Eight pictures of Tokyo during a business trip to Asia. Check out the “Flamme d’Or” by Philippe Stark.

After the fist market, direction north of central Tokyo to Rikugien garden, which means “six poems garden” and reproduces in miniature 88 scenes from famous poems. Rikugien is all a traditional Japanese garden should be: manicured grass, artfully contorted pine trees held up by wooden supports, wooden tea houses and moss-encrusted stone lanterns, crooked rustic bridges over gurgling streams, a lake filled with carp and tiny turtles. This garden must be perfect during spring blossom and late fall. Unfortunately the sky was completely covered, resulting in a very dull lighting.

Walking south, you fall on Nezu – a surprising neighborhood. Old style, small wood houses make you think more of a small town than a mega city. A little more further the Ueno Onshi park is surrounded by skyscrappers (the hotel shown here has a a very odd structure especially given very strict construction rules because of earthquakes).

Meiji Jingu shrine in western Tokyo is dedicated to the souls of Emperor Meiji(-1912) and his wife, Empress Shoken(-1914). The outer preccint is used today for traditional Shinto weddings.

See also:

• Shibuya pedestrian scramble, one of the busiest in the world
• West and North views from Roppongi Hills

or go to the Tokyo 2006 gallery.