The Photographer’s Guide to

By Richard Brown

TOKYOGreat locations Common conditions Buying gear in Tokyo

About this book 3

Additional resources 68

Common conditions 10

Buying gear in Tokyo 5

Equipment 4

Cover: Pagoda at Sensoji, AsakusaSettings: 32mm, 1/30 sec. f/3.5, ISO 3200

CONTENTS

Locations 19

City skylines 20

Temples, shrines and traditional structures 32

Neon and the night 43

Nature: Spring and fall 54

Skyscrapers and architecture 59

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42

60

48

35

74

58

29

17

5

65

Right: Tokyo Tower from Roppongi Gaen DoriSettings: 17mm, 3 sec. f/8, ISO 100

Street

This book is all about taking better photos while you are in Tokyo. By introducing a number of great

locations and providing information on timing, lighting and equipment, the book aims to help you not only stand in front of more interesting stuff, but to be there when the light is right and to aware of common challenges at those locations.

From skyscrapers to temples, the book covers six different categories of photography with discussion on type of equipment, common conditions, and shopping for equipment in Tokyo.

Those familiar with Tokyo won’t need more than the information and simple maps provided here while those new to the city will benefit from a good map of the train system or a guidebook.

This photo of Mt. Fuji over Tokyo is a great example of how this book can be of value. It’s a popular image, so a search online may reveal that the image was taken

from the Observation Deck of the Bunkyo Civic Center, and that a 300 mm lens will be sufficient reach. You may even find the English web page providing hours of operation and a map from the station. Yet even with all of this information, most attempts at a good image will fail.

The trick to this shot is getting there when it opens at 9 a.m. sharp on a crisp and clear winter’s day to make the best of the air quality and lighting. At any other time of year the air will be too hazy, and any later in the morning and you risk losing the mountain to the daily buildup of haze as well as losing the benefits of side lighting at that time of the morning.

Tokyo is too big for a book like this to cover everything, so I make no attempt to. This is a fascinating city and it offers a world of photo opportunities beyond the pages here. So grab your camera and get ready to explore Tokyo!

ABOUT THIS BOOK

Mt. Fuji over ShinjukuSee page 24

If you want to be a better photographer, stand in front of more interesting stuff.~ Jim Richardson.

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CITY SKYLINES

I think about photographs as being full, or empty. You picture something in a frame and it’s got lots of accounting going on in it--stones and build-ings and trees and air—but that’s not what fills up a frame. You fill up the frame with feelings, energy, discovery, and risk, and leave room enough for someone else to get in there. ~ Joel Meyerowitz

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This landmark building in central Tokyo offers one of the best views of the city to be had. The entry fee is expensive relative to the other locations listed here, and there are a number of rules and difficult shooting conditions to prepare for. Despite all of this, however, the view is so good that it is worth the effort.

There are two great platforms to shoot from, the enclosed observation deck (¥1,500) and the Sky Deck, an open air rooftop (an additional ¥500). They both offer tremendous views for day or night photography and although neither offer a full 360º view, they come close. Both do offer a clear view of the key shots of Tokyo Tower and Mt. Fuji. Here is how they differ:

Observation Deck: (open 10:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m.) This is a glassed-in area that permits tripods and reasonably sized gear bags with an understanding that you share the viewing area with other patrons. There are also little benches set back from the window with enough space to set up your tripod and sit comfortably.

Be ware of window glare. It’s an absolute killer at night. The reflections from interior lights bouncing off the windows will ruin your shots if you don’t have a shade to fully block all interior light. An ordinary

Roppongi Hills Observation Deck 六本木ヒルズ

Previous page: Tokyo Tower from the Tokyo World Trade CenterSettings: 40mm, 1/2.0 sec. f/11, ISO 400

Left: Tokyo Tower from Roppongi HillsSettings: 100mm, 1/30 sec. f/5.3, ISO 3200

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lens hood is totally insufficient. Holding the lens flush against the window is not ideal as it limits you to shooting straight ahead.

Crowds can also be an issue, especially on weekends. Not only can it be impractical to set up a tripod, but you may not even get access to the prime viewing spots without a lengthy wait, especially around sunsets.

As with all indoor observation decks, you will be shooting through glass which will deteriorate the quality of your images to varying extents. It’s also a good idea to have something handy to wipe any smudges off the window.

Sky Deck: (open 11:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m.) This is an open air deck so there are no issues with window glare and the roof offers great opportunities for mixing images of people with Tokyo Tower or Mt. Fuji in the background. It is also open well past sunset throughout the year allowing you to shoot through the golden and blue hours and into the night.

On the negative side, rules are strictly enforced to prevent accidents and to deter people from sneaking in a parachute and leaping from the building (this is not a joke). There are no tripods, no mono-pods, no little short tripods, no large bags and no backpacks allowed. They do have a cloakroom to hold your stuff free of charge. The ever-present guards regularly monitor wind speed. If it gets too windy you will be sent back down.

