June | 2018 | Ukrainian Tom

Like any city, Tokyo is filled with rectangular-shaped buildings, designed to maximize the tiny bits of land which hold them. Efficiency is key.

But Tokyo is also filled with architectural surprises.

Designers have dared to be bold…

… and defy convention.

My weekends are filled with walking the streets of Tokyo, and much to my delight, discovering architectural gems along the way.

This appears to be just another busy Tokyo street… but take a closer look.

This is the Nakagin capsule hotel in Shimbashi.

These prefab units were stacked with a statement. This was the 1970’s answer to the housing crunch.

Hmmm… I’m not sure how to caption this one…

… or this one.

This is new construction in Shibuya.

At one point, Audi had a flagship store here.

Porsche stands out in this building.

Why not be bold…

… and break the mold.

Wow, buildings can be curvaceous! I applaud architects who throw away the ruler.

I love the simple flair and elegance…

… and appreciate the extra effort for this design and construction.

Tokyo’s architecture has many influences… in this case, European (this is the state guest house for foreign diplomats).

Paris? No, this is Tokyo tower.

Perhaps this building was inspired by New York City’s Flat Iron.

This exact replica of the Statue of liberty is one seventh the size of the original.

This bug-eye inspired design marks the entrance to a metro station.

And speaking of bugs…

This designer clearly had a fascination with insects (and Transformers) as a child.

Believe it or not, this is art… the Roppongi Spider.

Art is sprinkled throughout the city.

Art takes many shapes…

…and forms.

Some of it is well-known.

This Shinto gate marks the entrance to a shrine, surrounded by trees.

However, a slight shift in camera angle reveals more about its location.

The rear angle shows this shrine is in the heart of the city.

Places of worship are sprinkled throughout the city…

…including this mammoth Buddhist Temple (with Tokyo Tower in the background).

Tokyo Union Church is in the heart of Omatesando (think 5^th Avenue).

Saint Grace Cathedral is a dedicated wedding venue.

Everyone loves Snoopy… especially in Japan.

He has his own museum.

Facades add flavor…

… and style…

…transforming the ordinary…

…into something truly unique…

… and distinctive.

Take a look…what do you see?

Here’s a close up. Elevated highways are intertwined seamlessly throughout the city.

Highways crisscross at many angles…

… or sometimes are triple stacked in parallel.

This corkscrew highway fascinates me.

It takes “three turns of the screw” to move up the side of this mountain.

This hotel by water’s edge in Yokohama is inspired by sails.

This is Ginza Crossing.

This is one of two Mikimoto stores in Ginza (which partially explains why their pearls are outrageously priced).

The streets of Ginza are closed to vehicles and opened for pedestrians on weekends (can you spot Lynda?).

This men’s room comes with a unique view.

This building appears to have been designed by three different architects, who didn’t align with each other.

Every space is precious… and buildable.

The 1964 Summer Olympics stadium is intimate and quaint by today’s standards.

Meanwhile, construction is at full tilt for the new 2020 Olympic stadium.

Shinjuku is known for the Government building…

… it’s neighbor is known for “Lost in Translation.” The highest point in this trio showcases the bar featured in the film starring Bill Murray and Scarlett Johansson.

Fire escapes are often on the outside of buildings…

Sometimes they are more integrated…

… and other times they are designed to stand out…

… as a clear design element.

Sky Tree is a more recent addition to Tokyo’s skyline…

… but wait… what is that on the right?

Affectionately known as the “golden turd,” this is an artistic representation of an open beer tap (to landmark the beer company inside the building).

I will avoid the temptation of transitional pun, and merely point out, this is the restroom outside Oku Station… thus creating a very “location-based” landmark.

This space-invaders inspired building houses the Edo Museum.

Of course the National Art Center needs an original design.

This distinctive building in Shinjuku provides a consistent background throughout a series of photos.

A short walk changes the story…

… and again.

It’s a consistent towering friend to landmark the locale.

I’m certain Rubik’s cube was an inspiration for this design.

This mushroom shaped apartment building is easy to find (even if you’ve had one too many)…

… it stands out in the neighborhood.

Pedestrians go up — to get over these busy streets.

This elevated walkway stretches over one street, then dips under the highway above.

Do you notice anything odd in this photo?

Window washing is still “old school.”

These lights…

… are for the baseball field below.

I marvel at the clever and efficient use of space.

I enjoy photographing this highly distinctive building in Shinjuku.

I suspect the designer was inspired by rocket ships and bird nests.

I don’t know who moved your cheese… but I can tell you where it is.

Here’s classic Victorian hiding in the shadows of towering modern.

These balconies appear to be made from gigantic CDs.

It appears that screws are holding this building together.

The corner of this building appears to have been repaired after a huge truck smashed into it… but no, this is how it was designed.

I love the cloud reflections…

Cirque de Soleil adds color and style when they come to town.

This is a pedestrian bridge, with style.

Perhaps this is a spaceship… I’m not certain.

This is a driving school (don’t ask me to explain this one).

This could be England…

… but it’s not.

I’m sure this design is intentional.

Prada lives here…

… in this neighborhood…

…not far from Hugo Boss.

Bricks don’t always have to be red.

Construction is everywhere in Tokyo.

Older buildings are demolished, and rebuilt with more stringent earthquake-resistant techniques. Note the tight spacing of this steel skeleton, which will be poured with concrete.

Construction crews are wary of noise levels. Here you can see the decibel measurements (inside the walls and out).

This is tricky…

…very tricky.

This building has additional earthquake supports on its exterior.

This building stands out for its design.

It is completely supported by the exterior skeleton.

This internet photo features a famous house in Kyoto.

Here’s the street view.

As you can see Tokyo’s architecture is quite diverse, providing a “wow” factor around nearly every corner.

Don’t miss the bonus stories below.

We always enjoy welcoming visitors. It was great catching up with Patrick, who was in Tokyo for a conference.

It’s been about 15 years since I’ve seen Ginny, and she hasn’t changed a bit. She experienced a whirlwind tour of Japan, diving deep into the rural culture.

Sadly, my 92 year old father passed away suddenly in April. We will always remember his joy touring Japan… and the fascination he created with his piercing blue eyes.