14 November 2017
Night of the long exposures
Don Quijote in Asakusa
First of all, the same girl is still at the lonely part of Ueno station trying to convince foreigners she needs money to get back to Kyoto because her parents are worried about her.
She saw me coming, probably with a huge grin on my face, and ran away.
Tonight I walked in the other direction to the other night and took in Asakusa and the Skytree. I still havent been up the Skytree, because it costs money, where as the Tokyo metropolitan building and the Gifu government building are free.
Anyway, both areas visited tonight provide opportunities to set your camera on something, set a long exposure time, shut the aperture, set the timer, and stand like an idiot whilst people wonder what you are doing. So thats what I did.
Also, it stopped raining at the exact time the revised forecast said it would, perfect timing for me.
Oh and also also, I had delicious Taiwanese beef noodle soup in Japan. Taiwan beef noodle > Japanese ramen. I knew this already, tonight it was reconfirmed.
On my way to Asakusa I passed a street full of shops making what I presume are dislay cabinets for your dead relatives ashes. Very interesting. They are big believers in setting up competing stores right alongside each other in all Asian countries.
Then I went down a shut street of local shops which at night become garage doors. I am waiting to see the garage door shop shut behind a garage door.
Just one lonely taxi spoiling my view.
DELICIOUS BEEF NOODLE SOUP. Noodles made by hand in store.
DONKEY
The covered streets around Asakusa were a mix of open and closed. Theres lots of nice places to eat around here, but I had already chosen the best.
The junk gift shop street, with a tour group charging towards me.
Heres a long exposure, because there was a sign to rest my camera on.
This is a short exposure, handheld, nothing for camera to rest on.
This one is also handheld, nice lighting though.
Now for a trio of long exposures, firstly just the skytree. Getting the camera steady in portrait orientation took a lot of effort and holding my face right and not breathing.
Next a long exposure of a different sort of red bridge.
And finally, the final long exposure of sky tree and friends.
The actual skytree is of course atop a sizeable shopping mall, and food court. I had never been here at night, food court looks ok.
On the top level they have a xmas market going on.
And of course an 'illumination'.
Last one for this evening, skytree in all its phallic glory.