Minami O-Sawa

"South big swamp", a home to the Tokyo Metropolitan University, and a nice hilly place with great views. Though it's only 40 minutes by Keio line from Shinjuku, it feels very much unlike central Tokyo, and the green views and wide open space certainly give some fresh breath.

O-Daiba

O-Daiba is a great place to hang out, if you are okay with the unchanging crowds of japanese eager to hang out just like you. Mind the crowd, this is a perfect place to go on a weekend: great views, blue sea, Fuji TV building, many restaurants to choose from, albeit pricey.

Street of Tokyo

Not far from the Imperial Palace. The tower on the skyline is Tokyo Tower.

Open space

  Who said there is no big open space in Japan? At least the Emperor's palace is surrounded by vast and uncrowded park. This may be the only place of the kind, but it definitely exists.

Sinjuku

A view A view of a square in front of Sinjuku station.

On the way

Today, just a picture. Somewhere on the way from Sibuya to Sinjuku.

Train

Japanese train. It has no easy analogy in Russian transportation system. It is as convenient as Moscow metro, and almost as expensive, as Moscow taxi, and more ubiquitous than any transportation system of Moscow. It mostly runs on the ground, sometimes climbs to the concrete overpasses, or descends under ground. Almost each car has a writing, which is also repeated on an electronic monitor: "please use seats in a way that allows more people to sit". Amazingly, japanese people never try to use all available space, and even in an empty train they sit in corners or stand by the walls, thus minimizing the space they take. So much different from russians...