Category: Tokyo

CategoriesEssay Photography Skyscrapers Tokyo

Coronavirus

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“COVID-19 has the potential to kill all presidential candidates prior to the election.” ― Steven Magee It’s been a couple of months since I started working from home. I never expected this whole thing would happen when this year began. Nobody did, maybe a few exceptions like Bill Gates. The silver lining was that at least I’m still employed and am allowed to work from my home. I should be appreciated for my last year’s decision to start a new career as a programmer that allows me to work from anywhere as long as I have an Internet connection. Okay, let’s get down to the main topic of today. It’s … Continue ReadingCoronavirus

CategoriesEssay Friendship Human rights Life Memories Photography Society Tokyo

Every Woman’s Reality

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“Being a woman is a terribly difficult trade since it consists principally of dealings with men.” ― Joseph Conrad, Chance How are you guys doing in the week of the global lockdown? Anyways, since I have to stay home along with other residents of the Greater Tokyo region, I have plenty of time for blogging during the weekend. So, let’s dive into the main subject: Women’s reality. I’m a man and straight. Little do I know that I don’t live their reality. But a Huffington post’s article written by Gretchen Kelly that was published a few years ago changed my view towards women and how they live this reality that … Continue ReadingEvery Woman’s Reality

CategoriesArchitecture Decade Essay Life Photography Tokyo

Shibuya: Before Another Decade

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“There are decades where nothing happens; and there are weeks where decades happen.” ― Vladimir Ilyich Lenin We have only a few hours left before entering another decade. Every year, we celebrated another new year, but this time, we’re finally waving goodbye to the 2010s. We’re now about to enter a whole new decade. When it comes to myself, a lot has happened during the last ten years. Incredible things, hardships, personal growth, challenges, and countless more… But what matters most to me is those hundreds of interactions with my friends, acquaintances, and family. It’s just priceless. What about you? What did the 2010s mean for you? And what do … Continue ReadingShibuya: Before Another Decade

CategoriesEssay Life Night Photography Tokyo

Enjoy Your Challenges

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“If the world were merely seductive, that would be easy. If it were merely challenging, that would be no problem. But I arise in the morning torn between a desire to improve the world and a desire to enjoy the world. This makes it hard to plan the day.” ― E.B. White Hi, it’s been a while since I last updated my blog. So, where have I been? Well, long story short, I’ve been through a lot during the past two months. And this overdue post is really hard to write. There were full of ups and downs. Breakup. Struggle, and depression. 2019 overall was full of hopes, encounters, and … Continue ReadingEnjoy Your Challenges

CategoriesEssay Food Friendship Inner GPS Life Photography Religion Tokyo

Connecting Indonesia Japan

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“Don’t walk in front of me… I may not follow Don’t walk behind me… I may not lead Walk beside me… just be my friend” ― Albert Camus Connecting Indonesia Japan – that’s his motto. If you have been reading my blog’s posts, probably you already know him. Hasnul Zainal Tamin likes Japan, and as a travel guide, his enthusiasm towards my country has driven him to travel between Indonesia and Japan as frequent as every month. His knowledge about Japan, therefore, is even deeper than the average Japanese. Having guided a number of Indonesian tourists all across Japan for many years, he especially knows about the country’s major cities … Continue ReadingConnecting Indonesia Japan

CategoriesArchitecture Essay Inner GPS Life Photography Tokyo

Brutal

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“Experience is a brutal teacher, but you learn fast.” ― William Nicholson, Shadowlands Life is tough. We’re living our lives with the inevitable fact that life has no guarantees. And this ambiguity sometimes plunges us into an abyss of fear. You see, our ambiguous life is in a way very brutal. Even though it doesn’t physically threat us nor fling harsh words at us, we constantly feel an intangible pressure from this unknown uncertainty. This prolonged economic weakness and the global political instability make us prisoners of the future. Consequently, we start worrying about things might not happen to us and are disappointed in things that may not turn out … Continue ReadingBrutal

CategoriesEssay Inner GPS Life Light Night Photography Skyscrapers Society Tokyo

Independent Thinking

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“Rather than love, than money, than fame, give me truth.” ― Henry David Thoreau, Walden, or Life in the Woods The current political climate doesn’t spark joy. Perpetuated US-China trade war, surging far-right movement across Europe, unrestrained human right abuse against ethnic minorities in China and a mounting number of Syrian refugees, the world as we know today would be largely different in a decade if we remain indifferent to matters we should be aware of. More than ever before, we’re required to think independently. Each and every one of us has a vital part to play in shaping the world today. Independent thinking – that might be a key … Continue ReadingIndependent Thinking

CategoriesAnimals Art Decorations History Photography Tokyo

Cats Overload

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“Women and cats will do as they please, and men and dogs should relax and get used to the idea.” ― Robert A. Heinlein To commemorate the 90th anniversary, the Hotel Meguro Gajoen held another cat exhibition. 29 different artists contributed to this project, and more than 3000 cat figures and art-pieces were collected. The Idols of the Cat Capital exhibit represents Japan’s fascination with cats over the Heian, Edo, Showa, and Heisei periods. The exhibit was on display only until May 19th. It was such a like-no-other experience to be surrounded by thousands of cats. Absolutely cats overload!

CategoriesDecorations Essay Fashion Photography Tokyo

Village Vanguard

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“If men liked shopping, they’d call it research.” ― Cynthia Nelms In the previous article, I posted photographs of Shimokitazawa during the night stroll in the city. Photos posted here were taken in a store in the city, called Village Vanguard Shimokitazawa, on the same day. Village Vanguard is a book chain running a business across Japan, especially in urban areas. What makes the chain stands out of the crowd is that not only does it sell books, but also sells anything that might be perceived as “cool” by youngsters. The keywords of the franchise are “subculture”, “acoustic”, “unplugged”, “analog”, “nature”, “American pop culture”, and “nostalgia”. When I was looking … Continue ReadingVillage Vanguard

CategoriesArchitecture Art Decorations Essay Fashion Light Night Photography Tokyo

Off the Beat

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“Who are you? Are you in touch with all of your darkest fantasies? Have you created a life for yourself where you can experience them? I have. I am fucking crazy. But I am free.” ― Lana Del Rey This was my second time photographing Shimokitazawa, a.k.a Tokyo’s hipster heaven. Simply called “Shimokita” or “Shimo” to the locals, the city’s trendy hipster atmosphere created by vintage stores, local designer shops, and art galleries is golden. I was there only for a few hours for a night stroll after having attended an international event held in the city, but you need to take half a day to wander around to explore … Continue ReadingOff the Beat