PHOTOGRAPHY BY DANE MALZAHN
WORDS BY SHELLY NGO
While many of the world’s major cities have neighborhoods with certain vibes—think New York’s Upper East Side or London’s Soho district—neighborhoods in Japan’s capital city feel like distinctive towns existing under the collective name, Tokyo.
There’s the sophisticated Ginza district filled with the flagship stores of some of the world’s top luxury brands. The Kappabashi Dougu-gai is nicknamed “Kitchen Town” for its vast selection of cooking utensils and cookware. And there’s the Ryogoku district, the epicenter of Japan’s national sport, sumo wrestling.
“There are a lot of wrestling venues all around the area, and all the restaurants serve big portions of food because of the sumo wrestlers who live there,” said Dane Malzahn, who stayed in the Ryogoku district during a visit to Japan in February.
After spending his sophomore year of college studying abroad in Switzerland and northern Africa, Malzahn wanted to immerse himself in a totally different culture.
“I had never been to Asia, and Japan was always on my radar,” Malzahn said. When he found an affordable flight to Tokyo that coincided with his university’s spring break, Malzahn packed his camera and took off to spend eight days exploring the Land of the Rising Sun.
Inhale At the Sensō-ji Temple in Tokyo, Japan, smoke fills the air as a man directs incense toward himself. Worshippers believe the thick clouds of incense cleanse and purify the body and soul. Smoke over one’s head is said to increase wisdom.
Prayers Each year, some 30 million worshippers visit the Sensō-ji Temple to say prayers before placing their incense bundles in the jokoro, the large incense burner in front of the main hall of the temple.
Man’s Best Friend A man poses his dog for photos outside of the Sensō-ji Temple in Taitō, Japan. Also known as the Asakusa Kannon Temple for Kannon, the Buddhist goddess of mercy, the temple is Tokyo’s oldest, completed in 645 AD. The Sensō-ji Temple was destroyed during World War II, but it was later rebuilt in the 1950s as a symbol of peace in Japan.
First Pitch Two baseball teams warm up for a game in Tokyo’s Ueno Park. Baseball, called yakyū, was first introduced to Japan in the 1870s. While sumo wrestling is Japan’s national sport, baseball is the country’s most popular sport, with millions of passionate fans attending everything from high school tournaments to professional league games.
At Ease On a train, a child naps on his mother’s lap as the sun sets. Trains throughout Tokyo are reliable, clean, and easy to navigate. Suica cards, which can be downloaded to mobile phones, further simplify the process. When a passenger taps a card or the Suica phone app to enter a turnstile, his or her fare is automatically calculated and deducted from the card/phone when it’s swiped to leave a station.
The Bookkeeper Tokyo is one of the safest major cities in the world. It’s also a city organized into neighborhoods with distinctive identities. Jimbocho is famous for its used bookstores. Asakusa is where you’ll find historical Japan, with its winding alleyways, single-story homes, and historic temples. Ginza is Tokyo’s luxury shopping district. And you’ll find clubs and culture in Roppongi, which used to be an army base. Today, Roppongi boasts museums, residential complexes, and luxury hotels.
Sensory reflections At teamLab Planets, an interactive sensory museum experience in Tokyo, a young boy explores the space with awe and curiosity.
Sumo Two sumo wrestlers duke it out in the ring in Asakusa. Japan holds six sumo tournaments every year; three of the matches are held in Tokyo in January, May, and September. Outside of tournament season, you can still watch sumo demonstrations put on for visitors and even participate in a match at sumo shows around the city.
Macaque Oasis Hidden deep in the snowy Yamanouchi mountains, Japanese macaques call the Jigokudani monkey park home. A series of hot springs in the middle of the frigid mountains serves as an oasis for these wild monkeys to relax throughout the year.
Fushimi-Yagura The Meganebashi bridge, along with the Fushimi-Yagura watchtower on the hill, are both visible from the Imperial Palace in Tokyo.
Dane Malzahn is a senior screen arts major at Pepperdine University. He spent his sophomore year in college studying abroad at Pepperdine’s campus in Switzerland and discovered a passion for photography as he traveled and photographed his way through Europe and parts of Africa. He has interned at Freestyle Creative and Prairie Surf Studios to further his skills in photography, video production, and video editing. Dane was born and raised in Edmond, Oklahoma.