Before the shops are open: morning stroll through Yanaka, Tokyo

I successfully negotiated my way to a 20-hr layover in Tokyo. (a full-day stopover would have costed +4k to change, and it took a whole night of sleep for me to figure out that I could achieve a similar result by having a super long layover instead!) The only catch is that I needed to pack very carefully so as to bring just the right amount in my carry-on bag because I wouldn't have access to my suitcase until 30+ hrs later in the US. 

Minus sleeping time, I really only had ~6 hrs of free time in Tokyo. The extra long queue at immigrations the night before had left me exhausted. It was probably the longest I have waited at the NRT immigrations: close to 1 hr in a line snaking multiple loops. This is because my choice of day unfortunately fell on the eve of the tomb-sweeping long weekend... (I was expecting crazy crowd in Tokyo because of the insane line, but the town was actually quite normal otherwise) Thankfully I still managed to get up, eat, and check out of the hotel before 10. I made a point to eat more than I felt like because given my schedule I'm fully aware my next meal will probably be on the plane. 

This is my first time intentionally stay in Nippori neighbourhood, given its proximity to my first destination Yanaka/Sendagi and being endpoint of an airport express. Yanaka is known as one of the last Shitamachi's of Tokyo where small shops and grocers still line the street. In fact, when I was sketching at a street corner, I can hear neighbours greeting each other as they set up their shops or running morning errands on their bikes. 

Looking down at Yanaka Ginza (main shopping street of Yanaka) from the top of the stairs. A steady stream of tourists and locals huffed and puffed their way up the stairs.

The delivery guys were so incredibly efficient that I was only able to capture a quick silhouette. (Guy in the red cap was doing some morning deliveries in his van)

Short Hop over the Pacific: Autumn in Japan

Done over a week-long trip to Japan, in between meeting up with friends and former colleagues

 Sunset over JR Osaka station was too stunning to ignore (I can never ignore good train station concourses!) So I sat down for 30 or so after getting off the bullet train, before dashing off to check-in at the hotel, before dashing off to meet my former colleagues; which, by pure luck or innate timetable planning ability, I made it within minutes of the arranged time, all with no pre-planning whatsoever. I really just finished having lunch with friend in Tokyo, thought it was about time, walked into Tokyo station, bought ticket for the next train to Osaka... Japan sure has trained me well

A view onto the narrow alleyway just outside friend's apartment. Always feeling self-conscious of being mistaken to be a stalker, I tried to find as inconspicuous a place as possible, so to avoid staring straight into some people's door.... (Which is always harder to find in bustling Tokyo) Despite how it looks, a garbage truck still made it through the narrow maze and collected all the trash while I was drawing the scene. Adding the overhead electric cables were always a bonus that I rarely get to enjoy in the US!

Scenes from Tokyo: Train stations

Tokyo station sketched in the wind (before the pending rainstorm). I was exhausted having to hold my sketchbook flat against the raging wind for close to 1 hour. I also uncovered the amazing truth that Tokyo station is asymmetric! (The tiny windows on the roof count as 4-5-center-4-5 from left to right) The station itself celebrated its 100th anniversary last December, which is why I got the special commemorative stamp on the left (styled to the similarly-shaped ceiling of the 2 domes)

Asakusa station (and the adjoining mall) in the afternoon sun.The weather was great when I went. Apparently the building was restored back to its original appearance when it first opened in 1931 in an effort to promote its historic roots and...well, impress the tourists coming to see the Skytree (on the other side of the Sumida river)

Scenes from Tokyo: Kanda

New Year prayer crowd for Kanda shrine (the queue behind where I was standing wrapped around more than 2 blocks...) All the salarymen were probably out to enjoy their only idle afternoon in the sun of the year

One of the two staff/cook at Kikanbo Ramen. Delicious spicy ramen!

Scenes from Tokyo: Tsukiji

I half-heartedly followed my buddies on a early morning trip to Tsukiji. The lines for both in-market sushi bar were overwhelming, but we settled in to wait for our breakfast-turned-brunch. While waiting for my own line, I was observing the insane queue next door for Sushi Dai. The people in front of the door was just the tip of the iceberg, a whole crowd was waiting around the corner.

Sushi chef at work while I wait for my sushi brunch. I think I was way too hungry to judge the quality of the sushi by that point lol. After gulping down my plate of sushi, I then suffered from an extremely heavy stomach (consequence of eating too fast) throughout our afternoon stroll in Tokyo. 

Lady praying at the main shrine (and unofficial guardian) of Tsukiji: Namiyoke (Protection against the waves) Inari Shrine. The crowd in front of the shrine made it almost seems like a wedding is going on!