Fin
The last of the black and whites. From Zats Burger Cafe, Tokyo. I had avocado on my burger. We had beers. This was such a lovely day.
Tucked Away in Corners
For me, one of the most intoxicating and mysterious parts of Japan is the way that everything is not out on display, overt and declarative, but is instead hidden behind curtains and rice-papered windows, discovered through half-open doorways and narrow passageways. To a hungry person or a nosy curious person, this is at times frustrating, […]
Tokyo Subway
On a Tuesday during the late September public holidays, I met some fellow film photographers for a meandering walk through the neighborhoods along the Chuo railway line in Tokyo. This outing gave me the opportunity to finally break out the Polaroid, and also to break in a brand new pair of Vans. One of these […]
In between
The contract on my short-term apartment ended yesterday, and it’s my second night in a lovely hotel overlooking the Imperial Palace moat. I’m trying to find loopholes in the moat’s infrastructure so I can storm the palace gates before I leave, but I’ve got a lot of other stuff to do in a short amount […]
Staycation
Maybe it was the weather. The threat of a typhoon that, until late Friday afternoon, was threatening to ruin any chance at a successful beach holiday; the clouds that have persisted since. Perhaps it was the crowds. The masses of people, all using the 5-day holiday weekend to fill every train, plane, bus, hostel, pension, […]
Shibuya
The famous, crazy street crossing at Hachiko Plaza in Shibuya, through the JR Station window. Agfa Vista 400
Rain on Saturday
A little taste of autumn blew through Tokyo on Saturday. A little rain, a book, some movies, a long run around the palace. I was only missing a fireplace and some socks. Another Bicycle on Film, Agfa Vista 400
Jolly
On Sunday, I had the pleasure of meeting the wonderful Hiki for an afternoon of wandering and eating and snapping cameras. Not only is her Australian accent adorable, but she knows all the best secret hiding places to take a new Tokyo resident. We wandered from one of my favorite neighborhoods, Daikanyama, to another favorite […]
Izakaya
Izakaya are traditional Japanese pubs, often small and intimate, cozy and comfortable. Drinks are served with small dishes that are shared with your table. My first authentic izakaya experience in Tokyo was with two Frenchmen at a spectacular and sophisticated hole in the wall in Ebisu. Literally. We walked up to a wall, they pushed […]
Bestill my heart
Tokyo, you are pretty dreamy. I love you any time of day, but you are especially magical at night. Omote-sando on Film
Nakameguro
Last weekend I discovered a little slice of heaven in Tokyo: Nakameguro. A quiet, treelined canal dotted with shops and boutiques, cafés and bistros. We found a cafe along the canal, where we dined on potato wedges and cold beers as the sun dipped behind the rooftops and the crickets begged the evening on. Not […]
Display
One of my very favorite things on earth is a good display. A shop window, a well-merchandised table, a refrigerated case. It makes me go ga-ga in the same way that my other strange preoccupations — paper goods, things in miniature, ginger anything — make me swoon. As far as presentation goes, Japan basically kicks […]
Filums, je pense que oui
Two Saturdays ago, I spent a perfectly wonderful day with my friend Philippe, a Parisian I met during my first year in Seoul who has been living in Tokyo for the last two years. It was, sadly, his last day in Tokyo, as news of my arrival prompted him to move to Shanghai. Not really. […]
Fear of Fire
As a child, I had an exaggerated fear of catastrophes. Fire, floods, tornadoes, explosions, avalanches, swarms of killer bees. It’s even written in my baby book. I don’t know know where it came from or why I began spending each night quietly plotting escape routes as I fell asleep. Blame teasing adults who casually threw […]
