Tuesday, January 18, 2011

Wintery Tokyo Days

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Another Tokyo day. Another set of front-on Tokyo neighbourhood photographs. I just can't help myself. It's become my most favourite hobby. Even in the cold weather, just riding around super slow, stopping to take photographs of shop fronts or pop into cafes for coffee. I have some lovely bike riding + photo taking friends too.

Today Mark and I rode around Kyodo, Shimotakaido and Sasazuka. I feel extremely lucky to be able to spend my days like this at the moment, to soak in the city and share it with you wherever you may be in the world. Don't you think it's fun to travel around the world through blogs popping up your google reader. At first you are in wintery Sweden and then you're on an Australian beach having a picnic on a handmade picnic throw. The Satorialist refers to this in his latest documentary as sitting on a 'digital park bench'. Ah, the internet, I love you.

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Some other favourite relaxing Sandwich pastimes of late:

+ Wearing up to four Hokkairo heated packs at once. I've become a fan of the shoe ones.

+ Eating super sweet strawberries

+ Taking morning walks along the nature walk with Gracie and our thermos coffee.

+ Visiting neighbourhood markets and watching the locals eat hot sweet potato.

+ Spending hours in Sekaido buying art materials and spending the afternoon drawing.

+ Reading Murakami novels in the morning sun.

+ Painting my nails in colours like 'High Roller' by Kit. Thank you Lauren!

+ Drinking Spanish and French red wine until late at local bakery cafes with cosy ski-lodge interiors.

+ Cooking delicious western style salads from here.

I'm looking forward to Gusto Family restaurant nomihodai drink bar Nihongo study sessions with my friends too.

How have you been spending the start of the year?


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Oh, and today we saw this little Fuji in Sasazuka, and the real Fuji-san from Setagayadaita. Today is such a clear Tokyo day!

Love Love
Hello Sandwich
xoxo
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33 comments:

  1. tinajoJanuary 18, 2011 at 6:56 PM

    And I´m really glad you take these pics because they are lovely to look at! :-)

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  2. mochi 餅January 18, 2011 at 7:03 PM

    Sekaido... another thing to miss T_T
    Love it too! ^ ^

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  3. AnonymousJanuary 18, 2011 at 8:03 PM

    It makes me really happy looking through your photos, one day I will be back in Tokyo! Thanks for sharing :)

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  4. AnneJanuary 18, 2011 at 8:23 PM

    How I've been spending the start of the year: wandering down the street of Paris again after spending Christmas holidays with my family in Holland... making daily soups for lunch... learning for my French exam coming up... having tea and goodies with my friends... reading Kundera's 'book of laughter and forgetting' (love that title!) ...taking myself on photo expeditions and eating lots of chocolate eclairs! :-)

    Lovely post and a great set of photos! Have a happy Monday!!

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  5. AnonymousJanuary 18, 2011 at 8:51 PM

    It's like you found the bikes of my dreams and have proceeded to taunt me with them...noooo!

    <a href="http://brightgreenlaces.com>Bright Green Laces</a>

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  6. Hello SandwichJanuary 18, 2011 at 8:56 PM

    Hello Tinajo, Oh thanks so much! That's nice of you to say.

    Hello 餅, Sekaido is the best isn't it! My friend Mark introduced me to it. I go almost once a week, followed by Kinokuniya. Next time I should leave my wallet at home!

    Hello Jill, Oh thank you. I hope you come back to Tokyo again soon.

    Hi Anne, That sounds like a very lovely start to the year indeed. Lucky you.

    Hi Pixelhazard. Nice html there ;) The bikes in Japan are very lovely.

    Love Love
    Sandwich

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  7. ShinyaJanuary 18, 2011 at 9:31 PM

    Such awesome photos.. I might be going back in a couple of weeks and your posts are such delights to look at and make me look forward to it.

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  8. KaisuJanuary 18, 2011 at 10:24 PM

    Looks like a day well spent! I want to ride my bicycle too, but it just would get stuck to snow here... Have I already said that I adore your photos? :D

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  9. HausfrauJanuary 19, 2011 at 12:14 AM

    Love your pics--so simple yet evocative.

    Japanese strawberries and yaki-imo are the best!

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  10. Hello SandwichJanuary 19, 2011 at 12:32 AM

    Hello Shinya, How exciting you will come to Tokyo. I hope you will have a nice time!

    Hello Kaisu, oh you're sweet! Thank you! I really want to buy a nice new camera a Digital SLR but for now I am staying put with my mini snappy shotty type! Your kind words make it a little easier!

    Thanks Hausfrau, that's lovely of you to say.

