Inspiration from Street level Tokyo...
The beauty of the everyday…in another country
I never thought I would be so inspired by looking down at the street.
My first morning in Tokyo, just over a week ago, I was out in the street with my camera at about 7am. Now that is early for me!
Considering that I’d had no sleep, then been up at 4am Australian time the day before to catch a 6am flight, had 3 hours to wait for a connection, an hour long train ride into Tokyo, another metro connection to make, then a walk to my hotel (pushing it to check in before 10pm), perhaps it was an exhausted delirium that made me take pictures of the road surface.
But just look at them! Everyday things to the Japanese…I found these absolutely beautiful….hence, the following collection. I certainly attracted some strange looks from the locals.
Fleur was the lookout so that I didn’t get run over as I perfected my pictures…but the streets were pretty quiet.
I managed to find some more to add to my collection a few days later.
I’m not sure what these will inspire me to do, but I’m bound to use them for something sometime. Guess they would make a lovely calendar if I could narrow the collection down to twelve or thirteen!
Thanks Natalie for the challenge which made me put this all together!
jemimalovesbigted
aren’t they gorgeous! I love how individual each one is… nicely spotted lovey…
Soxy Fleming replied
glad you like them too…I’m not the only mad one!
Shelley Heath
Great collection… they are certainly more interesting and inspiring that the manhole covers here.
Soxy Fleming replied
It really looked as though someone had designed each one very carefully
sjem ©
Wow these are truly beautiful things. The Japanese are so good at transforming everyday things into objects of beauty.
Thanks for sharing soxy – who in the hell took you off my watchlist ?!
Soxy Fleming replied
don’t know…have a stern word to them ; )
OneMultipleCode
whoah! These drains and covers are very creative. Thank you for taking pictures and sharing them with us!
Soxy Fleming replied
it was my great delight to do so. I can see I shall have to go back there….
Rhana Griffin
It’s so amazing what we find when we simply open our eyes. Well done Soxy :)
Soxy Fleming replied
I found so much to look at just in the local area around my little hotel…I’m sure I didn’t manage to soak it all up. Thanks Rhana
peter
The beauty and art in the everyday is extraordinarily important to recognize. Otherwise art is banished to an inaccessible world of lofty ceilings and quiet rooms … Paul Vanzella was the first person to introduce me to the art in the every day with this image.
Soxy Fleming replied
thank you Peter…Paul’s picture is truly beautiful. Often we don’t have the luxury of time to contemplate the beauty in the everyday things (or one is considered a madman for staring so long at the ground!)
I had the guide book, I had the maps but wandering the little lane ways and seeing ordinary things was still more fulfilling than heading off to see the sights…I feel vaguely renewed and ready to travel some more…
Rhana Griffin
Soxy, if I put my macro lens on my camera I can get lost in my own backyard. Heavens knows how I would handle it if I travelled! I likely wouldn’t leave my hotel and come home with a gazillion images!
Soxy Fleming replied
don’t tempt me with macro!! I had a whole day in the hotel room when Fleur was sick…took pictures of sushi boxes and light fittings, the floor and the walls! I only took one lens though….next time I’ll make room for another!
Paul Vanzella
wow – what a collection… the intricate designs are so worth noting! well done!!!
Soxy Fleming replied
thanks for looking Paul…they were just delightful
Diesel Laws
Wow, loving the last one – looks like a maze!
Soxy Fleming replied
thanks, yes it’s a beauty. I should have had a little broom with me though!
Natalie Tyler
Wow. Just wow. These are really beautiful. If I had all the money in the world I think I’d hop on a plane right now just to go and marvel at them. Thanks for sharing Soxy. I had no idea such things existed until now.
Soxy Fleming replied
thanks Natalie…I thought I had replied to this but it must have been interrupted by the brief hiatus and those dogs cooking bread. The airfares were cheap and that’s how we managed to go. Seems the fares are getting cheaper too and the yen is improving. It’s a very friendly easy place to visit
Gracey
That’s amazing – really. If the streets look that good…what kind of inspiration must the rest of the city be! I probably wouldn’t spend much time indoors there.
They really are quite beautiful…we’ve nothing like that. Ours are all the same.
Soxy Fleming replied
our last day there was supposed to be for the galleries..but the sun was shining and I had to stay outside and look!
ElRobbo
What a superb idea!
Very nice work, Soxy!
Soxy Fleming replied
thank you, nice that so many people are enjoying these and not just thinking I’m mad!
RebeccaT
Fantastic work Soxy…and congratulations on making The Daily Wrap !! – hope it’s still there when you see this :).
Soxy Fleming replied
thanks Rebecca. I had prewarning from the top that it would be there!
ElRobbo
You have to be mad to be on this site, Roxy!
It’s almost a prerequisite!
;)
Soxy Fleming replied
guess you are right! I may have found my true home!
bombadda
Tax well spent. Some genius ones.
Thanks!
Soxy Fleming replied
any time!
Scott Robinson
Amazing! i`d give my left arm to go silly with some rubbings of these,.
Of course, it`d be hard without my left arm, but still worthwhile.
Soxy Fleming replied
Thanks for looking, aren’t they great?
At some stage I thought about rubbings….could be a bit dangerous even though these were in quiet streets.
perhaps you could use your left foot?
I had a minor attempt to use one on these pictures with the halftone instructions the other night…but my CS4 trial has ended so if I close it I won’t be able to open it again…will my computer die if I just leave PS open all the time???
Scott Robinson
Not that I know of… Don`t quote me on that though!~
Sjem sent me a link to this, Seems we had a very similar idea..
animo
man these are awesome. thanks for the visual feast soxy : )
Soxy Fleming replied
it is my great delight to share them…nice to find so many people who can see the wonder of them. thanks for looking!
James Birkbeck
wow… cool. very cool.
Soxy Fleming replied
yes it was a amazing to wander around and see these things. such different little details