), and after seeing them, I doubt I will ever eat Tuna again. Even frozen, laid on the floor, they are magnificent creatures. Not the reaction that many might expect from my trip there (many fish / food lovers salivate when seeing 20k USD tuna laid out in front of them) and not the subject of this post but it was definitely something that had an emotional as well as visual impact on me...

Anyway, Tsukiji is a photographic treasure trove. I hope it lasts for a hundred years as its an incredible experience. A selection of my pictures follow.

Japan Trip - Street Portraits

A simple collection of some of the portrait shots I took while on the streets of Japan. Some are "faceless" - occasionally my favourite kind. The last image was particularly interesting for me. I shot it on a bridge over Kamakura (a city about an hour outside of Tokyo). Initially, I barely noticed as we walked past a group of teenagers leaning over the edge of the bridge. However, as I turned back to see what they were doing, I realised that these otherwise normal adolescents were blowing bubbles and watching them float away. It was such a startlingly simple scene, it almost didn't register.

Then it occurred to me that in the UK (where I am from), such a scene would almost certainly mean these kids would instead be spitting off the edge, throwing trash or beer cans or just smoking... It'd be hard to imagine anything else. Certainly not this. I always thought that the idea of teenagers spending an afternoon like that had been long lost to the passage of time.. Even if it was a one off, it was a pretty cool throwback.

Geisha in Asakusa, Tokyo
(Canon G9)

Young couple in Kamakura
(Canon 1D Mk III + 85mm /f1.8)

Tattooed man in Shibuya, Tokyo
(Canon 1D Mk III + 24mm /f1.4)

Akuri in Enoshima
(Canon 1D Mk III + 24mm /f1.4)

My friend's 1 yo daughter, Naka-meguro, Tokyo
(Canon 1D Mk III + 24mm /f1.4)

Akuri in Asakusa, Tokyo
(Hasselblad 500 C/M)

Young boy in Kamakura
(Canon 1D Mk III + 85mm /f1.8)

Teenagers in Kamakura
(Canon 1D Mk III + 85mm /f1.8)

Japan Trip - Streets

Tokyo (東京 Tōkyō?), formally Tokyo Metropolis, is home to nearly 13M people. The Greater Tokyo Area, centered on Tokyo but also including Chiba, Kanagawa, and Saitama, is the most populous metropolitan area in the world with a population of over 35 million people.

The streets get a little crowded from time to time.

Here are three city scenes from my recent trip. As you would imagine, all three shots contain the odd person or two.

Asakusa Shrine, Tokyo

The famous Shibuya crossing, Tokyo

Ginza, Tokyo

Japan Trip - Fallen Sakura

I'm not exactly known for flower shots. In fact, if anything I'm known amongst my photographic friends of being harshly (overly) critical of them. That's not because I'm against the idea in general - just that too often flowers are what people shoot when they can't think of anything else. A bit like cats.

For this reason, I consider them mostly anti-creative, standing in the way of a more interesting subject that could have been shot if the photographer felt forced to get out there.

Now, that's not to say I don't like flower (or cat!) shots at all. Or that I think they can't be done creatively. Far from it.

Anyway, in Japan, we arrived during the time of year when Cherry Blossom (sakura) season had just finished. Often we'd see masses of fallen sakura lining the floors. Even in death, they offered outstanding beauty. So, here were a handful of shots I did actually take of flowers in Japan.

Are they creative or very different? Perhaps... Perhaps not. Maybe after all this it doesn't really matter - in the end I just felt like sharing them.

Japan Trip - Capsule Hotel

Is there anything more uniquely Japanese than a capsule hotel?

I asked myself that question last week as I wondered how I was going to be able to get into Tokyo by 5AM to get to the Tuna auctions at Tsukiji fish market. Like many Japanese business men who needed a place to crash - in order to rise early - I had become the Capsule Hotel's target market.

4,000 yen (40 USD) later, I was booked into Akihabara's Capsule Hotel for the night. I'm not sure I'll experience this again in a hurry but the night there meant I ended up with some photographs that I know I'll revisit again, and again whenever I want to remember just one of the aspects that make Japan... well... Japanese.

Japan Trip - Sumo Beya

Sumo Beya - Sumo training stables.

A couple of days ago I posted a picture from Asa Geiko (Sumo morning training). Here's the set of pictures from the morning. One of my favourite experiences in Japan and would definitely be in my top three recommendations of things to do in Tokyo.

Welcome to Ryogoku, Sumo district.

The black belts signify lower ranking Rikishi (wrestlers)

Two Rikishi face off against each other

The white belt of the sumo in the foreground signifies a higher ranking Sumo.

Training between higher and lower ranking Sumo

Lessons in Sumo

Rikishi after training

This Sumo was surrounded by reporters while he was giving an interview. Later we saw his face on an advert on the train.

Asa Geiko

I took this while in Japan. It's of Sumo wrestlers training during their asa geiko (Early Morning Sumo Practice) at a sumo beya (sumo training stable). So long as you comply with a few simple rules (no flash photography, no sitting with your feet towards the wrestlers), then guests (and photographers) are welcome. You won't find it on organised tours of Japan, but it was one of the most interesting and personal experiences of Japan I've yet had.

I'll post more from this series soon but in the meantime, this was one of my favourite shots.