Photographer By Night | Behind the scenes with Mananetwork Photography
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  • January14th

    Asia 2008 | Day 25 | Ghibli Museum and Tokyo Tower

    Posted in: Japan, Tokyo

    Ghibli Museum

    Studio Ghibli, creators of many popular children’s Japanese anime movies and shorts such as; My Neighbor Totoro, Kiki’s Delivery Service, Spirited Away, opened it’s doors to the Ghibli museum in 2001. It’s a commercial museum located at the Inokashira Park in Mitaka, 40 minutes outside of Shinjuku. Entrance is strictly with advance purchase, exact date and time in mind aswell. For more information on how to purchase please click on the link http://www.ghibli-museum.jp/en/ticket_information/

    The 20 minute trek from the JR to the Museum though the city of Mitaka, take notice a surprising mix of Japanese and European influence. I say this because the ground work for most houses in Japan consist of clay and wood, yet here you come across houses and apartments that make use of stones/bricks and steel. Here’s an example; google maps is amazing for this! Pan 180 around on the first person view. Peaceful little city to walk through!

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  • January13th

    Asia 2008 | Day 24 | Shinjuku

    Posted in: Japan, Shinjuku, Tokyo

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    7 am, bright and early. I swing open the blinds and get another welcome surprise by a warm glow from a corner window in the hall. I crawl out on all fours, stand up and stretch out my limbs like a starfish. I’m out of the hive and ready to take on the day; but not after hitting the hot tubs with my capsule bunk buddies – naked.

    I was changing hotels once again this morning, but this time to Shinjuku, where I am going stay for the remainder of my trip. I managed to book the last three nights online and was provided with some of the worst Japanese to English translated directions ever! Let’s just say after hauling my luggage in the wrong direction, over unpaved roads, pot-holes, up and down stair in the subways stations, I was absolutely finished with moving my stuff till it was time to go to the airport!

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  • January12th

    Asia 2008 | Day 23 | Kawaguchi Lake

    Posted in: Japan, Kawaguchi

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    Mount Fuji and Kawaguchi City from Mt. Kachi Kachi Ropeway

    Woke up to another beautiful morning as the sun shined in through the blinds. This may sound hard to believe but I managed to have a very fulfilling sleep last night; no joke, as claustrophobic as it seems to some I certainly enjoyed it. At the top floor was an was an open men’s bath facility, which meant you had to get naked with your other capsule neighbors. I’ve gone through it once in Hakone, what’s another couple minutes anyway!
    No plans were set so I decided to visit Kawaguchi Lake, but before leaving I made sure to move the luggage to my next awesome stay at the Capsule Inn in Akihabara! It saves me the trouble of paying for a locker and moving it all twice later that night. I’m going to apologize for how much this blog journal might lack today but i’ll make up for it with good photos. I don’t think you want to hear what I was doing for 3-4 of those hours traveling there and back anyway.

    Arriving in Ostuki was the end of the JR Line and the beginning of the Fujikyu Railway which is made for a steeper climb to a whole new noticeable elevation change. As the train pulls up beside you can’t help but notice the strange mountain paintings all over the side and front of it – definitely creeping yet visually pleasing in a way. Surprisingly along the way there were a few towns and villages the train stopped in and the further it went the snowier it got. On arrival in Kawaguchi City, I locked up the laptop and stopped into the tourist center to read up about the city and some of it’s hotspots to view the moutain from. The small city had a couple buses which cirlced through and around the city to each location, but just 15 minutes walk from the center was Mt. Kachi Kachi Ropeway. Opened in 1959, the line climbs Mount Tenjō from the shores of Lake Kawaguchi. The observatory has a view of the lake, as well as the city, Aokigahara forest, and Mount Fuji. As the tram started it’s steep incline up the side of a mountain, what was revealed was a snowed in city banked along Kawaguchi lake. There’s just a sence of quietness and a pause in time when a entire city is blankeded by fluffy white snow. I couldn’t unglue my eyes from the view.
    At the top, Kachi Kachi Ropeway entertained even the young ones by placing cute characters of a rabbit and bear in set positions which made photo ops or just to entertain the kids. There was also The Bell of Tenjō; when struck while watching Mt.Fuji granted your wish. Here is a PDF I found online which describes a bit more about the rope way.

