Photographs from a small group of islands
The sight of rickshaws being driven around Tokyo’s modern streets is a fascinating one to say the least. And yet the people who pull them are arguably even more interesting — a job that being both outdoors and physical goes against what many young Japanese deem desirable.
But as compelling as they are, this dapper old fella and potential customer, was possibly even more of a character.
Traditional techniques are all well and good, but sometimes, a bit of modern machinery is much easier on the engineers, if not the eye.
They may not be that uncommon, but the kimono is probably still a sight that it’s impossible to tire of. The patterns, and their almost timeless appearance, making them very difficult to pass by without a second glance — or sometimes even a stare. And as they are generally only worn for special events, there’s often a real sense of occasion about them too.
But with these two ladies, that inevitable second glance seemed to detect more sadness than celebration.
With its mix of the modern and traditional, Tokyo really is a city of contrasts — startling ones sometimes. And nowhere is this more apparent than in the capital’s buildings, along with the businesses that inhabit them. Yes, the big name brands occupy plush boutiques and state-of-the-art structures, but for every one of them, there are several mom-and-pop shops down a side street offering all kinds of stuff or services.
These generally tiny places come in all sorts of (often ramshackle) shapes, but arguably the most interesting are the ones that still maintain the traditional home-cum-store setup.
A sliding door, curtain or simply nothing separating the shop from the sitting room — offering a fascinating look into both a person’s livelihood and life.
An aspect of the buildings that while interesting architecturally, is still nowhere near as intriguing as the people who actually live and work in them.
OK, she’s not a real Maiko, just a woman dressed up for a TV show. But with the country’s most famous non-Japanese Geisha having recently quit the profession, leaving only one left, it’s probably about as near as any foreign female is going to get for the foreseeable future.
And she did make for quite a striking sight.
A sight one doesn’t see everyday, that’s for sure.
