Golden Hour at La Forêt

The famous La Forêt department store anchors one corner of the intersection of Meiji Dori and Omotesando in Harajuku. This department store is located at the center of Tokyo's cutting edge of fashion district. I was lucky enough to pass by and capture its marque and favorable light on a late afternoon in January.

Nikon D600 with Nikon 85mm f/1.4 AI-S @ f2.8, ISO 100, 1/100 sec.

Is this Japan? or This is Japan?

At the JR Kyoto Station, I spotted a "This is Japan" campaign poster outside the Isetan Department Store. It's quiet an ambitious promotion with a famous bi-racial multi-cultural (Japanese-Italian and raised in France) model. Considering the current controversy and discrimination around the 2015 Miss Universe Japan beauty pageant queen, I find the Isetan promotion very bold and forward thinking in a country that often has hidden racist tendencies.

Nikon D600 with Nikon 85mm f/1.4 AI-S @ f5.6, ISO 100, 1/200 sec.

Matching Outfits with Your Pooches (or Dress Like Your Dogs!)

I didn't know it was a thing, but there are dog outfits that match outfits for people. I am very impressed that this "family" was bold enough to step out and share this gift of fashion with my family. We enjoyed it very much and am grateful to have witnessed this. It brings a smile to my face that that returns every time I think about these three cute dogs and their fashionable owners.

(Here's my confession... As a family we have indulged ourselves at least once and dressed in matching outfits to amuse. It was about a year after we had moved to Japan (perhaps 2008 or 2009?) and we used a gift certificate from a Hawaiian boutique in Kailua to purchase matching outfits . This is not some thing we normally do as a family, but we wore them to Mother's Day Brunch at Roy's in Roppongi Hills. We did wear these clothes several more times together as a family and more times separately. The clothes were quiet attractive and we received many compliments. However, we are not the sort of family that dresses alike often. Do you think we will see this "family" in the park dressed alike again?)

Nikon D600 with Nikon 80-200mm f/2.8D ED AF @ 125 mm, f2.8, ISO 100, 1/320 sec.

DISOBEY Disney

My mother was in Tokyo in early April, and we choose to spend a day with at Tokyo Disney Sea with her and my children. Lucky for us, the weather was perfect and it was less crowded than normal, since it was the start of the new school year and fiscal year in Japan.

In Japan and many other places, wearing the same outfits in a public place is one ways of bonding with friends. These girls deserve credit for choosing something with a little subversive edge that may have stirred up controversy (and potentially refused entry) if they tried to enter a Disney amusement park in the US. However, they may have not know the meaning of the gesture on they shirt. Regardless to say when worn by a group of six cute girls, with matching hair, shorts and socks this message may be off-point and lost in translation.

Nikon D600 with Nikon 50mm f/1.4G AF-Sf4.0, ISO 100, 1/1600 sec.

Winter Hats

Last August 2013, I took a walk through Shibuya and took many photos of people in hats and blogged about it in a post titled, Thinking about hats.... Seems that I am experiencing a sort of artistic déjà vu and shot more people in hats in Shibuya with the same trusty 30-year old 85mm f/1.4 AI-S Nikkor.

However, these samples were not of the straw variety favored in the summer, but were suited for a Tokyo winter although the fashion inspiration had to cross the pacific from the American west. Seems that the original hat of the West, the “Boss of the Plains” is admired for its fashion sense and practicality in the land of the rising sun.

Nikon D600 with Nikon 85mm f/1.4 AI-S @ f2.8, ISO 100, 1/80 sec.

Nikon D600 with Nikon 85mm f/1.4 AI-S f4.0, ISO 100, 1/250 sec.

Sometimes I wonder what is appropriate?

Am I a prude or perhaps a little too conservative? But when I was walking though one of the back streets in Harajuku along Omotesando, I came across this window with children's and toddler's t-shirts. On first inspection they seemed attractive featuring bright colors, interesting graphics and good design. However, I am not sure if it is appropriate to have a hemp or cannabis leaf on a children's shirt.

Nikon D600 with Nikon 24mm f/2.0 Nikkor AI @ f4.0, ISO 800, 1/13 sec.

Momoiro Clover Z Fashion?

I don't understand why these clothes are so popular, but it has something to do with a J-Pop band called Momoiro Clover Z. Seems that there are several variations of colors and hoody styles. The text on the sashes lead me to the name of the band. According to Wikipedia, it seems that they ranked as the most popular female idol group according to 2013 and 2014 surveys.

Based on my investigative work, it seems that there was some sort of event or concert planned at Meiji Jingu Gaien Stadium.

Nikon D600 with Nikon 16-35mm f/4G ED VR II AF-S IF SWM @ 16 mm, f5.6, ISO 100, 1/80 sec.

Nikon D600 with Nikon 16-35mm f/4G ED VR II AF-S IF SWM @ 16 mm, f5.6, ISO 100, 1/250 sec.

