Teaching a class at Siggraph Asia gave me the perfect excuse to check out Tokyo. It really is an amazing city, with a unique blend of tradition, futurism, and general crazyness.
My buddy Alex came along on the trip, he was an invaluable help preparing the talk as well as the ideal company. Without Alex I would have gone completely lost in translation. Although we were planning on travelling around in Japan, Tokyo itself was baffling enough to keep us busy for a week.
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Tokyo Tower
The Eiffel Tower? In Tokyo?
Sure, they call it the Tokyo Tower, but seriously... Would expect some more original ideas for a tourist trap. But there's a great French restaurant in front. -
Benten Hall Shrine
Ueno Park
It was the jet lag that drove me out shooting panoramas at 6 AM. That's when I discovered this little shrine on an island in the middle of a lake.
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Shrine Interior
Ueno Park
As I'm sneaking around the shrine, suddenly a monk opens the doors. I use all my best Japanese lingo by pointing at my camera and asking "Photo??". To my big surprise he waves me in.
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Small Shrine
Ueno Park
Right next to the big colorful shrine is another one. This shrine looks much more serious, like it's been holding a dark secret for centuries.
I didn't dare to enter. -
Subway Lights
Shimbashi Station
Notice how clean the subway station is! Also notice that there's no trashcan anywhere! This is the biggest mystery of Japanese culture: How come all these people make no litter?
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Japanese Entrance
Ogai Mori House
Turned out that our hotel was a historical landmark, formerly the residence of the Japanese poet Ogai Mori.
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Tatmi Room A
Ogai Mori House
Linked withI wish this would have been our hotel room. But no, it's part of Ogai Mori's house. I suspect he was parttime Ninja, training right here.
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Tatami Room B
Ogai Mori House
Linked withWe snuck into this room, through several closed doors. I guess it's used for wedding parties or billionaire business dinners. Or serious NInja training.
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Salon
Ogai Mori House
Mister Mori called this nicely decorated salon with winter garden his own. I think every writer should live like this, especially when writing technical books on HDRI.
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Teahouse
Hamarikyu Garden
Hamarikyo Garden is a secret gem in Tokyo, a place of scenic beauty. It used to be the villa of Shogun Tokugawa, and later a strictly imperial hangout spot. Now anyone can have a tea here.
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Bridge A
Hamarikyu Garden
Linked withSeveral cedar bridges hop across the tiny artificial islands, crossing the Shioiri Pond. All that in the shadow of the Shiodome skyscrapers.
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Bridge B
Hamarikyu Garden
Linked withArtificial? Yes.
Cheesy? Sure.
Testeless? Never!
That's the essential difference between Disneyland and the Hamarikyu Gardens. -
Harbor Hill
Hamarikyu Garden
You can also get here by waterboat, on a trip from Asakusa along Tokyo's skyline. In the background you can see the Rainbow Bridge, which is awesome to cross by train.
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Shiodome Stairs
And this is how that train comes into Shiodome. The entire complex is a giant subway-mall-maze, built three levels underground. Hotels and offices are mixed in these skyscrapers.
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Courtyard
Shimbashi
Linked withThe maze connects with the neighboring district Shimbashi. It's impossible not to get lost here. We had so many "How come we're here again?" moments.
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Subway Wall
Shimbashi Station
Linked withI'm fascinated by these light walls in the subway. It's the perfect studio lighting, especially when everything is so miraculously clean.
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Shiodome Night
In the Shodome district these walkways connect the skyscrapers for miles, as do giant malls in tunnels.
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Park Hotel Lobby
Our second hotel, with this lobby in the 25th floor. It's such a fancy hotel, at night I ran into a team of 5 guys in jumpsuits and hard hats dusting off the tree.
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Future Town
Linked withThe new conference center is an obsurd construction of 4 giant pyramids on their tip. It's called Tokyo Big Sight, not without reason.
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Tokyo Big Sight
Conference Center
Linked withInside, we happened to run into a pet con. People carried dogs, cats, and giant lizards around.
Also check out the amazing view from our fancy room at the Park Hotel Tokyo!