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  • January11th

    Asia 2008 | Day 22 | Tokyo

    Posted in: Japan, Tokyo

    It was my 7th day here in Japan so it was also time say goodbye to the JR pass, but not before my last trip on it to the big city, Tokyo. For the next 5 days I’ll be spending it here in Tokyo before fling back to Vancouver. This was hardly enough time but this should give me enough time to at least soak my hands. The morning couldn’t have been any better and whether cold or snowy, this is the land of the rising sun! Caught some extra sleep before purchasing coffee from the vending machine and making my way to the station. While waiting for the train I saw first hand the speed of the fastest bullet train in Japan. The Nozomi ripped through the station going so fast I couldn’t even catch the front in focus. I read the Nozomi reaches top speeds of 300 km/h (186 mph) and is able to cover a 515km trip from Tokyo and Osaka in only 2.5 hours. It’s to bad the Nozomi is the only JR daytime train service not covered by the Japan Rail Pass *sad face*.

    So today’s schedule didn’t go according plan. I was suppose to arrive in Tokyo, lock up the luggage and make way to Kawaguchi lake. Imagine Shinjuku, the busiest station in Tokyo have all 350 lockers filled up and to that extent I wasn’t the only one experiencing this problem. I decided to depart for Kawaguchi with my luggage and hopefully find any unoccupied lockers there instead. Because of my late departure in the morning time was also the enemy. By the time I arrived at my last transfer to the lake the sun was already making it’s way over the horizon. I had to call off the trip and save it for another occasion in the next 5 days. The great lakes around Mt.Fuji was marked down as a priority for me and so others must be cut to make room.

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  • January10th

    Asia 2008 | Day 21 | Hakone

    Posted in: Hakone, Japan

    The wake up was rough this morning! The alarm was set for 7:30, but as I rolled over I smashed on the snooze! I managed to somehow wake to check the clock only to see itilluminate 8:25! I jumped out of bed faster than a couple of the days I was late for work. Reason being breakfast closed at 8:30! Quickly slip into some pants, pull a shirt over my head and bolt it downstairs! Who cares about brushing your teeth or washing my face, even having the shirt on backwards; breakfast was calling! The shock on the servers face was priceless as she runs back into the kitchen to bring out the food she had already packing away from the breakfast floor. It was really nice of her to bring the rest of it back me, they could have just said no.

    Hakone is part of the Fuji-Hakone-Izu National Park, less than 100 kilometers from Tokyo. Famous for hot springs, outdoor activities, natural beauty and the view of nearby Mt. Fuji.Hakone close popular destinations among Japanese looking for a break from Tokyo. No trip to Hakone would be complete without a dip at a Japanese hot springs though. If you’re planning to stay overnight, your lodgings may include bathing facilities, but if not many hotels open up their baths to visitors for around ¥500 or so. The volcanically active Fuji-Hakone-Izu National Park, centered around Lake Ashinoko is an all day event which takes you on a trip across the park via train, trolley, gondola and a Disney decked out pirate ship across the lake itself. Beware though, the JR pass will not provide free access to these attractions without extra cost. The first leg consists of a lot of tram transfers as they all work together to get you to the top of the mountain. Each stop has it’s own small detour consisting of food/beverage stands and a couple souvenirs shops families can look around through. As you ride the gondola up and over the final peak you will find yourself over a volcanic hot spring full of sulfur springs called the Great Boiling Valley (Owakudani). The valley is open for public viewing and if your like me traveling during the winter, the 80 degree pools make for a warm up stop. Careful though the paths are narrow and constantly filled with tours; falling into one will burn your senors before your brain gets a chance to respond in pain. Owakudani also serves up it’s own delicacy known locally as kurotamago or black-egg. The name is derived from the color of the eggshell which is black from boiling in the thermal hot spring. It is worth mentioning that while the shell is blackened, the content remains the same like in any other egg. Myth says eating one of these eggs can add seven years to your lifespan. Priced at 6 for 500 yen that’s one hell of a deal to extend life!

