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Visions of Tokyo

Here is a collection of photos from our 2.5 days in Tokyo visiting an assortment of neighborhoods and sights. Please enjoy. I will post photos from the rest of Japan as I can over the next few days.


Yoyogi Stadium (host of the 1964 and 2020 Olympics)

Main Shrine, Meiji Shrine

Shinto Wedding Ceremony, Meiji Shrine

Meiji Shrine

Meiji Shrine

Old and New, Omotesando

Modern Buildings, Omotesando

Prada Store, Omotesando

Buddha, Nezu Museum

Nezu Museum

Nezu Museum

Nezu Museum

Shibuya Crossing by Day

Shibuya Crossing by Night

Tokyo Tower from the Mori Tower in Roppongi

Buddhist Temple in Yanaka

Buddhist Temple in Yanaka

Buddhist at Tenno-ji, Yanaka

Yanaka Cemetery

Buddhist Temple in Yanaka

Main Gate, Nezu Shrine

Main Shrine, Nezu Shrine

Toriis, Nezu Shrine

Main Shrine, Toshogu Shrine, Ueno Park

Stone Lanterns, Toshogu Shrine, Ueno Park

Pagoda, Toshogu Shrine, Ueno Park

Bentendo Hall, Ueno Park

Kamarimon, Senso-ji, Asakusa

Lantern, Senso-ji, Asakusa

Inner Gate and Main Shrine, Senso-ji, Asakusa

Lantern, Senso-ji, Asakusa

Holy Water Vessels, Senso-ji, Asakusa

Tokyo Skytree and Flamme d'Or East of the Sumida River

Tokyo Skytree Up Close

Senso-ji from Skytree

Tokyo Tower and Surrounds from Skytree

Tokyo Skytree at Night

Historic Street Light, Nihonbashi

Modern Department Store, Ginza

Modern Department Store, Ginza

Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building, Shinjuku

Cocoon Tower, Shinjuku

Godzilla Dwarfed by Nearby Building, Shinjuku

Not So Famous Gorilla, Shinjuku

Chrysanthemum Bouquet, Shinjuku Gyoen

Stone Lantern, Shinjuku Gyoen

Chrysanthemum Bouquets, Shinjuku Gyoen

Chrysanthemums, Shinjuku Gyoen

Taiwan Pavilion, Shinjuku Gyoen

Shinjuku Gyoen

Shinjuku Gyoen

Old Teahouse, Imperial Palace East Gardens

Imperial Palace

Niju-bashi, Imperial Palace

Mara

Lovely photos!! Thanks for sharing!!

ms_go

I'm just catching up on the rest of your report and appreciate your reflections. We were in some of the same locations this year in May, just after Golden Week. I think that was a good time for avoiding peak crowds - with the caveat that we didn't go to Kyoto or that area, so no idea what things were like there. The only places where we found crowds a little "off-putting" were at Senso-ji (we were there on a Saturday) and Sanmachi street in Takayama during the day (go a few blocks away and it's a different world). The weather was good, except for one rainy/windy day in Tokyo. Whenever we are able to go back, I think we'll probably try to spend our time on Hokkaido.

Looking forward to seeing more photos!

progol

Wonderful photos, tripplanner! It really is fun seeing your views of some of the same places! I also love seeing the night shots and am especially taken with the Nihonbashi street light at night. Haven’t seen it during the day, it really comes alive at night. The city views at night are great, too!

tripplanner001

Mara, thank you.

ms_go, you're right about Takayama although the streets beyond Sanmachi were a bit too quiet for me as none of the shops seemed to be open and no locals were around. Like you, my next trip to Japan would probably be to points north. I'm drawn to Hokkaido as well as to Tohoku.

progol, it's interesting to see some of the same places from slightly different perspectives, whether it's under a different light or even a slightly different camera angle. There's so much of the little things that it is fascinating what we pick up and what we miss.

