On my first-ever full day in Japan 20 years ago today, after a nice hotel breakfast, I went to Ueno Park in Tokyo. The cherry blossoms were about half-way open, and people were enjoying strolling underneath them. A hapless bicyclist tried to avoid me while I was blocking his path with my photo-shooting.

Scene from Ueno Park in Tokyo, Japan, during mid-cherry blossom season. Pedestrians are walking along a street lined with trees and hanging lanterns, and an approaching bicyclist is trying to pass the photographer. © 2006 Norbert Woehnl Photography.

I also had the opportunity to visit my first Japanese temple: Kanneiji is located right in Ueno Park, and looked quite beautiful that morning.

Scene from Kanneiji Temple in Ueno Park, Tokyo, during cherry blossom season. © 2006 Norbert Woehnl Photography.

After this visit, I rode the JR Tokaido Line to Yokohama Station. There, I took the seabus to Yamashita Park, and explored the Port of Yokohama, Chinatown and the Landmark Tower Observatory. Hikawa Maru, a retired ocean liner built in 1929, provided a great photo subject in the port.

Hikawa Maru, a retired ocean liner built in 1929, is seen in the port of Yokohama, Japan. © 2006 Norbert Woehnl Photography.

I then went back to Roppongi Hills in Tokyo, where I went up to the “Tokyo City View” observatory inside Mori Tower. The views and photo opportunities afforded by this location were brilliant.

All photos shot with Nikon digital SLRs, edited in Adobe Lightroom 5.7 / LR Classic.

写真の撮影場所：東京、横浜