The Senso-ji Five-Story Pagoda is a historic pagoda located within the Senso-ji Temple complex in Asakusa, Tokyo, Japan. The temple is one of the most popular tourist attractions in Tokyo and is widely regarded as one of the oldest and most significant Buddhist temples in the city.

The Five-Story Pagoda was originally constructed in the 7th century and has undergone several reconstructions over the years, with the current structure dating back to 1973. The pagoda stands at a height of 53.32 meters (175 feet) and is decorated with intricate carvings and ornate details. It is also illuminated at night, creating a stunning and mystical sight.

The pagoda is considered to be a symbol of the Senso-ji Temple and is a popular attraction for visitors to the area. It is believed to be a powerful spiritual site that can help bring good luck, health, and success to those who visit and offer their prayers and wishes.

Yes, this is the same shot as the daytime one, I just came back later.

The Senso-ji Five-Story Pagoda is a historic pagoda located within the Senso-ji Temple complex in Asakusa, Tokyo, Japan. The temple is one of the most popular tourist attractions in Tokyo and is widely regarded as one of the oldest and most significant Buddhist temples in the city.

The Five-Story Pagoda was originally constructed in the 7th century and has undergone several reconstructions over the years, with the current structure dating back to 1973. The pagoda stands at a height of 53.32 meters (175 feet) and is decorated with intricate carvings and ornate details. It is also illuminated at night, creating a stunning and mystical sight.

The pagoda is considered to be a symbol of the Senso-ji Temple and is a popular attraction for visitors to the area. It is believed to be a powerful spiritual site that can help bring good luck, health, and success to those who visit and offer their prayers and wishes.

Maybe I watch too many animes and Japanese dramas, but Japan has a lot of these cute, quaint, tiny shops and cafes. And something about them is just really… cute and cozy. I can’t explain it. Then add in a person riding by slowly on a bicycle, and you get “small Japanese neighbourhood” vibes.

To say that Tokyo is a dense city is a massive understatement. There’s an estimated 6500 people per square kilometer. As such, you need enough buildings to house that many people and their work offices. What you get is a massive sea of buildings in all directions that never seems to end.

You know how when you’re really high up, you can see the edge of a city? You can’t with Tokyo. It’s just and endless horizon of buildings.

To say that Tokyo is a dense city is a massive understatement. There’s an estimated 6500 people per square kilometer. As such, you need enough buildings to house that many people and their work offices. What you get is a massive sea of buildings in all directions that never seems to end.

You know how when you’re really high up, you can see the edge of a city? You can’t with Tokyo. It’s just and endless horizon of buildings.

Mount Fuji. One the most famous, if not the most famous volcano in the world. It's the highest peak in Japan, and has been in thousands of writings, paintings, and other artwork over the centuries. It is very much a point of pride for Japan and as symbolic to them as their own national flag. So it was a wonder then as I watched the sun slowly set next to Mt Fuji, these two Japanese women next to me were literally crying in awe. Tears streaming down their face, as they whispered to themselves "It's so beautiful."

I mean, it felt a bit dramatic but I guess I can see how they had that reaction.

The Shibuya Scramble Crossing is one of the most famous spots in Japan, if not in the world. It is the busiest crosswalk in the world, by a massive margin. Literal thousands of pedestrian cross it at each light, or every 2 minutes. During peak hours, it is estimated that more than 3,000 people cross at once.

A survey done back in 2014 estimated that roughly 260,000 people cross per day on the weekdays, and an estimated 390,000 people cross on weekend days. Some experts estimate that on specialty days where there may be events going on, the pedestrian count could reach as high as 500,000 pedestrians in one day. There’s an estimated 1,500,000 pedestrians who cross this intersection every single week. That’s more than the entire popular of Edmonton!

I’ve always loved this image. Not only because it looks absolutely nutty, but when I slow down to think about it, it’s a little bit mindblowing. On the right, we have the Tokyo Tower, which is heavily inspired by Paris’ Eiffel Tower. I never thought that the Tokyo Tower was all that impressive because it didn’t look very big. I thought it looked even smaller than the Eiffel Tower when in reality it’s actually bigger. It’s so big in fact, that it’s the second tallest structure in all of Japan and is taller than the Chrysler Building in New York. But in photos and videos, I always thought it looked so short, whereas the Eiffel Tower looked so tall.

The reason is simply because the Eiffel Tower is surrounded by short buildings, and the Tokyo Tower is surrounded by [at least by Western standards] tall buildings, which makes the Tokyo Tower’s height feel less than it is.

Then there’s the massive building on the left, which is the Roppongi Hills building. If you think about every surrounding building to be your average office tower in any North American city skyline, then that Roppongi Hills building is literally gigantic. It’s only just a few meters shorter than the Stantec Building in Edmonton, AB, which is the tallest structure in Western Canada.

It’s kind of crazy to think about.