Beautiful photos of the Shinjuku area

One of my friends who graduated from the same high school in Tokyo, Tokyo Metropolitan High School of Toyama, sent me nice photos. I post them here with his permission.

 Hanazono-jinja Shrine in Shinjuku, Tokyo

Shinjuku-gyoen Garden in Tokyo

provided by Mr. T. Hatanaka

Hakone New Year Ekiden on Jan. 3, 2017

Japan's biggest sports event during the new year holiday is university students' "Hakone Ekiden". Ekiden is a long-distance relay race.
On Jan. 2nd the first half of the race starts from the city center of Tokyo and  at finishes at Hakone, famous for its scenic spa in the west end of Kanagawa Prefecture. The next day the relay starts from Hakone and ends at the same of spot of the previous day's start point.

 

 

I took these pictures near Hodogaya Station in Yokohama city. The runners ran through the ninth leg, the second leg from the last one.

Twenty university teams are qualified to participate in the race, ten of which are seeded according as the previous year's result: From the first to the tenth place teams.

I took these photos from the driver's seat of my car; I was lucky because I had to have my car halted just before the race course.

Winning team is Aoyama Gakuin University that achieved a feat, three years consecutive victories.

 

 

The ninth runner of Aoyama Gakuin's team is running in front of Hodogaya Station.

 

Cherry Blossoms in Tokyo at night

These are the photos taken on Apr.2,2016 around the Chidori-ga-fuchi area near the Inperial Palace in Tokyo. Courtesy of Mr. T. Hatanaka.

Cherry Blossoms are in full bloom in Tokyo

The Imperial Household Agency opened the Inui-dori Ave. in the Imperial Palace to the public during the cherry blossoms season.

So, I decided to go there and take pictures.

I hope you to enjoy some more.

The following photos were taken around the Chidori-ga-fuchi area.

 British Embassy in Tokyo

 A sign shows that Sir Ernest Satow who presided the then Embassy planted cherry trees here.

 Chidori-ga-fuchi moat

 

 

 

 

Shinjuku-gyoen Garden in Tokyo

These four photos are taken by my friend T. Hatanaka.

China Town in Yokahama

 Today is the beginning of Chinese New Year under the lunar calendar. Here in Yokahama China Town lion dance was performed It was enjoyable.

Diamond Fuji

Mt. Fuji is the tallest mountain in Japan. Its height is 3,776 meters. However, it is hard to see Mt. Fuji from the ground level in the center of Tokyo because of many tall buildings. Still, there is a spot where people can enjoy the majestic view temporarily in the Meiji-Jingu Gaien area until Dec. this year; Tokyo National Stadium was dismantled in order to build a new stadium for the 2020 Tokyo Oplympics.
On Feb. 4, 2016, one of my friends of my high school days took pictures of Mt. Fuji and sent them to us. I got his permission to post them on my blogsite. Those are something special, so please enjoy them.

 In front of Meiji Memorial Picture Gallery many amateur photographers are preparing for the shutter chance.

  The sun set behind Mt. Fuji this day. We call this 'Diamond Fuji'.
[Posted by the courtesy of Mr. Takao Hatanaka, my friend]