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Sep 14 2015 16 Comments

Tokyo, but far from the madding crowds

Many of the clichéd images of Tokyo distort what the capital is really like, or at least what it’s like if you bother to look below the surface. But the scenes of horribly packed trains and heaving streets are mostly accurate, particularly so in the city’s more central areas and its commuter hubs.

Mercifully, however, there are areas of escape. Like below, on Tokyo’s northern border, where there’s silence, serenity, and only the slightest suggestion of so-called civilisation.

quiet Tokyo

Categorized: Photography

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. LAObserver says

    9/14/2015 at 11:29 am

    Probably most of the world’s large population centers have places as you have described. I would imagine increasing population pressures will push residents to find them. Even need to find them . . .

    Nice shot.

    Reply
    • Lee says

      9/14/2015 at 3:26 pm

      Cheers.

      Yes, I imagine they do. Certainly hope so anyway. And yeah, totally agree. Such places will very likely become necessary escapes rather just nice places to go.

      Reply
  2. YTSL says

    9/14/2015 at 11:54 am

    Hi Lee —

    Was that photo taken near Shibamata? I visited that area on my most recent visit to Tokyo (back in 2012!). Loved it. 🙂

    Reply
    • Lee says

      9/14/2015 at 3:28 pm

      I like Shibamata too. Also the surrounding area. Some interesting little spots and a nice, friendly feel as well. Did you go across the river on the man-powered boat?

      The photo isn’t from there though. It was taken in west Tokyo, north of Tachikawa.

      Reply
      • YTSL says

        9/14/2015 at 3:45 pm

        Hi Lee —

        Yep, I did go on the Yagiri no Watashi at Shibamata. Very cool!

        We’re got something similar over here in Hong Kong at Nam Sang Wai:-
        http://webs-of-significance.blogspot.hk/2013/07/hong-kongs-last-river-sampan-at-nam.html

        It’s always great to discover places far from the madding crowd in such as Hong Kong and Tokyo, isn’t it? 🙂

        Reply
        • Lee says

          9/14/2015 at 5:03 pm

          Excellent. Very relaxing, isn’t it? The one over there in Hong Kong looks similarly good fun too.

          Yes, it really is nice to find such places. I ‘m a big fan of cities as my photos on this site happily prove, but it’s really nice to escape now and again. And it’s even better when that escape is nearby.

          Reply
  3. Hans ter Horst says

    9/14/2015 at 3:47 pm

    Lovely Tokyo! I like the way you pushed the horizon down in this shot, make it dreamy.

    Reply
    • Lee says

      9/14/2015 at 5:09 pm

      Cheers. It was lovely. I took it during a dry few hours during the recent spells of rain we’ve had, and presumably because of the rain and humidity, there was an unusual mistiness. Never seen it like that before. Stopped me in my tracks.

      Sadly the photo really doesn’t capture how oddly calming it was, but hopefully it at least hints at it.

      Reply
  4. Coli says

    9/14/2015 at 8:11 pm

    Agree. Dreamy is the right word. Lovely

    Reply
    • Lee says

      9/14/2015 at 9:47 pm

      Thanks. It definitely didn’t make up for all the rain and greyness that helped create it, but it was a very welcome distraction.

      Reply
  5. Tom says

    9/15/2015 at 12:39 pm

    Very different from your usual shots. Very peaceful! 🙂

    Reply
    • Lee says

      9/15/2015 at 6:15 pm

      It is. A really nice escape.

      Yeah, this kind of shot isn’t my thing really. Not something I have much confidence with either to be honest. But I quite liked the way this one came out.

      Reply
  6. Martin B says

    9/20/2015 at 6:20 am

    It’s scenes like this that help me get through the dull, flat, grey, dreary winters here in the UK. There’s something rather serene and calming, with that bit of greenery to keep things going.

    Reply
    • Lee says

      9/20/2015 at 7:33 pm

      I know those winters all too well…

      Yes, it’s definitely a peaceful place. Even more so with the mist. Something I’d never seen there before.

      Reply
  7. Valérie says

    9/23/2015 at 6:48 am

    Yes, dreamy is the right word. I like how you sometimes break the rhythm of your photo blog with landscape pictures. And how it still says something about Japan. The Ferris wheel in the background is that little detail that adds to the narration of the picture.

    Reply
    • Lee says

      9/23/2015 at 10:15 am

      Thank you.

      Yes, it’s not all concrete and crowds, is it? I like to escape now and again. Even if it’s just briefly. So it’s always nice to be able to document the differences.

      Reply

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