Friday, December 11, 2009

"Several Videos - Shinjuku, Shimokitazawa, Harajuku, Ginza, Omotesando, etc."

It's been quite a week, what with full scale war at the jungle warfare office, my freedom from that toxic atmosphere obtained, but my income lost, etc. etc. Too much stuff to explain in detail, so let's just have a look at some videos:

"Morning Toyoko Line - Suit City - November 2009"

A standing room only, but relaxed ride on the Toyoko Line during the morning commute. I ended up on the Toyoko Line due to a "jishin-jiko" (passenger action) on the Yamanote Line. Fortunately the Yamanote Line train I was on was stopped at Shibuya Station when it happened, so I had the option of doing an end run around the problem area via other train trains. This is one of the advantages of the increadible number of train lines in Tokyo - at hub stations, there are usually options to get where you're going via other lines if one of them is not running for some reason. (Recorded on November 16th, 2009.)


"Shinjuku Platform Jungle Walk - November 2009"

Looking out the window of an Ikebukuro-bound Yamanote Line train as it zooms into Shinjuku Station. After getting off the train, walking the full ten-car length of the platform (during rush hours, but after the main peak). (Recorded on November 24th, 2009 at about 7:30 p.m.)


"Evening Ikegami Line - Hatanodai to Ebaranakanobu"

Looking out the front of an Ikegami Line train from its departure in Hatanodai until its arrival in Ebaranakanobu. (Recorded on November 24th, 2009 at about 5:30 p.m.)


"Shimokitazawa Jungle Walk-A - December 1st, 2009"

Walking about in Shimokitazawa on December 1st, 2009. I noticed a number of closed shops - either because it was just after 6:00 or maybe because of the bad economy. I think at least partly due to the bad economy, but I could be wrong. Certainly the economy is bad for me personally, since the large corporation I was working for has begun axing its contract workers, me included....


"Shimokitazawa Jungle Walk-B - December 1st, 2009"

Continuing my walk-about in Shimokitazawa - walking down an old covered shopping street whose days are probably numbered. (Recorded on December 1st, 2009.)


"Shinbashi Train Cyclone - November 2009"

Walking in the opposite direction from my last Shinbashi Station walk video, with trains passing on both sides of the Shinbashi Station Tokaido Line platform, including a couple of 16-car Shinkansen super-express trains.


"Riding Inokashira Line into Shimokitazawa"

Listening to the internal announcement on an Inokashira Line train as it pulls into Shimokitazawa, and then getting off the train and heading for the exit stairs.


"Outside Cooking Display & Microvan in Shimokitazawa"

While jungle walking in Shimokitazawa, pausing to watch an outside cooking... show? display? in front of a... restaurant (I think). A microvan drives by, etc....


"Running for the Train - Ebisu Station" November 2009

Running down the platform at Ebisu Station to get to the front of a Shinjuku-bound Yamanote Line train. (I don't make a habit of doing this, and I don't recommend it, but this is what is looks like.)


"Vertical Running Reflections - Yamanote Line" November 2009

Watching the light show in the window of a Shinjuku-bound Yamanote Line Train.


"Vertical & Horizontal Yamanote Line Reflections" November 2009

Looking outside/inside a Yamanote Line train window at night, and looking over at a fellow passenger's book. Typical nighttime Tokyo train travel....


"Arriving at Harajuku Station (Announcement)" November 2009

Arriving at Harajuku Station. Notice the sound level change of the "Harajuku... Harajuku desu. Gojosha, arigato gozaimasu" announcement from inside the train before the door opens (the first "Harajuku..." part of the announcement) and after (the rest of the announcement/recording).


"Shinjuku Station Jungle Walk - November 2009"

Walking through Shinjuku Station from near the South Exit to the South-East Exit around 7:45 p.m.


"Shinjuku Southern Terrace Blue Lights - November 24th, 2009"

Part of the year-end light displays put up all around the Southern Terrace ("Shinjuku '09-'10 Southern Lights"). Apparently this year, this sort of illumination is done with LED lights, with blue being the color of choice (along with white).


"Ginza Jungle Walk - November 2009"

Walking down a nighttime side street in fashionable Ginza, recorded on November 27th, 2009. The main streets of Ginza are full of "brand" company shops with insanely expensive and often ugly mass-marketed... stuff. Fortunately there are still some interesting galleries and small shops on back and side streets.


"Yurakucho Sax Player - November 27th, 2009"

Listening to a sax player under the tracks between the plaza on the Ginza side of Yurakucho Station and the entrance to the station (off to the side). Trains go by above, people walk by - some stop and listen. Typical Tokyo scene.


"Autumn Colors in a Tokyo Park - November 2009"

Trying to unwind from the stresses of office jungle warfare. Maybe if people spent more time contemplating natural things, they would be less bloodthirsty in the office?


"Harajuku Takeshita Dori (Other Direction) - November 2009

Recorded on a different date from a recent post covering the same street, and walking in the other direction this time - away from Harajuku Station.


"Tree Lights Quest (Omotesando) December 2009"

A decade ago, they stopped putting lights on the trees in Omotesando due to complaints of people living in the area who were inconvenienced by the large crowds that came to see the lights. The story goes that the neighborhood assoication then reversed their ealier decision and decided to put them up again this year to add some cheer to counter the gloomy economic news, etc.


"Old Double Decker Bus Cruising Omotesando Light-up"

I'm not sure, but I suspect this bus was conducting a tour of the lights. The upper deck would be a great place to observe the lights from. (Recorded on December 2nd, 2009 at around 6:30 p.m.)


"Omotesando Jungle Walk - December 2nd, 2009"

Walking with the crowd - with many likely there half to have a look at the trees, and half to know they haven't missed out on the event. (Truth be told, I wanted to get some pictures for those same reasons, basically.)


"Shinjuku Rush Hours Platform, 18:44 December 2009"

Rush hours (it's certainly not over in one single hour!) in Shinjuku see a lot of people moving about. Unless some other station has surpassed it, Shinjuku has the largest number of people passing through it each day - calculated (I think) by the number who set foot off of trains there (both for transfers or when actually going somewhere in Shinjuku).

Lyle (Hiroshi) Saxon
http://www5d.biglobe.ne.jp/~LLLtrs/
http://uk.youtube.com/lylehsaxon

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