"1990 Taito-ku, Ikebukuro; 1991 Gotanda, Etc; 2013 Osaki, Asakusabashi, Etc."

The element of this batch of video files that most stands out to me personally, are views of 1990 Taito-ku, and - after watching the footage I took in 1990 - some modern views from 2013 of part of the same area (near Asakusabashi Station) that I visited in 1990.  Otherwise there are typical views of here and there in Tokyo.

Nishi-Shinjuku Side Street Quick Look Around 西新宿 (130803)
http://youtu.be/zWt9-kevzO4

Summer Grass Plants Weeds Butterflies Etc (130803)
http://youtu.be/4dcXNaUwGXI

Summer Air-Conditioner Sound (Seibu Line) 130731
http://youtu.be/LPNFzHK1iwA

One of the elements of Tokyo summers for me is hearing the sound of the air-conditioning units on trains.  Newer ones are quieter, so I took this video just to get the sound of the type I associate with summer recorded before the sound disappears (since the trains are continually being replaced with newer ones).

Entering Nihonbashi Station Near Tokyo Square Garden 銀座線日本橋駅 (130731)
http://youtu.be/1wuymfoInG8

From street level, down to the entrance, through the ticket gates, and then down to the platform of Nihonbashi Station.  As there was time before the train arrived, I walked down to a more convenient part of the platform (closer to the transfer stairs at the station I was headed for).

Takadanobaba to Seibu-Shinjuku (Seibu Line) 高田馬場駅-西武新宿駅 西武線 (130730)
http://youtu.be/L_FibLXIv9w

Shinjuku - Waiting for the Walk Light to Change - Twilight View 新宿 (130730)
http://youtu.be/gqqcBOD7zlU

Shinjuku 新宿

Shinjuku Omoide-Yokocho Twilight Stroll 夕暮れの新宿思い出横丁 (130730)
http://youtu.be/gm3LkkCOUcM

Shinjuku Chuo Line Platform Walk 夜の新宿駅中央線ホーム (130730)
http://youtu.be/wePig8_9r8A

Inbound Chuo Line Side Window View 中央線窓からの景色三鷹辺り (130731)
http://youtu.be/SU1Sks49z9o

Mitaka to Nakano (Chuo Line) 三鷹駅-中野駅 中央線 左側 (130731)
http://youtu.be/B7JfsKUFdk4

Nakano to Shinjuku (Chuo Line) 中野駅-新宿駅 中央線 左側 (130731)
http://youtu.be/cNIpecKXJVg

Shinjuku Station / 新宿駅

Shinjuku to Osaki (Tokaido Line) 湘南新宿ライン東海道線直通快速平塚行き (130731)
http://youtu.be/gAQFDVyAxeA

By the tracks being used, this is the Saikyo Line, but the train continues on to the Tokaido Line tracks, and they introduce it as "Shonan-Shinjuku Line, Tokaido-sen Chokutsu, Kaisoku" (Hiratsuka-yuki), so....  Since "sen" is "line" in English, I'm a little puzzled at the thinking behind using "line" written with katakana (ライン) for "Shonan-Shinjuku Line" (instead of 線 [sen] for line), but when one country borrows a term from another country, it usually is used a little differently than in its native habitat, so I guess it's one of those situations.  That said, I'm wondering what exactly the local meaning is for ライン....

Osaki Station Walk-through 大崎駅 駅内の様子 (130731)
http://youtu.be/ua7UB9JJhoI

500 pm Melody Behind Office Tower in Osaki 大崎高層ビル裏の午後五時メロディ (130731)
http://youtu.be/K8eaDXWCW10

Depending on the time of year, they have a "It's getting late... time to go home kids" melody they play over public address systems - this one played at 5:00 p.m. on July 31st, 2013 in Osaki.

