INTERCHANGING IN TOKYO

Like many transport hubs, Tokyo station is in constant motion - a nucleus centre of transport lifelines winding seamlessly through the spaces and filled with people who all seem to know exactly where to go.

The workers gotta work, the tourists gotta tourist and if you don't know your north from south (yet), you better get out of the way or at least head on purposefully to the information booths to find out.

Be prepared to pay attention and do some emergency sidestepping. And perhaps practice the art of gracefully maneuveuring your giant, awkward suitcase (with large soft bag on top) in all directions without running into people too often.  

EBISU GARDEN PLACE

Ebisu (恵比寿) and Ebisu Garden Place, especially, is where the architectural outliers of Tokyo go to play - the buildings are ornate and European-fantastical and you could be excused for thinking you've taken a left turn into Germany at some points. Even the train station feels like an airport, full of walkways that speed you through a tunnel from the station to the clock tower.

It's a lovely, peaceful place to wander and pass the time soaking in the unique buildings and atmosphere.
The clock tower square in Ebisu Garden Place gave me my Hana Yori Dango fangirl moment about 7 years late and, by the looks of the copious Christmas themed stalls surrounding the famous 'Doumyoji waiting sculpture', Japan's moved on from those days as well.

TOKYO TOWERING

I'd been to Tokyo Tower on a previous visit to Japan, also cutting through Zojoji Temple so I honestly had not planned to retrace my steps there. But V had to go to Tsukiji that morning to get some knives and I didn't particularly want to join her (also having visited Tsukiji last time) so I had an hour or so to burn in Hamamatsucho by myself and decided to go for a bit of a walk.

I could honestly have gotten as far as the Tower but settled for hanging around Zojoji Temple, watching a brilliant performing monkey, fabulous street fashion and just soaking in the good weather and autumn sights.

NEON & PRAYER

Asakusa (浅草) and Akihabara (秋葉原) are physically less than a 15min ride apart on the subway but two entirely different atmospheres and potentially time periods as well. Somewhat unexpectedly, I didn't end up taking too many photos in the sea of visitors in Sensoji and neither in Akihabara - perhaps it was camera weariness, perhaps it was buying a gigantic weekender bag on bargain and hence feeling weird enough lugging it around or perhaps it was simply wishing to experience the moment.

Go figure. 

GHIBLI NEXT DOOR

At the Studio Ghibli Museum, where taking photos inside would have been a dream but, unfortunately, was not allowed and my Canon 5D is not exactly capable of taking sneaky shots

Words and other details at The Afterimage

ODAIBA BY DAY AND NIGHT

An entire day's worth of photos from Odaiba (お台場), particularly inside Venus Fort and Tokyo Leisure Land. Such a unique experience to be removed from the urban bustle of Tokyo and thrown into a wide expanse of suspended walkways and intricate novelties. Like all of Tokyo in cosplay mode.

More words and reflections on our excursion here at The Afterimage.

CUTTING EDGE

Growing up in Sydney, I've never really experienced a 'city' area that felt like it could never grow old. Six years of teenagerdom spent exploring the nooks and crannies of the key areas of the CBD, traipsing up and down the George St spine and meandering into ribs and vertebrae streets extending from there.

It's a city that promises a healthy variety of attractions but one that you could see yourself working patiently towards the end of - and perhaps we've already began to plateau, if the conversations of 'What do you want to do in the city?' and 'I dunno' are anything to go by.

In other words, it is not a city of fast-paced change, at least to a teenager, and very much nothing near the speed of Asia. Shibuya, Harajuku and Omotesando are your 'never sleeping cities', covered in a layer of sparkling billboards and filled with the constantly shifting energy that can only come from being in and amongst a sea of people.