A pledge to visit again Japan’s capital
As obvious as it is, every trip has to come to an end, but it is the “aftertaste” that makes the difference from place to place. After traveling to many places throughout the years, in some cases, I have eagerly prepared my luggage and left. In other cases, I wish I had more days to experience more of that place that caught my heart and mind. For the latter, the thought of “one day I will be back” becomes a pledge to oneself to have more of that charming people, hearty food, incredible sights, or, more often than not, a combination of all of these elements. In sum, the pledge is to get to experience the things that were left unchecked due to time or budget limitations.
After I visited Tokyo in the spring of 2017 for the first time, as part of a bigger trip across Japan, I had nothing to complain about any aspect of my experience. Eventually, I put together a travel guide and a photo gallery about this Asian capital. In these posts, I mentioned that visiting the land of the rising sun was for me a true lifetime achievement, and a destination that did not leave any of my expectations unmet.
Regardless of my limited budget and basic photography gear, I was able to explore many iconic landmarks within East Asia’s “clockwork city” and capture them in images. On the other hand, there were places I was not able to go, food I could not eat, and photos I could not take due to those budget and time constraints. Thus, I pledged myself to go back to Tokyo someday and make justice to all the things I left unchecked during that first trip.
Exploring Tokyo’s best photography spots with a local connoisseur
What can be better than a solo trip to Tokyo dedicated to travel photography from morning to evening? A trip with a local friend who is as enthusiastic about photography as I am, and also knowledgeable about the best spots and times to capture the best images!
With his help, I visited more rooftops, observation decks and unique photography spots than I could have done by myself. Also, it makes all the difference to team up with a like-minded friend who also carries his own photography gear, who can share his own tips and tricks, and spend together all the time that it takes in the same spot until the desired image is captured without complaining about the weather, hunger or other inconveniences familiar to photographers.
Japan, and Tokyo in particular, are certainly some of those places that I do not mind repeating. If my first visit to Tokyo was a lifetime achievement, the second visit was undoubtedly a photographic achievement. I came prepared to retake and deepen the exploration that began those years ago. Therefore, I gladly present here below a curation of my best shots of Tokyo during the winter of 2023.
Photowalk to Tokyo Station. Evening in Ginza.
On the first day of exploring, Tokyo offered me cold air and blue skies. The plan was to do what I enjoy the most when abroad with a camera in hand: to walk from my hostel and observe everyday life. I made it through the day by making strategic stops in different convenience stores, trying any novelty snack that I cannot find in Taiwan.
After wandering through secondary alleys, I made it to Tokyo Station. There, my friend and I spent the late afternoon hours taking shots of Tokyo Station from different angles, including the observation deck of KITTE Marunouchi shopping mall. After the night fell, we took some more front-facing shots of the Tokyo Station from Gyoko-dori, and walked towards the end of Marunouchi Naka-Dori Avenue from Gyoko-dori. After some shots near Ginza, finally we had a remarkably tasty dinner in this amazing underpass restaurant.
Tokyo Skytree, Odaiba Seaside Park and Komagata Bridge
Not only did I left Tokyo Skytree out of the itinerary during my first visit to Tokyo due to budget constraints, but the weather conditions were far from favorable for a worthwhile visit anyway. This time was completely different. Fresh winter weather and almost completely clear skies made my walk towards this attraction and the visit worthy of the time and money spent. The 360-degree view of the city from a height of 350 and 450 meters is really like no other.
Although Tokyo Skytree is a place one must visit when in town, it is not necessarily the best for photographers.The thick glass of the windows make it challenging for cameras to capture images without unwanted reflections and the typical greenish glass tinting. On top of that, during the peak hours, the crowds can make it difficult to frame a clean shot, and the stark sunlight renders the details in the distance unclear.
After this, my friend suggested that we take the Yurikamome rail line from Shimbashi Station all the way to Odaiba-kaihinkōen Station right at sunset time, making sure to grab the front seats of the first car. Little did I know that this ride would become my most idyllic memory of Tokyo, and probably one of the most astonishing golden hours I have ever experienced in Asia.
After the night fell, we seized the opportunity to photograph the Rainbow Bridge with the rest of the cityscape as backdrop from Odaiba Seaside Park. Then, we went back to Komagata Bridge, near Senso-ji, for yet some more night cityscape photos and called it a day.
Walking from Zojo-ji towards Tokyo Tower. Afternoon in Roppongi and evening in Shibuya.
Another photowalk starting from Daimon Station. I discovered while I was doing my research prior to the trip that there is a street next to the Zo-Ji Temple that offers a beautiful view of the Tokyo Tower from street level. After nailing the shot, and some others of Zojo-ji, I walked past the tower, and then I walked through the Roppongi district.
In the evening, I made it to the Shibuya area. In our quest for the ultimate night cityscape, my friend and I went up to the 360° open-air Shibuya Sky observation deck. Fortunately for visitors in general, but not so much for night photographers, the whole perimeter of the site is fenced by tall glass panels, making it impossible to avoid the reflections when taking photos, especially during the night hours. Not only that, but the extra few meters beyond the glass wall make it impossible to get straight and full shots of the surrounding area, including the world-famous Shibuya Scramble. Thus, the best angle I could get was that of the east face, facing Roppongi and the Tokyo Tower.
Photographing Tokyo Tower from Roppongi Hills
Last day in Tokyo was no less fascinating than the previous ones, just a little bit lazy. After a well-deserved morning rest, I headed for brunch in the Roppongi area. After this, we headed to the Tokyo City View, on top of Mori Tower. In fact, the Tokyo City View offers one indoor deck and one open-air deck at the very top of the building, right where the helipad is located.
From all the observation decks I have been able to visit in Japan’s capital, the Tokyo City View open-air deck might be truly the best of all: very few neighboring buildings are tall or wide enough to block the view, there are no reflective glass fences, and the view of the Tokyo Tower and the bay area beyond is arguably the best one can get. On top of that, our timing was on point to witness a pristine golden hour. Keep in mind, however, that no tripods or camera bags (or any kind of bags for that matter) are allowed on the open-air deck. My pockets could only hold a wide angle and a tele-photo lens for this occasion.
I made a 4-part vlog of this trip to Tokyo with more details of the food I had and the atmosphere of this lovely city during the winter season:
For more travel stories, drone movies and other short clips, click here.