Tokyo station is one of the most peculiar buildings in Tokyo, architechturally speaking. Its red brick walls stand out from the landscape of surrounding it modern glass buildings. Tokyo station building was completed in 1914, and its construction lasted 20 years.

Today, about 3000 trains leave Tokyo station, and over 400,000 people pass through the Tokyo station on a daily basis. It is a main starting point for majority of Shinkansen trans (bullet trains), and hosts about 30 train platforms. Tokyo station is also a major bus terminal (intercity long distant busses).

The underground of Tokyo station is a most complex maze of corridors and shopping alleys. There are hundreds of stores and the passages connect a few Tokyo metro lines, some of them being as far as 2km from the Tokyo station main building.

I was wandering the streets around the Sensoji temple. It was quite early, the stores were still closed and there were only a few people passing by. Then I saw this little kid with her mom. I came over and asked if I can take her a picture. They were standing, waiting for someone, perhaps some friends to go to school together. She said "sure", and so I sat down on the opposite side of the street, grabbed my zoom lens, and waited for a good moment.

And then I saw her mom reaching out with her hand, and that was it. The girl had this face expression as if she did not know what to do, and there was her mom to guide her. Just a brilliant moment.

There are many types of cakes in Japan, but those containing a sweet adzuki bean paste, made of a mixture of whole and mashed beans, are very popular. Bean paste is found in many types of cakes, but one of the most traditional ones are known as ningyouyaki (人形焼), which literally means "doll shaped cakes". 

This picture was shot in front of Sensouji Temple in Asakusa in Tokyo, and shows a store front of a typical ningyouyaki place. Cakes are made on the spot, and sold fresh.

Personally I hate the sweet beans in any form. You can find it here even in ice creams... Buddha knows why. For me it tastes a bit like a squashed bug, mixed with earthworm's pâté. When I arrived at Tokyo in 2001, the first thing I bought in a convenience store was a doughnut. I thought it will be filled with delicious jam, as they are made in Europe. Alas, it was the earwax tasting sweet beans paste. I still have nightmares about it.

I decided to start a series of shot blog posts on the pictures of Tokyo I will be taking all year round. You can also follow my "Japan in photography" project on facebook.

A view of the Asahi Beer Hall and the Tokyo Skytree, which is the second tallest structure in the world.

I shot this early in the morning, with the sun backlighting the whole scene. I was on my way to the Sensoji Temple in Asakusa, but when I saw those skies I just could not resist taking a photo.