Colors of Nikko


Shin-kyo

Rinno-ji

Rinno-ji

Shoyo-en

Shoyo-en

Shoyo-en

Omote-mon, Toshogu Shrine

Storehouse with Monkeys, Toshogu Shrine

Toshogu Shrine

Yomei-mon, Toshogu Shrine

Main Shrine, Toshogu Shrine

Carving, Toshogu Shrine

Carving, Toshogu Shrine

Mausoleum of Tokugawa Ieyasu, Toshogu Shrine

Chinese Gate, Toshogu Shrine

Toshogu Shrine

Lion at Yomei-mon, Toshogu Shrine

Carvings at Yomei-mon, Toshogu Shrine

Drum Tower, Toshogu Shrine

Stone Lanterns, Toshogu Shrine

Bell Tower, Toshogu Shrine

Futarasan-jinja

Rabbit Deity in Front of Main Shrine, Futarasan-jinja

Entrance Gate, Taiyuin-byo

Taiyuin-byo

Main Shrine, Taiyuin-byo

Taiyuin-byo

Kegon Falls

Mount Nantai

View from Chuzen-ji (the temple)

View from Chuzen-ji (the temple)

Lake Chuzenji

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Kamakura Temples and Shrines, Enoshima, and Views of Fuji


Entrance Gate, Engaku-ji

Buddha Statue in Main Temple, Engaku-ji

Dragon on Ceiling of Main Temple, Engaku-ji

Bell, Engaku-ji

Main Temple, Kencho-ji

Buddha Statue in Main Temple, Kencho-ji

Black Dragon on Ceiling of Main Temple, Kencho-ji

Chinese Gate, Kencho-ji

Toriis, Tsurugaoka Hachiman-gu

Main Shrine, Tsurugaoka Hachiman-gu

Komachi-dori

Buddha with Jizo Statues, Hase-dera

Main Temple, Hase-dera

Views from Hase-dera

Buddha Statue, Hase-dera

Buddha Statue Inside Cave, Hase-dera

Great Buddha of Kamakura

Causeway to Enoshima

Shrine at Enoshima

Enoshima Sea Candle

Mount Fuji at Dusk from Causeway to Enoshima

Mount Fuji at Night from Enoshima Sea Candle

progol

Wow, tp, you really covered a lot of ground! I wish we had your energy! The photos of Nikko are especially beautiful! I had hoped to visit Kamakura as a day trip since it looked the easiest to do from Tokyo, but we did find that there was so much to see and do in the city that we opted not to. Still, it looks like a wonderful day trip, along with the other stops you made.

tripplanner001

progol, I think you made the right choice staying in Tokyo. We did the same on our first visit, but wanted to see more of the surrounding area on a follow-up visit. There's so much to do in and around Tokyo that we could have easily spent a couple of weeks there if not the entire trip. Like most trips, there's so much to see and do and not enough time.

progol

We have absolutely no regrets. There are so many places in
Tokyo we didn’t see that I couldn’t see leaving the city even for a day trip. And truthfully, we were too tired from jet lag to even contemplate it!

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Kanazawa Sights and 'Scapes



Omicho Market

Omicho Market

Omicho Market

Omiya Shrine

Omiya Shrine

Garden and Pond at Omiya Shrine

Gyokuseninmaru-en

Kanazawa Castle

Kanazawa Castle

Kenroku-en

Seisonkaku Villa

Kenroku-en

Kenroku-en

Kenroku-en

Kenroku-en

Kenroku-en

Kenroku-en

D.T. Suzuki Museum

21st Century Museum of Contemporary Art

Samurai House, Nagamachi District

Silk at the Yuzen Center

Saigawa Bridge

Myoryu-ji

Higashi Chaya District

Kanazawa Castle at Night

teamLabs Digitized Kanazawa Castle

teamLabs Digitized Kanazawa Castle

teamLabs Digitized Kanazawa Castle

teamLabs Digitized Kanazawa Castle

teamLabs Digitized Kanazawa Castle

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Shirakawago Highlights

shelemm

Seems like a magical place and you captured some great views. Love the pitched roof/ceiling details and the sliding screens.

progol

tripplanner, lovely photos of Kanazawa despite the rain! The DT Suzuki museum really lends itself to a moody atmosphere, too. We really enjoyed Kanazawa a lot though, as I mentioned earlier, several of the sites were very crowded. I’m glad to see some photos from the Team Labs experience at the castle since that was one of the places we ended up leaving because of crowds. It does look like fun!

