Japan (Part 1)

Goodbye Melbourne and hello Tokyo!
And so we are off! Leaving the cold and frigid Melbourne for hot and balmy Tokyo in the middle of July 2017. During this trip, I did not travel around outside of Tokyo much (with the exception of Nikko) as I believed that Tokyo itself had enough to occupy a tourist for at least a month. I was correct, even with nearly two weeks in the city, there was still not enough time to explore all the sights around the city that were planned. 
Japan is well-known as a photographer's dream come true, and that was absolutely true. With so many interesting scenery and people to take photographs of around every street and alley I encountered, my camera was working overtime to ensure that as many moments could be captured. The pace of the trip meant that a lot of the photos were of the 'run and gun' nature, with little time to get into position and set up equipment. 
Due to the sheer amount of photos that were taken on this trip, this report will be split across multiple parts to ensure that the page does not overload your internet connection. The photos in this post consist of the first day
Gear used (across all reports):
Camera body - Olympus OMD EM10 Mark1
Lens - 12-40mm F2.8, 45mm F1.8, 40-150mm F4-5.6
Lens Filter (for long exposures) - Hoya ProND1000 62mm
Tripod - Manfrotto Befree One
No images are to be reproduced without permission.
Leaving Melbourne

On board Qantas flight QF79 (Airbus A330), Melbourne to Tokyo, on July 7th 2017

No the plane did not teleport to Japan, in fact, it took nearly ten hours to reach Tokyo. Luckily there were plenty of movies to watch on the plane.

Hello Tokyo! (東京)

This was taken on the next day after we arrived in Tokyo. This is at Kagurazaka metro station near the apartment I was staying at. 

A bit of a train rant: In Tokyo, trains were extremely (amazingly) punctual and incredibly frequent where during peak hours a train would arrive every two minutes and outside peak hours every five to seven minutes, unlike Melbourne where a frequency of ten minutes during peak hour is considered 'good'. Trains in Tokyo were also rarely late. The re-loadable transport card also worked instantly when pressed to the reader without having to remove the card from my wallet (unlike you Myki....).

Takadanobaba station, where I had to interchange from the Tozai metro line to the JR Yamanote line. This station is quite busy, however it is nothing compared to the monster stations that lie elsewhere in Tokyo.

Chest high platform screen doors are employed here on the station platform to ensure passengers do not accidentally fall down onto the tracks. It is hard to gauge from this picture, but the train approaching is about ten carriages long, much longer than the suburban trains that run in Melbourne. 

Trains approach the station at high speed due to the length of the platform. They do not have to brake as much until much later.

Shibuya (渋谷)

It was very hot in Tokyo, right in the peak of summer. Coming straight from a cold climate to an incredibly hot climate took a toll on the body. Here, some locals seek some relief from the heat by resting in the shade away from the sun.

A daytime long exposure shot of the famed Shibuya crossing. The Shibuya crossing is known as a scatter crossing where all traffic in all directions is stopped to allow pedestrains to cross from all corners of the crossing at once. This is similar to the Elizabeth Street/Flinders Street crossing in Melbourne, but on a much larger scale. 

Bic Camera is a popular electronic goods chain in Japan

Lots of construction being undertaken in Shibuya. Apparently in a few years, this entire area will be redeveloped to accommodate the huge numbers of visitors for the 2020 Tokyo Summer Olympic Games. 

A customer browsing the wide selection of computer mice inside Bic Camera

Another view of the Shibuya crossing from the other side

There was a camera crew near the crossing using some professional looking equipment. I wonder what they were taking footage of.

You will never escape the golden arches no matter how far you travel!

The interior of one of the many arcade shops around Shibuya. Here, customers can test their luck (and skill) at games that award them a prize should they be able to beat the machine.

This little alley in Shibuya had a distinctively European feel compared to the rest of the alleyways.

Inside 'Loft', a popular department store with the entire first floor dedicated to stationary items. 

Rise to the challenge

Hands down the best ramen I have ever eaten at Ichiran Ramen. The pork based broth has to be tasted to believe it.

Ichiran Ramen is a small, unassuming place from the outside. The main restaurant is down the stairs underneath the building.

This picture was taken on a weekend, one can imagine how crowded this crossing can get at rush hour on a weekday...

Harajuku (原宿)

The very popular Takeshita Street on a weekend.

Wall of buildings

It was incredibly fun trying to move through this crowd on an incredibly hot and humid day

I was going to add some photos to this collection of the Meiji Shrine, however most of the shrine was covered in scaffolding due to renovation works. Much better pictures of the shrine can be found elsewhere on the internet.

Exploration of Yoyogi Park

Shinjuku (新宿) (Part 1)
Multiple trips to Shinjuku were made over a few days due to the sheer amount of sights to see here. A lack of sleep, the amount of walking done and the sudden change in climate meant that some rest was needed and the first trip to Shinjuku would have to be short.

I like how the evening light reflects off the windows of the buildings

This was close to 10pm at night. The area is still extremely crowded.

Waiting for the train

That concludes the first day, further parts can be located on the main page....