Photographs from a small group of islands
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.
It would be very harsh indeed to describe all Japanese police officers as dummies; after all, they are very good at giving directions.
Some of them, however, are.
Quite literally.
Almost like someone flipped an enormous red leaf-emblazoned switch, Tokyo practically went from summer to autumn overnight. A change that, after the seemingly never-ending heat, was very welcome indeed. The humidity has all but gone, and the evenings are wonderfully cool — it’s bliss, basically.
Or at least it is if you have a home. But for those that don’t, it marks the beginning of longer and ever colder nights. Conditions that for the young and fit would be awful, but for the old weak, possibly fatal.
