1 新宿駅, which happens to be the busiest train station in the world (Guinness approved: the recored people, not the beer).
1. The warm patter of laughter drifted across the otherwise empty streets as pedestrians and bikers alike criss-crossed down the street like an indifferent autumn breeze. Tempted by the warm glow of the wall-mounted plasma screen and the affable bar tender's constant stream of conversation, I demurely ambled across the street and was beckoned to a seat at the bar and gladly settled in, even though I was only able to understand about 25% of the conversation on hand (50% if you counted "inference" as "understanding" and maybe just 10% if questions were addressed directly to me, it would seem). I had almost forgotten what it was like to sit in front of the warm glow of the TV, make idle small talk, and genuinely hang out with the guys.Suffice it to say that, when Ken asked if I wanted to snag a dinner in Kashiwa before he headed out to Tokyo a few days later, I figured it would be a great opportunity to check out Hub Pub, a favorite local sports bar. Though, as far as timing went, the scene was a little dead: not that it was empty, no; maybe 1/4 to 1/2 full, and there was some J-League playoff game dominating all 8 screens (in curiously non-HD quality), but there were mostly private parties or TV gawkers. Now, I wasn't expecting anything on the level of Cheers, but after a short mug of Bass, I more than had my fill and wound my way back home to finish season 3 of Breaking Bad.
Anyway, as I was saying, I was in Tokyo to commemorate Bunka no Hi (文化の日), or Culture Day
2 Celebrated every November 3rd in honor of the signing of the Post-War Japanese Constitution (signed on November 3, 1946) to promote Japanese culture, art and academic endeavour.
2. With a whole day off and no plans, I did what any sensible foreigner would do: hit up Google. In no time I had a schedule of possible activities, from parades and performances in Asakusa (浅草) to upscale kabuki performances in Tokyo (東京), I had a veritable cultural potpourri to pick from. I decided on hitting up the annual "Martial Arts Performances to Honour the Deities" at Meiji Shrine (明治神宮). I mean, what's cooler than Aikido performances, Kobudo ("old-style martial arts and fire-arms") exhibits and the "All Japan archery tournament"? Well, 流鏑馬3 Yabusame, or 13th C. (Kamakura) "horseback archery".
3, for one.
Archers--regaled in traditional silks, skins and crests--ride at a gallop pace down a 100 yard channel, draw his bow, fire at one target 40 yards from the start, reload, draw, and then fire, again, at a second target maybe some 60 yards from the first
4 Think "Ashitaka" in Princess Mononoke (もののけ姫)… Can you believe that movies was made in 1997?
4. Despite waking up late and arriving in Harajuku (原宿) at a little before 12, I found myself a snug little corner at the front edge of the SRO groupings mid-way between the two targets. But at 50 yards in, this meant that I was a touch too far to get good shots of the rider barreling down towards the first target, and too early for good shots of the archer drawing up for the second shot, but, even then, it was amazing to see. (Again, all of my pictures from Bunka no Hi can be found on my flickr.)Okay, okay: so I'll admit that Yabusame was only a part of the reason why I wanted to head down to Harajuku. Yes, it was a BIG part of it, but so was this deal I saw at MapCamera.com, a large used-camera reseller in Shinjuku. And, in keeping with my tradition of respecting each and every Japanese Holiday (…with as little rest and as much travel as possible and…) by spending a ton of cash frivolously, I inevitably came home with this:
A lovingly used Nikkor 28mm AF f/2.8: a more appropriate "portrait" lens for my D7000 (though it is probably more technically correct to call it a "wide angle" lens, with the cropped sensor, I think the 28-35mm is the a representative portrait equivalent to the film standard 50mm).
Wish me "bon voyage" with the new glass! I'm sure you'll see plenty of it.
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