I mentioned the other day that Tokyo is a modern medieval city. However, it’s not an Akira-esque city of only new edifices. Instead it’s a mix of very old (the rare wooden structure that survived the earthquakes and bombings of the early 20th century) and the very new. Part of the joy of the city is watching how they merge.
Tokyo – New
Tokyo is full of ultra-modern buildings:
The atrium of the Sumitomo building:
Sometimes the buildings appear to be out of a dystopian future. For instance, the NTT Building is what Central Casting was imagining when they were looking for an evil capitalist’s lair:
Similarly, here are a couple of other doozies:
Old & New
As you explore the city’s parks, you’re confronted with the juxtaposition of old and new. Here’s Edo Castle:
And Hamarikyu-Teien Gardens:
Tokyo Old
Tokyo still has a fair number of old wooden buildings (particularly on the island of Tsukada). I liked this one that had a few cellphone operated vending machines below it):
Here are a few more:
I was also amazed when we stumbled on this unpaved alleyway. It’s all of a five minute walk from the ultra modern skyscrapers of Shinjuku:
