New Year in Tokyo: Jan. 1-3, 2018

The year of 2018 started. 

I visited some shrines and temples and prayed for good health.　I also walked in the parks in Tokyo.

Many Japanese people go Hatsumode – new year’s visit to shrines and temples – in the beginning of the year. I visited Setagaya Hachiman Shrine, Yoyogi Hachiman Shrine, Rokusho Shrine, Gotokuji Temple and Zanshoji Temple in the first three days of the year.

People made a long line in Setagaya Hachiman Shrine in Setagaya. They are not only Japanese, but many foreign people. (See the top photo)

There were open air stalls of foods and drinks in the garden.

They sold lucky arrows, good-luck backs and other goods. Young girls in religious costume welcomed the visitors.

Traditional Japanese music was played in Yoyogi Hachiman Shrine. 

People needed to wait hours in the queue to make prays in front of the shrine building.

The incense smoke floated in Gotokuji Temple. I saw people making a line in front of the Temple Tower.
(See also the 2nd photo from the top)

There were many plants including coral bush or manryo in Zenshoji, a small temple in Setagaya ward. Coral bush is believed to be one of fortune plants. The red color of the fruits was impressive.

Rokusho Shrine is a small shrine. It locates in a residential area. 

People burn old decorations in a fire.

I visited Hanegi Park for a walk. Some ume (Japanese apricot) trees opened their flowers. (See the 3rd photo from the top)

Families were enjoying the kite (tako) flying there.

I also found joggers. There is a relay marathon tournament called ekiden between Tokyo and Hakone this season. 

Many people watch the race in the TV and some are moved to start jogging.

I felt there were more joggers than usual.

Tatsumi @ Tokyo Bay waterfront areas: Dec. 5, 2017

I walked around Tatsumi, a part of the waterfront districts of Tokyo Port.

Many warehouses and logistics centers gather in the area

There is a junction of highways here. (See also the top photo)

Tatsumi Seaside Park lies along the highways.

I saw some leaves falling down. I also found yellow and red leaves.

The swimming competitions in the 2020 Tokyo Olympic and Paralympic Games will be held in the district.

A new facility, tentatively named “Olympics Aquatics Center,” is under construction.

The site is quite near the international swimming center. They cannot use current facility for the Olympic Games as the spaces for the audience are too small. (See als the 2nd photo from the top)

Canals run around the district.

Late autumn @ Setagaya： Nov. 26, 2017

It is getting cold. We had extraordinary cold days in November. Most people began to wear overcoats.

I walked around Hanegi Park in Setagaya ward, western Tokyo. I found the leaves of gingko trees had already turned yellow.

The leaves fell as the winds blew.

The tulip trees were losing their leaves in the walkways near the park.

The sun sets at around 16:30 in this season in Tokyo.

The winter is at the corner.

A holiday in Singapore: Nov. 12, 2017 (Off off Tokyo)

I spent a holiday in Singapore. 

We had a rain in the morning today, then the weather turned to fine.

There were many tourists as well as local people in the Marine Bay area. The most crowded place was, of course, around the Merlion. (See also the top photo)

The Marina Bay Sands stands across the bay.

The combination of the Merlion, the Marina bay Sands and the skyscrapers a typical Singapore scene. Tourists and yachts were included in the picture today. See also the 3rd photo from the top)

I saw many people enjoying their times in the parks. The mirror balls were impressive at the Asian Civilizations Museum green at the side of Singapore River. 

I met a group of guided tour in the Asian Civilizations Museum. The museum focuses on the connections among various cultures in Asia –- Chinese, Indian, Southeast Asian etc. -- in the past.

The Peninsula Plaza building in the central city hosts “Little Myanmar.” 

There are hundreds of shops of Myanmar foods, travel agencies, tailors, clinics, law firms, restaurants, and many other offices and stores in the building.

Thousands of Myanmar people gathered in and around the building.

Many of them were sitting on the sidewalks, enjoying talks over lunch, and exchanging information.

The authority did not ban such gatherings, bus just asked the participants not to block the moves of other people.

Sir Thomas Ruffles’ statue is at the side of Singapore River. He stands silently on both holidays and weekdays.

Jakarta: Nov. 5-11, 2017 (Off off Tokyo)

I visited Jakarta for the first time in a year.

The city is rapidly changing. I found many things quite different from the situations a year ago.

The construction works of MRT (mass rapid transit) are speeding up. MRT plans to connect central Jakarta and southern suburb by 2019. It will have 13 stations in total 15.7 kilometers route. About 6 kilometers of total length will run underground and nearly 10 kilometers will move on the ground.

It will be the first MRT with subways in Jakarta.

The works of tunnels and viaducts (elevated bridges) are almost over. Now, rails are being installed. The construction works of the stations are accelerating.

The rails go into underground from over ground at Senayan.

Senayan is about six kilometers south from the city center’s Bundaran HI.

The Senayan station is being built at the side of business and shopping areas. (See the 2nd photo from the top)

There are many workers. They stay long in the sites. The works continue 24 hours.

Similar works are under the way at Bundaran HI.

Station Dukuh Atas will be built next to Bundaran HI in the southern direction. (See also the 4th photo from the top)  

The traffic jam between Bundaran HI and Senayan has been improved in a year. It was because of a new ring road built at the infamous Semanggi junction. The cost was covered by a local company of Mori Building, which has a development project in the area.

The third terminal has just opened at the Soekarno-Hatta International Airport. 

The design of the building is quite different from those of traditional terminal one and two. The functions are also quite different.

The traffic jam was temporally deteriorated in some parts (e.g. Jakarta – Bekasi, east of Jakarta) because of additional construction works on the roads. There are both good and bad changes on infrastructure.

The development of bike taxi was already famous a year ago. The services are rapidly evolving.

The leading (and young) company GoJek was outstanding last year. Now, Grab, Uber and other companies are expanding their services.

The delivery and shopping services have been added on bike taxi in their line ups. (See also the top photo)

The presence of China and Chinese seemed to be bigger than before. Oppo and Vivo occupied the largest spaces at the smart phone corners in the Thamrin City commercial complex.

I found more information about ASEAN than a year ago.

They also focused on the Asian Games to be held in 2018. (See also the 3d photo from the top)

1000 days before Tokyo Olympic and Paralympic Games: Oct 27, 2017

Tokyo will have the Olympic and Paralympic games in 1000 days.

The gamed will start on Friday, July 24, 2020. October 28, 2017 marks 1000 days before the event.

Flags of nearly 200 countries were displayed on the wall of a building near the Imperial Palace, central Tokyo.

Pedestrians were watching the display and taking the photos.

Various construction works are under way to prepare for the games. They are not only sport facilities but also hotels roads and other infrastructure investments.

Tokyo after typhoon: October 23, 2017

Japan was hit by a typhoon on October 22 and 23.

Tokyo’s railways, flights and other transports were affected.

The typhoon passed Tokyo area by the late morning. The sky became clean.

We could see Mt Fuji behind the skyscrapers. The green area this side is the Imperial Palace’s woods. (see also the top photo)