Osaki to Shinagawa (Yamanote Line) 大崎駅-品川駅 山手線 (130731)
http://youtu.be/Eh0IxpomuW4

Shinagawa to Yurakucho (Yamanote Line) 品川駅-有楽町駅 夜の山手線 (130731)
http://youtu.be/t4sAdtBPELs

Ikebukuro to Shinjuku (Saikyo Line) 池袋駅-新宿駅 埼京線 (130803)
http://youtu.be/gY9bQ1MVFEI

Kawagoe Evening Shotengai Street Corner 川越夕暮れの商店街 (130802)
http://youtu.be/5ly3HmU51tc

Old Type JR Train Passing Through Kokubunji Station (130803)
http://youtu.be/soETnUzd1sQ

I like this type of express train, but they are getting old so there are fewer and fewer of them still in use.

Shinjuku to Shin-Okubo (Yamanote Line) 新宿駅-新大久保駅 山手線 (130803)
http://youtu.be/114JOSCkjZo

Streetcar Crossing and Streetcar in Otsuka 大塚辺りの市電 (130803)
http://youtu.be/R3-2pY7WTos

Flowers by Streetcar Line in Otsuka 大塚市電の線路隣の花 (130803)
http://youtu.be/tqw5O7AOwF4

市電の踏切注意 Streetcar Crossing in Otsuka (130803)
http://youtu.be/qm1d39PBDAg

Entering Otsuka Station from South Side 大塚駅南側-池袋駅まで (130803)
http://youtu.be/e12if18468c

Before entering the station, I look up at a new building that was nearing completion at the time (completed external structure, with detail work being done on the interior).  Then I go through the ticket gates, up to the platform, onto a Yamanote Line train, and then look out a right side door window as the train rolls to Ikebukuro.

Ikebukuro Station Platform Scene 池袋駅ホームの様子 (130803)
http://youtu.be/UqjW6D_U5hg

Summer Saturday Ikebukuro Station 夏の土曜日池袋駅内 (130803)
http://youtu.be/BdtzhUH8d9s

Hot Summer Sidewalk by Ikebukuro Station 池袋駅前の暑い夏の様子 (130803)
http://youtu.be/oR5gPNcayLE

Saturday Afternoon Ikebukuro Station 土曜日午後の池袋駅 (130803)
http://youtu.be/c8xSehWsiU0

1990 Taito-ku Walkabout 台東区散策散歩 浅草など (900813)
http://youtu.be/QCXA8xmZFQg

This is a long video at one hour and 53 minutes, but it covers a lot of ground.  It begins not far from Asakusabashi Station on the Sobu Line, and then I walk (while looking around in some detail at the areas I pass through) to the Sensoji Temple in Asakusa, and from there (as night falls) I walk to Uguisudani Station.  Here are some of the areas (in Japanese) that I walked through in the mainly residential area near Asakusabashi:

浅草橋三丁目, 鳥越二丁目, おかず横丁, 鳥越一丁目, 小島一丁目, 小島二丁目, 三筋二丁目, 元浅草四丁目, 元浅草三丁目, 寿二丁目, 東京本願寺, 入谷一丁目, 下谷一丁目

After watching the 1990 scenes (again) in 2013, I decided to go back and have a look at how it is now.  Some parts look very similar, but the shotengai had a very different feel to it.  I think some of the upper-middle-aged people I saw running the shops there in 1990 were the rather old people I saw still running them in 2013.  Walking down the street (on a holiday it should be noted), I didn't see so much as a single customer at any of the open shops on the street....

The biggest change in the area as a whole are the many new apartment buildings, typically 15-20 stories high.

