Gingko Avenue at Meiji-Jingu Gaien, Tokyo

Meiji-Jingu Gaien, or Meiji Shrine Outer Precinct, is a massive garden including a gallery, a hall and a variety of sports facilities such as National Olympic Stadium and Jingu Baseball Stadium. It was built to honor the Meiji Emperor's deed after his demise and has been run by Meiji Shrine.

The main approach of the garden, that leads you to the Meiji Memorial Picture Gallery, is outlined with gingko trees. The entrance of the avenue is one meter higher than the end of it. Moreover, it is designed that the trees at the entrance side grow taller than the ones at the end side do. They are to make the avenue and the gallery look more beautiful in perspective.

The trees are gloriously ablaze in late autumn. The warm scenery, in the season in which you feel the advent of winter, is a delight for people walking by.

Gingko Avenue at Meiji-Jingu Gaien, Tokyo [iPhone 4S/HD]
- Shot in 1080p full HD with an iPhone 4S on Nov. 27th, 2012

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Meiji Shrine ~Shrine in Deep Forest in Tokyo~
Marunouchi Illumination 2012, Tokyo

Yabusame at Meiji Shrine, Tokyo ~Japanese Mounted Archery~

Yabusame, or traditional Japanese mounted archery, is the ritual dating back to 9th century. It is performed to entertain the gods. An archer dressed in a noble costume rides a horse and shoots three arrows successively at three targets. Even today, you can see Yabusame at many places.

Also at Meiji Shrine, the shrine surrounded by 170 thousand trees in central Tokyo, Yabusame ceremony is held as an act of the shrine's annual festival. This year again, the archers wowed not only the gods but also the crowd with their brilliant skills.

Yabusame at Meiji Shrine, Tokyo ~Japanese Mounted Archery~ [iPhone 4S/HD]
- Shot in 1080p full HD with an iPhone 4S on Nov. 3rd, 2012

Daikanyama T-Site, Stylish Commercial Complex by Tsutaya

Tsutaya, the largest music and video rental chain in Japan, was the first company which implemented the idea of selling books at video rental stores.

They opened 'Daikanyama T-Site' in the Daikanyama of Tokyo, a stylish commercial complex centering on its large bookstore. You can browse books sitting on a chair or a sofa before buying them at the store.

The facility has various stores: restaurants, cafes, a clinic, a toy store, a dog salon, a camera store, an electric power-assisted bike store, and so on. It would be a good idea to enjoy shopping after browsing and buying books or read a book you bought while drinking good coffee at a cafe.

Daikanyama T-Site, Stylish Commercial Complex by Tsutaya [iPhone 4S/HD]
- Shot in 1080p full HD with an iPhone 4S on Jul. 31st, 2012

Traditional Japanese House at Shibuya, Tokyo

Kyu Asakura House, located near Daikanyama Station, Shibuya, is one of a handful of traditional Japanese-style houses in central Tokyo. It was built in 1919 by Torajiro Asakura, the chairperson of the Tokyo Council.

The quaint house is designated as a nationally important cultural property and is now managed by Shibuya Ward. You can visit and see a part of its buildings and its stunning garden. It is the right place to get away from the hustle and bustle of Tokyo.

Traditional Japanese House at Shibuya, Tokyo [iPhone 4S/HD]
- Shot in 1080p full HD with an iPhone 4S on Jul. 31st, 2012

Meerkat in the Middle of Tokyo

I came across a woman walking her meerkat at Harajuku, Tokyo. People who did not expected to meet this beastie in the middle of the capital were stopping by to look at it and took pictures of the adorable superstar.

Meerkat in the Middle of Tokyo [iPhone 4S/HD]
- Shot in 1080p full HD with an iPhone 4S on Jun. 24th, 2012

Omotesando Street Car Expo, Tokyo

Due to the long-continued recession, you don't often see expensive cars and rare cars in Tokyo nowadays. However, you may see a relatively large number of them at Omotesando Street.

'Omotesando' literally means 'main approach of a shrine or a temple'. The street was initially built as the main approach to Meiji Shrine, but is now well-known for its high-end stores. Executives come here in executive cars, and enjoy executive shopping.

Even if you are not interested in executive shopping, it should be enjoyable to stroll around this elegant district; see what the district is like or watch various cars passing by. Can you spot your favorite car in this video?

Omotesando Street Car Expo, Tokyo [iPhone 4S/HD]
- Shot in 1080p full HD with an iPhone 4S on Jun. 24th, 2012

Here is the post about Meiji Shrine, the shrine situated in a deep forest at the other end of Omotesando. Also check this out!
Meiji Shrine ~Shrine in Deep Forest in Tokyo~

Cat Street, Hot Spot for the Young at Harajuku, Tokyo

Ura-Harajuku, which literally means 'back streets of Harajuku', is an area where you can find a lot of small fashionable boutiques, beauty salons, cafes and restaurants. It is also called 'Ura-Hara' for short. Cat Street and its branches are one of the most bustling streets in the area. You can see young people dressed up and enjoying shopping there.

There was a river once where now Cat Street is, but the river was covered over for the development of this area when Tokyo Olympic was held in 1964. This is why the street is winding.

According to my friend whose birthplace was beside Cat Street, when he was a kid, the area was not like what it is like now, but was a typical old residential area. However, as he grew up, a lot of stores opened around there and it became a popular place among the young.

It would be fun to stroll around with imagining what the fashionable streets were like once.

Cat Street, Hot Spot for the Young at Harajuku, Tokyo [iPhone 4S/HD]
- Shot in 1080p full HD with an iPhone 4S on Jun. 24th, 2012

Here is the video about Takeshita Street, the most popular shopping street in the Harajuku area. Check also this!

