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Essence of Japan 1 |
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Tokyo |
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東京 |
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| Not Tokyo, but Yokohama! However approaching Tokyo from Yokohama is far more spectacular than the approach from Tokyo's International Airport at Narita. The following twelve photoshots were taken returning to Tokyo after a visit to the Fuji Lakes - VIDEO CAPTUREs Malcolm McCrow | |
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| Yokohama Bay Bridge (left); Tsurmi Tsubasa Bridge (right) - VIDEO CAPTUREs Malcolm McCrow | |
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| After passing over spectacular bridges and passing through a heavily industrialised area we pass Tokyo's other main airport, Haneda which handles most of the city's domestic flights - VIDEO CAPTUREs Malcolm McCrow | |
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Tokyo's rather smaller Statue of Liberty (left) was a gift from Paris. The rainbow Bridge (right) was opened in 1993 - VIDEO CAPTUREs Malcolm McCrow |
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Tokyo viewed across Tokyo Bay - VIDEO CAPTUREs Malcolm McCrow |
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| Fuji Television Studios, Daiba, Tokyo viewed from the Statue of Liberty - VIDEO CAPTUREs Malcolm McCrow | |
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| One of many golf driving ranges amidst high flats viewed from the expressway en route to Shinjuku from Narita - VIDEO CAPTUREs Malcolm McCrow | |
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| The expressway affords excellent views of the sprawling city - VIDEO CAPTUREs Malcolm McCrow | |
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| Tokyo Skytree and the Kiyosu Bridge - VIDEO CAPTUREs Malcolm McCrow | |
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| The Tokyo Metropolitan Government Offices in Western Tokyo dominate all other tower blocks in the Shinjuku district - VIDEO CAPTUREs Malcolm McCrow | |
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| Access to the towers viewing decks is free. The impressive five star Keio Plaza Hotel is on the right of the above picture - VIDEO CAPTUREs Malcolm McCrow | |
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| It is possible to see Mount Fuji from the top of the Tokyo Metropolitan Government Offices, but on a hazy day like shown here this will not be possible - VIDEO CAPTUREs Malcolm McCrow | |
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| Back at ground level a maze of narrow alleyways gives access to all sorts of shop and restaurants - VIDEO CAPTUREs Malcolm McCrow | |
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| The streets, in which smoking is prohibited, are totally litter free and wide zebra crossings cater for the crowds of pedestrians - VIDEO CAPTUREs Malcolm McCrow | |
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| Shinjuku - VIDEO CAPTUREs Malcolm McCrow | |
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Shinjuku - VIDEO CAPTUREs Malcolm McCrow |
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| JR - Japanese Railways - Shinjuku station, one of the busiest in the world - VIDEO CAPTUREs Malcolm McCrow | |
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| Subway connexion to Shinjuku JR and Tokyo Metro Lines - VIDEO CAPTUREs Malcolm McCrow | |
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| Destinations, station names and principal notices are displayed in both Japanese and English - VIDEO CAPTUREs Malcolm McCrow | |
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| Metro station ticket barriers (left); bicycle racks on the street - VIDEO CAPTUREs Malcolm McCrow | |
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| Metro trains run both underground and above ground and while most lines are to the 3 feet 6 gauge, the Metro also has two standard gauge - VIDEO CAPTUREs Malcolm McCrow | |
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| Metro trains run over this level crossing only minutes apart - VIDEO CAPTUREs Malcolm McCrow | |
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The Emperor Meiji is enshrined with the Empress in the Meiji Jingu, Tokyo's most important Shinto shrine. It is accessed through a huge wooden torii, or gate - VIDEO CAPTUREs Malcolm McCrow |
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Nearby are barrels of wine and sake which have been donated to the shrine - VIDEO CAPTUREs Malcolm McCrow |
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Tokyo has many multi-decked expressways - VIDEO CAPTUREs Malcolm McCrow |
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Japanese traffic lights are arranged horizontally (above). Kite-like carp decorations for Children's, formerly Boys' Day (right) - VIDEO CAPTUREs Malcolm McCrow |
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| The 333 metre high Tokyo Tower which is higher than the Eiffel Tower on which it is based. The Tower's glass floor section (right) - VIDEO CAPTUREs Malcolm McCrow | |
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| A performing Japanese Macaque at the base of the Tokyo Tower - VIDEO CAPTUREs Malcolm McCrow | |
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Later a wild macaque -sometimes referred to as a snow monkey - was to appear by the roadside in the snowy Japan Alps - VIDEO CAPTUREs Malcolm McCrow |
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Tokyo only became Japan’s capital in 1868 and was devastated by the 1923 earthquake and World War 2 bombing - VIDEO CAPTUREs Malcolm McCrow |
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Pollution created haze marring the view from Tokyo Tower and making telephoto shots impractical - VIDEO CAPTUREs Malcolm McCrow |
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| Mounted samurai statue in one of the public parks surrounding the Emperor's Palace - VIDEO CAPTUREs Malcolm McCrow | |
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The famous Nijubashi, or Double Arched Bridge which was once the main entrance to the Palace - VIDEO CAPTUREs Malcolm McCrow |
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The Tokyo Sky Tree dominates Asakusa where jin rik isha, or rickshaws, drop tourists by the Kamin Arimon, or Thunder Gate - VIDEO CAPTUREs Malcolm McCrow |
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The Kaminarimon (Thunder Gate) is the entrance to the famous Nakamise shopping street - VIDEO CAPTUREs Malcolm McCrow |
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The street has been famous for centuries but was destroyed during World War 2. The reconstructed shops sell a variety of traditional souvenirs and food below the lanterns and spring cherry blossom - VIDEO CAPTUREs Malcolm McCrow |
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Asakusa’s main attraction is the Senso ji, a very popular Buddhist temple dating from the 7th Century. The temple is at the end of the At the end of Nakamise - VIDEO CAPTUREs Malcolm McCrow |
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| An ornate lantern (above) glimpsed while crossing the Nihon Bashi - the Japan Bridge - now almost hidden below an expressway. Landmark building (right) in Tokyo's Ginza District - the Wako Department Store. Ginza means Silver Place and Tokyo's famous shopping district. | |
| Essence of Japan | |
