A Summer Day by the Riverside
On August 13th, 2025, at noon, I spent three to four hours photographing along the east bank of Tokyo’s Sumida River. The summer sun sparkled on the water surface, creating shimmering reflections. The weather was somewhat hot, and I could see tourists resting under the shaded areas along the riverbank. The atmosphere was comfortable and relaxed, with a moderate crowd that allowed me to quietly observe the urban riverside scenery.
Tokyo in One Frame
What makes this spot special is the ability to capture the river view, bridges, passing trains, and Tokyo Skytree all in one frame. This kind of cityscape is rare in Taiwan, which made it feel quite fresh and interesting to me. In post-processing, I intentionally used cooler tones to give the images a modern, contemporary feel.
The water buses that occasionally passed by added a futuristic touch to the scene. Their sleek, modern design was truly impressive.
An Unexpected Joy Under the Bridge
The most delightful discovery was finding a grey heron grooming itself under the bridge. With my 150-400mm telephoto lens, I could clearly capture its focused grooming. When it gazed into the distance, its eyes were sharp and striking. But the most amusing moment was when the wind lifted a few feathers on its head – despite that keen, piercing gaze, those windblown feathers made it look adorably silly, creating an interesting contrast.
I spent quite a while observing under the bridge, and that focused, joyful feeling made the afternoon truly memorable.
