Must have been a long night in those uncomfortable looking pumps!
Late in the evening and the train is still so clean. Having lived in London, I’m surprised 🙂
Pretty amazing, isn’t it? It was on a train heading back into the city of sorts. But still, to be so clean so close to the last train is impressive to say the least.
Immaculate upholstery, spotless shiny floor and a perfect pair of legs. All finished in a delicately grained black and white. A lovely photograph.
I amuse myself with an image of you convincing half a dozen other late night revellers in the carriage to stand behind you while you took the shot – one of whom was the litterbug tourist who dropped the can 🙂
Haha, now that would have been something! The rather more mundane reality was it was just my mate and I. But our drunkenness probably meant that my imagined discreetness was anything but…
Immediately reminds me of one of my favorite albums by The Square 脚線美ã®èª˜æƒ‘ (Kyakusenbi no Yuwaku – “The Allure of the Beauty of Leg Lines”) as illustrated on its cover. Here’s a link to the title song of the album: https://youtu.be/E12ncToH47Q?t=1181
The Square & Casiopea provided the theme music for my life (from my Walkman) while carousing through Tokyo in the 80’s. Google the kanji title to see the cover and images associated with this interesting term.
Just had a look and I can completely understand why it brought back those memories.
The Tokyo you knew must have been quite different from the one I know now. Sadly the older parts of the city are rapidly being developed, meaning there’s even less of the city you knew left behind…
That’s so true. All of my old stomping grounds, from my homestay family’s neighborhood in Soshigaya to my block of woodframe apartments in the shadow of Yoyogiuehara station have all been replaced by these 3-story ceramic-tiled condo/shop/office boxes. The neighborhood in Soshigaya used to be nice residential area that was Seijo-adjacent, filled with mostly dark wood and plaster homes with nice garden/yards. Now most of wood/plaster houses as well as the yards are gone, which makes it appear more densely packed. The local sento and tatami-ya are gone. I found all this out on Google Earth a few months ago. There was literally nothing recognizable anymore. Even most of the stations along my line (Odakyu) have gone thru extensive facelifts/rebuilds. I have almost nothing to go back to. It was rather saddening. [æ³£ãæ³£ã]
To be fair, a lot of changes I can understand. And of course nothing lasts forever. No chance of that anyway in Japan the way so many houses and the like are built. But the seemingly endless quest to make everything modern and shiny is sadly taking away the soul, or at the very least the character, of so many places.
Hans ter Horst says
Must have been a long night in those uncomfortable looking pumps!
Late in the evening and the train is still so clean. Having lived in London, I’m surprised 🙂
Lee says
I know…
Pretty amazing, isn’t it? It was on a train heading back into the city of sorts. But still, to be so clean so close to the last train is impressive to say the least.
cdilla says
Immaculate upholstery, spotless shiny floor and a perfect pair of legs. All finished in a delicately grained black and white. A lovely photograph.
I amuse myself with an image of you convincing half a dozen other late night revellers in the carriage to stand behind you while you took the shot – one of whom was the litterbug tourist who dropped the can 🙂
Lee says
Thanks!
Haha, now that would have been something! The rather more mundane reality was it was just my mate and I. But our drunkenness probably meant that my imagined discreetness was anything but…
Denton says
Very cool! Different from a lot of your posts but I like it! 😉
Lee says
Thanks! I’m assuming it’s the artistry involved in the photo that appeals the most!
Bernadette Loftus says
And suddenly ZZ Top’s Legs is playing in my head. Great pic!
cdilla says
Lol. I remember thinking of another ZZ Top song when I saw this one a while back https://www.tokyotimes.org/shinjuku-sharp-looks/
Lee says
Thanks!
Blimey, two ZZ Top reminders. That has to mean I’m doing something right!
LAObserver says
One of those ‘use-your-imagination’ shots. Her legs make me wonder about the rest of her. Nice one Lee !
Lee says
Cheers!
Definitely. And needless to say I’m not going to give anything away!
Alan M says
Immediately reminds me of one of my favorite albums by The Square 脚線美ã®èª˜æƒ‘ (Kyakusenbi no Yuwaku – “The Allure of the Beauty of Leg Lines”) as illustrated on its cover. Here’s a link to the title song of the album: https://youtu.be/E12ncToH47Q?t=1181
The Square & Casiopea provided the theme music for my life (from my Walkman) while carousing through Tokyo in the 80’s. Google the kanji title to see the cover and images associated with this interesting term.
Lee says
Just had a look and I can completely understand why it brought back those memories.
The Tokyo you knew must have been quite different from the one I know now. Sadly the older parts of the city are rapidly being developed, meaning there’s even less of the city you knew left behind…
Alan M says
That’s so true. All of my old stomping grounds, from my homestay family’s neighborhood in Soshigaya to my block of woodframe apartments in the shadow of Yoyogiuehara station have all been replaced by these 3-story ceramic-tiled condo/shop/office boxes. The neighborhood in Soshigaya used to be nice residential area that was Seijo-adjacent, filled with mostly dark wood and plaster homes with nice garden/yards. Now most of wood/plaster houses as well as the yards are gone, which makes it appear more densely packed. The local sento and tatami-ya are gone. I found all this out on Google Earth a few months ago. There was literally nothing recognizable anymore. Even most of the stations along my line (Odakyu) have gone thru extensive facelifts/rebuilds. I have almost nothing to go back to. It was rather saddening. [æ³£ãæ³£ã]
Lee says
I can imagine. All in the name of progress…
To be fair, a lot of changes I can understand. And of course nothing lasts forever. No chance of that anyway in Japan the way so many houses and the like are built. But the seemingly endless quest to make everything modern and shiny is sadly taking away the soul, or at the very least the character, of so many places.