Right: City blocks and Tokyo SkytreeSettings: 150mm, 1/125 sec. f/11, ISO 100

Next page: Tokyo Tower glowing in the hazeSettings: 35mm, 6.0 sec. f/6.7, ISO 200

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What’s not to like? It’s free, open almost all year long and offers

great views of Tokyo from 9:00 a.m. until 8:30 pm, well past sunset at any time of the year.

The observation deck provides a continuous view covering east, north and west and as shown in the image to the immediate right, there is a very convenient ledge running the length of the windows. Although tripods—even little six inch ones, are not allowed, make shift camera support is effective and permitted.

For morning shots, the winter months are the only time of year that you can reasonably expect a lack of haze and clear view to the distant mountains. But even then, the earlier you can get there the better as haze and clouds can quickly build up. The show is often over by 10:00 a.m. Oddly, typhoons that roll through in late summer do a remarkably good job of clearing the air of haze for a good day or two after they have passed.

For evening shots, the winter is also a much better bet, but there are many exceptions. The summer haze is often so intense that it

Bunkyo Civic Center文京シビックホール

Above: Observation deck interiorSettings: 70mm, 1/250 sec. f/8.0, ISO 400

Right: Mt. Fuji over Shinjuku (slightly cropped)Settings: 300mm, 1/125 sec. f/11, ISO 400

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completely disguises Mt. Fuji’s silhouette. However, since you are looking west towards the mountain, the setting sun is often strong enough to cut through the haze, providing a silhouette of Shinjuku’s skyscrapers and Mt. Fuji, and a moody orange sunset as a backdrop.

As the inset image on the previous page shows, the windows lean outwards on a steep angle making glare from internal lights far less of an issue for evening photography than similar places. Interior lights have also been arranged so that they point away from the windows. In terms of equipment, lenses ranging from ultra wide to about 300 mm all have their uses.

To capture Mt. Fuji looming large over Shinjuku, the longer the lens the better. The image below was taken with a 28mm lens and emphasizes how much reach you need to be able to fill the frame with Mt. Fuji and the Shinjuku district skyscrapers. A 300mm lens (full frame) is generally sufficient. Tokyo Sky Tree as seen from the Bunkyo Civic Center

Settings: 62mm, 1/250 sec. f/8.0, ISO 100Shinjuku at sunset (image cropped)Settings: 300mm, 1/250 sec. f/11, ISO 100

Wide angle view looking west towards Mt. FujiSettings: 28mm, 1/350 sec. f/8.0, ISO 400

Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building 都庁

Located on the western edge of central downtown Tokyo, the municipal government building, known locally as ‘Tocho’, offers a relatively unique view of Tokyo and a clear view to

Mt. Fuji unobstructed by buildings. The landscape photo on the following page is the view west and away from the city, and as mentioned elsewhere, is best captured in the winter when the air is relatively free of haze.

The good news is that admission to both observation decks on the 45th floors of the north and south towers is free, however tripods are not permitted and they will tell you to shuffle along if you set up too much kit or occupy one spot for a prolonged period. Be polite, don’t take up too much space and you should be alright.

The two towers have very similar views with the main difference being the positioning of the nearby skyscrapers and their operating hours. Although they both open at 9:30 a.m., the south tower closes at 5:30 p.m. while

Left: Looking east towards Tokyo SkytreeSettings: 82mm, 1/45 sec. f/5.0, ISO 1600

Right: Looking west at the city belowSettings: 35mm, 15.0 sec. f/8.0, ISO 100

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the north stays open until 11:00 p.m.

Both also have a convenient window ledge just perfect for some form of makeshift camera support, but the interior is fully lit with restaurants and souvenir shops making glare a significant issue at night.

A camera shade is absolutely essential for night photography here. The observation decks can be accessed from the 1st and 2nd floors and are generally open all year. Although they both close for two days a month, they close on alternating days to try and ensure that at least one tower is always open. Both towers are, however, closed for a few days at the year end.

For Mt. Fuji seekers, it is worth noting that the south tower is open from 7:00 a.m. for about

Looking west towards Mt. Fuji from TochoSettings: 20mm, 1/90 sec. f/9.5, ISO 800

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a week in mid-January when the air is at its cleanest and the side lighting from the rising sun (about 6:15 am at this time of year) is at its best. From almost any high observation deck in Tokyo you can see Mt.

Fuji making them great spots for the sough after ‘Diamond Fuji’. This is a term used to describe the point when the setting sun lines up with the summit of Mt. Fuji, an event that occurs twice annually.

Odaibaお台場

Odaiba is Tokyo’s main residential and entertainment waterfront area. For the photographer, however, it is best know as the spot where you can take the well-known postcard view of Tokyo shown below. Here, central Tokyo is framed by the colorful Rainbow Bridge forming what is

arguably one of the top ten shots on any visiting photographer’s hit list.

A tripod is recommended, but be careful where you use it. There is an elevated wooden boardwalk that runs along the length of the waterfront and is a tempting spot to set up on. Don’t be fooled. Although it feels sturdy it tends to transmit vibrations every time someone walks near. There are several spots where you can get off the boardwalk and go down to beach.

