Tokyo Times

Dec 03 2009 8 Comments

A few iPhone photos

Japanese photographer, Koichi Mitsui, expertly proves with his well composed images that despite its long list of limitations, the iPhone can certainly produce much more than merely passable pictures, with this one in particular working especially well. A feat that unfortunately I patently can’t pull off, but at the same time it’s still a device that, with the help of several solid apps, allows me to at least document daily life when the trusty DSLR hasn’t been taken out.

Resulting in photos of a sunny cycle to work.

And rather less jaunty journeys home.

With tilt-shift (more of which can be seen here) also helping create some slightly different scenes of the season.

Along with a sit down during that seemingly essential aspect of Japanese life, shopping.

Dec 02 2009 3 Comments

Photographing foliage

When the changing colours of the leaves in the capital reach their loveliest around this time of year, possibly the only thing more plentiful than the foliage is the number of photographers photographing said foliage.

Or maybe even the phenomenal amount of foreigners taking photographs of these photographers photographing the foliage.

Dec 01 2009 16 Comments

Abandoned volcano museum #1: Black and white

Having sent numerous emails over the last 18 months or so sharing stories and locations with fellow haikyo/urban exploration fans Mike (Michael John Grist), Mike (Mike’s Blender) and, erm, Mike (Gakuranman), the chance to actually get together on a trip finally presented itself, culminating in a two day road trip covering the known, and not so known, roads of Gunma and Nagano; first and foremost on our minds being the Mount Asama Volcano Museum — a decidedly bleak looking structure somewhat precariously perched on one of the many mountains looking up to the one time tourist spot’s not exactly insubstantial namesake.

The slowly decaying building creating a strangely serene and yet at the same time almost post-apocalyptic scene.

A feeling that continues as one gradually approaches.

Its wonderfully weatherworn exterior damaged due to the extremely exposed location.

And more than likely the marvellously positioned museum’s close proximity to a still very much live volcano.

Some early snow on the roof already signalling what’s to come in the ensuing months,

along with signs inside of what could be a combination of both vandal and volcanic activity.

The latter at least creating a situation that may well have played some part in the people who once worked there walking out.

Leaving only the lonely binoculars to rather forlornly look out onto the landscape.

For more of a look at the museum, here, in part 2, I take a closer and in colour look at the interior, along with the various odds and sods not so lovingly left behind.

Nov 30 2009 5 Comments

Japanese workers (who should be) working #22

The unwavering Japanese work ethic is famous (or should that be infamous?) the world over, with karoushi (death from overwork), let alone stress, a sadly not unheard of side effect.
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So, with this in mind, it’s somewhat refreshing to see a salary man sneaking in some well earned reading when really he should be working.
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