Nikon D600 with Nikon 16-35mm f/4G ED VR II AF-S IF SWM @ 35 mm, f5.6, ISO 100, 1/160 sec.

Nikon D600 with Nikon 16-35mm f/4G ED VR II AF-S IF SWM @ 35 mm, f5.6, ISO 100, 1/80 sec.

Nikon D600 with Nikon 16-35mm f/4G ED VR II AF-S IF SWM @ 35 mm, f5.6, ISO 100, 1/320 sec.

Street Art and a Strange Sign

I was wandering between Shibuya and Meijijingumae Station along Meiji Dori and found this unusual skull stuck on a pedestrian overpass. The overpass was covered mostly with graffiti but this little guy was the most interesting thing. I don't know if whether this is graffiti, a 3-D sticker, or something else, but it definitely is a form of street art or sculpture.

Nikon D600 with Nikon 105mm f/2.8G ED-IF AF-S VR Micro-Nikkor Lens f4.0, ISO 200, 1/250 sec.

Nikon D600 with Nikon 105mm f/2.8G ED-IF AF-S VR Micro-Nikkor Lens f4.0, ISO 200, 1/250 sec.

I also wandered by this store with an unusual name, 'Guerilla The Incubation Period'. It's the flagship store of the Tokyo fashion brand, WTAPS, but the name seems out of place just like a skull stuck on an overpass. Anyway, the WTAPS website says that their concept is "placing things where they should be." Hmmm... I liked the design of the exterior of the shop, but couldn't see their merchandise. So perhaps their clothes did not belong on me?

Nikon D600 with Nikon 105mm f/2.8G ED-IF AF-S VR Micro-Nikkor Lens f4.0, ISO 200, 1/15 sec.

Freak's Store

I wasn't sure were to find a "Freak" before, but it seems that the Freak's Store in Shibuya. A quick look through the store window and it appears that Freak is quite ordinary (not at all "Freaky") and sells dapper clothes in the style of Gap, Uniqlo, J. Crew, Ralph Lauren or Lacoste.

Nikon D600 with Nikon 16-35mm f/4G ED VR II AF-S IF SWM @ 18 mm, f5.6, ISO 200, 1/25 sec.

Nikon D600 with Nikon 16-35mm f/4G ED VR II AF-S IF SWM @ 30 mm, f5.6, ISO 200, 1/25 sec.

Nikon D600 with Nikon 16-35mm f/4G ED VR II AF-S IF SWM @ 31 mm, f5.6, ISO 200, 1/25 sec.

I just do eyes

The character Hannibal Chew in Blade Runner has a great line... "I just do eyes, ju-, ju-, just eyes... just genetic design, just eyes."

It seemed that this couple likes eyes too! I spotted them and their eyes in Harajuku on my first day out with my shiny new D600at the end of May.

Nikon D600with Nikon 16-35mm f/4G ED VR II AF-S IF SWM @ 16 mm, f5.6, ISO 100, 1/200 sec.

The glowing eyes on this Hello Kitty are very creepy!

Nikon D600with Nikon 16-35mm f/4G ED VR II AF-S IF SWM @ 16 mm, f5.6, ISO 100, 1/125 sec.

Nikon D600with Nikon 16-35mm f/4G ED VR II AF-S IF SWM @ 16 mm, f5.6, ISO 100, 1/30 sec.

Thinking about hats....

Before the family returned in August, I walked through Shibuya with friends and spent some time taking photos of people passing through. For some reason, I was drawn to people wearing summer hats. Straw hats are one of the most popular styles worn by men, women, young and old to beat Tokyo's summer sun and heat while looking fashionable.

I spent most of the day with two manual focus lenses in my camera bag. However, once my trusty 85mm f/1.4 AI-S Nikkor was mounted, it stayed on my D600for the remainder of the day. You've just got to love the bokeh and sharpness on this classic lens. It's hard to believe that this lens was first produced by Nikon back in 1982 and only retired from production in 2006. I have had the pleasure of shooting with this classic lens since about 1987. Back then I used to shoot it with a Nikon FE2. The 85 balances and performs well on my D600, but I do miss the sound of the titanium shutter and whir of the MD-12 motor drive.

Nikon D600with Nikon 85mm f/1.4 AI-S @ f5.6, ISO 100, 1/250 sec.

Nikon D600with Nikon 85mm f/1.4 AI-S @ f2.8, ISO 100, 1/320 sec.

Nikon D600with Nikon 85mm f/1.4 AI-S @ f2.8, ISO 100, 1/400 sec.

Nikon D600with Nikon 85mm f/1.4 AI-S @ f2.8, ISO 100, 1/500 sec.

Nikon D600with Nikon 85mm f/1.4 AI-S @ f4.0, ISO 100, 1/250 sec.

Nikon D600with Nikon 85mm f/1.4 AI-S @ f2.8, ISO 100, 1/500 sec.