After my first visit last year, I planned for 2017 to be back again in Tokyo. Of course you have several options, both in high season, or outside the season. In April/May you have beautiful blossoms, nice weather and enough vibes going in the city of Tokyo. Although I assume vibes will be there 365 days a year. This incredible city has just so much quality to offer.
After some emails with my contacts within the Tokyo2020 organisation, I was advised to come back in October. Mainly as there was this special event, also for the international press, the mark 1000 days to Tokyo 2020, on October 28th. Also since my last visit August 2016, the Olympic stadium and the Olympic Village should have made serious building progress. So I planned the last week of October and went 8 days. I made my personal targets, from getting new footage, learn more about the culture, meeting new people and to get inspired for building my road to Tokyo2020, the athletes photo-project. It has been 8 long inspiring, challenging and moreover enjoyable days. One of the best memories from this trip has been the people, that I met, the respect, the service levels, the kindness they show, and the willingness to help you. Of course Japan is know as well for good food, the best transport systems and safety. Which is all very true and therefore a must visit so put it on your list.
My trip started with a big typhoon announcement the day before my departure, but arrived at the aiport on Sunday I just had 3 hours off delay, and KLM serviced a nice flight again. We landed safely on Narita Airport and I could start my new journey. Although there was serious damage and unfortunately at least 2 people were killed, the typhoon did take another direction by the end. After picking up the mini router, that gave me unlimited data usage and national coverage for 8 days, and my Japan Railway card, I took off with the Shinkansen high speed train towards Kyoto. This was a new experience for me, to work quietly with 300KMh and a strong wifi :). The evening was used for preparing my bike trip, to get some food and some rest. So the next day I went out with my rental bike (semi-electrical) to create some new material that I am already using in my shoots with the athletes. Driving on the left side, is rule number 1 once you interact with the traffic. Kyoto is of course well know for it's temples, fine art, nice scenery, small streets in the less touristic area's, kimono's, Gion the geisha district, the bamboo woods, the golden paviljon âKinkaku-jiâ and Fushimi Inari-taisha. All were nice to see, and some had really great spots for my future work. You will see soon in my portfolio.
After Kyoto I continued my trip to Mt Fuji. So back on the High Speed train to Odawara, where I picked up a nice little rental car for driving towards Japan's highest mountain. Driving on the left side with a car and sitting on the right sight in the car is rather strange for this Dutchie. This is working out finer after a few minutes though. Leaving Odawara with rain and arriving with rain, but I got rewarded with a very nice Japanese Spa (hot spring) in the evening and fantastic food. The hotel, called mt. Fuji in Yamanakako, was based on a hill, and therefore had a really nice view, so at 5.30 o'clcok the next morning, I saw the most amazing views, colors, clouds, and I finally met with mt. Fuji. Absolutely spectacular feeling, especially when I drove around the lake to get great shots and views on this vulcano. Even some nice white swans were modelling for me closeby on the lake.
Around 10.30 o'clock I set my navigation towards the Olympic venue Enoshima. It's a small offshore island, where I scheduled a meeting and photoshoot with Olympic, European and Worldchampion Marit Bouwmeester. Together with her coach and brother Roelof, we had a couple of great photo-moments on and off the water. The evening was spent in a local hotel called Breath hotel, which I gave a 10plus for the most guest friendly hotel this trip, their choice of art and decoration, their room and bath room were so well designed. The next days I drove back to Odawara got the high speed train to Tokyo and checked in at the hotel Odaiba. Odaiba (Daiba) based in the baye of Tokyo, will also be a host for the Olympics 2020, offering marathon swimming and triathlon venues. In the afternoon a meeting was organized at The Embassy Kingdom of The Netherlands, where we talked about my project and how to get an official foot on the ground towards 2020, in terms of cooperation and exhibiting the work I am creating. Came out with a positive feeling and I am happy with the support they are offering, above all very friendly people.
The next day I focused on the official event, The Olympic Countdown, 1000 days to Tokyo 2020. Invited by the Metropolitan Government, I was representing Dutch Press Agency ANP. In Nihonbashi, we got the special press batches and were guided towards our place where I was with many national and international press agencies. I also met Miles, a friendly English cameraman, living in Tokyo for more then 15 years. The rain was not really helping, but those things you need to accept and deal with in our work. Athletes were carrying the numbers 1,0,0,0 and the governor of Tokyo Ms. Yuriko Koike, started her speech and revealed the official sign for the "1000 days to go". After this ceremony, there were several sports like BMX and basketball, shown to the public. After I finished my work and sent it over to The Netherlands, I took final shots off huge buildings that were illuminated with the Olympic colors. After a local Italian diner it's was time to cycle back on my bike towards Odaiba. Something I really enjoyed again as you are so flexible and see many new things. Of course you can easily stop for some pictures. If you are in Tokyo make sure you rent a bike, you won't regret it. Sunday was windy, dark and wet, related to another typhoon that was forecasted but did not show up. On my agenda there was photoshoots of the Olympic stadium and athletes villages scheduled, so those I postphoned to Monday as the weather forecast was much better. Visiting Harajuku, and the Yoyogipark, I became totally drenched by the rain, felt cold, so I went to the nearest bar/lunchroom, which was called "Arms". Apparantly they have the best fresh cooked hamburgers of Tokyo, lucky me, what a good way of relaxing and getting warm again. The evening was well spent with a business relation who just arrived at Tokyo, in other words Sushi time.Â
Monday, my last day full day in Tokyo was a good one with photoshoots In the morning at fish market called Tsukiji, the new build Olympic stadium and the Olympic Village, both did already change a lot compared to last year. The weather was perfect, blue sky and sunny, which made the bike trip so much fun again. Both Olympic venues were full with cranes, lot's of activity going on and many people working in the construction well to complete these 2 huge projects. Fully satisfied I turned back to the hotel and prepared for a nice business meeting and dinner, where some sake tasting was involved. Thank you ILFORD !. The next day I went back home to my family, to my lovely girls, with lot's of new idea's, contacts, inspirations and of course my new Tokyo2020 hand towel, that I used with Marit in the photoshoot.
All pictures are made by Paul Raats and under copyright