The following are a few photos from my Purple Photo Series
I went to Kyoto via Shinkansen, I figured there was light rain but it turned out to be much heavier than anticipated.
But I traveled so far from Kyoto that I was going to try to enjoy my travel in the area as much as I could and so, while I was walking and always having my camera near me, I saw a young couple dressed up in traditional Japanese clothing.
The young man with a yukata and the young woman in a kimono, while it was raining and seeing him hold the umbrella for her.
Typically the roads are packed with travelers but this time, it was just those two and myself right behind and I figured that the moment would best be captured in a photo.
Sometimes when I’m in Tokyo, I absolute fall in love with the city landscapes. I think it’s the same for people who love nature-based landscapes.
Having grown up with nature-based landcapes, I think that is why I find city landscapes fascinating. Because it’s unlike the reality of life where I live.
Granted, for some I can see it be too much but for me, I find Japan interesting because of their sense of rebuilding. Each time I visit, I see a new building in a busy area being erected, while another building being taken down.
With not much space, how do they manage it… It makes me wonder.
But Tokyo Station is such a beautiful station inside its main lobby section and the KITTE building, just the same, especially during the holidays.
I took this photo from the Shin-Marunouchi Building.
Right in front of Shibuya Station, I have watched the advertisements grow from two to now numerous ads being seen above.
This part of Shibuya Scramble is probably where you see the most people crossing from, because of the station entrance/exit.
And one evening, I decided to take photos from this area.
Each time I’m in the Omotesando area in Harajuku, I always go by Ralph Lauren.
Yes, I am a Ralph Lauren fan but it’s also a beautiful building to enter (that and the rear store).
Its such an iconic store in Japan and it’s a building that stands out as well thanks to its Beaux Arts-inspired facade. While there are two Ralph Lauren locations in Harajuku, this one features Purple Label, Polo Ralph Lauren, Double RL and more.
One of the coolest looking areas to see going to Harajuku/Omotesando is the corner of Tokyu Plaza and its mirrored opening. But right in the side is a group of shops, may it be SHELTTER TOKYO, JILL by Jill Stuart, Bills, American Eagle, Starbucks, etc.
But why focus on this area?
Each time I have passed by this area, there are long lines of people or large gatherings.
It’s like a social hub to be around and each time I’m in this area, I always find it fascinating of how many people are gathered around it.
Many asked, why do they say “TOKYU PLAZA OMOTESANDO HARAJUKU” and that’s because the avenue, which is a strip of shops and restaurants running on the towards the front of the building is Omotesando. The location of Omotesando is in the district of Harajuku located in Shibuya.
So, I guess the best way to explain this, using Manhattan, New York as an example:
New York = Tokyo
New York City = Shibuya
Manhattan = Harajuku
Fifth Avenue = Omotesando
Located at the Mori Art Museum in Roppongi is the Tokyo City View.
Tokyo City View, an observation facility which features an indoor observation deck 250 meters above sea level and a Sky Deck outdoor observation deck 270 meters above sea level.
While the 52nd floor is where one can be indoors to take photos behind glass, it’s not the most convenient place to take photos due to lights and reflection.
So, you will want to go to the rooftop.
But this shot is what I like to see….where you capture the skyline, you will often find a field where people are playing soccer or baseball. As if the concrete jungle allowed a location for some sort of greenery from high above Tokyo City View.
My latest purple series photo is a shopping complex known as Omotesando Hills, which was built in the popular avenue in Shibuya known as Omotesando.
The area often referred to as Tokyo’s Champs-Elysees, Mori Building created the complex (which was designed by Ando Tadao) that would contain 130 shops and 38 apartments.
It’s a place I often visit, to eat, to shop and I feel quite relaxed being in this area.
So, right in front of the complex, I shoot a few photos of the building from time to time and this one happens to be during the holiday season.
I love taking night photos in Shibuya. This one was of the H&M in Udagawacho, Shibuya. Probably the coolest H&M location I have seen around the world.
The flagship store in Shibuya is the original store in Japan that opened back in 2009 and there have been numerous locations since. But aside from Uniqlo, it’s another location for people to get cool clothes inexpensively.
As many times I have been to Tokyo, I have only went to Tokyo Tower once, only when I was doing a photo project to showcase how the city looked compared to my father’s photos from Tokyo Tower back in 1972.
I have walked by Tokyo Tower, I have shot Tokyo Tower from the distance since then, as I am always looking for wonderful high rises to take photos from.
At the time, the World Trade Center in Tokyo was a fantastic place to take pictures of Tokyo Tower. It still is but since then, the everchanging landscape of Tokyo added a building right across, now covering most of the landscapes to the left of the Tokyo Tower. And since then, many people have discovered this location and there are people who have their cameras and tripods station there as early in the afternoon.
I was surprised because I could just go there and take photos, no hassle. But last time I went, there were photographers there camped since early afternoon. I was there because I wanted to capture the sunset. So, I was there four like four hours from 3pm to 7 pm, but I was able to capture the landscape from sunlight to night time, so it was all good.
Nevertheless, I still enjoy taking photos of Tokyo Tower and I hope people who do visit the World Trade Center, have that experience as well (with less crowding).
It was night time and this was shot before the pandemic started, but I wanted to capture a photo of the entrance of Takeshita-dori (Takeshita Street) in Harajuku, right before I attended a party in the area.
Usually I take a photo right in the center of the entrance but I wanted to take one at an angle.
But I also did take one from the center:
