Tokyo Times

Photographs from a small group of islands

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A few favourite photographs from 2011

In the last year I’ve taken an awful lot of photographs, and going back over the ones I’ve posted on Tokyo Times reminds me of the places and people I would have possibly forgotten. So here, as is customary at this time of year, is a round-up of my personal favourites. Some simply because of the image, others due to the moment (and memory) they capture.

They are in chronological order, and should you wish to, clicking on any photograph will take you to the original post.

All the very best for 2012!

Shinjuku alley

Yasukuni nationalists

scary Japanese boy

sunbathing Japanese salaryman

sad Japanese dog

Cherry blossom season

Japanese kimono

Japanese old ladies

Japanese bonsai master

shaved ice

Japanese double bass player

lovely old Japanese lady

Sugamo

Kesennuma after the tsunami

Kabukicho hostess

Tokyo coffee shop

Japanese fall colors

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. You have a nice set here. I like the Yasukuni one the best. The snow and the black and white combined with the soldiers is great.

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  2. Great set, Lee… 2011 seems like a great year. Looking forward to an even better year of 2012 :D…

    *my personal favorite will have to wait until 31st of Dec :D… Cheers!

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  3. Happy New Year!
    looking forward to see more stories, wabi-sabi moments and awesome characters in 2012!
    Best wishes, Lee! (￣▽￣)/

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  5. Loved your photographs – double-bass in park was my favourite. Lived in Tokyo for 4 years many years ago, and these remind me of the quirky charm I miss.

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  6. Thanks for all the photos Lee. They give me my regular fix of Japanese life between actual visits.

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  8. I love all your pictures!! 🙂 The loveliest old lady is my favourite.
    Thank you for all the beautiful pictures
    Your pictures and wordings have given me lot of knowledges too.
    Happy New Year!!

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  9. Thanks for sharing all these incredible photos, and for free! (Which I hope you will continue to do, even though I think that you should well be able to sell pictures like these to quality photo journalism mags.)

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  11. Great wrap-up for 2011, Lee, I remember having seen many of those throughout the year, along with your equally enjoyable writings. I hadn’t seen the one with the uniformed guys in the snow yet, which instantly strikes me as a brilliant catch.
    All the best to you and yours for 2012!

    P.S. I tried a ‘Lee-style’ piece in one of my recent posts, and my mediocre result made me appreciate what you do even more :o)

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    • Thanks so much Norbert. Such praise from you is very flattering indeed. Not to mention encouraging.

      All the best to you too. I hope 2012 turns out to be a belter!

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  12. As always, THANK YOU. Keep snappin’ because you have a great eye and you bring out the beauty of Japan.

    Cheers.

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    • Thanks. That’s a big favorite of mine for the very same reason. Not a nice side of Tokyo, but a far from uncommon one…

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  15. Thanks Lee as always..
    I have enjoyed your photos and exchanges for a couple of years now it seems, but especially this year, with all its impact and uncertainty, you have done well as a Netizen. sensitive.. entertaining… informative…
    have a great 2012!
    Willy

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    • Thank you very much Willy. That’s very kind of you.

      I enjoy doing it, so to know somebody else also gets pleasure from the site makes it all the more worthwhile.

      Cheers!

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  16. Nice retrospective! You’ve got some amazing shots here. I completely missed the second picture in the snow. That is one epic shot.

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    • It was one of those rare moments. Right place. Right time. Right weather. Just a pity they don’t come along more often…

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  18. Another great year of photos from you Lee, keep up the good work. I am looking forwarding to seeing your page daily in 2012.

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    • Cheers Tyler. It was a year like no other that’s for sure. Hopefully 2012 will bring more photos but less drama.

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  19. Thanks for all the great photos and words over the year. I’m looking forward to the next years worth. Happy New Year to you and your family.

    Matt

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    • I don’t fancy doing a full post on it, but I’m happy to tell you here.

      For years I’ve used a Nikon D300 along with several lenses. The ones I’ve stuck with being the Nikkor 85mm f/1.4, 35mm f/2, 80-200mm f/2.8 and 50mm f/1.4. Plus a few months ago I got a Leica M8 along with a Carl Zeiss 35mm f/2 Biogon. A set up I’m pretty happy with.

      Hope that helps.

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  23. My favourite is the “two old ladies”. The one with a blue hat in particular reminds me of my aunt. She went through a lot in her life like her parents’ breakup, having to support younger siblings including my mother by becoming a geisha during the wartime and becoming a mistress of a rich patron whom she eventually married and had two daughters. She kept smoking and always held a positive outlook (if sometimes unrealistically romantic) and this “in your face” attitude. She died 30 years ago from a respiratory illness at the age of 86. I admire her, immensely now.

    Thank you, Lee, for that precious picture.

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    • Not at all Lyra. Thank for the story about your aunt. To hear that one of my pictures brought back memories of her is wonderful. Makes it all worthwhile.

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  25. These are all so lovely, it’s so difficult to pick a favorite. If forced to do so, however, I think I’d choose the one with the French bulldog. Precious! I’m looking forward to see what you capture in 2012! Happy New Year!

    Reply

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