Out of the capital and heading north on a weekday morning is a very different experience from travelling on trains within Tokyo. They can be cold. Are nowhere near as regular. And seem to take an age to get anywhere.
But, a huge plus is that they are quiet. Incredibly so at times. Allowing one to observe travellers other than commuters, and wonder where they are going, as well as what they are going for.
Matt says
She is either not making a happy journey or is not happy at being “observed”.
Lee says
I hope it wasn’t the latter as I pre-focused and took the photo without (I think) her knowing about it. There again, I hope even more it wasn’t the former…
Jake from Debt Sucks says
Sounds like you accidentally stepped on to an Amtrak train…
Lee says
Nah, I spent a lot of time on Amtrak trains many years ago. It wasn’t that bad!
Jake from Debt Sucks says
I went from Lancaster, PA to Chicago and back last summer, and all together the delays added up to 6 or 7 hours. Heck, we even hit a deer somewhere in Indiana.
Other than the terrible lateness of it all, yeah, the train sure beats flying or driving. I’ll know for sure when I go to Denver and back this summer (3 days trip each way!).
Lee says
I did a trek from New York to New Orleans and back again. Stopping off at various places on the way.
It was fun, and a great way to get about. Not having much money, traveling on the train overnight cut back on a lot of accommodation costs too. Not something I’d fancy doing these days, but it was quite the adventure.
nakamura says
Do not pirate it one by one.
Do not take it without I take the photograph of the person without permission, and putting shading off
The Japanese does not perform such a thing of even Twitter.
Lee says
Ah, come on, don’t be silly. I totally understand that such photos can be seen as an invasion of privacy. And it’s a fine line that I’m probably guilty of crossing sometimes. But are you really suggesting — among other things — that Japan doesn’t have street photographers? It did when I last looked. A lot of them too.
john says
It certainly seems more invasive than the last photo where the subject seemed
to enjoy the attention but is not disrespectful although initially a little unsettling somehow.
A search for ‘Japan street photography’ does indeed show many, many results.
Is the Speed Graphic approach more respectful? – a point to ponder.
Lee says
Yeah, it’s a tough call. The point at when the the urge to document something becomes disrespectful can be a fine one to say the least. And if the photo is taken surreptitiously, it arguably blurs that line even further.
I guess at the end of the day it’s down to the individual. For me personally, there are lots of situations that I’ll walk past, even though I know they’d make for potentially interesting images. And yet at the same time, there are photos I’ll take that others will feel have crossed the line.
The former I can hopefully continue to keep some kind of check on — the latter I certainly can’t…
Jeffrey says
Definitely. The bulk of one of my best friends in Japan’s Facebook page are his “street shots,” many taken on trains and in stations, as well several trips he’s made into the “forbidden zone” in Fukushima. Voyeuristic as it may seem to some, it really is the best kind of photography.
Lee says
That’s certainly the way I see it. As uncomfortable as some images can be, they do depict real life.
I don’t do Facebook, but I’d be very interested to see your friend’s photos. Does he have them anywhere else?
Jeffrey says
He used to blog them and then found he was digitally going in too many directions (blog, MySpace, his own YouTube channel plus his freelance journalism).
https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10150574156599362.404247.607079361&type=1
http://ugayaphoto.blogspot.com/2011/04/lovers-in-tokyo.html
He hasn’t posted any photos here for almost a year since he shifted to his Facebook page.
You might find this interesting as well.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NciG6PbVjqk
Lee says
Thanks a lot Jeffrey. Really interesting stuff.
Unfortunately the Facebook link isn’t working. Not sure if that’s to do with the link/account itself, or because I’m not a member.
Don says
Lee, it’s because you’re not logging in. I could see his photos – and also how I could lose a lot of time cruising through them!
Lee says
Ah, ok. Thought that might be the problem. Thanks!
Jeffrey says
Don,
Hiro’s got a great eye, doesn’t he?
Don says
That he does, Jeffrey!
ameiji says
Your story and picture reminded me of “Byousoku 5 Centimeter” (秒速５センãƒãƒ¡ãƒ¼ãƒˆãƒ«) by Shinkai Makoto/æ–°æµ·èª
Lee says
I’m not familiar with that, but it’s interesting to hear you saw a connection. Just done a quick search, and I think I can see where the similarities may lie.
misiltan says
isn’t this seat equipped with seat heater ?
Lee says
They were. I think. But there were lots of stops and the wind blowing through the open doors was very cold. Not the most comfortable of journeys it has to be said.
Ron says
Hmm, that picture really brought back memories me of my trip to Nikko with my soon to be ex-girlfriend. She had that look on her face the whole trip there and back!!
Lee says
Blimey, I can only imagine what that trip was like…
baka0001 says
Is she sleeping with her eyes’ open or something????
Those are pretty cold looks to me.
Lee says
She was half-asleep I think, and those cold looks perfectly matched the cold weather.
KenC says
I think she’s just tired, cold and fed-up. Please don’t stop taking the photos Lee, they are often superb and evocative.
Lee says
I think so too Ken. She may well have already travelled a long way. And/or had a long way still to go.
Thanks! There’s no danger of that. Not in the slightest.
ruth says
Lee, I’ve traveled in Japan many times over the years…but it was through daily reading of your Japan Times here in Volcano, California that I first encountered Amy’s lovely and often funny prose, and that led to a trip to Shiraisi, and the consequence–we are publishing her book!
So see how profound your influence is? (I don’t think I am supposed to leave dangliing prepositions). But publishers get away with murder.