A Dreamy Dreary Day in Yokohama

Cold, damp, overcast... this is the kind of day that is perfect for using my Voigtlander Nokton 50mm f1.1 lens to  explore the possibilities of imagery. So, I put the lens on my Sony A7II camera and hit the streets with no idea of what I was doing.

I like coffee.

Looking back down the Isezaki shopping street I spot another photographer snapping away.

Behold the "Noren". If it's hanging in the entrance of a restaurant it means they're open for business.

It's a jungle out here! March is a funny month; it's cold like winter and yet there are signs of spring everywhere.

Everybody likes China town.

The peoples Panda!

When they move, they will move as one.

Nana-chan, I love you! I think my nephew must have done this.

I don't think there is any empty space in China town; not even on the walls.

The scent of incense fills the air
Dreams attach themselves to smoke
Where they go I know not where
A whisper I hear as if they spoke
"We're here, we're there, we're everywhere"
Moving on

Dragons are everywhere!

Crossing the river from Chinatown to Motomachi; one might as well cross the border from one country to another. The difference is that drastic.

This district was home to many of the original western settlers in in the late 1800's.

The back streets are dotted with lovely restaurants that reflect that western influence.

I'm not sure what cultural heritage this restaurant was influenced by.

There are several chinaware shops in Motomachi. This one has a wide variety of items at very reasonable prices.

Cruising the main street one can not help notice the Pompadour bakery. The scrumptious smells coming out of this bakery are enough to drop one to their knees. A loaf of their bread, a bottle of wine... heaven on earth.

The main street is much better suited to pedestrians than motorists.

They sell ice cream on every corner.

Moving on to Yamashita park where the park bench is your friend. One can rest their tired legs, eat a lunch, sip a Thermos of tea and watch the world go by; all this while simply sitting on a park bench.

The view from my bench.

The Nokton 50mm lens has an eye for lovers in love.

This bridge was built in New York and shipped to Yokohama. It was part of the train system that connected the waterfront shipping piers to the original Yokohama train station. That station is now Sakuragicho station and the bridge is part of the promenade that connects the Aka Renga Soko (redbrick warehouse area) with the Minato Mirai area.

It's only a short walk from the Sakuragicho train station to the Noge entertainment district.

Last shot of a dreamy dreary day in Yokohama. I hope everyone enjoyed the beautiful dreariness of it all!

Thanks for stopping by!
Mike

A Gathering of Clouds

I'm a cloud watcher, a dreamer, a lover of music, as well as a guy that enjoys a good cup of coffee. I was out and about the other day and I was blown away by how extraordinary the clouds looked.

They dwarfed the city with their magnificence.

I was also surprised by how clear the view was despite such heavy cloud cover.

The cloud cover reaches forever.

The view from the landward end of the Osanbashi Yokohama International Passenger Terminal

As clouds gather so do cyclists.

People gather too! After all, that's what Yamashita park is all about.

Large tourists leaving China town bound for the park.

China town is always crowded and always interesting.

Steamed dumplings filled with sweet meat.

They're sold on almost every street corner.

A couple of ladies strolling the main street while sipping cans of beer; life is good!

The fountain in Yokohama park is steaming. In about a month this park will have thousands of multi-colored tulips blooming.

The nice thing about Yokohama is that there are so many uniquely different districts that are so close together.

The side streets of Motomachi are lined with nice little restaurants; many serving European cuisine.

Another day and the clouds have cleared and the people have not.

I often see this lady selling produce in in the Isezakicho shopping street. She runs a low overhead operation.

Bicycles are a prime mode of transportation in this lovely city.

In my opinion, walking is the best mode of getting around.

One thing about looking up, one sees things. Like the reflection of the customs house  in the windows of the Japan Agriculture business building.

On the other side of the customs house I see the blue bandanna gang are getting together.

Last shot of the day, a cyclists maneuvers the sidewalks of Bashamichi.

Thanks for stopping by!
Mike