Tokyo street food and drinks

On a warm weekend afternoon, some outdoor food is very welcome. Even more so if there are drinks involved. And sometimes, the more slapdash the surroundings, the better.

Tokyo street food and drinks

Busty robots on the streets of Tokyo

Over the last few years or so, much has been made of Japan’s investment in robot technology. Cutting-edge machines that are designed to help care for and comfort the growing elderly population. A vast array of others that’ll do the jobs of countless humans. Plus the odd one or two that despite massive outlays seem to do little more than dance — badly.

These busty behemoths, however, have been created to do nothing more than entertain. And that they most certainly do, in a suitably bawdy manner.

robots in Tokyo

Tokyo puppet master?

Tokyo puppet master

Close up and personal at a traditional Japanese festival

Japan happily adopts new trends and customs, more often than not blending them so effortlessly into the culture that in no time at all they are part of the culture. But, as rapidly as things change, in many ways they also stay very much the same. An impressive feat that is particularly noticeable when it comes to traditional festivals.

Almost always boisterous and packed affairs, it’s immediately clear that many of them haven’t altered much in the countless decades they have been held. Something that’s especially true when it comes to Asakusa’s Sanja Matsuri, which dates back as far as the sixteen hundreds in its current form. Plus many more centuries earlier in regards less organised celebrations.

Asakusa Sanja Matsuri

An event that, along with the same customs, is clearly just as much fun as it has always has been.

Asakusa Sanja Matsuri

Of a very similar intensity too.

Asakusa Sanja Matsuri

Asakusa Sanja Matsuri

Asakusa Sanja Matsuri

The only real change being the faces on show — both of those involved, and those not.

Asakusa Sanja Matsuri

Shibuya glamour on Shibuya Crossing

Late at night, Shibuya Crossing is a heaving mass of half-cut humanity, with absolutely ludicrous numbers of people heading towards the station to squeeze on to even busier last trains home. But, if judged correctly, there should still be just enough time to quickly capture a captured memory.

Shibuya crossing glamour

Colourful urban art in a filthy Tokyo alley

There was rubbish all over the place, and the smell was positively rank, but thankfully just as striking was this very colourful piece of urban art.

Tokyo urban art

A figure that has intriguingly appeared in other parts of the city too — namely on a now demolished old love hotel.