PHOTO ESSAY

TOKYO IN THE RAIN

The beauty of Tokyo rain is something truly wondrous.  The bustling city quiets to a serene and atmospheric calm.  Streets become soft, reflective, and timeless.  The urban din is enveloped in the hush of pitter-patter raindrops.  Neon colors streak in the wet reflection of the streets below.

There’s also an undeniable romance to Tokyo’s rainy days.  Whether enjoying a warm bowl of ramen in a cozy café or strolling through the quiet alleys of Yanasen or Harajuku, the rain adds a layer of depth to the experience, making the world's largest city cozy and enchanting.

We arrived by train from Yokohama and ascended from below ground at Ueno Station.  The main walking path was lined with nearly 800 red-and-white striped lanterns in celebration of sakura (cherry blossom) festival.  Each glowed slightly in the dark midday sky.  Later in the early evening, they would light the way entirely.

I admit I had absolutely no idea how pervasive the cherry blossoms were.  After seeing them in along the mall in Washington, D.C., I imagined them as two long rows in a public space.  I had no idea they were endemic and literally everywhere throughout the entire countryside of all of Japan.  I count myself among the lucky who experienced cherry blossom season at its peak.

We walked to Yanasen, the oldest part of Tokyo, wandering throughout, Menya Himaradi, and watched the lumbering shadows of pedestrians in the rain through the steamed windows.  We walked no fewer than 10 miles in the rain.  I walked with two camera bodies, one of which literally died from getting too wet.  We visited Harajuku, Shibuya Crossing, Asakusa, and Meiji Shrine.

MARCH 24 - 26, 2023