Kyu-Iwasaki Gardens Photo Guide Imagine stepping off a bustling Tokyo street and finding yourself in front of a 17th-century English manor. This isn’t a film set; it’s the Kyu-Iwasaki Gardens, a stunning time capsule of Meiji-era opulence. The famed British architect Josiah Conder designed it for the founder of Mitsubishi. This estate is a treasure…
Tokyo Station’s Domed Ceilings: A Photographer’s Guide What are the Tokyo Station Domed Ceilings?The Tokyo Station domed ceilings are two iconic octagonal rotundas located at the Marunouchi North and South exits. Restored in 2012 to their original 1914 design by architect Tatsuno Kingo, the 30-meter-high ceilings feature intricate stucco reliefs, eight zodiac signs, and majestic…
Harajuku’s Architectural Marvels: 10 Must-See Buildings I’ve often found Tokyo’s architecture to be dominated by concrete, steel, and glass boxes. However, Harajuku is leading a change, with a wave of interesting and innovative designs. Here are ten buildings along or near Omotesando that showcase this architectural evolution. Omotesando Keyaki Building This might be my favorite…
The Shinjuku Taxi: Lifeline of Tokyo’s Night As dusk settles over Tokyo, the Shinjuku district undergoes a breathtaking metamorphosis. A symphony of neon ignites the sky, and the city’s pulse quickens. Amidst this vibrant chaos, one element reigns supreme: the ubiquitous taxi. With tens of thousands of cabs navigating the sprawling metropolis, they are an…
Tokyo Big Sight: An Architectural Guide in Black & White Tokyo Big Sight is an architectural beacon in Japan’s bustling capital. I’d planned my visit for weeks, hoping to capture the sun gleaming off its futuristic glass and titanium structures. But Tokyo’s weather had other plans. Faced with a flat, grey sky, I had a…
Edo-Tokyo Open Air Architectural Museum: Photo Guide Journey into Japan’s architectural past at the Edo-Tokyo Open Air Architectural Museum. It is a diverse collection that includes historical homes, traditional shops, and temples. Photographers can capture a side of Tokyo beyond its modern cityscape of concrete and steel. Every photograph taken here holds a piece of…
Tokyo International Forum: A photographer’s guide It was a classic photographer’s dilemma: my original plan to shoot Yushima Tenjin’s famous plum blossoms in 2022 was a bust, as the flowers were far from blooming. I checked the internet scrambling for a new subject in a city full of icons. The place I found was something…
Finding a Subway Exit for Shinjuku Street Photography A solitary figure emerges from a brightly lit subway exit into the Tokyo night. Many photographers have snapped this scene. It’s one of my favorites, too. For a long time, I wondered where this Shinjuku street photo was taken. I felt an overwhelming urge to solve it….
Silky in Tokyo: A Lee Filters Super Stopper Review In 2016, I added a new tool to my photography arsenal. I bought the Lee Filters 100mm x 100mm Super Stopper, a 15-stop neutral density (ND) filter. For those unfamiliar with this piece of gear, an ND filter is a high-quality piece of darkened glass or…