Takeshita Street, Harajuku ~The Fashion Center of Tokyo~ [iPhone 4S/HD]
- Shot in 1080p full HD with an iPhone 4S on Jun. 11th, 2012

Free Hugs Campaign at Harajuku, Tokyo

I found they were doing this Free Hugs Campaign in front of Harajuku Station on a Sunday afternoon. People who joined it looked so happy with touching their warm hearts.

Free Hugs Campaign at Harajuku, Tokyo [iPhone 4S/HD]
- Shot in 1080p full HD with an iPhone 4S on Jun. 24th, 2012

Meiji Shrine ~Shrine in Deep Forest in Tokyo~

In front of Harajuku Station which is known as the gateway of Tokyo's fashion center, there is a stately Shinto shrine gate. This is the main entrance of Meiji Shrine.

The shrine was built to be dedicated to the spirits of Meiji Emperor and his wife, Shoken Empress. It is surrounded by an artificial forest made up by trees that were donated by people from the whole Japan. The huge forest, which covers 700 thousand square-meters, initially had 120 thousand trees, but it has been growing up naturally and now has 170 thousand.

On your way to the worship place, you can breathe the fresh air and relax your mind at the calm and quiet place while being in one of the busiest capitals in the world.

Here is the post about another face of Harajuku, the face of a fashion center.
Takeshita Street, Harajuku ~Fashion Center of Tokyo~

And here is the post of the place called 'Grandma's Harajuku'. Check also this!
Sugamo, Tokyo ~Grandma's Harajuku~

Meiji Shrine ~Shrine in Deep Forest in Tokyo~ [iPhone 4S/HD]
- Shot in 1080p full HD with an iPhone 4S on Jun. 11th, 2012

Takeshita Street, Harajuku ~Fashion Center of Tokyo~

Harajuku, located next to the Shibuya area, has two faces. One is the face of a worship place, the other is the face of a fashion center.

Takeshita Street is a narrow but busy street where you can see what is hot now among the young here in Japan. To experience the peak of the bustle of the street, you should visit there in a weekend afternoon, but this video was taken in a weekday afternoon. I wanted to avoid the crazy bustle to be honest. Sorry for my laziness. However, you can at least see what the street is like in this video.

Here is the post about another face of Harajuku, the face of a worship place.
Meiji Shrine ~Shrine in Deep Forest in Tokyo~

And here is the post of the place called 'Grandma's Harajuku'. Check also this!
Sugamo, Tokyo ~Grandma's Harajuku~

Takeshita Street, Harajuku ~The Fashion Center of Tokyo~ [iPhone 4S/HD]
- Shot in 1080p full HD with an iPhone 4S on Jun. 11th, 2012

Shibuya Station, Tokyo

Shibuya Station is the world's 5th busiest station, in 4th place in Japan, and in 3rd place in Tokyo. This video is just to give you an idea of what Shibuya Station is like. This was taken in a weekday afternoon, not so busy hour.

The world's busiest stations ranking (users/day)

1. Shinjuku Station, Tokyo, Japan (3.6 million)
2. Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus Station, Mumbai, India (3 to 3.5 million)
3. Ikebukuro Station, Tokyo, Japan (2.7 million)
4. Umeda-Osaka Station, Osaka, Japan (2.4 million)
5. Shibuya Station, Tokyo, Japan (2.1 million)

Three of them are in Tokyo!

Shibuya Station, Tokyo [iPhone 4S/HD]
- Shot in 1080p full HD with an iPhone 4S on May 17th, 2012

Here is the video of the busiest station on the planet, Shinjuku Station.


Tokyo Rush Hour, Shinjuku Station [iPhone 4S/HD]
- Shot in 1080p full HD with an iPhone 4S on Mar. 27th, 2012

Exploring Random Building at Shibuya, Tokyo

Exploring random buildings in a city is fun. Sometimes you find something cool like the elevators in this video.

Exploring Random Building at Shibuya, Tokyo [iPhone 4S/HD]
- Shot in 1080p full HD with an iPhone 4S on May 23rd, 2012

Tokyo's Vending Machine Recommends You What to Drink

The cutting edge vending machines with facial recognition in Tokyo recommend you what to drink based on your age, gender or something. It would be a waste not to try it and see what you should drink when you visit a station in the metropolis. But what a machine at Shibuya Station recommended me to drink were... I ended up ignoring its suggestion and buying one with a cool bottle cap.

Tokyo's Vending Machine Recommends You What to Drink [iPhone 4S/HD]
- Shot in 1080p full HD with an iPhone 4S on May 17th, 2012

A Kitten Clasping His Friend's Head

I bumped into them cuddling when strolling around Shibuya, Tokyo.

A Kitten Clasping His Friend's Head [iPhone 4S/HD]
- Shot in 1080p full HD with an iPhone 4S

Shibuya Crossing, Tokyo

This busy crossing is located in Shibuya area, a fashion center of Japan, also famous as a nightlife area. You may pass the crossing and see the huge crowd to go shopping or drinking when you visit Tokyo.

This video was taken in a weekday afternoon. Visit there in a weekend afternoon if you would like to see more people. The statue of Hachiko you can see in the video was built to tribute a dog named Hachiko. If you are interested in his sad but beautiful story, see the link below.
Wikipedia: Hachiko

Shibuya Hachiko Crossing, Tokyo [iPhone 4S/HD]
- Shot in 1080p full HD with an iPhone 4S on Apr. 4th, 2012