Urban flow
Late afternoon traffic in motion at the main intersection near Ueno Station in Tokyo’s Taito Ward, as viewed from the pedestrian overpass.
Higashi-Ueno
After photographing local shrines and temples near my colleague’s office by Ueno Station in Tokyo, Japan, I headed back to the station. Along the way, I captured this high-contrast monochrome shot of the underside of a pedestrian overpass, showcasing an intricate mix of lines, angles, and contrasting round and flat shapes.
Inari Shrine
Ryueiinari-jinja, a small Inari shrine in Higashi-Ueno, Taito Ward, Tokyo, features the characteristic closely spaced vermilion torii gates leading up to the shrine.
Flower Panda
Shitaya Shrine in Higashi-Ueno, Taito Ward, Tokyo, features a beautifully adorned water font that is frequently decorated with fresh flowers. The floral arrangements often include a panda motif, paying tribute to the two pandas that once resided at the nearby Ueno Zoo.
Shitaya Shrine
Shitaya Shrine in Higashi-Ueno, Taito Ward, Tokyo, caught my eye with its elegant curved gable, known as a karahafu, and bright metal fittings that serve both a decorative and protective purpose, shielding key elements from weathering.
Shitaya Shrine Torii Gates
A snapshot of a typical weekday afternoon in the Tokyo urban neighborhood of Higshi-Ueno in Taito Ward, featuring a striking vermilion torii gate leading to Shitaya shrine.
Higashi-Ueno 5-Chome
Higashi-Ueno’s 5-Chome, a small triangular-shaped subdivision that includes about 21 blocks of cramped buildings, isn’t much different from the thousands of other small subdivisions scattered throughout Tokyo’s 23 wards, where the past and present coexist in fascinating ways.
Grave Markers
Wooden grave tablets with a vertical Sanskrit inscription are placed behind or against family gravestones at most Buddhist cemeteries in Japan. The late afternoon light under clear winter skies presented harsh shadows and bright highlights that I felt would be good for a monochrome shot.
Pendant Tiles
A small pile of eave-end pendant roof tiles from Ryukoku-ji, a Buddhist temple in Ueno, Taito Ward, Tokyo, Japan. The tiles are stacked on the ground amidst lush garden foliage and scattered yellow ginkgo leaves. Each tile features the raised kanji character “龍” (dragon; imperial), derived from the temple’s name, Ryukoku-ji (龍谷寺).