Tokyo Times

The bright, late autumn sun was good for both us, but it was pretty clear that we strongly disagreed on our choice of well lit subjects.

The appearance of Christmas decorations in Tokyo from the first day of November means it’s very possible to tire of it all way before festivities truly begin. And the public’s patience is tested even further by almost two months of Mr Michael’s Last Christmas on a mean-spirited and utterly merciless loop . All of which, needless to say, is more than enough to make the biggest fan of Christmas harrumph at least the odd, ‘Bah, humbug!’

But even for the most curmudgeonly, the sight of a Ginza cherub wearing a Santa hat is capable of briefly turning a weary sigh into a warm smile.

Tokyo has numerous, very different neighbourhoods, but arguably none of them are as distinct as Shinjuku’s Kabukicho. A large red light district that boasts a varied selection of bars along with countless establishments of a more specialised, and decidedly more salacious nature. The bright lights and busy streets of which mask the less celebrated and much sadder nature of such places. An aspect that the fascinating documentary, The Great Happiness Space: Tale of an Osaka Love Thief, details ever so well.

Certain scenes of which, in the far from warm glow of an autumn morning, can be a little more visible.