Not the kind of photo I usually take. It’s a rather cliched one to say the least. But on the rare occasion I do find myself gazing down on Tokyo, the truly massive size of the city never fails to impress. Similarly, with all its distinctive areas, and seemingly limitless surprises, I’m always amazed that this incredible and truly sprawling metropolis has somehow become home. Yet perhaps more than anything, looking down it’s hard not to think about the infinitely varied lives of all those many millions of other people who call it home too.
Jenn says
So beautiful! 🙂
Lee says
It’s quite a sight, isn’t it? Tough to beat on a similarly beautiful day.
Harry says
Such a cool shot. I’d love to see that with my own eyes someday! 🙂
Lee says
Cheers. It’ll definitely be worth the wait when you do!
Mario says
Is this taken from the top of the Mori Art Museum? I took some nearly identical ones, but at night…
Lee says
It is. We were there for an exhibition, so this was a very nice little extra. It’s a scene that’s simply impossible not to photograph, isn’t it?
Mario says
Absolutely! I also just noticed that when I posted one of my photos from there on Instagram, my thoughts/caption was actually kind of similar to yours here 🙂 https://www.instagram.com/p/BxUsw-Gp3KE/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link
Lee says
Nicely done. And yes, very similar!
cdilla says
I love photographs like this. They have an endless fascination to me for just the reasons you mention. They also give me the ability to stitch my familiarity of areas on the ground together. From the Hamarikyu Gardens and Sumida river just beyond to Ginza and Marunouch on the left and even just off left almost to the horizon to Hikifune where we started a tour with you.
The blue bleached hues beyond the tower remind me of the old toy boxes and airfix model kits our local newsagent left in his window for years, unsold. No trace of any colour but blue left.
Lee says
There’s a lot to both take in, and think about, isn’t there? Good call on Hikifune too. Hadn’t thought about it being over there.
Ah, that’s an interesting little connection those blues brought back. The few kits I was bought would have been better left on the shelf. They never turned out anything like as neat and glue-free as the ones pictured on the box…
Steve says
So much detail. One could go back several times and explore different areas of just that photo.
Lee says
I Know eh? Shooting through glass, I didn’t expect it to come out so well. The full-sized, uncompressed version is even better. So much to see.
John VH says
It’s a grand photo. Love it. The city itself with its patterns and colors -with the whites, blues and focal red is a work of art itself. You framed and captured it so deliciously.
And like you at this elevation when I get a chance to I fly I press myself against the window especially during takeoff and landing to see the “little” houses and neighborhoods. And it fills me with the awesome largeness of the “little” worlds below because (as you said) “looking down it’s hard not to think about the infinitely varied lives of all those many millions of other people who call it home too.” Each of them has a full schedule and a busy day and important work and a network of friends and varied interests and secrets and…..
Lee says
Thank you. One of those shots that’s just there for the taking.
But yeah, it’s what it contains that really means something. All those lives, and like you say, individual schedules, interests, secrets and so on. They make the photo far more interesting.
GenjiG says
Beautiful picture. The Tokyo of Katsuhiro Otomo it feels like, buildings and windows. I really like you’re other pictures but would not mind more of these, architectural inclined, shots!
Lee says
Thanks. Yes, very much so. The city can look quite different from above.
Haha, cheers. This shot was easy. It’s just there. Basically point your camera and you have a half decent photo. Other architectural shots, however, I really struggle with. They never seem to come out as interesting as they look in real life. I do try though, so you never know, there could be more!