    Love Sando
    xoxo

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  11. Make it EasyJanuary 19, 2011 at 12:49 AM

    i really do use your blog as a gateway back into the japanese eyes again. thank you ebony-chan for always cheering me up when i visit your blog! you share the happiest things! hahaha :-D

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  12. abigail*ryanJanuary 19, 2011 at 3:40 AM

    SUCH gorgeous shots... and so nice to see a peek of real life in Tokyo!

    Recently found your blog, and we're absolutely loving it :)

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  13. AnonymousJanuary 19, 2011 at 3:45 AM

    Beautiful! You should publish a photobook of these!

    Oh man, those signs are so funny 'Big Mama' haha :P

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  14. Studio DuermevelaJanuary 19, 2011 at 4:04 AM

    oh yes, i love travelling through your eyes...
    this are all beautiful corners, and you explain all so well!

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  15. FHJanuary 19, 2011 at 4:39 AM

    Lovely bicycles :)

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  16. linaJanuary 19, 2011 at 5:02 AM

    ohhh my goodness!! i LOVE the bikes!! : )

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  17. AnonymousJanuary 19, 2011 at 5:07 AM

    gosh, your photos really do inspire me to
    (1) visit japan
    (2) move there someday

    your shots are beautiful.

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  18. iwishihadtasteJanuary 19, 2011 at 5:38 AM

    Oddly enough, the picture that got me daydreaming the most was the one of the tiny pink house.

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  19. ChisaJanuary 19, 2011 at 5:56 AM

    Yeah, I love traveling around the world via blogs. But visiting your blog is always kind of hard for me - I miss my days in Tokyo so much.
    I may go back there next year...but we'll see.

    At least I can use my Japanese every day. ^_^

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  20. HeatherJanuary 19, 2011 at 6:08 AM

    Dearest Ebony: Since Monday I have been reading your entire blog all the way through to the beginning. I l-o-v-e it! I asked my husband if we could move to Japan because I need to be surrounded by cute things ALL the time! He said NO. I did placate my needs today with some very cute stickers, pencils and tape!

    If you visit mt blog you'll be on a virtual park bench in the freezing cold of Iowa in the United States! Thank you for sharing your park bench! :)

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  21. Sandie BizysJanuary 19, 2011 at 8:24 AM

    I like the bit about being on a handmade picnic throw on an Australian beach - if I promise to make a throw and put the cheeses and salami in a cute (but huge) bento box, tied with oodles of floral sticky tape would you like to share with me? Tomorrow would be fine! Mamasando xxx

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  22. matthew rolandJanuary 19, 2011 at 9:59 AM

    Oh, I love all the fun geometric patterns on the windows and walls. That shop with all the circles, and the one with the little triangles too!

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  23. style fareJanuary 19, 2011 at 1:11 PM

    I adore these everyday neighborhood photos of Tokyo! Great blog - keep up the great work and continue enjoying one of my favorite cities in the whole wide world. :)

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  24. JPJanuary 19, 2011 at 6:20 PM

    Wow! Just discovered your blog on http://blog.myfriendrasmus.com/

    Find it fascinating how "non-locals" see their new home town, through eyes that aren't always wearied by the familiar.

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  25. Laura BearJanuary 20, 2011 at 7:21 AM

    mmmm this is yummy. the whole kit and kaboodle.

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  26. new fashionJanuary 20, 2011 at 7:58 AM

    Tokyo looks like fun. I travel vicariously through you (and your blog).

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  27. CHAOYINGJanuary 20, 2011 at 5:55 PM

    HI hello sandwich:
    Love your photos. The colors are very vivid and inspiring. And I love Tokyo too. ♥ Hope I'll travel to Tokyo soon!

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  28. YoliJanuary 21, 2011 at 9:57 AM

    I love these beautiful images, makes me feel I am there. I would love to live there, it is my dream.

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  29. AnonymousJanuary 22, 2011 at 1:22 PM

    IM NEW IN YOUR BLOG, IM FROM MEXICO... MY DREAM IS VISIT JAPAN, YOUUR PICKS ARE AMAZING!!

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  30. beciJanuary 23, 2011 at 9:47 AM

    hmmm - i feel a 'tokyo shop-fronts' book coming on miss ebony! would be so great - please?

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  31. JillJanuary 24, 2011 at 3:19 AM

    Lovely photos and Murakami's books are amazing! I love all of them.

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  32. AnonymousFebruary 5, 2011 at 11:12 AM

    I love all these images of houses, windows, patterns..i would LOVE to go to Tokyo..Hi from hot Sydney

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  33. ShihoriFebruary 17, 2011 at 4:13 PM

    Wow, I see pics of my neighbour(Kyodo)!! It is very interesting to see my hometown from your perspective!! :):)
    Oh hello, it's Shihori, been a fan of your blog for a couple of months now (yeah I'm still a newbie ;))

    ReplyDelete

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