TigerSalad

Ideas-Photographs-Sounds: Home and Away

Posts Tagged: japan

Kabukicho at Night

On February 21, 2025 0 Comments - Japan 2025, Travel

Kabukicho at night is a “red light” district in Shinjuku, crawling with tourists, working girls, scam artists and host bars. But, it is worth going at least once to see the lights at night. There is a view just outside the entrance to Kabukicho that is like a beautiful scene from a movie. All the movement is mesmerizing. Bright buildings in the background frame a busy road and pedestrian walkway passing under a multi-track train corridor. Everything is moving colour in different directions all at once but it seems to work. Kind of like Tokyo in general.

Kabukicho night view showing colourful lights on large buildings — Kabukicho lights make for fun night photography

Entrance to Kabukicho at night showing red light archway — Entrance archway to Kabukicho.

It is actually not that busy or messy yet. We were here pretty early in the evening.

Girls going to work at hostess bar in Kabukicho standing together on roadway at night — Girls that are most likely working “hostess bars”. Their job is to keep men in the bars company and encourage them to drink and spend. I have found myself as a guest in a few of these kinds of places in China. Mostly, the girls just giggle and chat, light cigarettes and pour drinks. I am not really sure if that many of them actually work in the sex trade. This picture is interesting because these two look like “lambs to the slaughter” especially the way the boys across the street are eyeing them. In reality though, the bars and the girls working them are more likely to make victims of anyone dumb or drunk enough to go in.

Green JR Yamanote train on bridge at night near Kabukicho — The JR Yamanote Line streaks through the bright buildings and over the busy traffic below.

Nightscape view near Kabukicho including colourful buildings, Yamanote train and a cyclist — Another angle…bicycles everywhere..

I love Kabukicho sign on a building in red lights — I am not sure how many people love Kabukicho…It is fun to go but I stay outside : ) I am sure there are some great places here too…I just haven’t explored enough yet.

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japan, photography

Songs of the Hibiya Line

On February 21, 2025 0 Comments - Japan 2025, Travel

Today we rode the Hibiya Line on the way to Shibuya to look for records. This train has some of the best sounds I have heard so far. Songs of the Hibiya Line are different at each station. Here is an official list of all the stations from end to end. If I ever travel to Tokyo again, I would like to do a more organized sound map of at least a few lines. It would be fun to go station to station and get good recordings of all the songs on the way, taking pictures of the trains and station interiors. Then again, I wonder who else besides me would be interested in such a document…wouldn’t stop me from making it though. The collection process is the most fun!

Our house was at Minowa Station of the Hibiya Line so this was the line I heard most often.

Girl running to catch a train on the Hibiya line in Tokyo — Navigator with sound recordist trailing behind as usual

Outside view of a Hibiya Line train showing red square patterns and stripes — Hibiya trains look as cheerful as they sound…Akihabara next!

Green, yellow and red wall design inside a Hibiya line station in Tokyo — The colours and designs in the stations are striking. Simple details make using the service so much more pleasant.

Green railway clock hanging from ceiling inside Tokyo metro station — The cool retro train station clocks match the decor

Vending machine glowing inside Tokyo metro station as people wait for the train — Vending machines waiting patiently…more on that later…

Girl under exit sign in Tokyo metro — Deguchi/exit…some day i will learn to read and write in Japanese

I enjoy using the Tokyo Metro system. The trains and stations are clean and cheerful. The sounds and maps and ticket machines all combine to add an air of fun to traveling within the city. I know that a tourist’s impression of local transit is not necessary the same as a daily commuters experience. But, I also got to ride a few times in the famous Tokyo rush hour and although you are crushed together like canned sardines, people are polite and cooperative.

If you enjoy subway sounds, check out this post from Seoul and this one from Busan.

If you enjoy the content and would like to contribute towards website maintenance and development, you can make a donation here.

japan, photography

Iriya Coffee Stand

On February 21, 2025 2 Comments - Japan 2025, Travel

Every time I travel somewhere, I seem to find a coffee shop that I like and go there almost everyday. I guess I am a creature of habit where coffee is concerned. This is Iriya Coffee Stand. It is a hole-in-the-wall at the entrance of a residential building on a side street in Iriya.

The featured coffee changes everyday and is always good. I am not sure how the owner makes it…it is not espresso. I think she grinds each dose to order and hand presses the coffee or it may be pour-over. So, it takes a little time but it is always delicious. There are cute little snacks available as well.

The outdoor seating is in a little courtyard off the sidewalk and sheltered from the wind and rain so it’s comfortable even on a chilly morning. You can even wrap yourself in a blanket if you get cold. A nice warm way to start the day.