Comments on: 13 views of Fuji Terebi, Odaiba http://www.michaeljohngrist.com/2008/12/13-views-of-fuji-terebi-odaiba/ a Ruins Explorer and SF / Fantasy Author in Japan Wed, 08 Feb 2012 23:20:58 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: MJG http://www.michaeljohngrist.com/2008/12/13-views-of-fuji-terebi-odaiba/comment-page-1/#comment-1505 MJG Sun, 04 Jan 2009 05:39:45 +0000 http://www.michaeljohngrist.com/?p=928#comment-1505 Headbang 8- Yup, it's gone, I couldn't find online why, but suspect it's as you said- not a great location for an international hotel. Headbang 8- Yup, it’s gone, I couldn’t find online why, but suspect it’s as you said- not a great location for an international hotel.

]]> By: headbang8 http://www.michaeljohngrist.com/2008/12/13-views-of-fuji-terebi-odaiba/comment-page-1/#comment-1473 headbang8 Fri, 26 Dec 2008 16:38:42 +0000 http://www.michaeljohngrist.com/?p=928#comment-1473 MJG- Yes, it was the Sofitel. Torn down? Really? Friends of mine stayed there as late as 2004. The rather tall hotel only held 80-odd rooms, so I guess it was an extravagant use of space. And definitely not in the right neighbourhood for an international hotel. One hopes that the design wasn't judged too seismically risky, after the fact! HB8 MJG-

Yes, it was the Sofitel. Torn down? Really? Friends of mine stayed there as late as 2004. The rather tall hotel only held 80-odd rooms, so I guess it was an extravagant use of space. And definitely not in the right neighbourhood for an international hotel.

One hopes that the design wasn’t judged too seismically risky, after the fact!

HB8

]]> By: MJG http://www.michaeljohngrist.com/2008/12/13-views-of-fuji-terebi-odaiba/comment-page-1/#comment-1455 MJG Sat, 20 Dec 2008 02:54:44 +0000 http://www.michaeljohngrist.com/?p=928#comment-1455 mo- Thanks, and shots from the ferris wheel- great idea, wish I'd thought of it! I spent so much time walking round the Bay though I didn't have time for it- nor even to go inside and get the good shot you've linked to. I was lucky with nice blue skies- though it's hard to shoot from across the Bay cos the sun is pretty much behind the building all the time. mo- Thanks, and shots from the ferris wheel- great idea, wish I’d thought of it! I spent so much time walking round the Bay though I didn’t have time for it- nor even to go inside and get the good shot you’ve linked to. I was lucky with nice blue skies- though it’s hard to shoot from across the Bay cos the sun is pretty much behind the building all the time.

]]> By: mo http://www.michaeljohngrist.com/2008/12/13-views-of-fuji-terebi-odaiba/comment-page-1/#comment-1450 mo Thu, 18 Dec 2008 16:50:30 +0000 http://www.michaeljohngrist.com/?p=928#comment-1450 Really great pictures! Such an interesting building (and, going inside is fun too, seeing sets for my favorite variety shows, etc.) I thought for sure there would be a view from the ferris wheel though! The day I went was incredibly cloudy and made for some less-than-fantastic pictures... but I liked this view: http://tinyurl.com/4o8tdh Really great pictures! Such an interesting building (and, going inside is fun too, seeing sets for my favorite variety shows, etc.) I thought for sure there would be a view from the ferris wheel though!

The day I went was incredibly cloudy and made for some less-than-fantastic pictures… but I liked this view:
http://tinyurl.com/4o8tdh

]]> By: MJG http://www.michaeljohngrist.com/2008/12/13-views-of-fuji-terebi-odaiba/comment-page-1/#comment-1424 MJG Tue, 16 Dec 2008 01:20:18 +0000 http://www.michaeljohngrist.com/?p=928#comment-1424 Aaron- Hey buddy! Great you found your way to my site, and thanks for sharing the odd experience in Odaiba. I had a similar thing once in the States with rain, I was on a package tour up the West coast with a van-ful of people, driving through some desert in Nevada or such, and a sudden very heavy rain-storm fell on us. we were listening to something poignant like 'All Along the Watchtower'. We drove on barely able to hear ourselves think for the music and the banging of fat raindrops on the roof. Of course there was no-one else on the road. We looked around at each other and shared the moment. Then we drove out of the rain, and it was as if the moment never was. Alice- You went there with one of the school's students, right? Headbang8- Wow, impressive list of ideas. Also I like the tag of them all being '13 views'- that hadn't actually been the plan, but now that I see it laid out like that, it seems like a cool tag to hang the series' hat on. Some of these buildings I already have my sights set on- City Hall, Tokyo Station, Dentsu. But the others I'll have to look into- thanks. The Novotel- do you mean the Sofitel, that was like a half-open chest of drawers? If so, unfortunately it was demolished a few years back. What a shame. Tornadoes- Ai Nori! you get that in the States? I've watched it a few times and it seems fun- I wish I could get it as a podcast to watch on the train. Aaron- Hey buddy! Great you found your way to my site, and thanks for sharing the odd experience in Odaiba. I had a similar thing once in the States with rain, I was on a package tour up the West coast with a van-ful of people, driving through some desert in Nevada or such, and a sudden very heavy rain-storm fell on us. we were listening to something poignant like ‘All Along the Watchtower’. We drove on barely able to hear ourselves think for the music and the banging of fat raindrops on the roof. Of course there was no-one else on the road. We looked around at each other and shared the moment. Then we drove out of the rain, and it was as if the moment never was.

Alice- You went there with one of the school’s students, right?

