Pimp my crib.

It felt good to arrive in Tokyo with an apartment lined up, and the price seemed like a steal. That was until we realized that it was actually a 30 minute walk from the train station and the shower was in fact a plastic tub with a garden hose of gushing cold water (which I suppose is better than a trickle, right?). My roommate Simon and I have since decided to transfer to other apartments within the same agency. Now, I am living on the 3rd level of a bustling marketplace, which is attached to the Ueno-Okachimachi station of Tokyo's main train line, the Yamanote. Now I can walk downstairs and purchase raw fish, shoes, jeans, golf clubs (pffft, golf), guns (as if), noodles, teriyaki, and play pachinko . The shops and vendors mostly close down at night, so it becomes remarkably quiet.

Across the alley and above the market rises a beautiful temple which seems incredibly out of place, but is a most welcome sight. Just a few more blocks away is Ueno Park, one of the largest and most important parks in the city.

T





Omotesando

Sidewalk of stars for the fashion designers and architects... From top to bottom are Tods, Dior, & Prada). The last two images are of "One Week in White," a temporary installation that appeared to occupy a future construction site.
(Omotesando pictures by Simon Montgomery)