New Otani Gardens in December

The last few weeks have been very busy and I haven't had the chance to take photos at leisure. So I am revisiting photos that I took at the end of last year, and making tweaks in Capture NX2 to make them presentable. I usually like to have photos well composed in camera and exposure setting just right to minimize the amount of post-processing required. Due to the flat lighting or other issues back in December, I didn't post; however, with a few tweaks they look pretty good.

These two photos were taken after the very delicious Sunday brunch in the Japanese Gardens at the New Otani Hotel in Chiyoda.

Nikon D600 with Nikon 24mm f/2.0 Nikkor AI @ f2.8, ISO 100, 1/50 sec.

Nikon D600 with Nikon 24mm f/2.0 Nikkor AI @ f4.0, ISO 100, 1/15 sec.

Spring Maple in Moto-Azabu

This morning, the family was my children's elementary school annual family flea market. I have been borrowing my co-worker's Nikon D800 and used it along with my Nikon 80-200mm f/2.8D ED AF to take photos of my son's taiko performance. None of the taiko photos struck me as exceptional, but this shot of a beautiful Japanese maple tree at the entrance to the school caught my fancy.

Nikon D800 with Nikon 85mm f/1.4 AI-S @ f1.4, ISO 500, 1/8 sec.

Midtown Maple Leaf Illumination

The Christmas Illuminations are up at Tokyo Midtown. Not sure if I fully understand the theme this year, but according to the Midtown event website the theme is "Midtown Cruise," allowing you to journey away from Earth and out into Space!

Although the contrast and sharpness are good considering the challenging conditions, the colors tend to blend a little and the maple leaf takes a back seat to the bokeh from the Christmas lights. The performance by the 24 mm f2.0 AI Nikkor is amazing considering this glass is about 35-years old.

Nikon D600 with Nikon 24mm f/2.0 Nikkor AI @ f2.8, ISO 1600,1/80 sec.

Thanksgiving Walk and Autumn Maple Leaves

Although I live in Japan, my office follows the US holiday calendar. "American" Thanksgiving Day on the fourth Thursday of November is off, vice "Japanese" Labor Thanksgiving Day which was on Monday. My wife and kids get neither holiday and have to go to work and school, so I get a free autumn day to enjoy.

Although it has been wet the last few days, Thanksgiving morning was beautiful. After dropping of the family at school visited Arisugawa Park to enjoy the fall colors. There are many ginkgo and maple trees showing their beautiful autumn golden yellows and iridescent reds.

Nikon D600 with Nikon 105mm f/2.8G ED-IF AF-S VR Micro-Nikkor Lens f4.0, ISO 800, 1/250 sec.

Nikon D600 with Nikon 105mm f/2.8G ED-IF AF-S VR Micro-Nikkor Lens f4.0, ISO 100, 1/80 sec.

Red and Green Points on One Japanese Maple Leaf

While enjoying a fall afternoon with my daughter in Arisugawa Park, I happened across a Japanese Maples withe leaves that were just starting to turn from green to shades of orange and red. However, there were several leaves on this tree that appeared to be changing colors one point at a time. Very curious and very unusual. I had never seen a leaf do this before.

Nikon D600 with Nikon 105mm f/2.8G ED-IF AF-S VR Micro-Nikkor Lens f5.6, ISO 100, 1/40 sec.

It was strange, since I had never seen one like this before; however, there were several more on this tree. Here's another one...

Nikon D600 with Nikon 105mm f/2.8G ED-IF AF-S VR Micro-Nikkor Lens f4.0, ISO 100, 1/80 sec.

Autumn is here (Part 3) - Rikugi-en Again

Here is another beautiful maple from Rikugi-en that that was taken several weeks ago. The color was boosted in Nikon Capture NX2. Hopefully, I didn't overdo it.

Nikon D600 with Nikon 80-200mm f/2.8D ED AF @ 200 mm, f4.0, ISO 400, 1/320 sec.

Autumn is here

Autumn is finally showing it's full colors. Two weeks ago, the the Ginkgo Matsuri at the Meiji Jingu Gaien kicked-off and will be celebrating the golden goodness along Ichou Namiki (いちょう並木 or Ginkgo Avenue) until 16 December. We've also been though Yasukuni Shrine and Kitanomaru Park or Kōen (北の丸公園).

This maple was from Rikugien Garden.

Nikon D600 with Nikon 85mm f/1.4 AI-S @ f5.6, ISO 100, 1/160 sec.

This tree was spotted in Arisugawanomiya Park.

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

Autumn Colors at Rikugien

There's a lovely traditional Japanese garden a short walk from Komagome station on the JR Yamanote or the Namboku subway lines.  It's called Rikugien and was opened over three hundred years ago.  There are good directions and more information available at Tokyo Metropolitan Park Association website.

The family went for a stroll through the park on a beautiful lazy Saturday afternoon.  There were plenty of protests from my son and daughter who thought that this was not a proper park since there was no playground equipment .  They are 7 and 5 years old, respectively, so it is a valid point but my wife and I did not yield to their protests and we were able to make one circuit of the park and I was able to take a few photos.

There's a signboard at the entrance with enough information and to navigate and appreciate the history of the park.

The maples were putting on quite a display of vibrant autumn reds, oranges and yellows.

The reflections in the stream circling the park were beautiful.

Maple Leaves and my 20-year old Nikon lenses

I'm still taking photos of maple leaves. I find the light shining through the leaves incredibly beautiful.  This shot was taken with one of the older lenses in my kit.

I remember purchasing the Nikon 80-200mm f2.8 AF (non-D) that took this image in the late 80's from Precision Photo in Boca Raton.  I think I paid about $800 used for it and have gotten over 20-years of service out of it.  The aperture is starting to stick, so it can't stop down past about f5.6 without overexposing.  Oh well, maybe it's about time to consider retiring this one and getting the new two ring Nikon 80-200mm f/2.8D ED AF?

This one was taken about a month ago when the new leaves were just opening. I used my even older 85mm f1.4 AI-S manual focus to take this image.  I remember buying this lens with a good friend at a used camera equipment show at the North Miami Armory.  I traded a Nikon 2002 SLR and $200 to get this beautiful piece of glass.

Autumn Colors

I've been busy lately, so there hasn't been much time to take photos or post. Anyway, the family did make it out to Hibiya Park last weekend. There was one particular Ginkgo (ｲﾁｮｳ) that caught my eye and some maples that were nice too.

This beautiful Ginkgo was in the Children's playground.

These maples were located in one of the Japanese gardens.

First Post

This is to be a blog full of my photos of "Living in Japan", especially Tokyo.  However, I will not fill it with family photos or snaps.  This is to be personal yet impersonal project.  It will be filled with the everyday sights of Japan.  Things that I find, beautiful, strange, sublime, funny and unusual.

The title alludes to my conflicted feelings that I have for Tokyo.  Sometimes one truly feels lost in this big, frenetic city.  Other times there is a sense of discovery... finding things unexpected, forgotten or lost. 

Hopefully, I will be able to explore these feelings and share them with you.  If you find my photos interesting, please post comments.

Anyway, enough of my ramblings.

Strange sculpture near the French
Ambassador's residence in Minami Azabu.

Restaurant near Sangen-Jaya Station (三軒茶屋駅)

Sculpture on pedestal at the entrance to Meiji Jingu Gaien (Meiji Shrine Outer Garden).
Is it a unicorn? Kirin?

Ginkgo Avenue (aka Icho Namiki ) near the Meiji Jingu Gaien.
The ginkgo leaves are almost at peak fall color.

Japanese Maple Tree in "Step" Park in Moto Azabu