There's more from my August 12th, 2013 visit further down the page, but here are a batch of modern views from just one area, Torigoe 1-Chome (鳥越一丁目), which I also walked through some 23 years before:

台東区鳥越一丁目 (A) 散策散歩 Taito-ku Torigoe 1-Chome Walkabout (130812)
http://youtu.be/n-mWwlAlJCY

台東区鳥越一丁目 (B) 散策散歩 Taito-ku Torigoe 1-Chome Walkabout (130812)
http://youtu.be/IsnBcu31s94

台東区鳥越一丁目 (C) 散策散歩 Taito-ku Torigoe 1-Chome Walkabout (130812)
http://youtu.be/C3RHT26q32o

台東区鳥越一丁目 (D) 散策散歩 Taito-ku Torigoe 1-Chome Walkabout (130812)
http://youtu.be/W3z8WFIl8AU

台東区鳥越一丁目 (E) 散策散歩 Taito-ku Torigoe 1-Chome Walkabout (130812)
http://youtu.be/m1g27m68cLI

And back to 1990:

1990 Uguisudani to Ikebukuro 鶯谷駅-池袋駅 山手線 (900813)
http://youtu.be/3fJmB8yLJmc

1990 Ikebukuro Station 910pm 午後の池袋駅 (900813)
http://youtu.be/2qtJvBTzMeg

1990 Ikebukuro Night 池袋の夜 (900813)
http://youtu.be/0aKCN-PC0Qk

1991 Harumi Fireworks 晴海花火 Walk to Yurakucho 有楽町まで散歩 (910810)
http://youtu.be/wLtK3Bqbj2Y

1991 Yurakucho to Ikebukuro 有楽町駅-池袋駅 有楽町線 (910810)
http://youtu.be/QlyNsEoGCKU

1991 Ikebukuro to Gotanda 池袋駅-五反田駅 山手線 (910819)
http://youtu.be/2ITG9EiWcFw

1991 Gotanda Afternoon 五反田午後 (910819)
http://youtu.be/9riMmIms3hU

1991 Gotanda to Nishi-Magome and Back 五反田駅-西馬込 都営浅草線 (910819)
http://youtu.be/CmdFnzM_IHM

1991 Gotanda to Shinjuku 五反田駅-新宿駅 山手線 (910819)
http://youtu.be/peXWK0X51m0

1991 Nishi-Shinjuku Stroll 西新宿散策散歩 (910819)
http://youtu.be/MM9ZhY9nObM

1991 Tokyo Shopping Etc 東京買い物など (910819)
http://youtu.be/-CzsPry59YA

1991 Tokyo - Here and There 東京の色々 (910822)
http://youtu.be/qJOARgdcI9g

1991 Gotanda to Togoshi Walk 五反田-戸越の散策散歩 (910822)
http://youtu.be/HJn2REZIARk

2013 Taito-ku

Nishi-Shinjuku Side Streets (Quick-360) 西新宿の夜道 (130813)
http://youtu.be/PZ7gmXkwzwU

Musashino Line 武蔵野線 Nishi-Kokubunji Station 西国分寺駅の最終電車 (130807)
http://youtu.be/cd3oXJLIIkw

Shinjuku to Shibuya (Tokaido Line) 湘南新宿ライン東海道線直通快速平塚行き (130807)
http://youtu.be/DjNCVlrrqbk

Shibuya to Ebisu (Tokaido Line) 湘南新宿ライン東海道線直通快速平塚行き (130807)
http://youtu.be/jFRFi1m4W7M

Ebisu to Osaki (Tokaido Line) 湘南新宿ライン東海道線直通快速平塚行き (130807)
http://youtu.be/My5QR3JBeAM

Tokaido Line Departing Osaki 東海道線 大崎駅から出発 (130807)
http://youtu.be/FM7tc8xsXoA

Edge of Ginza

Ginza Art Gallery

Gate City Osaki Atrium ゲートシティ大崎のアトリウム (130807)
http://youtu.be/SHdnyg8gdKA

Ebisu Station East Exit 恵比寿駅の東口 (130808)
http://youtu.be/pGYjvrya5YI

Waiting for a Train in Suburbia 電車来るまでを待っている (130813)
http://youtu.be/SDeaNoc1lxo

Shinjuku Omoide Yokocho at Night 夜の新宿思い出横丁 (130813)
http://youtu.be/FOk5HkfX6UY

Looking Out and Over Tokyo in Osaki 大崎オフィス街から東京の様子 (130807)
http://youtu.be/fyTlinvBXKw

