Tokyo Trip by Chris Conway

A journey in music and Tokyo sounds..

Field recordings collected on a trip to Tokyo in February 2020 have been blended with electro-acoustic music to create a sound journey.

Background
I took a sound recorder on my 9 day trip to Tokyo at the end of February 2020. Apart from the park I was in an urban situation so city sounds are what I got. The trains sounded amazing, and so did the big crowds in the busy centres, so they predominate. I'm grateful to Simon Stockhausen for the idea - his Trip To Asia album is an inspiration. I wanted to make a blend of music and sounds, making the Tokyo sounds like an instrument - a spice rather than the main meal - and to make a journey for the listener.

Enjoy the trip!

Notes - My Trip--------------------
1. Take Off
Seatbelts on - the trip begins!

2. Hotel Elevator To First Stroll
After the long flight I got to Hotel Niwa, had a meal, changed, took the elevator down and took a gentle stroll in the streets around the hotel in search for a Lawsons general store that sold tickets to a concert the next day. I couldn't believe I was in Tokyo!

3. First Train To Somewhere
Next day I had to work out how the trains worked - which was easy actually - and I was going somewhere! I kept checking each station at each stop. A different tune plays at each station!

4. Kitanomaru Park
I needed a stroll, and Kitanomaru Park was the nearest. A Crepe Myrtle tree in full pink blossom was the only tree in bloom around and it was FULL of little birds tweeting. I then came to an area of ponds and little islands and tall trees full of cawing crows. As I passed by the Science Museum there was a school party of chattering children heading there. Near the end you can hear all 3 together.

5. Scramble Crossing
The iconic meeting of roads in Shibuya with a ring of 5 zebra street crossings. A kind of hush grows as everyone waits for the walk sign for all at once. Then GO! - everyone crosses together, selfies are taken by many, and there is much excited chatter.

6. Electric Town Akihabara
Akihabara is a centre for Anime paraphinalia, maid cafes, and all things electrical. I went into the HUGE Yodobashi-Akiba electrical store - 9 floors of every electrical machine or gadget you can imagine and some you maybe couldn't. It was quite dizzymaking - hence the music - as I made my way to the top floor where a CD store was.

7. Jimbocho Train
Jimbocho was the next town down from my hotel and is the secondhand book centre of Tokyo. On some of the pedestrian subways there, the walls are decorated by an endless bookshelf design.

8. Lost In Shinjuku
One evening I was tired and was going to stay in my hotel room, but I scraped myself up and got on a train to Shinjuku, a commercial centre of skyscrapers and buzzing with clubs, venues, restaurants and more. After visiting Tower Records Store I was even more tired, and hungry, grabbed a few noodles, and ended up wandering aimlessly among all the lights, the crowds, noise, and the buildings reaching up to the sky.

9. Sushi Bar Ambiance
One night I wandered into the Akashi Moriichi Sushi Bar in Jimbocho and was met by greetings all from the staff, some hollering from the kitchen. I took a seat and fell under the spell of all the wonderful characters there, and the sound of orders, and thank-yous cried out in singing calls. Near the end you can hear me ordering "Avacado Machi", and later saying "arigatou" - I left to a chorus of hollered farewells.

10. Last Train and Elevator
Coming back from my last expedition, I was mesmerised again by the sci-fi sound of the train. Back at the hotel the elevator robot voice spoke to me again - we'd become friends on my trip.

11. The Flight Home
Up early and heading homewards. My trip was over. But when you listen you can make your own trip from these sounds. :-)

Electronic ambient music often featuring the theremin.

chrisconway.org