With a constant stream of commuter trains raucously rattling overhead, this particular place certainly doesn’t seem ideal for a spot of saxophone practice.
But there again, bar the few minutes I was faffing about photographing him, it does offer that most precious of commodities in the capital, privacy.
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{ 8 comments… read them below or add one }
excellent, excellent summer pictures. something about the green in summer here in japan always astonishes me. btw, where were these taken?
Thanks C!
Yeah, I know what you mean. The green of rice fields in particular, especially against the grey of the buildings often surrounding them, can seem nothing short of hallucinogenically enhanced in their greenness.
Oh, and these two pictures were taken under the Chuo-sen between Tachikawa and Hino.
Nice catch. I think that is a great place to practice. I live on the Toyoko Line, and see many people practicing under the train bridge at Tama gawa
Thanks Thomas. Yeah, they do seem popular spots don’t they? There again, at this time of year, I guess they also offer some much needed shade as well as privacy.
Lee, any audio this time? I imagine a short audio clip: the guy practices for about 30 secs, after that a train’s noise would overwhelm the music. Something like that would have been nice.
No audio this time I’m afraid. I did consider it, but yeah, the noise from the train was deafening, and as I didn’t want to disturb the man, I used my zoom and maintained a discreet distance, meaning the sound of him playing would have been a little too faint anyway.
I’m continually amazed by your capacity to stumble upon/sniff out musicians practicing in unexpected places, terrifying scarecrows, and abandoned buildings still somehow full of whatever it was that characterized them when they were bustling…
I cycle a lot Eric, and so often see people practicing. And, if I’m lucky, some terrifying scarecrows!
Most of the abandoned buildings I visit I learn about through books or the internet, although there have been a few that I’ve found myself. In fact at the moment I have four abandoned places that I’m ‘watching’, as currently they are locked up, so I’m waiting for someone to break in and allow me entry…