Sugar can be art.... Amezaiku (part 1)

The family was at a local festival today in Minami-Azabu that had a amezaiku artist.  Amezaiku is a kind of candy art that is fascinating to watch being made. I spent quite a bit of time fascinated by this mans edible artwork.  I'll have to post more photos later.

Nikon 80-200mm f/2.8D ED AF @ 112 mm, f2.8, ISO 1600, 1/200 sec.

Nikon 80-200mm f/2.8D ED AF @ 200 mm, f2.8, ISO 800, 1/200 sec.

Nikon 80-200mm f/2.8D ED AF @ 120 mm, f2.8, ISO 800, 1/200 sec.

No Concept

The shop was closed, but if you didn't need a concept you could find it here.  What does it all mean?

Sometimes I feel out of place

Hmm.... Perhaps "Lost Tokyo" should have a gallery exhibit at "Tokio Out of Place"?  It seems like we may be on the same wavelength.

Fun with Soap Bubbles...

We didn't know it when we got up, but the family had so much energy that we visited not one, but two parks in Tokyo. Hibiya Park near the Imperial Palace (or 皇居 kōkyo) and Arisugawanomiya Park in Minami Azabu.  The children's playgrounds in Hibiya Park and at Arisugawanomiya are not anything special; however, the family had a great day. Especially when my wife brought out the Soap Bubbles for the kids. (If you are wondering, I had to include the link to Wikipedia because it explains why soap bubbles have iridescent colors.)

Here are some of the more interesting ones, and as my policy, minus my kids of course.  If you look closely, my reflection is visible in these bubbles. 

Driving range in my neighborhood

There's a private driving range in my neighborhood.  Actually, its an empty lot that someone has put up portable driving range net. 

It must be a financial burden to keep this large lot vacant.  It's been this way since we moved to the area over a year ago.  The owner could probably recoup some of his losses by charging a fee to use.

Mikoshi jyutai (traffic jam).

There was a traffic jam on side street near our Tokyo apartment on Sunday.  There must have been at least three (maybe four portable shrines (mikoshi) bouncing down the street on the backs of revelers.  We couldn't even drive up our street.  I had to circle around to park.

Haikyo in the Azabu area?

Abandoned ruins in Japan are known as Haikyo.  I especially like the photographs of them in Michael John Grist's blog.  He's gone to the extremes to find these abandoned deteriorating buildings.

The ones that I photographed in this post are of the haikyo that I have come across during my walks around my Tokyo neighborhood.  Most are not really that deteriorated.  They appear abandoned or seldom used.  There are padlocks on the doorways and boarded up windows.  Several appear to have suffered some vandalism.  However, I haven't entered any these buildings, so I can't give much insight.

Here's one I spotted in Minami-Azaubu.  It appears to be some sort of machine shop.  There's a large milling machine in the front, perhaps it's a lathe.  I didn't really take a close look.

Here are two more right next to each other in Minami-Azabu.  These are very close to the posh Moto-Azaubu area.  It looks like there is enough area to park a car in front of the second one.  Usually the property owner would block off access to parking, but perhaps he lives nearby and uses it to park his car?

Finally, here's one I spotted in Shirogane.

More Sakura in February? Nah... just plum, but definitely allergy season. :(

This Sunday when I went out to park the car on Meji-Dori, I thought that I may have sighted Sakura for the second time in 2010. 

These are probably plum blossoms, but the color is very close to Sakura.  The ones that were definitely plum were a little further up the street.  Both of these trees are located near several shrines on Zekko Zaka. The one's out front the side entrance to this shrine are definitely plum (ume.)

Although it snowed last week, perhaps spring is arriving early. The news here in Tokyo has already announced that allergy season has arrived. This is something I would prefer, not to be able to confirm. Alas, my eyes itch and my nose is running.

Ultraman Garden

There's a small garden down the street from our house. It seems a little kitschy in a Japanese way.  Instead of a garden gnome you'll find Ultraman protecting the flowers, plants and pots.  Actually, there may be a dwarf or gnome hidden in grass in the lower right corner.

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