Headbang8- Wow, impressive list of ideas. Also I like the tag of them all being ’13 views’- that hadn’t actually been the plan, but now that I see it laid out like that, it seems like a cool tag to hang the series’ hat on. Some of these buildings I already have my sights set on- City Hall, Tokyo Station, Dentsu. But the others I’ll have to look into- thanks. The Novotel- do you mean the Sofitel, that was like a half-open chest of drawers? If so, unfortunately it was demolished a few years back. What a shame.

Tornadoes- Ai Nori! you get that in the States? I’ve watched it a few times and it seems fun- I wish I could get it as a podcast to watch on the train.

]]> By: Tornadoes28 http://www.michaeljohngrist.com/2008/12/13-views-of-fuji-terebi-odaiba/comment-page-1/#comment-1423 Tornadoes28 Mon, 15 Dec 2008 18:32:56 +0000 http://www.michaeljohngrist.com/?p=928#comment-1423 My wife loves the show Ai Nori. She tapes all of them. It seems like it is on everyday. My wife loves the show Ai Nori. She tapes all of them. It seems like it is on everyday.

]]> By: headbang8 http://www.michaeljohngrist.com/2008/12/13-views-of-fuji-terebi-odaiba/comment-page-1/#comment-1422 headbang8 Mon, 15 Dec 2008 09:01:15 +0000 http://www.michaeljohngrist.com/?p=928#comment-1422 13 views of the Novotel in Ueno 13 views of Tokyo Station 13 views of the Prime Minister's residence in Akasaka 13 Views of the NEC HQ in (I think) Mita 13 views of the Dentsu Building in Shiodome--or Shiodome in general. 13 Views of the Hotel Okura, or the Hotel New Otani (for cultural rather than aesthetic reasons) 13 views of that bulbous apartment tower in Azabu (you know, the one that looks like a mushroom) 13 views of Tokyo City Hall in Shinjuku (obvious, but probably a must-do) 13 views of Hachiko Square, Shibuya. A monumental presence, in its own way. 13 views of Zozoji (with Tokyo Tower looming over it) Now, if one were to do 13 views from the inside of buildings, that would be a whole other list... 13 views of the Novotel in Ueno
13 views of Tokyo Station
13 views of the Prime Minister’s residence in Akasaka
13 Views of the NEC HQ in (I think) Mita
13 views of the Dentsu Building in Shiodome–or Shiodome in general.
13 Views of the Hotel Okura, or the Hotel New Otani (for cultural rather than aesthetic reasons)
13 views of that bulbous apartment tower in Azabu (you know, the one that looks like a mushroom)
13 views of Tokyo City Hall in Shinjuku (obvious, but probably a must-do)
13 views of Hachiko Square, Shibuya. A monumental presence, in its own way.
13 views of Zozoji (with Tokyo Tower looming over it)

Now, if one were to do 13 views from the inside of buildings, that would be a whole other list…

]]> By: alice http://www.michaeljohngrist.com/2008/12/13-views-of-fuji-terebi-odaiba/comment-page-1/#comment-1416 alice Sun, 14 Dec 2008 17:25:55 +0000 http://www.michaeljohngrist.com/?p=928#comment-1416 We went there when i visited. I have lots of pics too. We went there when i visited. I have lots of pics too.

]]> By: Aaron http://www.michaeljohngrist.com/2008/12/13-views-of-fuji-terebi-odaiba/comment-page-1/#comment-1414 Aaron Sun, 14 Dec 2008 16:47:07 +0000 http://www.michaeljohngrist.com/?p=928#comment-1414 What's up my friend? I have some very fond memories of Odaiba (I took a lot of dates there the first year I was living in Japan). One of the most surreal experiences there occurred on one of my days off when I visited Odaiba by myself. I was walking along that artificial beach and a massive rain storm occurred (drizzle to Westerners but a down pour to Nihonjin). It suddenly became extremely post apocalyptic all signs of life excluding me and some birds disappeared and I was all alone in a city of 33 million people. No cars moving on Rainbow Bridge no one walking outside of near the windows of the shopping center perched above the beach. Only the 1/5 scale copy of the Statue of Liberty and I standing on the beach. At which point I truly understood Charleston Heston in Planet of the Apes. What’s up my friend? I have some very fond memories of Odaiba (I took a lot of dates there the first year I was living in Japan). One of the most surreal experiences there occurred on one of my days off when I visited Odaiba by myself. I was walking along that artificial beach and a massive rain storm occurred (drizzle to Westerners but a down pour to Nihonjin). It suddenly became extremely post apocalyptic all signs of life excluding me and some birds disappeared and I was all alone in a city of 33 million people. No cars moving on Rainbow Bridge no one walking outside of near the windows of the shopping center perched above the beach. Only the 1/5 scale copy of the Statue of Liberty and I standing on the beach. At which point I truly understood Charleston Heston in Planet of the Apes.

]]> By: MJG http://www.michaeljohngrist.com/2008/12/13-views-of-fuji-terebi-odaiba/comment-page-1/#comment-1413 MJG Sun, 14 Dec 2008 14:59:44 +0000 http://www.michaeljohngrist.com/?p=928#comment-1413 Headbang8- I too have always been interested in Fuji Terebi, but until I actually researched it I didn't know you could go up to the observation sphere. 13 night views, true, good idea, perhaps I'll add that if and when the circumstance present themselves. Any other favorite notable Tokyo buildings? Kelly- Thanks, and no, I haven't been up before- I didn't know it was possible to do so until recently. Headbang8- I too have always been interested in Fuji Terebi, but until I actually researched it I didn’t know you could go up to the observation sphere. 13 night views, true, good idea, perhaps I’ll add that if and when the circumstance present themselves. Any other favorite notable Tokyo buildings?

Kelly- Thanks, and no, I haven’t been up before- I didn’t know it was possible to do so until recently.

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