It’s nice to see photos of Shirakawago since we didn’t go. I love the shots looking through the triangular window openings.

tripplanner001

shelemm, Shirakawago is definitely unique to say the least. Not only did we enjoy exploring the houses, it was nice to get away from the urban intensity even if it was only for a few hours.

progol, glad you liked the photos. Sorry you had so much crowd issues in Kanazawa. Crowds for us were the worst in Kenroku-en and at the Higashi Chaya District, but nowhere near Kyoto and Miyajima numbers.

Takes of Takayama


Figure on Bridge over Miyagawa

Pagoda, Kokubun-ji

Kokubun-ji

Sarubobo, Kokubun-ji

Takayama Jinya

Horse Art, Takayama Jinya (we saw these in quite a few buildings in Takayama)

Miyagawa Morning Market

Sanmachi Streetscape

Niche to Hold One of Takayama's Famous Floats

Bridge over Miyagawa

Float

Float

Temple along Higashiyama Trail

Buddha at One of the Temples along Higashiyama Trail

Temple along Higashiyama Trail

Temple along Higashiyama Trail

View of Takayama from the Castle Ruins

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Kamikochi: Alpine Bliss


Kappa Bridge





Myojin Bridge

Myojin Bridge

Myojin Pond









Taisho Pond

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Images from Nagoya



Nagoya Castle

Nagoya Castle

Screen from Palace at Nagoya Castle

Screen from Palace at Nagoya Castle

Wood Carving from Palace at Nagoya Castle

Room Inside Palace at Nagoya Castle

Chest Inside Palace at Nagoya Castle

Flying Dolphin Atop Nagoya Castle

Floral Exhibition at Nagoya Castle

Floral Exhibition at Nagoya Castle

Floral Exhibition at Nagoya Castle

Nagoya City Hall

Nagoya TV Tower

Osu Kannon Temple

Kannon at Osu Temple

Buddhist Altar at Osu Kannon Temple

Bullet Trains at SC Maglev Museum

Bullet Trains at SC Maglev Museum

progol

Wonderful photos, tp! So much fun seeing Takayama through your eyes! We loved the Higashimaya Trail and I'm enjoying your photos from there. We didn't see Kamikochi but wow! snow! That's amazing to see! It does look beautiful! The photo of the Myojin Bridge is especially lovely.

Re: Kanazawa - the only times we really felt bothered by crowds were when we went to the Team Labs event and in entering the 21st Century Museum. I think I mentioned we were there on a holiday weekend with mostly good weather, so it was quite busy. After entering and then leaving the 21st Century museum, we wandered over to the DT Suzuki museum, which was a much calming experience!

I'm so enjoying the photos and traveling through Japan again.

KarenWoo

Tripplanner001, your photos are gorgeous! Love all the temples, shrines, stone lanterns, fall foliage and Tokyo at night. Looks like autumn is a good time to visit Japan!

mjs

Fall is indeed a good time weather wise to visit Honshu. Has gotten expensive though. My Tokyo hotel rates have doubled in mid November compared to 2019. Rates much better mid March before Cherry blossom time

tripplanner001

progol, thank you. I am likewise enjoying your report and photographs. It’s so fun to compare experiences, especially the little takeaways.

KarenWoo, I would say autumn is both a good and bad time to visit. The koyo is beautiful and worth seeing. Unfortunately everyone else also has the same idea and the crowds can be insane. If I am to go back in the fall, I would aim for places off the tourist radar.