Nighttime Approach to Osaki Station 夜の大崎駅に向かう 東側から (130807)
http://youtu.be/WkHAf2U-dso

Evening Osaki Station Entrance 夕方大崎駅入り口 (130807)
http://youtu.be/yWx-7wpx-pQ

Osaki Station Platform - All Green Yamanote Line Passing By 大崎駅 (130808)
http://youtu.be/XwWtIBf6_Ig

Gotanda to Meguro (Yamanote Line) 五反田駅-目黒駅 山手線 左側 (130808)
http://youtu.be/8FIwV9Q17SE

Nighttime Park in Ebisu (Quick View) 夜の恵比寿にある公園 渋谷川隣 (130808)
http://youtu.be/UZe5_UUgaxs

Park in Ebisu / 恵比寿にある公園

Inside of Pub (Quick View) 130808
http://youtu.be/uMmB_wDKQyo

Yoyogi to Shinjuku (Yamanote Line) FCV 代々木駅-新宿駅 山手線 (130808)
http://youtu.be/7SEvsWRubnw

Nakano Station (Waiting for Train) 中野駅で電車来るまで待っている (130808)
http://youtu.be/dY7C-0YijFw

The thing that is striking for me in this video is the sound of crickets (or is it just one?) at about the 0:21 mark (and lasting just a few seconds).  They're pretty prominent in September as the nights get cooler, but not so common in the heat of August, and at a major train station with no apparent green anywhere, you have to wonder where exactly the sound is coming from!

Red Arrow (Seibu Line) Departing Station 西武鉄道特急レッドアロー出発 (130808)
http://youtu.be/BVqpoLW15Dk

Tokyo Station Summer Concourse Crowds 夏東京駅内の通路 (130812)
http://youtu.be/klLdueWnlXw

Ogikubo (Walk to Station) 荻窪駅までの散策散歩 暑い日 Hot Summer Day (130812)
http://youtu.be/4N3V23VJxqQ

Ogikubo / 荻窪

Reserved Seat Express Train Passing Ogikubo 荻窪駅から特急が通る (130812)
http://youtu.be/BJozSYXyRgY

東京駅夏休みの間 ある暑い日 山手線 Tokyo Station (Tokyo to Yurakucho) 130812g
http://youtu.be/prtUgDt9GLI

Yurakucho Station to Ginza 有楽町駅から銀座までの散策散歩 (130812)
http://youtu.be/hbXjYj_mN10

Construction Site on Chuo-dori in Ginza (130812)
http://youtu.be/hLtc8nTtL_Y

A very quick look at construction workers on Ginza's Chuo-dori putting up a barrier around a new construction site over in Ginza 1-chome.

Tokyo Station Summer Crowds 東京駅の夏休み人々 (130812)
http://youtu.be/1EL9wgTm5m4

東京駅-川崎駅 東海道線 右側後向き Tokyo to Kawasaki (Tokaido Line) 130812
http://youtu.be/_Zr5jveScmI

Tokyo Station / 東京駅

Tokyo Station / 東京駅

Tokyo Station / 東京駅

Tokyo Station / 東京駅

Kawasaki Station Platform View 川崎駅ホームの様子 (130812)
http://youtu.be/7jnCeD5Qzlo

Kawasaki Station / 川崎駅

Kawasaki Station / 川崎駅

Kawasaki to Tokyo (Tokaido Line) 川崎駅-東京駅 東海道線 右側前向き (130812)
http://youtu.be/ytl3afcb12M

Tokyo Station / 東京駅

Conference Room

Akihabara Station (Wooden Roof Etc) 秋葉原駅総武線ホーム (130812)
http://youtu.be/fZZefr1k6Y4

There's not much wood left in Tokyo's train stations, but you find glimpses of it here and there if you look carefully.

