One of the world’s biggest human settlements, with 30 million people spread over an area from Yokohama to Chiba, Tokyo is a full-on visual and audio assualt. It throws out some warped ideas. It is by no means a pretty city, but holds pockets of beauty hidden away in 21st century modern ugly.
The vinyl fetish cosplay look at Harajuku, where Sunday morning sees a parade of cosplayers.
A pair of wrestlers arrive at stadium in Tokyo.
Tourists pose with sumo mural at Tokyo basho.
Wrestlers in pre-bout ceremony at Tokyo basho.
Sumo at Tokyo national stadium.
Rikishi square off in Tokyo basho.
Maybe gunning for the samurai look, Tokyo.
A feature of Sunday in Harajuku, these rockers have been going for decades.
Outside Yoyogi Park, rockers girls dance.
Sunday in Harajuku is a riot of colour and costumes.
The pilot look, outside Harajuku's Meiji Jingu.
Young teen girls are the main group of Sunday cosplayers at Harajuku.
Harajuku's Sunday cosplayers are all about the individuality.
Host clubs are for ladies who want to be pampered by men, in Japan.
On the wall of a Tokyo izakaya.
Bright coloured hair a feature in cosplay at Meiji Jingu, Tokyo.
Cosplayers check their phones.
Cosplay may look daft, but it is all very serious.
A young blonde cosplayer.
Posing for photos, cosplay girls, Harajuku.
Sumo wrestlers from the top division in pre match rituals.
A red goth in Harajuku, Sundays in Tokyo.
Mongolian yokozuna Asashoryu dominated the sport in the 2000s. Japanese hated him.
A typical suburban izakaya or restaurant, tokyo.
Ziggy meets vinyl meets electro hair dye, at Harajuku, Japan.
It's hard to pull of a tough face when you are playing dress-ups. Tokyo.
Torii (gate) in Meiji Jingu, Tokyo, in snow.
My friend Tomoya tries on a hat.
Sweeping away snow at Tokyo's Meiji Jingu shrine.
A band perform on the street of Harajuku, Tokyo.
In the snow, Meiji Jingu, Tokyo.
Space is at a premium in Tokyo. So is quiet.
Toys and assorted crap in an old Shinjuku shop.
Autumn colours in Tokyo.
A park in Shinjuku in autumn, viewed from above.
This abandoned garden was once our neighbour's pride, joy and escape. Tokyo.
A display of soba noodles, Tokyo.
Small shrines like this one are all over Japan, even in the busiest parts of Tokyo.
On the doorstep of the world's busiest tain station, Shinjuku.
Dog characters compliment a menu, Tokyo.
Election campaign poster, Tokyo. Japanese election campaigns are noisy, mindless affairs. Safely less than 50% of Japanese vote.
A bamboo fence on a modern Toky streetscape.
A typical Japanese two storey apartment block.
Tokyo building viewed at ground level.