September 4, 2007

I spy in Tokyo

What do we spy each day in Tokyo ? Here is Emma and Jonas just walking down the road, next to a sushi shop... there are foreigners here and there, but mostly we see Japanese people.


I spy the Mormon Temple on our walk to school each day... had to move across the world to live near a temple... back home it took us 3 hours to drive to the temple... here it is a 10 minute walk.



Another view of the temple with the top cut off... just for perspective... sidewalk/street, that perspective... not much lawn space..


Of course if the Mormon temple does not suit you, there is always a Japanese Temple nearby. I think this one is a Shinto temple by the way it looked, but I need to explore further to find out... we spy this everyday too.. Don't know who's car that is... a priest's??

Another view of the Shinto temple (just to be fair... the Mormon temple got two photos afterall)

Next to the Shinto temple is a building Jonas calls the "TOWER OF TERROR" because it reminds him of the Disney ride (which is totally scary and awesome). I like how this photo shows old and new right next to each other.


Here is a street we climb everyday... you can't tell, but it is very steep like a street you'd find in San Francisco.


We spy unique architecture too...I think this house is COOL... the Japanese have excentric artistic tastes (Stew would love it here)... this is one example... all the same house.


These are actual GEMS in there door... they are shiney...sparkle like diamonds in the sky (do you want crittel gel?). Do you like the eagle head door knob? One good turn deserves another... who knows that quote?

I love that the front looks like an old brick oven that has melted... way cool... Jonas is melted too... it was such a hot and humid day. Still the same house... some Aztec head on the front of it... I should probably research this casa, it may be famous. Maybe the head is a sign to show "canibals live here", or to show "we love head hunters"...not that I am saying the Japanese are savage.... have a sense of humor here please.Because this is a huge city with hills everywhere (Japan is made up of Volcanoes... did you know that?) you see these large retaining walls everywhere. People call it cement city and I guess this is why. I appreciate the many ways they add plants to still make it feel green. One last cool architectural wonder we spy everyday... a TINY, no a tiny door. I don't know why it is so small, perhaps little people live here. Or, maybe this is a pet door for a large dog??



3 comments:

Stewart Van Buskirk said...

You're right, I would love it there. I am still digging that door, although that Aztec head is pretty dang cool too! I also loved the 2 temples. Shinto wins in my book, at least for viewing pleasure.

Stewart Van Buskirk said...

I was just looking at the Toyko Temple again, and it is actualy pretty cool looking too. It has a kind of an Art Deco feel to it. It is funny to see the official picture on the church website, without the power lines. I've done that a million times.

Natalie said...

Lucky that you live so close to the temple! I love the architecture of the other buildings and homes too. And how did Jonas get to be such a big kid already?