Akihabara to Asakusabashi (Sobu Line) 秋葉原駅-浅草橋駅 総武線 (130812)
http://youtu.be/E_-IlaBrNTw

Taito-ku Torigoe 2-Chome Walkabout 台東区鳥越二丁目 散策散歩 (130812)
http://youtu.be/uN81RLO3b38

Taito-ku Kuramae 4-Chome Walkabout 台東区蔵前四丁目散策散歩 (130812)
http://youtu.be/-bnftW6JkRU

台東区春日通り 木造建物と緑 Old Buildings with Plants on Kasuga-dori (130812)
http://youtu.be/3yVR9MVmZqw

An aspect of older versions of Tokyo that was much nicer than modern Tokyo is how people would put a variety of potted plants around their homes, making for nice, plant lined walkways in the city.  As the old places are torn down, generally new buildings cover all of the ground with asphalt and/or concrete and often don't have any plants.  The old style - as you can see in this video - was a little haphazard with a mix of assorted plants, seemingly chosen at random, but made for a nice effect.

Shipping Container Building in Taito-ku (130812)
http://youtu.be/SIblWHmsxEk

Taito-ku Misuji 1-Chome Walkabout 台東区三筋一丁目 散策散歩 (130812)
http://youtu.be/i7BSHyQG7jY

For more views of this area taken on August 12th, 2013, see further up the page where I posted some of the views that were originally in with this batch (to show the contrast with 1990 views of the same area).

Asakusabashi Stationside Walkabout 浅草橋駅辺り散策散歩 (130812g)
http://youtu.be/ry1g9nRZcZQ

Rainy Asakusabashi 1-Chome Evening Streets 夕方雨の浅草橋一丁目 (130812)
http://youtu.be/xdNwex364Dg

Train Stop Buzzer Warning by Yotsuya Station (Seen from Shinjuku-ST) 130813
http://youtu.be/oYJbub8-J00

Night Trains Near Shinjuku Station 新宿駅と代々木駅の間の夜電車 (130813)
http://youtu.be/ZTq5ekMKbBY

Shinjuku Station South Exit Street Musician 新宿駅南口辺り道音楽人 130813na
http://youtu.be/pUV3TaKj_lg

Old Type JR Two-Door Train at Shinjuku 暑い夏 新宿駅で２ドアJR車両 (130814)
http://youtu.be/OjzSz12qOnk

Full Length of Shinjuku Saikyo Line Platform 新宿駅埼京線ホームの様子 (130814)
http://youtu.be/Jr3eVsocVug

Shinjuku to Osaki (Tokaido Line) 新宿駅-大崎駅 東海道線 右側 (130814)
http://youtu.be/nwJSnbip-H0

大崎ニューシティ辺り 目黒川隣 Osaki New City Plaza Quick Look-around (130814)
http://youtu.be/gS_Lcex0U28

New E233 Saikyo Line Train (Inside and Outside) 新型E233埼京線内外 (130814na)
http://youtu.be/k6sKLnebB80

This is a new train, and it's nice, although the new (LED I think) interior lighting is quite powerful.  I think if I spent much time under those lights, I would like to use sunglasses.  If you compare the appearance of the interior of the train while it's stopped at the platform with the lighting on the platform, the platform appears dark, but actually the platform is very well-lit (bright), and the interior is that much brighter still.  Not sure why operating room brightness levels are popular....

Shinjuku Nighttime Saikyo Line Platform 新宿駅埼京線ホームの様子 (130814)
http://youtu.be/x08uImNiiqg

Shinjuku Station / 新宿駅

Shinjuku Station / 新宿駅

All photos copyright 2013 by Lyle H Saxon

Lyle (Hiroshi) Saxon
http://www5d.biglobe.ne.jp/~LLLtrs/
http://youtube.com/lylehsaxon
http://lylehsaxon.blogspot.jp/
http://lookback1997.blogspot.jp/
http://tokyoht.blogspot.jp/