Suwara is a little town in the country side of Chiba which was once a bustling merchant town.  Now it is quiet with most of the buildings dating from the Meiji Era.

Wedged in between Onarimon station and Shimbashi station lies a lovely plethora of backstreets, cafes, and drinking spots.  Some places it seems like time stands still, or that they have been forgotten by the people at large.  The wood breaks away from it’s frame, and the paint curls under the summer sun.  Soaking up the vibe and the sweat as I wandered back and forth from the two stations.

I was fortunate to take a break from Tokyo and head out into the countryside of Chiba to visit Naritasan Temple.  I went walking and exploring with Tomo.  The weather has hot.  The shade was cool.  Walking up and around the various buildings that make up the Naritasan complex, I couldn’t help but think of all the others that had done the same before me.  How many other visitors had been there, and left their footprints on the gravel, or a little wish for happiness.

I forget sometimes that there is another side to this place I live called Tokyo.  There are places still to go.  Other adventures to see.

Thanks Tomo for helping get me out of the big Shitty….I mean City….

I have been to the top of Tokyo Tower and the Mori Building in Roppongi to get some amazing views of this mega-city Tokyo, but both of these will pale to Tokyo Sky Tree when it opens to the public in 2012.  Walking around Oshiage trying to get a view of Tokyo Sky tree I would get dizzy staring up at the structure.

The neighborhood of Oshiage was a quiet little town, not known for very much, but that will all change with the Sky Tree.  The sleepy neighborhood is already filled with a throngs of photo seekers.

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Made a pilgrimage to the Monzennakacho area of Tokyo today.  I love it’s little backstreets filled with all sorts of drinking spots, houses butted up next to each other like books in a library, and a bit of old Tokyo charm.  Wandering the steamy asphalt covered streets, seeking out those images that just seem to be calling my name.

Just a quick little stroll around the neighborhood in the bright sunshine.

I had never walked much around the eastern side of Ueno until the other day.  It was filled with business hotels, small shops, homes, and a scattering of jewelry shops.  It had all the elements that I enjoy, tight packing of so much visual information into a tight space.  The other side.

Just a few images from a short bicycle ride in the blazing Japanese sunshine.

I made up my mind to go on a little local stroll across the Maihama bridge to go to the community pool in order to beat the heat.  Sweat rolling down my temple I made my way across the bridge only to discover that the pool was closed for its twice a month cleaning.

So, after a quick lunch in the park lots of big black ants we journeyed over to the Nishi Kasai Community Outdoor pool to seek some refuge from the sun.  It was packed with families, kids, couples, and me.  It was a nice little escape just to float and let the water push me around.

On the little footbridge over the street my man MOZE had been there.  I can’t help myself.  I just got to collect photographs of MOZE’s tags.

Yes it is true.  I went to Yanka area yesterday, and I returned there today.  I guess I just couldn’t get enough of that baking heat bouncing off the asphalt and the aluminum siding.  One big change was that we went to the Zakuro Persian spot on Yanaka Ginza Street.  We had an amazing meal of chickpeas, spicy soup, lamb, breads, and kebabs.  Amazing place.

Wedged in between Nippori, Sendagi, and Nezu lies the old part of town of Yanaka.  Filled with old homes, many temples, and lots of shoe-boxed sized stores.  Since Japan is in the middle of the Obon season, about 70% or everything was shuttered, including the museum I wanted to see.

The mercury hit a high of 39 (102 Fahrenheit) degrees celsius.  I could feel the heat bouncing off the pavent, the and the tin covered houses.  While on the street the heat could not be avoided.

I did see some interesting places full of character, that will be explored at a later date.

I have spent lots of time wandering around Naka Meguro in Tokyo, but I have never really walked around Meguro area until yesterday. I was heading to see the photographic show by my friend Nasa and seven other female photographers, and to and from the gallery I had no choice but to wander around and take some images.  Meguro is an interesting area, that I should return to to explore a bit more.  So, for now it is OH MY MEGURO!

I wanted to go into central Tokyo today but the weather decided otherwise and I just walked around my neighborhood while the wind whipped around me.  My neighborhood sits of the edge of Tokyo Bay.  Being in such close proximity to the water is a blessing.  The breeze blows in, the ocean smell sometimes drifts in though the open windows.

These are the things I see everyday.

They are the beauty in the most ordinary objects.

They are my hood.

Made a pilgrimage to the Ethiopian joint Queen Sheeba.  I hadn’t been there for a long time, something like a god 15 years.  The air was a bit cooler than usual, and I was able to get a couple of nice long exposures on the backstreets away from the station.  Quiet, dark, evening…

Before having a lovely dinner we wandered around the streets of Daikanyama.  Wedged between Ebisu and Shibuya is a oasis of little shops and cafes.  A bit of an escape from the wilds of the Shibuya crowd.