Year-end Atmosphere

(Nakamise Shopping Street in Asakusa)

(Ameyayokocho Shopping Street in Ueno)

(Electronics Quarter in Akihabara)

I went to Tokyo to take pictures of the year-end atmosphere. I selected Asakusa, Ueno, and Akihabara. I am foolish enough to walk into a crowd. They have been decorated and were ready for the New Year.
The Nakamise shopping street in Asakusa is of course crowded; especially crowded with foreign tourists. A boy passing by was telling his mother that he guesses one-fifth is foreign people. It seemed also to me so, though a second look confirms that it was not so much.
The Ameyayokocho shopping street in Ueno was full of people buying New Year’s food. A lot of news cameramen were taking pictures on their steps. Several policemen were watching at both ends of the street. I was not able to walk straight. We should not move against the flow of people in such a situation.
Akihabara (Akiba in short) provided various topics this year. I will write about Akiba separately.

In Asakusa I dropped in at Kamiya Bar for lunch. Kamiya Bar is said to be the oldest bar in Japan. Try “Denki-Bran,” a kind of brandy-based cocktail. Denki means “electric.” This is a bar with the common touch and you can be open and friendly with people next to you, even if it is the first time. I enjoyed a glass of Denki-Bran and a glass of Kamiya-Wine and enjoyed chattering with strangers. So, I was taking pictures, feeling a pleasant buzz.