Wednesday, August 22, 2012

"1990 Tabata, Shinjuku, Etc; 2012 Yamanote Line, Ginza, Etc."

This batch jumps back and forth between 1990 and 2012 (with one video from 1993, which references a video from 1991).  The opening scene is of a 1990 rooftop beer garden in Shinjuku, then a 1990 udon shop in a train station, followed by a 1993 look at an archaeological dig where the Shiodome office towers now stand.  There are also art exhibition views, a couple of long Yamanote Line rides, and glimpses of other train lines in Tokyo.

I'll comment after some of the video titles and links below.

1990 Shinjuku Rooftop Beer Garden - (900816)
http://youtu.be/wYe0RtMzKOo

There are still rooftop beer gardens in Tokyo, but not nearly as many as there used to be.  Regarding a difference between then and now (to a degree anyway), as a viewer commented, just about all the men are wearing white shirts.  It was in the bubble years (of which this is the tail end, when things were just beginning to slide), that some people began to wear colored shirts, but even now, probably there are more people wearing white shirts here than in many countries.

1990 Udon と Soba Ticket Machine (900806)
http://youtu.be/pGxpsfQOt74

1993 Shiodome Archaeological Dig - (930624)
http://youtu.be/HS-lX8-PyS4

Before the many office towers went up in Shiodome, this was undeveloped land.  It used to be a rail freight yard, after which the rails were ripped out and it was used for model homes, a circus, a small amusement park, etc.  I visited it during this time period in 1991:

Shiodome Before the Highrises Were Built - March 9th, 1991
http://youtu.be/7jAZrHdm1F0

But going back to the 1993 view - this is what it looked like just prior to beginning construction of the office towers, when they were carefully digging out old ruins.  Presumably they carted the rocks and whatnot off and reconstructed them somewhere else, but I don't know where.

1990 Tamachi to Shinjuku - (900802)
http://youtu.be/PATR9vwPMR4

1990 Shinjuku Night, Etc. - (900802)
http://youtu.be/6rUzpFwYYDk

A bit on the long side maybe, but it captures some of the 1990 atmosphere of Shinjuku, which is a little different from 2012.

Inside Bookstore (120814)
http://youtu.be/Acy9iG1hIMk

Shinjuku - Entering Book Store Building (120814)
http://youtu.be/2hB993vKzVI

Group Exhibition at GGICM (A) 120814
http://youtu.be/yjZnOO3rD58

Group Exhibition at GGICM (B) 120814
http://youtu.be/56sARASV7WE

The above two clips show an August 2012 group exhibition at Gallery Ginza 1-Chome.

Empty Space by Hibiya Park (New Construction Soon) 120814
http://youtu.be/rp46AtgqC80

Looking over where the Sanshin Building used to be - and where they are (apparently) planning to build a gargantuan office tower.

Sasaki Hisae 佐々木久枝 Calligraphy と Ikebana Exhibit (A) 120814
http://youtu.be/ir67uLhRj8k

Sasaki Hisae 佐々木久枝 Calligraphy と Ikebana Exhibit (B) 120814
http://youtu.be/ffNphwy7fzQ

Sasaki Hisae 佐々木久枝 Calligraphy と Ikebana Exhibit (C) 120814
http://youtu.be/5fWZY0iurjE

Takadanobaba - Seibu to Tozai - (120814)
http://youtu.be/Jy-mw0EUe1k

Southern Terrace Trees (120814)
http://youtu.be/ATAEfQmpaHU

Shinjuku Station - South Exit Area (120814)
http://youtu.be/1w4FscWfA68

Yurakucho to Shinagawa - Evening Yamanote Line (120814)
http://youtu.be/9LrfdkXYObk

Just looking out the window of the Yamanote Line - but even after all these years, I never find the ride boring.  There is so much activity and things to see while making the trip.

Otemachi to Kyobashi (Tozai and Ginza Lines) - (120814)
http://youtu.be/eqPU8YPLn2M

1990 Nighttime Tabata Area, Etc. - (900806)
http://youtu.be/F9IDPdUKA1g

Shinagawa to Shinjuku - Evening Yamanote Line (120814)
http://youtu.be/YRMVhQpyigk

Another fairly long Yamanote Line ride.