In addition to the Rainbow Bridge, other popular shots include a brightly lit Ferris wheel, a replica Statue of Liberty and my personal favorite, an 18 m high Gundam, hero of the Earth Federation (next page, bottom right).

Above: Statue of Liberty - Tokyo styleSettings: 28mm, 1/20 sec. f/3.5, ISO 800

Below: View of Tokyo from OdaibaSettings: 72mm, 2.0 sec. f/8.0, ISO 100

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Given the amount of haze in the air, I would hesitate to call Tokyo a great place for sunsets, but if you are lucky enough to be there when the pieces fall into place you can capture some stunning images. You’ll have more luck in summer since the winter sun sets too far to the left of the scene to add much color to the sky.

The winter sky in Tokyo is typically a clear cloudless blue rendering sunsets smaller and less dramatic. Cloudy days in the winter can be many days apart. The evening blue hour (the hour after sunset) or the night are generally the preferred times to shoot from this location. The deep blue evening sky provides a great contrast to the rich warm colors of the lights.

Odaiba is connected to central Tokyo by the Yurikamome line, a driver-less monorail that begins in Shimbashi and the only place I

am aware of that you can make the image of the ‘swoosh’ (below). This is done by sitting at the extreme front (or back) of the train and squeezing your tripod between your seat and the window. During the day you will need a very heavy ND filter to slow the shutter speed, and you should expect that many shots will be ruined as the train can be a bit bumpy over the four or so seconds required for each exposure. You should also be careful of window glare. I chose to include this image because I really like the smooth lines, but if you look closely, you can see some window glare to the left, and the road on the right.

When visiting Odaiba by the Yurikamome line, get off at either Odaiba Keihin Koen Station or Odaiba Station, head to the waterfront and walk the length between them to find a number of great shooting points.

Gundam: Hero of the Earth FederationSettings: 28mm, 1/250 sec. f/8.0, ISO 100

Swoosh! Long exposure on the Yurikamome lineSettings: 28mm, 4.0 sec. f/22, ISO 50 (with ND 400)

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The Tokyo World Trade Center has a post-card worthy view, it is photographer friendly and conveniently located. Admission is from 10:00 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. and the entrance fee is 620

yen for adults with discounts for students and children. Tripods are permitted—one per photographer they stress. The viewing area is conveniently partitioned with each section having a small table and

two chairs. It is located very close to Zojoji and Shibakoen and just one stop from Shimbashi.

The interior lights are dimmed but reflections are still an issue. On weekends it can get very crowded at sunset. Get there at least an hour early if you want to be sure to get a table with the best viewing angle.

Tokyo World Trade Center東京国際貿易ビル

Sunset in March as seen from the Tokyo WTC Settings: 28mm, 1/125 sec. f/8, ISO 200

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Tokyo Tower as seen from the Tokyo WTC during the blue hourSettings: 28mm, 4.0 sec. f/8.0, ISO 400

Tokyo Skytree as seen from the Tokyo WTCSettings: 135mm, 2.0 sec. f/8.0, ISO 800

A brief look at other platforms: Tokyo Tower: Frankly, Tokyo Tower is a better compositional element than a shooting platform. Relative to the other places listed here, Tokyo Tower is not positioned such that the skyscrapers and other elements in view lend themselves easily to great compositions. But, you can decide that for yourself. Click here for their English web-page with day and night images from all angles.

Tokyo Skytree: Pass on this if cityscape images are your goal. Situated far east of the city center, it is too far removed from any large inter

esting features. At 450m high, the perspective it is not too unlike the view from a plane as city skyscrapers are both too distant and too low to really play any compositional role.

My favorite shots taken from the Skytree (none of them mine) tend to be those of dramatic weather patterns that look like they are bringing impending doom to the city. Click here for their English website.

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Tokyo Station

Shinjuku Station

Roppongi Station

Odaiba Boardwalk

Tokyo Metroploitan Government Building

Roppongi Hills

Bunkyo Civic Center

Hamamatsucho Station

Shimbashi Station

City Skylines

From Tokyo Station:Roppongi Hills: 16 Minutes on the Hibiya line: Roppongingi Hills is above Roppongi StationBunkyo Civic Center: 8 minutes on the Toei Oedo line to Korakuen Station: Bunkyo Civic Center is across the StreetTokyo Metroploitan Government Building: 20 minutes on the Chuo line to Shinjuku Station: West exit, follow signs for Skyscraper districtOdaiba Boardwalk: 28 minutes on the Yurikamome line Odaiba Station. Head to boardwalkTokyo World Trade Station: 4 minutes on the Yamanote line to Hamamatsucho Station. North exit

Hibiya lineShibuya Station

Chuo line

Yamanote line

Yamanote line

Yamanote line

Toei Oedo line

Yurikamome line

Korakuen Station

Odaiba-Kaihinkoen Station

Daiba Station

Tokyo World Trade

Center

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Asakusa Station

Ueno Station