Archi-neering Design Exhibit 2011 - Tokyo

I was walking around the Tokyo station/Marunouchi area after work when I stumbled upon this exhibit in the Marunouchi Building.

Apparently, the 24th World Congress of Architecture was being held in Tokyo and for this convention, they decided to put some exhibits for the public to see.

What caught my eye, other than the large "Genki FOR JAPAN" banner" was the Archi-neering Design Exhibit. It was a showcase of unique works in archi-neering (a new concept combining architecture and engineering design) featuring scaled models of real buildings.

The main exhibits were put on display in the "Marucube", the spectacular atrium inside the unspectacular dull looking Marunouchi Building.

Tokyo Walks 2011 - Kawagoe

On Sept. 10, 2011, I took an afternoon trip to the town of Kawagoe. The town (its more like a suburb of Tokyo now) is about 30 minutes away by train from Ikebukuro station in Tokyo. Its supposed to be famous for its preservation of Edo era (1603 - 1868) buildings.

In my opinion, it wasn't so interesting as all the Edo era buildings were located in a single "preservation zone" that is designed like a tourist trap and everything outside of that zone just looks like your typical Tokyo urban sprawl.

Arrival at Kawagoe station Typical layout of a Tokyo suburban community with the train station and the centre and shopping centres surrounding the station.

Tokyo Walks 2011 - Monzennaka-cho, Nihonbashi

On a very hot day on Aug. 17, 2011, I did some "urban walking" from the "shitamachi" (下町) (old traditional) areas of Tokyo to the business centre of Tokyo in Nihonbashi.

I started from the Monzennaka-cho (門前仲町) area.

The entrance to the Tomioka Hachiman Shrine.