Modelling in yukata

The university just broke up for the week-long summer holidays in August, so that we – researchers – could finally relax. I had quite a few international conference trips before that, so I was looking forward to the break. The days have turned long (enough), hot and humid with the indiscriminate buzzing of the cicadas (semi – セミ) – typical of summer in Japan. Many call them noisy, and they are but I find them their noise rather in tune with the peaceful and slow pace of Japanese summer.

Liu and I had decided that she will dress up in the traditional Japanese summer wear, yukata, for a photo shoot somewhere in or around Tokyo. According to plan, we met up in Marunouchi. The first thought was to go to the publicly accessible Imperial Palace Garden for a traditional and natural setting. However, to our surprise, we found out that the garden is closed to public on Mondays. Looking at the hot air rising from the road, I eventually gave up even walking to the Hibiya park, let alone going further west to Yoyogi park, or Meiji jingu. Most of the day, we spent time in Marunouchi, taking some photographs in front of the palace entrance and near the office buildings. I told her about going to my favourite restaurant – So Tired – in the Shin-Marunouchi building for lunch. Only after looking at their set lunch menu, I remembered that I only like it for dinners!

Overall, it was an enjoyable day for shooting photographs of Liu in yukata. Finally, when I was tired towards the evening, she took some photographs too – not of herself but of flowers.

Liu, in yukata, near the outer moat of the Imperial Palace.	Lunch in So Tired in Shin-Marunouchi.
Trying the new 70-300mm L lens with Liu in a distance.	With flowers.