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Lyle H Saxon Movies

"Jiyugaoka Irish Music at Irish Pub"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0fsxeVhXhfM
One fine evening in late May 2008 in Jiyugaoka, with live Irish music at an Irish pub. - LHS

"On the Street in Jiyugaoka"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qtb-LmbQoCc
Walking around in Jiyugaoka in late May of 2008. - LHS

"Approaching Shibuya Station at Night"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U_xz9TK7n3A
Approaching Shibuya Station on the Toyoko Line at night. - LHS

"Banana Song - Columbian Bar" (Tokyo-1991)
The Banana Song, as performed by the owner of a Columbian bar in Tokyo in 1991.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z0rlW457R-o

"No-passing Escalator" (Why being able to pass is a good idea) (Tokyo 1991)
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=8051505496472137396
Tokyo-1991.  No passing possible in this view of escalators nearly completely full.  Another thing that has improved here - now people stand to the left to allow passing on the right

"Shibuya Crossing - Charging into Wall of People" (Tokyo-2008)  (Aspect ratio destroyed in upload)
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-2652041080428925137
Shibuya, Tokyo.  At Shibuya crossing - crossing the street, heading straight for a collision, but magically getting through the wall with no crashes.

"In the Shibuya Hachiko Square Crowd" (Tokyo-2008)
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-8922230731899878598
Shibuya Hachiko Square - View from ground-zero one April evening.

"Shibuya - Waiting in Hachiko Square" - (Tokyo-2008)
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-5996966598135971503
Shibuya, Hachiko Square.  Waiting for someone one fine evening while the cherry blossoms were still out.

"Gotanda - Escape to Past"
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=1223182558781752766
Gotanda Station area - starting with the modern area in front of (one side of) the station, and then diving into a side street for a blast to the past.

"Shibuya Plaza (Old Tokyu Green Train)" (Tokyo-2008)
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=8461231923639124186
Shibuya - The Hachiko Statue waiting area (statue not visible in this video), with the old Green Tokyu train car - the front visible on the left of the screen.  People walking about - flashing lights, announcements, people with their cell phones....

"Yamanote Line Inside Train Display" (Tokyo-2008)
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=4075315375439017139
The displays over the doors are bilingual (Japanese & English) for the station names.

"Toyoko Line Inside Train Display" (Tokyo-2008)
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-4626557474586894517
Unlike the Yamanote Line with its irritating English announcement, the Toyoko Line just has the display over the doors - which is as it should be!  Stations names are station names - they don't need to be translated!

At a Shrine During New Year's Holiday, 2008
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-8365984619424814418
This shrine in Tokyo is popular with students praying for good results on their school entrance tests (mainly High School & College, but there are entrance tests for elementary school and middle school at private schools as well).

Chichibu Line video #1:
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-296285841480228000

Waiting for a Train at Tokorozawa Station
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-3505977181443144727
SStanding on a winter platform waiting for a train to come in. Trains then come in on both sides of the platform.

Shinjuku Station Morning:
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-7724306013959335419

Ebisu Yamanote:
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-8915490964299944191

Yamanote 11-car train:
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=4119683024352863759

Shibuya Walk to Hachiko:
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=160408418748757660

Shibuya Walk from Toyoko Line to Street Level
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-7937240472601267970

1991 Tokyo - Hibarigaoka Rain
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=592706179792646501

Shinjuku Station - West Side Ticket Gates:
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=3454859074542591359

1991 Tokyo - Expensive Umbrellas & Long Hair
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-2988379136981680986

Sardine Run (Tokyo-1991)
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=2611001367661571054

Off the Map (Minami-Senju, Tokyo-1991)
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=8270785970800065192

Saitama Countryside (1991)
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-6341642126752687039
The countryside just outside of Tokyo, as seen from the Tobu-Tojo Line in May 1991.

Pulling away from Shibuya Station - Shibuya Crossing
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=5233721262573609334

Entering Shinjuku ticket gates on the west side of the station
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=4535974644613808381

"Old Marunouchi Line Red Train at Ginza Station" (1991)
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=3608837690957375435
View of an old type red and white Marunouchi Line train coming into and stopped at Ginza Station. Of historical interest - in addition to the visual aspect - are the sounds of the train and the announcement, which seems to be from a decade or two earlier than the 1991 date. Things are quite different now....

"Ginza Reflections" (1991)
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-9089679090098613218

Shinjuku Old Wooden Bars Street
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-5713312421007008971
This walk-only narrow street of small drinking places has stayed basically unchanged for decades. While on the street, it's hard to imagine that glittering office towers are only a five-minute walk away.

Actually Full Train in 1991 (Why Flex-Time is a Good Idea)
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=5127313249780524359
I have nothing but the highest respect and admiration for the Tokyo train system - but even this fine system running like clockwork has its limits. This video was taken in 1991 and things have improved somewhat due to increased trains and (more importantly) flex-time being allowed at many companies, but even now, when something throws the trains a little off schedule (someone taking the express checkout from life by jumping in front of a train, etc.), then things can be as shown in the video. 30,000,000 is a lot of work to move about!

Crush-Rush at Shakuji-Koen Station-1991 (Why Flex-Time was Needed!)
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=7859304935837905209
Again - and I need to say this - the Tokyo train system I consider to be the best in the world. Nevertheless, before flex time was allowed at many companies (1991 in this case) and when the trains fall behind schedule for some reason (errant passenger action events), it can be (*is* actually) like the images in this video. Please keep in mind that for the past five or six *decades*, the Tokyo trains system has been - and continues to be - expanded. It's an amazing system that moves 30,000,000 people around like clockwork.

