exciting month

April is an important month in Japan. 

New school year starts in April not, September.

New employees start their new jobs in April. 

Fiscal year start in April. 

Cherry blossoms make us feel that spring is here and the weather is getting warmer. 

A lot of "new-ness" is felt everywhere you go.

There is a new building that is going to open tomorrow~

It is called Shibuya Hikarie.

It is a building that houses theatre, restaurants and cafes, shopping and a floor that is dedicated to arts and culture. There are offices spaces above and parking lots and the subway station should connect right below all of this.

I am trying to see when I can go check it out~

I get excited when I see buildings that are being built, and I can see the process. and yes I have shared it here before but it was two years ago when I took this photo.

A year later of so I took this.

This was also the same time I was preparing to do the pop-up store, at the department store right across from this one. We pack all the displays and everything else that we need and stack them up on the dolly so that we can take it inside and start setting things up.

Well, this time we had 3 white plastic containers and one cardboard box stacked up on each other and bound together with a durable rubber cable. 

You can see the similarity right?

The great and exciting thing is that there is a store that will carry some of the ileava jewelry, starting tomorrow! 

Yeah~!  I can't wait to go see it all!

In another month or so, there Tokyo Sky Tree will have its grand opening. Always a lot of exciting things happening in Tokyo!!

the sea

I was going to the Tokyo International Exhibition Center, there was a jewelry show that I wanted to check out. As I got off the train, I could smell the salty air.

I forget how close the ocean is from where I live.

There are boats you can take across the bay so I think I'll look that up next time and try to enjoy the bay more.

tower in the dark

I sometimes go to this area where the new tower is being built, the Tokyo Sky Tree, but not that often.


But when i do I try to take a picture of the tower to see far along it has been built.
The day is so much shorter now a days, I wasn't able to get a clear shot.  I hope you can see the tower though. 

The tower I think is mostly finished. There were some light in the globe section, so I am guessing they have to do some interior work.
I was surprised to see the building next to it was taller than I had expected. And that was finished too I think.


It is opening next May.  
I'm not sure if I want to see Tokyo from that hight,though. It's very very high. But I bet on sunny days you can see so much!! 


...I just can't decide yet. 

purple sky

It was one of those days when I was up and out of the house by 4 a.m.


The sky is really pretty early in the morning.

Another amazing view of Tokyo.

bananas!

This building is located between Akihabara and Okachimachi. It doesn't seem to be used for bananas anymore. I'm sure it was once filled with bananas. Maybe when it was an expensive imported fruit. I'm sure but I feel like my mother had told me that a long time ago.


I pass by it quite often now that I am doing an event in at the "Hacoa Store" in Okachimachi. 
There through July I am selling a collaboration pieces with the brand Hacoa, who designs and makes wooden objects. 

Lately I've been having frozen banana treats. 

It's  perfect for the hot weather. and you don't feel too bad eating it for a late night snack.

Healthy and simple. 

I remember eating this for snacks when I was like 5. I'm glad my mother has raised me on it. I think I'll pass it on too.

Ok now back to what I was doing. 

The Tower

Tokyo Tower is one of the places that is most visited.
There is an observation deck to overlook the city, which on a sunny day you can even see Mt. Fuji.

To me,  the Tower is a symbol of Tokyo and something more.

In between the skyscrapers and the tall narrow buildings, sometimes you get a glimpse of the tower, or it appears right in front of you, out of nowhere.  It reminds me that I am in Tokyo now.

It's become something that I look for when I am out or on the train.

Here is a shot from the street looking up, at night time.  The tower is lit up until midnight, so this was before that.