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Jul 09 2018 15 Comments

A unicyclist in Tokyo with a cat on his shoulder

Tokyo is far from perfect, but one of the city’s many positives is its ability to regularly produce the unexpected. And while the scene below doesn’t quite hit the heights of someone carrying a massive tortoise around the capital, a man and his cat whizzing through Shinjuku on a unicycle is definitely not ordinary.

A unicyclist in Tokyo with a cat on his shoulder

Categorized: Photography

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Jenn says

    7/9/2018 at 12:58 pm

    That’s so random! How DO you find these people?! 🙂

    Reply
    • Lee says

      7/9/2018 at 9:01 pm

      It really is. Seen him a few times actually, but this was the first time I’ve been near enough to get a shot of him. But honestly, it’s Tokyo. Get out and about often enough, and these sightings just sort of happen.

      Reply
  2. Harry says

    7/9/2018 at 7:15 pm

    This is a very cool find. I like how they both look so concentrated!

    Reply
    • Lee says

      7/9/2018 at 9:04 pm

      Cheers. Yeah, I suppose they do. The fella always looks pretty intense, but the cat usually looks very chilled out. More like it’s sat on someone’s sofa, rather than whizzing about the city on its owner’s shoulder!

      Reply
  3. john says

    7/9/2018 at 8:35 pm

    “The Fishmonger’s quick, or there’ll be none left!”

    Reply
    • Lee says

      7/9/2018 at 9:04 pm

      Haha, that made me chuckle!

      Reply
  4. cdilla says

    7/10/2018 at 2:00 am

    Beautiful cat, and a splendid blue background. Tokyo sure throws up plenty of sights. But you have to be there, and quick, and have skills to get the shot. Lovely photograph.
    I’ve noticed several times on NHK programs that feature or pass by schools that the kids are riding unicycles. No mention is ever made of it – it’s just background for whatever the program/article is about. I assume it’s a thing in Japan for kids.

    Reply
    • Lee says

      7/10/2018 at 9:29 am

      Thanks. Good fortune certainly plays a part. Right time at the right place. But get out often enough and you make your own luck I think.

      Yeah, the unicycle thing has always fascinated me. Not all schools seem to have them, but a lot do. Common to see them hung up outside. But it seems it’s only for little kids. Rarely see older children riding them.

      Reply
  5. Anne says

    7/10/2018 at 5:23 am

    Truly the place for the unexpected. That’s how I felt bumping into the man with his neon pink pig at Asakusa.

    Reply
    • Lee says

      7/10/2018 at 9:33 am

      Ah, the Asakusa pig man. His pet really is something else, isn’t it? Saw him years ago when his newly acquired pig was only young. Asked him how big it would be when fully grown, and he said he had no idea as he’d never owned one before!

      Reply
      • Anne says

        7/13/2018 at 2:29 am

        Asakusa is a treasure trove. I still visit that shoe seller on Shin Nakamise who always wears the big plastic eyeglass frames and colourful sukajan whose photo you posted about 2 years ago. I really ought to buy something from him next time!

        Reply
    • cdilla says

      7/10/2018 at 7:50 pm

      We came across what I assume is this pig during our 2017 visit. It was loosely tied up to a post and had a kind of tshirt thing around it’s neck. Pink it most certainly was. But it looked a bit fiecesome to be petted with it’s couple of inches of tusk protruding. No sign of an owner at the time.

      Reply
      • Lee says

        7/11/2018 at 10:02 am

        That’s the one. This tusks are really something, aren’t they? But it’s a friendly thing despite its appearance. I patted it and it didn’t bother at all.

        Reply
  6. LessThanNothing says

    7/10/2018 at 9:05 pm

    2 cats would be better for balance on a unicycle. Maybe he was out to purchase another. Ha

    Reply
    • Lee says

      7/11/2018 at 10:03 am

      Haha, a unicyclist in Tokyo with a cat on each shoulder really would be something!

      Reply

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