Early Morning Sun at Shakujikoen Station...
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-3896225059542096802

Down the Stairs, Along the Platform, and Into(?) the Train (Long Version-1991 Hibarigaoka Station)
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=7142680690427184097
This is a long version of "Actually Full Train in 1991 (Why Flex-Time is a Good Idea)", starting with walking down the stairs from the ticket gate area to the platform, then walking along the platform, and then contemplating the possibility of getting on the train. Life in the Big Mega-City folks. Once again, thanks to flex time and increased trains, the situation is better in 2008 than it was in 1991 (when this video was taken), but still there are times, places, and situations where it still as shown in this video.

Rolling Into Shinjuku (1991)
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-68922369851355356
Night train rolling into Shinjuku - looking out the window through reflection of the inside of the train.  Bright lights, big city....

"Meiji Jingu at New Year's - People & Umbrellas Walking By" (Tokyo-1991)
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-7394264837924855793
At New Year's at Meiji Jungu Shrine in Tokyo.  A river of people passes by with umbrellas in their hands on their way to pray at Meiji Jingu.  Very cheap clear plastic umbrellas had yet to take over the umbrella scene, so the sea of umbrellas tends to be more colorful than it is now (2008).

"Meiji-Jingu Couple Nearing the Shrine" (Tokyo-1991)
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=2344330665859397173
Meiji Jingu at New Year's.  The flow of couples (and others) walking through the gate that leads into the area in front of Meiji Jingu Shrine.

"Meiji Jingu Passing Umbrellas - Competting Religeous Advertisement" (Tokyo-1991)
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-3269502279036339087
Meiji Jingu, New Year's 1991.  People walk by with their umbrellas on their way to pray at Meiji Jingu Shrine while a competing religion plays a recorded advertisement from a horn speaker.

"Meiji Jingu Shrine - Sea of Umbrellas" (Tokyo-1991)
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=353374819036911708
A sea of umbrellas marches towards Meiji Jinju Shrine at New Year's 1991.

"Meiji Jingu Shrine - Walking in the Sea of Umbrellas" (Tokyo-1991)
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-3052516752344677124
Meiji Jingu Shrine, New Year's 1991.  Walking in the river of people going (with umbrellas in hand) to pray at Meiji Jingu Shrine - under the trees on the long path in.

"Hand-Punched Ticket Gates in 1990 Tokyo at Shinjuku Station"
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-28511952765748213
Just a year or so after this video was taken in 1990, they installed the first generation of automatic ticket gates here. In 1991 videos, the automatic ticket gates begin appear at one after another station. The first generation of ticket gates works magnetically, requiring that the ticket run through the machine, but second generation automatic ticket gates read IC-embedded cards and that don't need to be fed into the machine (although they still read individually sold magnetic tickets).

"Looking Out Saikyo Line Window Between Ikebukuro & Shinjuku" (Tokyo-1990)
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-3978659250769916643
The view out the evening window of a Saikyo Line train between Ikebukuro and Shinjuku.

"Walking Down Old Wooden Drinking Lane"
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-8469303174098363852
This street of old wooden drinking places has remained pretty much unchanged for many decades.

"Walking Towards East Exit within Shinjuku Station" (March 31st, 2008)
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-2387899506439945465
Walking under the tracks within Shinjuku Station - heading towards the East Exit ticket gates.

"East Exit Ticket Gates of Shinjuku Station - March 31st, 2008"
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=6725662219489500607
This was taken in the same spot as "Hand-Punched Ticket Gates in 1990 Tokyo at Shinjuku Station".  The dyed blond hair biped that rushes by is a gate crasher BTW - blasting through the gates going in the wrong direction with no ticket.

"Kabukicho Area - March 31st, 2008"
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=8547518862592571826
One view in the Kabukicho area.  This area features in books, movies, etc.

"Entering the Kabukicho Area" (Tokyo-2008)
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=6059989511838653214
This is one of the entrances to the Kabukicho area.  For Tokyo residents, it's mainly just another area of Tokyo, but the further you get from Tokyo, the more notorious its reputation it seems.
"Kabukicho Area - Pachinko, Restaurants, Bars... Mystery!"
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-3208762319690352599
Kabukicho makes for a good setting for mystery books and movies....

"Heading Towards Kabukicho" (Tokyo-2008)
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-4645776564259566448
Crossing the street near the East Exit side of Shinjuku Station - walking towards the Kabukicho area.

"Inner Tokyo 'Burbs" (Tokyo 2008/April)
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=2525700562120659044


"Typical View of the East Exit Side of Shinjuku Station"
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=8913375233784192788
Typical view of the east side of Shinjuku Station. From here you can do a number of things - go to a movie, restaurant, upscale department store, high-class hotel, office tower, bank, sleazy nightclub area, etc.

"Out of a Smokey Shop & Into the Clear Night" (Tokyo-2008)
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-4943969705788531895
In Kabukicho, outside of an old drinking place. The man walking away had just come out of it. Not entirely visible in the video clip is  ... all » the smoke blowing out of an exhaust vent in the shop, which added some ambiance to an otherwise clear night.


From Ginza to Hibiya Park (Evening)

Kurihama, by Lyle (Hiroshi) Saxon, Images Through Glass, Tokyo