Today’s walk: Shinjuku to Nezu

After hitting a couple of galleries and camera shops in Shinjuku I headed to Yotsuya. Since all the galleries there were closed, I figured that walking North for a while might not be a bad idea, since I usually amble on straight East from Shinjuku. There is a huge communications tower in Ichigaya and north of it on a narrow street I came across an empty old apartment building, Which looked good enough to return to shoot in better light. (This is just a Phone Camera grab to give you an idea what it looks like)

But then a little further down the same street there was this amazing empty house.
You can see it here.
It has a beautiful Western-Style addition to it, painted yellow with a brown tile roof. You can see it on the map, half covered by trees. There are old curtains in the windows and bits of cracked glass around the wooden frames. (Again, a phone camera snap for reference/proof)

And one with film:

I’d guess it was built in the early 1930s. Everything about the place fits so well- the western building, the palm trees near the front door- the moss on the concrete wall surrounding it. It’s hard to explain it’s draw in words without getting too fruity loopy so I’ll leave it at that.
I asked an older woman going into her home across the road about it and she winced and said it was an eyesore. No one lives there anymore, the owner moved into an apartment they own down the street. Apparently the owner of the house is a landlord, and owns the other dilapidated apartment nearby. The woman told me that they go into the house from time to time- no word on what it would take to get in the gates with a tripod.
If there was ever a site you’d might expect to see Araki with a kimono-clad model. . .
Other than that, I came across 神楽坂 which I know the kanji to but do not know how to pronounce. Then Iidabashi station and a THREE STOREY Book Off. By then it was dark but wanted to keep going and I got lost for a while which was the point. However, Bunkyoku is well worth getting lost in.
And like most of my cross-Tokyo walks I ended up in Yanaka and then Nezu Station.
Here are two hints for Cross-Tokyo walks:
1. Start somewhere West and head East for the Good Light over your shoulder.
2. Start early- The sun sets to about f4 / f2.8 around 4:30pm on those narrow streets.
BONUS FACTOID: A long walk through Tokyo with a few cameras and a bag full of film is a fantastic way to spend the day.
thats a really good walk.
did you know nick is going back to senshu later this year? you should go on one of those walks with him.
Comment by mattson — 12/29/2007 @ 7:02 am
神楽坂 = kagurazaka (full of small alleys, french restaurants and bars). This area (and iidabashi) is well worth a much longer photographic investigation.
For those who prefer a morning jaunt then start somewhere east and head west/north-west. I think three hours is about max for one of these walks - you either physically tired (Tokyo is lumpy) or mentally tired from all the photographic stimulation.
Comment by akikana — 12/29/2007 @ 9:24 am
I think you are right- 4 hours gets tired and 5 will have you more focused on finding a place to sit than shoot.
Guy, we really ought to go back to that house- you would love it.
Comment by John — 12/29/2007 @ 9:35 am