Yurakucho Station - Hibiya Exit (120814)
http://youtu.be/7N5ZpyVzifA

Ginza 4-Chome and Harumi Dori 銀座四丁目と晴海通り (120814)
http://youtu.be/bguIBq6o5Rk

Harumi-Dori Stroll - (120814)
http://youtu.be/MuPcbW6QF18

Streetside Aquarium (A) - Ginza Sony Building (120814)
http://youtu.be/7k5URlSd_Tk

Streetside Aquarium (B) - Ginza Sony Building (120814)
http://youtu.be/GJW-ELZUwJQ

The concept is certainly interesting - live tropical fish near a busy Ginza intersection - but when I tried taking some photos and videos, they didn't turn out very well.

Yurakucho Evening Stroll 120814
http://youtu.be/EuG36MS3Ii8

Yurakucho Station Entrance and Platform 120814
http://youtu.be/L5vO5oXHwGc

Shinjuku Evening Street - South to East (120814)
http://youtu.be/VPBMvkyyb-s

1990 Tamachi Lunchtime People (900806)
http://youtu.be/y_nNQso8NGg

Fashions and hairstyles have changed a bit in the last 22 years....

Shinjuku East Side Stroll (Evening) 120814
http://youtu.be/t3640EnVf7g

1990 Tabata Station at Night - (900806)
http://youtu.be/9Bm3i2M7HZk

Evening Street by Shinjuku Station South Exit (120814)
http://youtu.be/A_HgPbF4uQA

Shinjuku Platform Walk - Yamanote Line (120814)
http://youtu.be/gLC0s18d1M8

Evening Southern Terrace to Bridge - (120814g)
http://youtu.be/UGlcDMDid_4

I didn't have high expectations when I began recording this clip, but it turned out to have some decent scenes.  I like the twilight views from the middle of the pedestrian bridge.

Insect and Car Noises 120817
http://youtu.be/-JQhHM39Yd4

Waving Construction Sign 120816
http://youtu.be/FX8TqSLjaBE

Seto Tadashi 瀬戸但し Installation at Gallery Camellia ギャラリーカメリア (A) 120816
http://youtu.be/zwMNSMjX4hk

Seto Tadashi 瀬戸但し Installation at Gallery Camellia ギャラリーカメリア (B) 120816
http://youtu.be/pfYD-VMboxY

Billboard (and Music) Advertising Truck in Ginza (120816)
http://youtu.be/vZ1FRItptBA

Ginza Evening Side Streets 120816
http://youtu.be/zuFUekZaMYk

Nihonbashi Old Restaurant 120816
http://youtu.be/Q7EgKtouDfo

The everything-old-must-be-destroyed Godzilla monster is busy tearing down old buildings in Kyobashi and Nihonbashi, but a few old buildings are still left.  This two-story old wooden building is the type of structure the city used to be full of.

Yurakucho Evening Plaza 120816
http://youtu.be/mr0zAhyTvHY

Yurakucho Zebra Crosswalks 120816
http://youtu.be/pH38OH3BnuE

1990 Old Wooden Apartment Bldg in Tabata (900807)
http://youtu.be/LesqD74-OKM

This type of old wooden building probably really isn't very safe from a fire (and probably earthquake) perspective, but wooden buildings like this have so much more character than concrete ones!

1990 Tabata Hot Afternoon Walkabout 田畑 (900807)
http://youtu.be/UI2DFAnTD5E

1990 Nihonbashi Evening - (900820)
http://youtu.be/0TKWOD_iG0g

1990 Shinjuku Department Store Restaurants - (900816)
http://youtu.be/5nHf3qBLNao

1990 Shinjuku Elevator Operator - (900816)
http://youtu.be/DEf_dknM9Bs

1990 Shinjuku Indoor Scenes, Etc. - (900816)
http://youtu.be/xgnx-xZqjcc

1990 Shinjuku Station Area Stores - (900816)
http://youtu.be/vFU1_rHaR0Q

1990 Tamachi Lunchtime, Etc. - (900820)
http://youtu.be/1VQvBjUSWwc

1990 Tamachi to Tokyo - Keihin-Tohoku Line - (900820)
http://youtu.be/Pqva9V32dSM

A quick warning about the next two video clips - I've not had very good luck with playing them, so be forewarned.  Hopefully they'll play for you if you try the links.  The original files are fine - it's just the uploaded versions I'm having trouble getting to play - I think it's just congested network conditions or something, but thought I should mention it nevertheless (if it's happened repeatedly to me, presumably it could happen to someone else as well).

Takadanobaba Walkabout (A) 120816
https://vimeo.com/47712802

Takadanobaba Walkabout (B) 120816
http://vimeo.com/47712803

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

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