In April 2006, I took my first trip to Japan where my brother and I spent five days in Tokyo, then hopped on a train to Kyoto for another five days. We spent a lot of time walking around taking photos, to the point that our feet were painfully sore at the end of each and every day. We arrived in mid-April and were hoping to catch the end of the picturesque cherry blossom season, but most of the trees had turned to green by the time we got there.
Tokyo is a very big city and we spent each day exploring a different part. We spent time in major districts such as Ginza, Shibuya, Shinjuku, and Ueno, and our hotel was in the outskirts of Tokyo (about 45 minutes from the city centre), so we got to see a lot of the city. Given how much time and energy I put into taking photos though, I’m a bit surprised that I don’t have a more comprehensive set of pictures to choose from for this gallery. I guess I’ll have to make another trip to Japan and try again!
Outside Tokyo Station 780 x 517 | 
Colourful Magasine Stand 780 x 517 | 
Waiting for the JR Line 780 x 517 |
Tokyo Metropolitan Gov’t Building 780 x 520 | 
A Shrine at Ueno Park 780 x 517 | 
Posing for a Photo 780 x 520 |
Hanging Out After School 780 x 517 | 
Fascinated By a Frog 780 x 517 | 
Selling Children Toys 780 x 517 |
Two Kids Playing at Ueno 780 x 519 | 
Waiting to Enter the Zoo 780 x 517 | 
A Stree Merchant 780 x 517 |
Overlooking Ueno Station 517 x 780 | 
A Shrine Inside Ueno Park 517 x 780 | 
The Road to Ginza 517 x 780 |
A Moss-Covered Building 517 x 780 | 
Coke Cans Are Tiny in Japan 780 x 517 | 
Japan Has Cute Signs 780 x 517 |
A Japanese Parking Lot 780 x 517 | 
The Imperial Palace Garden 780 x 517 | 
A Pagoda in the Background 517 x 780 |
A Rock with an Inscription 517 x 780 | 
Traffic Robot 517 x 780 | 
Hanging Out at Shibuya 517 x 780 |
The Scene at Shibuya 780 x 517 | 
The Famous Shibuya Crosswalk 779 x 519 |
Kyoto is the ancient capital of Japan and it’s a much smaller city than Tokyo, so it was much easier to get around and visit all the major sightseeing hotspots. The city is surrounded by mountains on three sides and it’s very picturesque. Kyoto is filled with history (and tourists) and we were told that the grounds for some of the temples like Kinkakuji Temple and Kiyomizu Temple look the same today as they did hundreds of years ago. Unfortunately, I caught a fever while in Kyoto, and although I managed to climb out of bed and make the most of the trip, I literally didn’t have the strength to carry my camera equipment around so I didn’t get too many photos of the city.
The Bridge Across Kamo River 780 x 517 | 
Along the Kamo River Bank 780 x 517 | 
Gates to Yasaka Shrine 780 x 517 |
Stage at Yasaka Shrine 780 x 517 | 
Main Hall at Yasaka Shrine 780 x 517 | 
A Boat in the Canal 780 x 517 |
Japanese Schoolgirls Pose for Me 780 x 517 | 
A Blue Heron (I think) 780 x 517 | 
One of Many Statues in the City 517 x 780 |
A Ceremony at Choin-in Temple 517 x 780 | 
A Japanese Cemetery 780 x 517 | 
A Quiet House 780 x 517 |
Locals Visiting a Shrine 780 x 517 | 
Enticing Hungry Patrons 780 x 517 |