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  • January9th

    Asia 2008 | Day 20 | Kyoto

    Posted in: Japan, Kyoto

    On my second leg in Kyoto I’ll be visiting Toji Temple, Nijo Castle, Tenruji Temple with it’s magnificent bamboo forest and finally the beautiful Kinkakuji (Golden Pavilion). There were a couple places I would have liked to squeeze into the schedule but my time restriction wouldn’t allow me to see it all. Just a couple minutes away from Kyoto station was the Toji Temple which clenches japans tallest wooden pagoda at five stories high.

    Dated back to 768, this is one of the oldest still standing structures which I came across in Japan; and might I add the oldest and most run down unkempt structure too. Maybe if I had looked past the ugly rainy weather it could have swayed my vote, but I just found the pagoda and temple neglected . I wouldn’t recommend coming here unless you wanted to see what nature can do to a wooden building over the centuries, then you’ve came to the right place.

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  • January8th

    Asia 2008 | Day 19 | Kyoto

    Posted in: Japan, Kyoto

    Kyoto, one of the most beloved places to visit in Japan. If you ask any local or tourist they would agree. Just last year the city government announced a record amount of tourists visited Kyoto for the sixth year in a row, and rated Kyoto second most beautiful city in Japan. Kyoto is rich with heritage, culture and traditional architecture; even the Japanese escape to Kyoto for their holidays.

    During the night you could hear the rain pouring off the side of the roof. It was a cold morning and an even more miserable experience to wake up to. The weather had other plans though, at about 10:00am the sun started peaking in through the Shoji blinds to warm my space.  I peaked out from under the blankets to feel the ray warming my skin. There’s something about the it’s energy; it happens to all of us but the feeling I get turns me into a new person. Within minutes, the energy of 10 men flows through me and I’m ready to take on the day – no matter what! I get myself ready, throw on my trusty runners and head back to the Kyoto JR station, where the Kyoto’s tourist center is located. If you’re having a hard time planning the day, just ask the staff! They will help structure your day trip(s) to fit in the attraction you’d like to see with the time you have.

    The first stop was to Sanjusangendo Temple, only 15 minutes by bus from the JR station. “Sanjusangendo” means a hall with 33 bays, the number is sacred in Buddhism, for it is believed that Buddha saves mankind by disguising himself in 33 different forms. Also not to forget the most important part is the 1001 statues of Kannon-Bosatsu which are placed within it! Each as big as 5 1/2 feet tall, carved out of wood and leafed in gold. In the center, the principal image of Kannon is 11 feet tall. In front of the Kannon statues are 28 different guardian disciples of Buddha with intense expressions and impressive detail. No photography was prohibited within the temple, so I captured a couple outside to compensate. If you ran from one end of the hall to the other it would be equivalent to a 200m sprint. Took a few photos outside by the garden and set off to the next destination.

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  • January6th

    Asia 2008 | Day 17 | Floating Garden and Himeji

    Posted in: Japan, Osaka

    The Floating Garden Observatory is situated in Osaka and offers a full 360 view of the city. Because the subway was just minutes away from my hotel, I decided to make this my first stop of the morning. At Osaka’s main terminal (which is in conjunction with the JR line) I loaded up a locker with all my luggage and took only what was essential for my quick trip.

    The futuristic observatory located 557ft above Osaka floated seamlessly between two towers of the Umeda Sky Building. A super fast glass elevator separated you and the outside by a thin layer of glass and transported any individual from the 3rd floor to the 32nd within seconds. You then take a enclosed escalator which bridges the two buildings before reaching a restaurant look-out and then finally the extravagant 360 open view of Osaka. The city was covered by a dense layer of cloud, making any landscape photos boring and washed out. I think it was my timing, but just as I was taking photos I got a lucky moment where the sun made it’s way from behind the cloud and showered the city with some colour and contrast. This gave my shooting subject some more colour and light to play with. From the picture below you can see how the patches of light affected the overall image.

    For more about the Observatory I leave you with this link: http://www.skybldg.co.jp/garden/index.html

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