Last month, I had a chance to revisit Tokyo and Kyoto of Japan. It was a nice vacation to me, with no specific engagement during trip. Thanks to jet lag, I could start walking around the cities right after sunrise, and photograph here and there.
Even since way before getting ready for the Olympics, Tokyo has been transforming and expanding. The huge earthquake in north part of country 2011 gave a tremendous impact on building design in Tokyo. I don’t want to call them “ugly,” but their new tall and thick appearance is nothing but visually intimidating. In a way, I had difficulty to find nostalgic remaining in Tokyo.
Surprisingly, Kyoto was not quite like that. Of course, it is an old city, but the way the city transforms seems like water dripping into a pond. I was happy to find things I saw there about forty years ago. Kamogawa River is still flowing. Shrines and temples are there, of course, as if time is not an issue.
This was also the first time for me to revisit Japan with my five-year old digital Leica. I truly enjoyed quick photographing of scenes, of where I used to live and visit decades ago. KT
