Beautiful mountains frame Seoul’s sprawling skyline.
In Taipei, Taipei 101 towers above all else.
The concrete, glass and steel canyons of Tokyo’s Shinjuku has one of the most iconic modern skylines in the world.
Hong Kong’s skyline sparkles at night.
Shanghai has two skylines. The Bund and the more recent Pudong pictured here.
It’s no coincidence that the cities featured above are in Asia. That part of the world has some of the most dynamic and constantly updated skylines on earth. But I couldn’t leave you without a shot of my own city. Look closely and you’ll see the shadow of the Empire State Building.
Sukiyabashi crossing in upscale Ginza is its cousin. Lit up at night by the neon of the Fujiya building the well designed broad grid-like painted paths make crossing the street in one of the world’s most populated cities a breeze.
It’s easy to spend a few hours at Tsukiji one of the world’s largest fish markets. It has approximately 1,500+ stalls. Countless seas creatures are on display. Keep your wits about you and wear non-slip shoes to avoid face planting on the wet floor. While Tsukiji is a major tourist attraction it is first and foremost a bustling busy market. Keep an eye out for motorized carts barreling around at high speed.
If you are hungry after wandering tuck in at one of the sushi restaurants located adjacent to the Central Market in the External Market. It will be the freshest sushi you will ever eat. The External Market occupies a few short alleys where handicrafts, souvenirs and more practical items such as fisherman’s boots are sold.
To get to Tsukiji take the Toei Oedo line to Tsukiji-Shijo. The market is closed on Sundays and the second and fourth Wednesday of each month.
Pachinko is a popular arcade game in Japan. Small metal balls are purchased and placed into the machines where they fall through pins or into pockets. The latter produces more balls, which can be traded in for prizes. The machines often have anime themes. This parlor in Tokyo’s Electric Town had several floors and most of the players were men.
The first time I walked into the The National Art Center in Tokyo it made me want to come back in my next life as a gifted architect. A recent addition to Tokyo’s ever-changing skyline the low-rise Art Center designed by architect Kisho Kurokawa opened in 2007.
The sophisticated simplicity of the building allows for natural light to flow through three-story glass curves. The interior is a slice of serenity in one of the world’s most populated and frenetic cities. It’s no coincidence that I chose to visit it to get my travel Zen on a few hours before the schlep to Narita and boarding a 13-hour flight back to New York.
The National Art Center does not host a permanent collection. Instead it features several art exhibitions at once within its 45,000 square feet, which also houses a restaurant, café and museum shop. Check its Web site to see what is on. Located in Roppongi to reach the Center take the Tokyo Metro Chiyoda Line to Nogizaka Station, Exit 6. Admission is free to enter the building but you must buy tickets to individual exhibits. Hours are 10 a.m.-6 p.m. (8 p.m. on Friday) Wednesday-Monday.
The couple in the background are classic trendy Tokyo youth. Check out the woman’s retro hairdo. She was brave and skilled enough to walk on the grating wearing spiked heels. Her beau seems to have adopted a surfer dude/grunge look.
If you ride Tokyo’ s metro early enough on a Saturday morning you’ll see hung over businessmen still in their suits who didn’t quite make it home after a good night out. Many are chugging soft drinks purchased from Tokyo’s ubiquitous vending machines.
Mexico City’s metro is one of the cheapest and cleanest in the world and a subterranean market of sorts.
London’s aptly named tube is amongst the most expensive public transportation in the world. It was the world’s first underground metro.
New York City’s subway system will take you from the Bronx to Brooklyn for a few bucks. Despite rising fares it’s still the best deal in town.
But not once in the many times I walked across was I body checked or shoved in any way. This is what I love about one of the most populous cities in the world.
The neon forests of Shinjuku in Tokyo offer the perfect setting for capturing an urban landscape at night. Tripod required.
Outside of Tokyo’s busy Shibuya Station is a life size bronze statue of an Akita. Several dozen people stand nearby waiting for someone. Tourists take turns having their photos taken next to it before heading across the world’s busiest pedestrian crossing.
Wooden shoes are the footwear of choice when wearing a kimono in Japan. Even trendy Tokyo stays true to its roots where you find pairs of these for sale everywhere.
Morocco’s leather slippers are handmade, comfortable and work as well with a kaftan as they do with a pair of jeans. These were spotted in Marrakesh’s souk, where you will be spoiled for choice.
The ultimate example of the pain endured by women for the sake of shoes are small silk slippers worn for centuries by China’s elite bound footed women. They are now sold as souvenirs, in this instance at Hong Kong’s Cat Street Market.
Nothing says American Southwest like a pair of cowboy boots. These were on display in Santa Fe, New Mexico.
Not far from the serene, traditional Meiji Shrine is Takeshita Dori in Harajuku. This pedestrianised street is a mecca for teens shopping for the latest trends while strutting their stuff. Clothing shops, music stores and crepe stalls line the narrow lane, which on weekends is jam-packed with a sea of adolescent humanity.
These shoes remind me of what you might see on Camden High Street in London.
Only in Tokyo is rebellion and cute combined.
You’ll find them in every neighborhood and even under the city on metro platforms. According to some statistics there are approximately 6 million vending machines in Japan. Tokyo is home to about 2.4 million. Most sell energy and soft drinks, hot tea and coffee, beer, saki and cigarettes. You can also purchase anything from umbrellas to razors. In Tokyo vending machines cater to the lifestyle of city dwellers that are constantly on the go and live in small spaces. For these urbanites buying in bulk is not a practical option.
Convenience isn’t overly pricey. A soft drink will set you back about 120 yen, which is about $1.10. The machines do not fall victim to vandalism, graffiti or theft, which would be unheard of in other major cities.
