After Roppongi Hills Christmas decoration post it is time for some other iconic places in Tokyo.

The First one is Kabukicho (for the non-Christmas post please visit here).

The main color was blue and yes, this is a Christmas palm behind the tree:

The lights were everywhere including in between the flowers:

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The following pictures I took with my keitai. These were actually the very first pictures I took in Tokyo and these were the very first things I saw once I escaped the Shinjuko huge station:

And here is the movie – Kabukicho by night with Christmas decoration (it is just next to Shinjuko train station exit – listen to the sounds).

Here is the second video. I took it right next to the main police station in Kabukicho (you can see part of it to the right). There are always a group of policemen staying in front of it. It reminded me for the big Roppongi police station but the Kabukicho’s one is smaller of course.

The next one is -

Christmas Yurakucho

Yurakucho is just one station away from Tokyo station – actually you can simply walk from Tokyo station and I do not think it will take more than 15 min. to reach it. For sure there are some big office building here but I think above all Yurakucho is shopping area (or at least this was my impression). Tokyo Kotsu Kaikan was the building, which was attracting most attention so I’ll start with it. Here it is in all its glory:

I couldn’t resist and ventured to the top to have a better view on the Christmas tree and the surroundings. I promptly documented this trip to the top. Please do not watch the movie if you suffer from vertigo. I was really fast and the round stairs looked like they will nevere end.

Here are and the rest of the Yurakucho Christmas pictures:

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Just a few more photos. The following pictures I took on my way from Roppongi Hills toward Shimbashi Station. I do not know the name of the area though.

A nice Christmas tree in the vicinity of Ginza:

And last but not least – Christmas Ginza (what a Tokyo Christmas post would be withou it?) :)

Another post for Tokyo Christmas decoration 2009. This time it is Roppongi hill.

It was my first visit ever at that place so everything was new for me. I took may be a hundred picture (or more) from the top of the Roppongi hill building but they are rather for another post (well may be I will add one or two at the end).

Without a further due here are the pictures (and the movies).

The central entrance of the big Roppongi hill building – this is the heart of Roppongi hill.

May be you noticed the root like black things on the right site of the picture. These are actually spider lags. I do not know if this is “resident” spider or just part of the Christmas decoration but here it stands and it’s really huge:

Here comes and the real decoration – the thousand little lights in the crown of the trees:

Even more trees with lights:

Many of the lights were actually moving slowly and the main source of this animation was this light stucture:

Here you can see it in action (together with the rest of the main Roppongi square):

Finnaly a picture of the main Roppongi Hill building by night:

Now – please follow me to the top and let see how Tokyo looks during the night viewed from the top of Roppong hill.

This is the view from the coffee bar at the top of the building (at that stage one still can use a tripod for the camera – at the very top tripods are forbidden):

And this is from the very top of the building (the Tokyo tower looks as almost you are observing it from above):

I promise a separate post with Roppongi hill pictures and movies but some other time. Next days will be Christmas posts only :)

Shimbashi – just two station from the Tokyo one (direction Shinagawa). This is the staion of the small, causy restaurants and bars where you go after work with your friends and collegues. I was visited it both Friday and Saturday nights but during the second night it was almost deserted. It is definetly Friday night when you should visit it to see the real animation of the streets.

This is the first thing I saw when I approached Shimbashi  (I came from Roppongi hill – may be around 30 minutes walk (but keep in mind that I walk relatively fast).

Of course – this are the Salaryman. You can see them everywhere. May be at Shimbashi is the biggest concentration of salaryman during Friday night in Tokyo (and highly possible the biggest concentration of salaryman in the world :)). Here there are more of them browsing the streets (if you look carefully you may even see one salarywoman).

Actually eveything is very colourful and animated. I hope you can get the feeling from the photos:

If Shimbashi has a heart it must be definitely the street immediately next to the railway. It is the most animated of all and most full with light and live. Here are and some of the coolest small restaurants:

This is the main square just in front of the staion with the christmas decoration:

And here is the video (a short one):

The main attarction though is the locomotive. Actually it is always there but it is not always covered with lights neither it is always singing:)

And here you can here the “singing” locomotive (also a panoramic view of the square):

I will continue tomorrow with more photos and videos from Christmas Shimbashi and Tokyo.

Just a few random pictures from Zojoji Temple from Saturday. It is located next to Tokyo Tower so you have quite a spectacular combination of modern and ancient. And to make the point I am starting with the first picture – the temple (part of it), the ginko and the tower:

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Another one. This time slightly more of the roof of the temple and the red sceleton of the tower behind.

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More of the temple and the autumn colors of the trees:

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The maple tree behind the old wooden port.

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The stone with the red ivy on it (distance shot).

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And close shot:

The Jizos.

These are Jizo. Statues of the dead children, stillborn or aborted fetuses. It is really said but they always have beautiful colorful windmills:

And some of the rest of the Jizos.

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There are many of them:

Some more of the photos.

Buddha (may be) and red momiji.

Again – nature (the branches of the trees), ancient temple and modern structures (the Tower). One of the most common compositions in Zojoji.